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  5. Hayley Bullen
Our people

Dr Hayley Bullen

Co-Head, Malaria Virulence and Drug Discovery Group

Taking students

Working groups

hayley.bullen@burnet.edu.au
Dr Hayley Bullen

Background

After completing her Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree in 2006, Hayley went on to pursue her Honours and PhD degrees in the laboratory of Professor Brendan Crabb and Associate Professor Paul Gilson at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and later at the Burnet Institute. Her work centred on deciphering the roles of novel membrane protein complexes in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, specifically the export machinery termed PTEX. 

After completing her PhD studies, Hayley moved to the laboratory of Professor Dominique Soldati-Favre at the University of Geneva, Switzerland where she continued her research on model Apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Here she deciphered the signalling mechanisms underpinning a key step in the invasion process of T. gondii. 

In late 2015 Hayley moved back to the Burnet Institute in the laboratory of Professor Brendan Crabb and Associate Professor Paul Gilson, whereupon she initiated antimalarial mechanism of action and resistance studies, and investigations into novel aspect of malaria protein export. 

Qualifications

  • 2012: PhD in parasitology (Plasmodium falciparum) Burnet Institute and WEHI, Victoria, Australia.
  • 2015: Masters in Public Health, The University of Newcastle
  • 2007: Bachelor of Science (Honours), WEHI
  • 2006: Bachelor of Biomedical Science, The University of Melbourne

Awards

  • 2021/2022: Burnet Institute Shark Tank funding
  • 2021: FREDA funding
  • 2021: Margaret Harrison Parental Leave Grant
  • 2020: Beever Fellowship
  • 2020: NHMRC Ideas grant–Discovering how a novel anti-malarial drug series rapidly kills parasites
  • 2019: Geoffrey Connard Travel Award
  • 2015: Fondation Gertrude von Meissner award (not accepted)
  • 2014: EMBO short term fellowship (not accepted)
  • 2012: OzeMalAR travel fellowship
  • 2011: Australian Society for Parasitology student travel award
  • 2011: Miller foundation biomedical research travel award-Burnet Institute
  • 2010: Victorian Infection and Immunity network student symposium best speaker award
  • 2009: Australian Society for Parasitology student travel award
  • 2008-2012: Australian Postgraduate Award-University of Melbourne
  • 2007: Alan W. Harris Honors scholarship- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
  • 2007: The University of Melbourne Honors scholarship

Burnet publications

View 33 more
28 Aug 2023

A Pyridyl-Furan Series Developed from the Open Global Health Library Block Red Blood Cell Invasion and Protein Trafficking in Plasmodium falciparum through Potential Inhibition of the Parasite’s PI4KIIIB Enzyme

ACS Infectious Diseases

Dawson B. Ling, Oliver Looker, Zahra Razook, Kirsty McCann, Alyssa E. Barry, Hayley E. Bullen, Brendan S. Crabb, Paul R. Gilson

Open access
31 Jul 2023

PTEX helps efficiently traffic haemoglobinases to the food vacuole in Plasmodium falciparum

PLoS Pathogens

Thorey K. Jonsdottir, Brendan Elsworth, Mikha Gabriela, Ellen Ploeger, Molly Parkyn Schneider, Sarah C. Charnaud, Madeline G. Dans, Hayley E. Bullen, Brendan S. Crabb, Paul R. Gilson

Open access
10 Jun 2023

Protein disulfide isomerases – a way to tackle malaria

Trends in Parasitology

Fiona Angrisano, Hayley E. Bullen

Open access

Current projects

Discovering novel antimalarials to block parasite invasion of human cells

Discovering novel antimalarials to block parasite invasion of human cells

Drugs are the main weapons used to combat malaria infection. However, parasites are becoming resistant and new medicines and drug targets are needed.

Understanding how malaria parasites become resistant to drugs
Open to students

Understanding how malaria parasites become resistant to drugs

This project aims to understand how novel mutations will affect malaria parasites from West Africa.

Past projects

Discovering novel antimalarials to block parasite virulence

Discovering novel antimalarials to block parasite virulence

Drugs are the main weapons used to combat malaria infection, but parasites are becoming resistant and new medicines and drug targets are needed.

Drug resistance and mechanism of action studies

Drug resistance and mechanism of action studies

We work with medicinal chemists to develop new antimalarials that are effective against already multi-drug resistant parasites.

News and features

Advancing research through NHMRC grants and scholarships

Advancing research through NHMRC grants and scholarships

Burnet Travel Awards

Burnet Travel Awards

Mexico City, Vancouver, Paris, Boston, Baltimore and Prato in Italy are among the destinations of choice for winners of Burnet Institute Travel Awards for 2019.

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