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Key Staff

Current Centre Members

Prof Andrew Taylor-Robinson (Laboratory Head & Principal Investigator)                        

Andrew Taylor-Robinson Andrew Taylor-Robinson received a BSc in microbiology from University College London and a PhD in parasite immunology from the University of Glasgow for work on immunity to malaria. Postdoctoral research at Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology, Freiburg, Germany, on human and rodent malarias further developed interest in regulation of immunity to infection. He was awarded a Wellcome Trust Career Development Research Fellowship at the University of Leeds and subsequently appointed to the permanent academic staff. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Royal College of Pathologists, Society of Biology and Institute of Biomedical Science. He joined CQUniversity in 2012 and is currently a Professorial Research Fellow with the Health Collaborative Research Network (CRN).

Andrew has 25 years’ research experience of infectious disease immunology, with focus on malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. His interests include understanding regulation of the immune response, effector mechanisms of protective immunity and their potentiation for vaccine design. Thus, his previous studies in both experimental models and humans make him well suited to lead the work of the CCMI on infections of the upper respiratory tract. In addition, Andrew is continuing his research on malaria and using the power of place to collaborate on a number of diverse projects of regional relevance, including dengue fever immunoepidemiology and bovine embryology.

Recent publications include:

  • Morley L.C. & Taylor-Robinson A.W. (2012). Understanding how Plasmodium falciparum binds to the placenta and produces pathology provides a rationale for pregnancy-associated malaria vaccine development. Open Vaccine Journal 5: 8-27
  • Kane E.G. & Taylor-Robinson A.W. (2011). Prospects and pitfalls of pregnancy-associated malaria vaccination based on the natural immune response to Plasmodium falciparum VAR2CSA-expressing parasites. Malaria Research and Treatment doi:10.4061/2011/764845. 21 pages
  • Heal K.G. & Taylor-Robinson A.W. (2010). Tomatine adjuvantation of protective immunity to a major pre-erythrocytic vaccine candidate of malaria is mediated via CD8+ T cell release of IFN-gamma. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology doi:10.1155/2010/834326. 7 pages
  • Taylor-Robinson A.W. (2010). Regulation of immunity to Plasmodium: implications from mouse models for blood stage malaria vaccine design. Experimental Parasitology 126: 406-14

Research Interests: infectious diseases; immunology; medical microbiology; cellular immunity; cytokine networks; nitric oxide metabolism; vaccinology

Further information can be found via this link. 

Contact details: +61 7 4923 2008
Email: a.taylor-robinson@cqu.edu.au

Dr Sabine Flenady (Research Assistant)

Sabine FlenadySabine joined CCMI in 2011 as a PhD student and Research Assistant. Her doctoral studies involved the analysis of key molecules pertaining to the T cell signalling cascade in an endangered marsupial native to Central Queensland.

Sabine joined us from another research group within CQUniversity to expand her knowledge in tissue culture techniques and further her interest in various infectious diseases. In return, she brings expertise in molecular biology (RNA and DNA work, Western blotting, RT-PCR, sequence analysis and protein structure modelling), which complements our existing laboratory skills.

  • Young, L.J., Cross, M.L., Duckworth, J.A., Flenady, S. & Belov, K. (2012). Molecular identification of interleukin-2 in the lymphoid tissues of the common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula. Developmental and Comparative Immunology 36: 236-40

Research Interests: molecular mechanisms in transplant biology, stem cell biology.

Contact details: +61 7 4930 6966

Email: s.smith-flenady@cqu.edu.au 

Ms Jessica Browne (PhD student)

Jessica BrowneJessica is currently pursuing her doctoral degree by investigating the presence and function of regulatory T and Th17 cells in cellular immunity in adenoids, tonsils and blood of otitis media-prone children. Prior to starting her doctoral studies, Jessica gained experience in the area of middle ear research by working as a Research Assistant in CCMI and before that in the Marine Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology group at CQUniversity. This included preparation of various bacterial cultures, flow cytometry-cell staining and analysis, in vitro human tissue culture, surgical procedures in murine model, tissue processing, protein & nucleotide isolation and analysis.

Research Interests: infectious diseases, immunology, microbiology, clinical research in the area of otitis media, bronchitis, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Contact details: +61 7 4923 2646

Email: j.browne@cqu.edu.au


To be appointed 2013 (P/T Research Assistant) 


Adjunct staff/External collaborators

A/Prof Evan Matthews (Consultant ENT Surgeon, Mater Hospital, Rockhampton; Visiting Medical Officer, Rockhampton Base Hospital and Woorabinda Hospital)

Evan MatthewsEvan has over 15 years’ experience as a specialist ENT surgeon and is board certified as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Research Interests: otolaryngology, head & neck surgery

Prof Jennelle Kyd (Senior DVC and Provost, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne)

Jennelle KydJennelle was PVC (Research and Innovation), then DVC (Academic and Research) at CQUniversity between 2006-12. She has a distinguished research portfolio in biotechnology, immunology and medical microbiology with an emphasis on vaccine development for the prevention of middle ear and respiratory infections. She leads an international group working to achieve a vaccine for the prevention of bacterial middle ear infection in children.

Jennelle is an inventor of commercially valuable intellectual property of vaccine components for Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Dr Ajay Krishnamurthy (postdoctoral Research Fellow, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne)

Ajay-KAjay worked as a Research Officer at CQUniversity for four years from 2008, and recently moved to Melbourne to continue as a key member of the Kyd group. At CCMI, he researched polymicrobial infection in otitis media, host-microbe interaction using animal and tissue culture models, host-microbe dynamics in biofilm formation, and vaccine strategy using quorum sensing signalling molecules in respiratory tract infections. Prior to this, Ajay’s research included multi-drug resistance tuberculosis, prevalence of beta-lactamase producing strains among clinical isolates, and antimicrobial activity of broad spectrum beta-lactams.

Research interests: polymicrobial infection; infectious diseases; microbial pathogenesis; biofilm architecture

Previous Centre members:

Prof Jennelle Kyd
Dr Ajay Krishnamurthy
Ms Natalie Brook (Research Assistant)
Mr Damian Byrt (Research Technician)
Natalie and Damian assisted in the technical aspects of research projects including preparation and processing of samples, data processing, data analysis, general animal husbandry, purchase orders and upkeep of the laboratory.