I completed my undergraduate degree then worked in Plant Virology with the late Prof Bob Symons before completing my PhD with Prof John Wallace, University of Adelaide. I then worked as a post-doc with Professor Chris Burrell and Dr Peng Li at the IMVS/SA Pathology from 1996-2008, part-time from 1998-2011 due to family commitments, studying the basic mechanisms of replication of HIV and virus-host interactions. From 2008-2011 I was also involved in the diagnostic management of clinical HIV drug resistance. At the same time I developed my own research interests in dengue virus stemming from an initial collaboration with A/Professor Peter Wright (Monash University). In March 2011 I re-located to my current full-time position at Flinders University and my interests have diversified into broader Medical Virology, in particular dengue virus, zika virus and enteric viruses and the interaction with the host cell that is associated with pathogenesis.

Overall theme of host responses to viral infections and determinants of pathogenesis. For more information about the lab, go to Virology Research.

1. The innate immune response and DENV. We are studying the interatction between DENV and factor H, a negative regulator of the alternative complement pathway in collaboration with Professor Dave Gordon, Head of MID at Flinders University. Projects have assessed the role of signalling pathways, such as the SK/S1P axis (in collaboration with Professor Stuart Pitson, Centre for Cancer Biology, UniSA) and vav signalling pathways in contributing to viral induced inflammation, in particular in the eye and brain, and in relation to the role of the endothelium (in collaboration with Prof Claudine Bonder, Centre for Cancer Biology, UniSA).
2. Viral inflammatory eye disease. In collaboration with Professor Justine Smith, Eye and Vision Health, Flinders University. Studies include investigation of the replication of viruses such as DENV and zika virus in different cells of the eye and the effect on occular, in particular retinal inflammatory responses.
3. Enteric viral infections. Norovirus and enteric adenovirus strains in the setting of hospital infection control and the public water supply.
4. Endogenous Retroviruses and links to neurological disease. A new collaboration with Dr Mary-Louise Rogers, Centre for Neuroscience

• Altered responses of dengue virus infected cells to TNF-a (Univ of Adelaide) (1)