Dr Liriye Kurtovic

Senior Research Officer

Taking students

Working groups

Malaria Immunity and Vaccines group

liriye.kurtovic@burnet.edu.au

Background

Liriye (Lydia) Kurtovic completed a PhD at Monash University in 2019 where she identified that antibodies fix and activate serum complement proteins to kill Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites. She is currently a senior research officer in the Malaria Immunity and Vaccines group and has developed high-throughput approaches to evaluate the immunogenicity of preclinical and approved malaria vaccines. Her research aims to identify immunological correlates of protection in children given the RTS,S malaria vaccine, and to translate this knowledge into developing novel malaria vaccines with enhanced efficacy and durability using mRNA technologies.

Qualifications

2019: PhD, Monash University
2014: Bachelor of Science (Honours), Monash University

Appointments

2024–present: Honorary Senior Fellow, Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne
2023: Life Sciences Discipline Seminar Series co-convenor, Burnet Institute
2021–present: Review Editor, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
2019–present: Adjunct Research Associate, Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University
2017–present: Australian Society for Parasitology
2016–2018 and 2023–present: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
2017: Student Representative, Burnet Institute

Positions

2019–present: Senior Research Officer, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines, Burnet Institute

Awards

2025: Gust Translational Fellowship (CIA), Burnet Institute
2024: Discovery Innovation Fund (CIA), Burnet Institute
2023: mRNA Victoria Research Acceleration Fund (CIA), Victorian Government
2023: Moderna Global Fellowship (CIA), Moderna
2023: Miller Foundation Biomedical Research Travel Award, Burnet Institute
2022: Burnet Research Excellence (CIA), 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 and Immunity conference
2020: Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Award
2020: CASS Medicine/Science Grant (CIA), Burnet Institute
2020: Know C-19 Initiative (co‐CIA), Burnet Institute
2020: Seed Grant (CIA), Australian Centre for Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination
2020: Early Career Award (CIA), Thrasher Research Fund
2019: First Prize postdoc poster presentation, Lorne Infection and 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 Infection and 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

Burnet publications

View 24 more

14 May 2026

Antibody fine specificity correlates with protection from malaria for the RTS,S vaccine in young African children: A post hoc analysis of a phase IIb randomised controlled trial

PLoS Medicine

Alessia Hysa et al

Open access

03 May 2026

Dose-sparing self-amplifying RNA vaccine induces high functional antibodies to blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum malaria

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Adam A Thomas et al

07 Apr 2026

Relationship between antibody avidity, Fc-mediated functional activity and longevity of malaria vaccine responses in clinical trials

Frontiers in Immunology

Jessica L. Horton et al

Open access

View 24 more

Current projects

View 2 more

Malaria Synergy Program

The program brings together experts to achieve the goals of malaria elimination in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.

Open to students

Vaccines against malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax

The project identifies and prioritises candidate antigens for vaccine development.