Malaria Immunity and Vaccines
Our research focuses on immunity, vaccines, new treatments and clinical studies of malaria.
Group heads
About this group
Malaria is among the world’s leading health problems, particularly affecting young children and pregnant women. Additionally, malaria severely impedes education, equity and economic development. We aim to understand the targets and mechanisms of immunity to malaria and develop innovative vaccines that are highly protective against malaria.
Combating malaria is an explicit target in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. However, progress in reducing the global burden of malaria has stalled since 2015, with increases likely in the coming years. Plasmodium falciparum causes most clinical cases and deaths globally, with P. vivax the second major cause, particularly in the Asia and Pacific region.
Our broad objectives are to accelerate progress towards elimination of malaria through
- development of new highly protective and long-lasting vaccines
- developing and supporting the implementation of novel approaches for malaria surveillance to strengthen impact of interventions
- developing and evaluating new interventions in malaria-endemic populations.
We use cutting-edge approaches to understand:
- malaria immunity in vaccine trials and clinical studies
- the design of new vaccines that overcome existing roadblocks.
We work with large multicentre studies across malaria endemic regions, including analysis of malaria vaccine trials. To achieve our goals and maximise the impact of our work, we collaborate extensively nationally and internationally.
Listen to our podcast
Our group head, Professor James Beeson, discusses Burnet's malaria work in Episode 8 of our How Science Matters podcast.
Current projects
View 6 moreHealthy Mothers, Healthy Babies (HMHB)
A collaborative research program aimed at providing life-saving health care for women and children in Papua New Guinea.
Discovering the mechanisms and targets of immunity against malaria
In the fight against malaria, we're exploring antibodies that can directly inhibit host cell infection, interact with immune cells to kill and clear malaria or recruit the body’s complement system to neutralise infection.
Vaccines against malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax
The project identifies and prioritises candidate antigens for vaccine development.
Featured publications
Antibody mechanisms of protection against malaria in RTS,S-vaccinated children: a post-hoc serological analysis of phase 2 trial
The Lancet Microbe
Liriye Kurtovic et al
Mechanisms and targets of Fcγ-receptor mediated immunity to malaria sporozoites
Nature Communications
Gaoqian Feng et al
Mycoplasma genitalium in pregnancy, including specific co-infections, is associated with lower birthweight: A prospective cohort study
Med
Michelle J. L. Scoullar et al
Induction, decay, and determinants of functional antibodies following vaccination with the RTS,S malaria vaccine in young children
BMC Medicine
Gaoqian Feng et al
Targets of complement-fixing antibodies in protective immunity against malaria in children
Nature Communications
Linda Reiling et al
Human Antibodies Fix Complement to Inhibit Plasmodium falciparum Invasion of Erythrocytes and Are Associated with Protection against Malaria
Immunity
Michelle J. Boyle et al
Challenges and strategies for developing efficacious and long-lasting malaria vaccines
Science Translational Medicine
James G. Beeson et al
Protocols and methods
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Complement-fixation by antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum
Development of methods to quantify antibody mediated complement fixation for malaria.
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Quantifying antibody binding to Fcγ-receptors in malaria immunity
Laboratory methods for quantify Fc-receptor interactions by antibodies to malaria.
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Isolation of viable Plasmodium falciparum merozoites
Laboratory methods to isolate merozoites.
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Plasmodium falciparum Growth or Invasion Inhibition Assays
Laboratory methods to quantify the ability of antibodies to inhibit or neutralise P. falciparum.
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Phagocytosis of antigen-coated beads or malaria parasites using neutrophils
Published protocol and method.
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Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay with natural killer cells in malaria immunity
Published protocol and method.
Group contacts
Main contact
Professor James Beeson
Deputy Director, Research Strategy; Head, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group; Adjunct Professor, Monash University
Student supervisor contacts
Professor James Beeson
Deputy Director, Research Strategy; Head, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group; Adjunct Professor, Monash University
Group members
Dr Adam Thomas
Senior Research Officer - Malaria Vaccines
Alessia Hysa
PhD Student
Alexander Harris
PhD Student
Catherine Ives
PhD Candidate
Chiara Drago
Research Assistant
Grace Wright
Research Assistant
Dr Herbert Opi
Senior Research Fellow
Professor James Beeson
Deputy Director, Research Strategy; Head, Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group; Adjunct Professor, Monash University
Jessica Horton
Honorary Associate
Jessie Lu-Lee
Project Manager
Jiaqi (Albert) Shi
Master's Student
Dr Jo-Anne Chan
Senior Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Kaitlin Pekin
PhD Student
Katie Stanhope
PhD Candidate
Burnet Institute
Dr Lee Yeoh
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr Linda Reiling
Senior Research Officer, Malaria Research: Immunity, Vaccines and New Therapies
Dr Liriye Kurtovic
Postdoctoral Research Officer
Dr Michelle Scoullar
Senior Research Fellow - Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health. Paediatrician.
Dr Natasha Pereira
Quality Assurance Specialist
Dr Sandra Chishimba
Postdoctoral Researcher/Research Officer
Timothy Ho
PhD student