Dr Reena Kiran Mukhiya
Research Officer
Working groups
Background
Reena completed her PhD at Griffith University/QIMR Berghofer and Burnet Institute in 2025 under the supervision of Dr Michelle Boyle.
Her doctoral project focused on understanding cellular, particularly natural killer cells, and humoral responses in individuals co-infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria and Cytomegalovirus. In addition, her project also focused on the understanding of innate memory phenotype in malaria following inhibiting the Type I Interferon responses.
Reena is currently working as a research officer in the Antiviral Immunity group led by Dr Gabriela Khoury at Burnet Institute. Her current research focuses on profiling of CD4+ T cell responses in immunocompromised and other higher-risk cohorts following SARS CoV2 vaccination.
Qualifications
- 2025: PhD (Malaria Immunology), Griffith University, Australia
- 2018: Master of Laboratory Medicine, RMIT University, Australia
- 2012: Master of Medical Microbiology, Tribhuwan University, Nepal
Positions
- 2019–2022: Consultant Microbiologist, Fleming Fund AMR project, Nepal
- 2012–2016: Lecturer at Shi-Gan Health Foundation, Nepal
Awards
- 2023: PhD training, EMBL
- 2022: Travel Award, Australian Society of Parasitology
- 2021: Postgraduate Research Scholarship Living stipend, Griffith University
- 2021: International Postgraduate Research Scholarship, Griffith University
- 2020: Australia Award Professional Development
- 2017: Australia Award Scholarship
- 2015: University Grant Commission
Burnet publications
Tfh2 and a subset of Tfh1 cells associate with antibody-mediated immunity to malaria
JCI Insight
Megan S. F. Soon et al
Barriers and perceptions of WHONET/BacLink adoption in Nepal: A qualitative study of clinical microbiology laboratories
PLoS ONE
Sanju Maharjan et al
Heterogeneity of the human immune response to malaria infection and vaccination driven by latent cytomegalovirus infection
EBioMedicine
Reena Mukhiya et al
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.