Dr Fiona Angrisano

Deputy Head, Vector-borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health; Transmission Biology Team Lead

Taking students

Working groups

Vector-Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health group

fiona.angrisano@burnet.edu.au +61385062446

Background

Dr Fiona Angrisano is deputy head of the Vector-Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health group at Burnet. Fiona is a leading infectious disease researcher specialising in malaria transmission biology and multi-pathogen serosurveillance, bridging fundamental parasite biology with translational applications.

Her work focuses on the cellular and molecular events that enable Plasmodium parasites to develop in mosquitoes,identifying vulnerable stages for intervention, and characterising immunity to malaria and other pathogensusing high-throughput serology, and functional transmission-blocking assays.

Through international collaborations and leadership in laboratory and field-based studies, Dr Angrisano advances strategies to interrupt malaria transmission, enhance infectious disease monitoring, and support global elimination and control efforts.

Qualifications

2011–2015: PhD, WEHI, “Dissecting the Molecular Basis of Malaria Parasite Movement and Host Cell Traversal in the Mosquito Midgut”
2007–2008: Honours in Biochemistry, La Trobe University “Studies of Haemoglobin Uptake and Degradation in Plasmodium falciparum Infected Erythrocytes”
2002–2007: Bachelor of Biological Sciences, La Trobe University

Appointments

2020–present: Honorary Appointment, Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne, Australia
2020–present: Honorary Appointment, Department of Immunology, Monash University, Australia
2021: Co-convener of Burnet Institute Department of Life Science Seminar Series
2020: Australian Centre of Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination
2020: Australian Academy of Science STEM Women
2018–present: Human Infection Challenge Network for Vaccine Development
2014–present: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
2013–present: Australian Society for Parasitology
2018–2019: Imperial College Malaria Network
2018–2019: Imperial College Representative Network for DoLS
2017–2019: Imperial College DoLS Post-doctoral representative

Awards

2024: Lady Primrose Potter Fellowship
2022: Jim and Margaret Beever Fellowship
2022: The Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases seminar series award
2018: Human Infection Challenge Vaccine Network for Vaccine Development Training Award
2017: Imperial College Department of Life Sciences Travel Award
2017: Imperial College Post Doc Team Award
2016: Imperial College Confidence in Concept
2014: OzEMalaR Travel Award
2014: Australian Society for Parasitology Travel Award
2014: Young Investigator Award, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
2013: National Health and Medical Research Council Dora Lush Postgraduate Scholarship
2013: Graduate of the Year Finalist, Melbourne University, Australia
2011: Walter and Eliza Hall Postgraduate Scholarship
2010: OzEMalaR Travel Award

Positions

Deputy Head, Vector-borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health, Burnet Institute
Transmission Biology Team Leader, Burnet Institute
Adjunct Research Fellow, Immunology, Alfred Hospital, Monash University
Adjunct Research Fellow, Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne

Burnet publications

View 7 more

22 Jan 2025

Missed Measles Immunisations Places Individuals and Communities at Risk: The Equity Argument for Including Measles in Under-Immunised Definitions

Vaccines

Stefanie Vaccher et al

Open access

18 Aug 2023

Serological assays to measure dimeric IgA antibodies in SARS‐CoV‐2 infections

Immunology and Cell Biology

Zihui Wei et al

Open access

10 Jun 2023

Protein disulfide isomerases – a way to tackle malaria

Trends in Parasitology

Fiona Angrisano et al

Open access

Current projects

View 4 more

Serosurveillance partnership for the Pacific region (SERO-PAC)

This project will support locally led integrated multi-pathogen serosurveillance to strengthen data-informed disease control and elimination in the Pacific region.

STRIVE: stronger surveillance for vector-borne pathogens

Infectious diseases are an increasing global health threat, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Open to students

Malaria Synergy Program

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

View 4 more

News and features

View 1 more

Our efforts in tackling neglected tropical diseases

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect 1.5 billion people worldwide, mostly in communities with limited access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare.