PROGRAM |
DISCIPLINE |
HEALTH THEMES |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Disease Elimination | Life Sciences | Malaria; COVID-19 |
Despite initial fears, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics impact in sub-Sahara Africa has been less serious than anticipated. Possible reasons for this relative protection from SARS-CoV-2 include prior or current malaria infection or other host factors like worm co-infection.
This project will use human clinical samples collected from an NIH funded observational study to investigate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in Malawians. T and B cell responses during and following infection and vaccination will be assessed in a large cohort of individuals. Responses will be compared to Australian adults and the impact of host co-infections assessed. You will learn to apply advanced immunology techniques (for example multiparametric flow cytometry, RNAseq, multi-omic analysis), and analyse data using bioinformatic pipelines, and advanced statistical methods.
Understanding immune development to SARS-CoV-2 in the context of areas of high malaria transmission will inform future COVID-19 control strategies and underlying immune development.
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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