Dior Ong
PhD Student
Working groups
Background
Dior is a PhD student at Monash University and Burnet Institute, supervised by Professor Heidi Drummer and Dr Gabriela Khoury. She is currently working on the project 'Understanding the impact of asplenia and hyposplenism on the immune system,' where she is profiling key immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and identifying correlates of protection in immunosuppressed individuals.
Dior's honours research investigated the modulation of macrophage reactive oxygen species production during Toxoplasma gondii–phagocyte interactions, focusing on the intracellular fate of T. gondii under different routes of entry into RAW 264.7 macrophages and the influence of PMA activation.
Qualifications
- 2024: Bachelor of Science (Honours), School of Science, Monash University, Malaysia
- 2022: Bachelor of Medical Bioscience, School of Science, Monash University, Malaysia
Current projects
Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 post-vaccination and infection in people who live without a functioning spleen
We aim to understand how living without a functioning spleen impacts a person’s antiviral immune responses to viral infections and vaccination.
Profiling immune responses in paediatric and high-risk populations to the COVID-19 virus (PROPHECY)
This study will evaluate immune responses after COVID-19 infection or vaccination in healthy and vulnerable people.
Understanding the impact of asplenia and hyposplenism on the immune system
We're studying the impact of asplenia and reduced spleen function in immune responses to vaccinations and a range of infections.