Retroviral Biology and Antivirals

We define the role of the genital microbiota and their metabolites in sexual and reproductive health outcomes. We discover and develop novel antivirals, and we identify and characterise mammalian retroviruses and antiviral proteins.

Our main objectives are to:

• elucidate the role of the vaginal microbiome in adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes
• develop a new drug class for HIV treatment and prevention
• undertake studies on emerging viruses circulating in bats and bat antiviral factors. 

Our work has discovered vaginal microbiota metabolites that:

• potentially prevent sexually transmissible incomes as well as adverse birth outcomes
• are potent in killing HIV.

Our other discoveries include:

• a novel retrovirus in fruit bats, closely related to koala retrovirus
• diverse major intrinsic antiviral genes encoded in bats
• small chemical building blocks (fragments) with mechanism of action distinct to HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors used in the clinic.

We've also demonstrated:

• retention of HIV-1 and HSV-2 inhibitory activity of a molecule through a clinical trial in healthy women
• blocked viral particle production through potent members of a class of HIV-1 drugs.