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Cellular Responses 240215 Lyntonburnetshoot 424
Group Head Michelle Boyle. Image: Lynton Crabb
Damian Oyong Michelle Boyle

Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination

Our work strives to understand malaria infection and vaccination.

About

Our group aims to understand the key cellular mechanisms that lead to protective immunity in response to malaria infection and vaccination and to discover why these cells are less responsive in children and in those with prior malaria infection. 

Long term, our research aims to develop novel therapeutics that can boost protective immunity during malaria infection or vaccination. 

Reviews

Commentary and editorials

Patents and methods chapters

Isolation of viable P. falciparum merozoites by membrane filtration

Michelle Boyle, David Wilson, James Beeson

6th edition, 2013, EVIMalaR Glasgow, UK, edited by Moll K, Kaneko A, Scherf A, Wahlgren M.

Erythrocyte invasion assays with isolated viable P. falciparum merozoites

Michelle Boyle, David Wilson, James Beeson

6th edition, 2013, EVIMalaR Glasgow, UK, edited by Moll K, Kaneko A, Scherf A, Wahlgren M

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

  • Blood sample processing

    This SOP describes processing blood samples from donors to isolate plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and fixed whole blood for storage. Blood samples can be from volunteer donors or buffy coat blood samples from Australian Red Cross Life Blood donors.

    Boylelab SOP RA Blood Sample Processing 0 B
  • Stimulation of PBMC/Spleen/Tonsil cells using Activation Induced Marker (AIM) assay

    This SOP provides a guide for stimulating PBMC/Spleen/Tonsil cells and measuring activation-induced markers (AIMs) to determine antigen-specific response. PBMC/Spleen/Tonsil samples are stimulated with Plasmodium-parasitised red blood cells (pRBCs) to investigate malaria-specific cellular response.

    Boylelab SOP AIM [PDF 315.4 kB]
  • In vitro culturing of Plasmodium falciparum parasites

    This SOP describes the process of the continuous in vitro culturing of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic stages in human red blood cells (RBCs).

    Boylelab SOP Plasmodium Culture [PDF 325.8 kB]
  • Cell Stimulation Assay

    This SOP describes the process of stimulating human whole blood ex vivo, or cryopreserved PMBC, spleen, and/or tonsil cells.

    Boylelab SOP PMA Stimulation [PDF 467.7 kB]
  • Ex vivo cell staining

    This SOP provides guide for ex vivo fluorescent cell staining of cryopreserved human PBMC/Spleen/Tonsil cells. The cell staining involves staining process for cell surface and intracellular markers labelled with fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies. Cell markers can be used to identify cell subsets based on lineage, differentiation state, and function.

    Boylelab SOP RA Ex Vivo Cell Staining [PDF 137.3 kB]
  • PBMC Thawing

    Cryopreserved PBMC/Spleen/Tonsils cells are sensitive to the thawing processes. To ensure optimal cell recovery and viability, thaw protocols are optimised.

    Boylelab SOP RA PBMC Thaw [PDF 131.0 kB]
  • In vitro culture of Human Tonsil/Spleen Organoids from cell suspension

    This SOP provides a guide for the generation of in vitro organoids using human tonsil/spleen cell suspensions. Here, tonsils or spleen organoids will be used as in vitro functional systems that mimic key features of the germinal centres in vivo.

    Boylelab SOP Tonsil Organoids [PDF 184.4 kB]
  • Create cell suspension from Human Tonsils

    This SOP describes the process of isolating cells from tonsils, followed by storage in liquid nitrogen.

    Boylelab SOP Tonsils Processing [PDF 144.3 kB]

Group contacts

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Head, Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination Group; Snow Medical Fellow
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Group members

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Head, Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination Group; Snow Medical Fellow
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Dr Damian Oyong

Dr Damian Oyong

Research Officer
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