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Impact of malaria and other host factors on COVID-19 immune responses following infection and vaccination

Open to students

Understanding immune development to the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) in areas of high malaria transmission will inform future COVID-19 control strategies and underlying immune development.

Despite initial fears, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact in many countries in Africa has been less serious than anticipated. Possible reasons for this relative protection from the COVID-19 virus include prior or current malaria infection, or other host factors like worm co-infection.

This project uses human clinical samples collected from a United States National Institutes of Health-funded observational study to investigate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in people in Malawi. T and B cell responses during and following infection and vaccination will be assessed in a large cohort of individuals. Responses will be compared to adults in Australia, and we'll assess the impact of host co-infections assess.

Student opportunities

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Advanced immunology and data analysis

This project will use human clinical samples collected from an NIH funded observational study to investigate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in Malawians. T and B cell responses during and following infection and vaccination will be assessed in a large cohort of individuals. Responses will be compared to Australian adults and the impact of host co-infections assessed. You will learn to apply advanced immunology techniques (for example multiparametric flow cytometry, RNAseq, multi-omic analysis), and analyse data using bioinformatic pipelines, and advanced statistical methods. 

Understanding immune development to SARS-CoV-2 in the context of areas of high malaria transmission will inform future COVID-19 control strategies and underlying immune development. 

Open to
  • Honours
  • PhD
  • Masters by research
Vacancies

1

Supervisors

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Main contact

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Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination group

Student supervisor contacts

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Head, Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination Group; Snow Medical Fellow
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Project team

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Associate Professor Michelle Boyle

Head, Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination Group; Snow Medical Fellow
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