Dr Nicole Mifsud
Group Leader
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Monash University
nicole.mifsud@monash.edu
Research Activities
My research program explores T cell-mediated immune responses. The exquisite specificity of TCR/peptide/HLA complex interactions are critical for immune reactivity involved in pathogenic control and clearance, but are also pertinent to many human disorders (i.e. autoimmunity, allergy, cancer) and therapies for end-stage disease (i.e. transplantation). However, TCR cross-reactivity is known to drive inappropriate T cell responses that contribute to human disease susceptibility and allograft rejection in transplantation. Understanding the intrinsic nature of T cells to be cross-reactive and their impact in human disease is of critical importance to provide translatable outcomes for clinical management of individual patients (personalised medicine), as well as providing a mechanistic framework for the development of immunotherapeutics.Key research areas:
- Transplantation immunology
- T cell cross-reactivity
- Drug hypersensitivity
Techniques/Expertise
Human T cells (lines and clones)Human DC cultures
Human T cell receptor repertoire identification
Transfection of cell lines
Immunological cellular assays
Generation of MHC/peptide class I tetramers
Flow cytometry
Protein expression and purification
Molecular biology
Immunoproteomics (RP-HPLC and mass spectrometry)
Collaborations
A/Prof Tom Kostimbos, Prof John Wilson (Lung Transplantation, Cystic Fibrosis), The Alfred HospitalProf Robyn O'Hehir (Drug-induced allergy), The Alfred Hospital
Prof Anthony Schwarer (Haematopoetic Malignancies), Box Hill Hospital
Dr George Grigoriadis (Haematopoietic malignancies), The Alfred Hospital, Monash Health and Translation Precinct
Prof Weisan Chen, La Trobe University
Prof Katherine Kedzierska (Influenza), PDI, University of Melbourne
Prof Frans Claas (Transplantation), Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
A/Prof Lloyd D'Orsogna (Transplantation), Fiona Stanley Hospital, WA
Prof Alexandra Sharland (Transplantation), University of Sydney, NSW
Dr James Yun (Drug-induced allergy), Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW
Prof Patrick Kwan (Drug-induced allergy), Royal Melbourne Hospital, The Alfred Hospital
A/Prof Stephanie Gras (T cell cross-reactivity), Monash University
Prof Anthony Purcell (Immunoproteomics), Monash University
Prof Linda Wooldridge (T cell cross-reactivity), Bristol University, England
Disease Models
Solid organ transplantation: lung, kidneyHaematopoietic malignancies
Drug-induced allergy
Genetically Modified Organisms
Cell lines (C1R, 721.221, K562, T2) transfected with specific HLA class I moleculesWebsites
www.monash.edu/discovery-institute/mifsud-lab/homeresearch.monash.edu/en/persons/nicole-mifsud
Other Lab Members
Ms Kirti Pandey (PhD student)Ms Kerry Mullan (PhD student)
Ms Johanna Tuomisto (PhD student)
Mr Shawn Goh (PhD student)
Mr AKM Muraduzzaman (PhD student)
Ms Liesl Bramberger (PhD student)
Research Images
