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  5. Malaria Immunity and Vaccines
Chiara Drago Alexander Harris Alessia Hysa
+17

Malaria Immunity and Vaccines

Our research focuses on immunity, vaccines, new treatments and clinical studies of malaria.

About

Malaria is among the world’s leading health problems, particularly affecting young children and pregnant women. Additionally, malaria severely impedes education, equity and economic development. We aim to understand the targets and mechanisms of immunity to malaria and develop innovative vaccines that are highly protective against malaria.

Combating malaria is an explicit target in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. However, progress in reducing the global burden of malaria has stalled since 2015, with increases likely in the coming years. Plasmodium falciparum causes most clinical cases and deaths globally, with P. vivax the second major cause, particularly in the Asia and Pacific region.

Our broad objectives are to accelerate progress towards elimination of malaria through

  1. development of new highly protective and long-lasting vaccines
  2. developing and supporting the implementation of novel approaches for malaria surveillance to strengthen impact of interventions
  3. developing and evaluating new interventions in malaria-endemic populations.

We use cutting-edge approaches to understand:

  • malaria immunity in vaccine trials and clinical studies
  • the design of new vaccines that overcome existing roadblocks.

We work with large multicentre studies across malaria endemic regions, including analysis of malaria vaccine trials. To achieve our goals and maximise the impact of our work, we collaborate extensively nationally and internationally. 

Jamesbeeson 002 WEB

Listen to our podcast

Our group head, Professor James Beeson, discusses Burnet's malaria work in Episode 8 of our How Science Matters podcast. 

Protocols and methods

  • Complement-fixation by antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum

    Development of methods to quantify antibody mediated complement fixation for malaria.

  • Quantifying antibody binding to Fcγ-receptors in malaria immunity

    Laboratory methods for quantify Fc-receptor interactions by antibodies to malaria.

  • Isolation of viable Plasmodium falciparum merozoites

    Laboratory methods to isolate merozoites.

  • Plasmodium falciparum Growth or Invasion Inhibition Assays

    Laboratory methods to quantify the ability of antibodies to inhibit or neutralise P. falciparum.

  • Phagocytosis of antigen-coated beads or malaria parasites using neutrophils

    Published protocol and method.

  • Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay with natural killer cells in malaria immunity

    Published protocol and method.

Group contacts

Main contact

Professor James Beeson

Professor James Beeson

Deputy Director, Research Strategy; Head, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group; Adjunct Professor, Monash University
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Chrissie Collins

Chrissie Collins

EA to Deputy Director
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Student supervisor contacts

Professor James Beeson

Professor James Beeson

Deputy Director, Research Strategy; Head, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group; Adjunct Professor, Monash University
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Chrissie Collins

Chrissie Collins

EA to Deputy Director
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Group members

Alessia Hysa

Alessia Hysa

PhD Student
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Alexander Harris

Alexander Harris

Research Assistant
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Chiara Drago

Chiara Drago

Research Assistant
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Clarissa Moreira

Clarissa Moreira

PhD Student and Research Assistant
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Dr Herbert Opi

Dr Herbert Opi

Senior Research Fellow
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Professor James Beeson

Professor James Beeson

Deputy Director, Research Strategy; Head, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group; Adjunct Professor, Monash University
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Jessica Horton

Jessica Horton

Honorary Associate
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Dr Jo-Anne Chan

Dr Jo-Anne Chan

Senior Postdoctoral Research Scientist
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Kaitlin Pekin

Kaitlin Pekin

Research Assistant
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Dr Lee Yeoh

Dr Lee Yeoh

Postdoctoral Fellow
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Dr Linda Reiling

Dr Linda Reiling

Senior Research Officer, Malaria Research: Immunity, Vaccines and New Therapies
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Dr Liriye Kurtovic

Dr Liriye Kurtovic

Postdoctoral Research Officer
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Dr Michelle Scoullar

Dr Michelle Scoullar

Senior Research Fellow - Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health. Paediatrician.
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Dr Sandra Chishimba

Dr Sandra Chishimba

Postdoctoral Researcher/Research Officer
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Timothy Ho

Timothy Ho

PhD student
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Dr Natasha  Pereira

Dr Natasha Pereira

Quality Assurance Specialist
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Dr Adam Thomas

Dr Adam Thomas

Senior Research Officer - Malaria Vaccines
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Jessie Lu-Lee

Jessie Lu-Lee

Project Manager
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Grace Wright

Grace Wright

Masters Student
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Jiaqi (Albert) Shi

Jiaqi (Albert) Shi

Master's Student
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