PROGRAM |
DISCIPLINE |
HEALTH THEMES |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Disease Elimination | Life Sciences | Malaria |
Antibody development in response to infection and vaccination in humans is poorly understood, in part due to the difficult in accessing secondary lymphoid tissues where germinal centre and antibody development occur. Recent advances in organoid germinal centre models using readily available tonsil tissue, now allow for germinal centre and antibody development in human cells to be investigated.
This project will use germinal centre organoid models to investigate human immune development to malaria parasites and malaria vaccines. Comparisons with other pathogens and vaccines (such as Strep A, or SARS-CoV-2) will be investigated. You will learn to apply advanced immunology techniques (for example multiparametric flow cytometry, RNAseq, multiomic analysis, spatial profiling), and analyse data using bioinformatic pipelines, and advanced statistical methods.
Understanding the immune response directly in the tissue where germinal centre development occurs will revolutionise our understanding of immune development in human infection. Findings have the potential to inform future vaccine development to optimise protective response to malaria and other infectious diseases.
Contact
Dr Michelle Boyle
Head, Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination Group
michelle.boyle@burnet.edu.au
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Why study at Burnet?
When you study at Burnet, you broaden your impact working across our three Institute-wide programs: Disease Elimination; Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness; Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health.
Train with internationally recognised experts in a structured student support system, and gain a holistic research experience along the way.
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