Burnet Institute

Co-Head, Viral Fusion Laboratory

Telephone: 03 92822179
Email: hdrummer@burnet.edu.au

 

 

 

 

Other Appointments(current)

NHMRC RD Wright Biomedical Research Fellow
Honorary Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne
Honorary Senior Lecturer, Department of Microbiology, Monash University
Principal Investigator, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology
Treasurer, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology

Academic Background

1988- BSc(Hons) The University of Melbourne
1993 - PhD The University of Melbourne 1993

 

Previous Positions

2003-2004. Co Head Virology Unit. St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research
2000-2004. Senior Research Fellow. St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research
1998-2000. Senior Research Officer. St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research
1995-1997. Sessional Lecturer Immunology and Virology. Department of Veterinary Science. The University of Melbourne
1993-1997 Post doctoral Research Fellow. Centre for Equine Virology. Department of Veterinary Science. The University of Melbourne

 

Projects/Research Interests

Mechanisms of HCV Entry
Role of neutralizing antibodies in HCV infection
Structure and Function of the HCV glycoproteins
Evaluation of candidate vaccines for HCVDevelopment of inhibitors of the E2-CD81 interaction
Peptide inhibitors of HCV entry.

Significant Publicaitons

• McCaffrey, K., I. Boo, P. Poumbourios, and H. E. Drummer. 2007. Expression and characterisation of a minimal HCV glycoprotein E2 core domain that retains CD81 binding. J Virol.
• Bellamy-McIntyre, A. K., C. S. Lay, S. Bar, A. L. Maerz, G. H. Talbo, H. E. Drummer, and P. Poumbourios. 2007. Functional links between the fusion peptide-proximal polar segment and membrane-proximal region of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp41 in distinct phases of membrane fusion. J Biol Chem.
• Drummer, H. E., I. Boo, and P. Poumbourios. 2007. Mutagenesis of a conserved fusion peptide-like motif and membrane-proximal heptad-repeat region of hepatitis C virus glycoprotein E1. J Gen Virol 88:1144-8.
• Torresi, J., O. M. Stock, A. E. Fischer, L. Grollo, H. Drummer, I. Boo, W. Zeng, L. Earnest-Silveira, and D. C. Jackson. 2007. A self-adjuvanting multiepitope immunogen that induces a broadly cross-reactive antibody to hepatitis C virus. Hepatology 45:911-20.
• Boo, I., A. E. Fischer, D. Johnson, R. Chin, M. Giourouki, M. Bharadwaj, S. Bowden, J. Torresi, and H. Drummer. 2007. Neutralizing antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection treated with (Peg)-interferon/ribavirin. J Clin Virol.
• Drummer, H. E., I. Boo, A. L. Maerz, and P. Poumbourios. 2006. A conserved Gly436-Trp-Leu-Ala-Gly-Leu-Phe-Tyr motif in hepatitis C virus glycoprotein E2 is a determinant of CD81 binding and viral entry. J Virol 80:7844-53.
• Drummer, H. E., and P. Poumbourios. 2004. Hepatitis C virus glycoprotein E2 contains a membrane-proximal heptad repeat sequence that is essential for E1E2 glycoprotein heterodimerization and viral entry. J Biol Chem 279:30066-72.
• Poumbourios, P., A. L. Maerz, and H. E. Drummer. 2003. Functional evolution of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 120 association site of glycoprotein 41. J Biol Chem 278:42149-60.
• Drummer, H. E., A. Maerz, and P. Poumbourios. 2003. Cell surface expression of functional hepatitis C virus E1 and E2 glycoproteins. FEBS Lett 546:385-90.
• Drummer, H. E., K. A. Wilson, and P. Poumbourios. 2002. Identification of the hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein binding site on the large extracellular loop of CD81. J Virol 76:11143-7.

Grants

2005-2007 - Receptor activated conformations of retroviral glycoproteins. Project grant 345413. P Poumbourios, HE Drummer, J Mak.
2006-2008 - Neutralizing antibody responses in HCV infected individuals. NHMRC Project Grant 381713. HE Drummer, P Poumbourios, G Dore, M Hellard, J Torresi
2007-2009 - Structure and function of the Hepatitis C Virus glycoproteins E1 and E2. NHMRC Project Grant. 433913. HE Drummer, P Poumbourios and D Elhassen.
2007-2011 - 433929. HE Drummer. RD Wright Biomedical Career Development award.
Jan 2007-Dec2007 - Evaluation of a minimal core domain of the HCV glycoprotein E2 as a vaccine candidate with potential to elicit broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies. Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology. Drummer HE and Poumbourios P.
Jan 2007- Dec 2007 -Terminal Interactons in gp41: a novel target for fusion inhibitors. Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology. Poumbourios P and Drummer HE

 

Patents and Commercial Developments

Recombinant HCV E2 glycoprotein for use in HCV vaccine treatment. Provisional Filed 28th July 2006. Patent number: 2006906090.

Current Collaborations

Dr Hans Netter. Department of Microbiology. Monash University. Development of chimeric Hepatitis B Virus vaccines
Dr Joseph Torresi.  Department of Medicine and Centre for Clinical Research Excellence, Royal Melbourne Hospital
Professor David Jackson. Department of Microbiology and Immunology. The University of Melbourne
Professor Jim McCluskey and Dr Mandvi Bharadwaj. Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor Michael Parker and Dr Craig Morton. St Vincent's Institute for Medical Research
Associate Professor Greg Dore. National Centre in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, UNSW
Dr. Margaret Hellard. Head, Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health Research, Burnet Institute
Dr Jamie Rossjohn. Department of Biochemistry. Monash University
Dr Peter White. School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences. The University of Sydney
Dr Elizabeth Grgacic. Burnet Institute
Dr Elizabeth Grgacic. Burnet Institute
Dr John Martyn, Professor Eric Gowans and Dr Reza Haqshenas. Burnet Institute
Dr Barbara Coulson. Department of Microbiology and Immunology. The University of Melbourne
Professor Eric Gowans and Dr Li Shuo. Burnet Institute
Dr Paul Gorry. Burnet Institute
Dr Gert Talbo. Baker Heart Research Institute

Professor Memberships

American Society for Microbiology
Australian Virology Group
The Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology Inc (ACHV)
Australian Centre for HIV & Hepatitis Virology (ACH2)

 

Awards

Australian Postgraduate Research Award
RD Wright Biomedical Research Award

Telephone: 03 92822179
E-mail: hdrummer@burnet.edu.au

Enter your Search Term

Search

 

Join our Mailing List

Mailing List

Email:

• Anderson Laboratory (Ian Potter Hepatitis Research - Diagnostics and Basic Research)
• Cherry Laboratory (HIV Neuropathy and Toxicity)
• Churchill/Wesselingh Laboratory (HIV Neuropathogenesis)
• Crowe Laboratory (Clinical Research)
• Crowe/Jaworowski Laboratory (HIV Pathogenesis)
• Drummer/Poumbourios Laboratory (Viral Fusion)
• Gorry Laboratory (HIV Molecular Pathogenesis)
• Gowans Laboratory (Hepatitis C -Molecular Biology)
• Lewin/Cameron Laboratory (HIV and Hepatitis Immunopathogenesis)
• Mak Laboratory (HIV Assembly)
• Tachedjian Laboratory (Molecular Interactions)
• Wright Laboratory (The Asia Pacific NeuroAIDS Consortium)