Background

Dr Gabriela Khoury is an emerging research leader in clinical and translational immunology with expertise in T-cell biology, infectious diseases and immunodeficiency. She has worked across the different stages of the translational pipeline and has a first-hand understanding of what is required to move fundamental research into the clinic.

Prior to pursuing her PhD studies on how and where HIV persists during antiretroviral therapy (ART), Dr Khoury worked in the pharmaceutical industry. There she conducted pre-clinical studies on novel compounds which target unique stages of HIV replication. The lead compound from this work has now completed Phase 2/2a clinical trials in people living with HIV and/or HCV.

In 2020 Dr Khoury joined the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute where she led COVID-19 clinical studies assessing immunity post-infection and vaccine responses in different cohorts. Dr Khoury has established a collaborative network with clinicians from Monash and Alfred Health.

In 2023 Dr Khoury joined the Burnet Institute as the Antiviral Immunity Theme lead. Her team focuses on studying antiviral responses against infections and vaccination to viruses like SARS-CoV-2, Influenza and Mpox.

Dr Khoury contributes to the broader fields of immunology and infection both nationally and internationally through different professional and community outreach activities, including as a council member at the Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI), various committee memberships (at ASI, VIIN, IUIS), as an Associate Editor (CTI), in peer review and in the IAS Abstract Mentor Program.

Dr Khoury is passionate about promoting immunology to the public through science outreach and engagement programs in her past roles as the ASI Day of Immunology coordinator and social media manager. In 2019, she led the successful prize-winning campaign for the ‘Best International Day of Immunology Campaign’ awarded by the International Union of Immunological Societies.

As a first generation Australian Dr Gabriela Khoury is passionate about increasing diversity in STEM fields and creating opportunities for school students to learn science and undergraduates to gain experience in the lab.

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Qualifications

• 2015: PhD (Immunology), Monash University
• 2004: DipBiotech (Research and Management), Monash University
• 2003: BSc (Hons), Monash University
• 2002: BSc, Monash University

Appointments

• 2020-2024: Associate Editor, Clinical & Translational Immunology
• 2022-2023: Young Investigator Committee, The Victorian Infection and Immunity Network
• 2021-2022: Mentor, Graduate Research Mentoring Program 2021, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
• 2021-2022: Undergraduate Research Opportunity Placement (CSIRO)
• 2021-2022: Social Media Team, International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS)
• 2021, 2022: Invited Guest Lecturer, Tsinghua University, China
• 2019-2022: Mentor, International AIDS Society (IAS) Abstract Mentor Program
• 2013-2022: Council Member, Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology
• 2020-2022: Day of Immunology (DoI) Coordinator, Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology
• 2016-2019: Day of Immunology (DoI) Coordinator, Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology
• 2013-2021: Social Media Manager, Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology

Positions

• 2020-2022: Research Fellow, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute