Phaedra Spencer-Merris is a PhD candidate at Flinders University investigating neuroimmune mechanisms in flavivirus infection, with a focus on transcriptional regulation and innate immune signalling in the central nervous system. Her research integrates experimental virology with the analysis of publicly available transcriptomic datasets and systems-level bioinformatics to characterise host response programs during Zika virus infection.

Phaedra’s work emphasises the strategic use of existing large-scale datasets to uncover new biological insight, supporting hypothesis generation and discovery through integrative analysis, alongside targeted molecular validation in experimental models. Her broader research interests extend to neuroinflammatory and neuro-oncological contexts, where dysregulated immune and RNA-level signalling contribute to disease progression. She is committed to collaborative research and mentorship, supporting early-career researchers and students developing skills in data-driven and quantitative biomedical science. Her publication record reflects collaborative contributions across related biomedical research areas, including publications arising from undergraduate and early postgraduate training, providing a broad methodological foundation that informs her developing independent research focus.