Dr Liriye Kurtovic
Postdoctoral Research Officer
Working groups
Background
Liriye completed a PhD at Monash University in 2019 on antimalarial immunity where she identified that antibodies function by fixing and activating serum complement proteins to kill Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites. Liriye is currently a Senior Research Officer in the Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Laboratory at Burnet Institute, investigating immunity induced by preclinical and approved malaria vaccines. She has established high-throughput approaches to quantify antibody functional responses in thousands of samples collected in large clinical trials of the RTS,S malaria vaccine conduced in young African children. Her research aims to define whether antibody function is an immunological correlate of protection for malaria vaccines such as RTS,S, and to identify factors associated with the induction and maintenance of protective immunity in children.
Qualifications
• 2019: Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University
• 2014: Bachelor of Science (Honours), Monash University
• 2013: Bachelor of Science, Monash University
Positions
• 2019- Senior Research Officer, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Laboratory, Burnet Institute
Awards
- 2024: Moderna Global Fellowship
- 2023: Miller foundation Biomedical Research Travel Award, Burnet Institute
- 2022: NHMRC Near Miss Fund (CIA Kurtovic), Burnet Institute
- 2022: Harold Mitchell Postdoctoral Travel Fellowship, Burnet Institute
- 2021: First Prize postdoc oral presentation, Malaria in Melbourne conference
- 2021: Career Development Award, Lorne Infection & Immunity conference
- 2020: CASS Medicine/Science Grant (CIA Kurtovic), Burnet Institute
- 2020: Know C19 Initiative (co-CIA Kurtovic), Burnet Institute
- 2020: Seed Grant (CIA Kurtovic), Australian Centre for Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination
- 2020: Early Career Award (CIA Kurtovic), Thrasher Research Fund
- 2019: First Prize postdoc poster presentation, Lorne & Immunity conference
- 2018: Student Travel Grant, Australian Society for Parasitology
- 2018: Postgraduate Publication Award, Monash University
- 2018: Burnet Prize for Infectious Diseases Research, Alfred Health Week poster display
- 2018: Harold Mitchell Postgraduate Travel Fellowship, Burnet Institute
- 2018: Early Career Researcher Award, Australasian Vaccines and Immunotherapeutic Development conference
- 2017: Network Researcher Exchange, Training and Travel Award, Australian Society for Parasitology
- 2017: First Prize 3 minute thesis presentation, Burnet Institute student symposium
- 2017: Third Prize student poster presentation, Lorne & Immunity conference
- 2016: Third Prize student poster presentation, Monash university Central Clinical School student symposium
- 2016: Postgraduate Travel Award, Monash University
- 2015: Nairn Prize in Immunology, Monash University
- 2015: Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship, Monash University
- 2014: Third Prize student oral presentation, Burnet Institute student symposium
Appointments
• 2023: Life Sciences Discipline Seminar Series co-convenor, Burnet Institute
• 2021- Review Editor, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
• 2019- Adjunct Research Associate, Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University
• 2017- Australian Society for Parasitology
• 2016-2018 & 2023- American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• 2017: Student Representative, Burnet Institute
Burnet publications
View 25 moreInduction of Fc-dependent functional antibodies against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 varies by vaccine type and prior infection
Communications Medicine
Alexander W. Harris et al
Antibody mechanisms of protection against malaria in RTS,S-vaccinated children: a post-hoc serological analysis of phase 2 trial
The Lancet Microbe
Liriye Kurtovic et al
Declining Antibody Affinity Over Time After Human Vaccination With a Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Vaccine Candidate
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
Kristina E. M. Persson et al
Current projects
View 2 moreUnderstanding immunity mediated by the RTS,S malaria vaccine in children
We're researching the immune responses induced by the RTS,S vaccine where the burden of malaria is highest: among young children in multiple malaria-endemic African countries.
Vaccines against malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax
The project identifies and prioritises candidate antigens for vaccine development.
Developing next-generation mRNA vaccines for malaria
Vaccination is a highly effective strategy to protect populations against infectious diseases. Highly protective and long-lasting vaccines are needed to reduce the global burden of malaria and enable elimination.
