Research Focus
The Emerging Viral Diseases Laboratory focuses on deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying viral infection and disease, as well as developing effective interventions to combat emerging viral pathogens. Emerging viruses include newly identified viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, as well as previously known viruses that are experiencing a rapid rise in incidence or geographic range, such as Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and Oropouche virus (OROV).
The Emerging Viral Diseases Laboratory has three core research themes:
- Discovering the molecular mechanisms of viral replication and virus-host interactions for the development of antivirals.
- Defining pathogenic versus protective virus-induced inflammation for the development of new anti-inflammatories.
- Development and pre-clinical evaluation of new vaccines.
The Emerging Viral Diseases Laboratory focusses on four emerging viral genera:
- Orthoflaviviruses (Japanese encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, Zika, Dengue, and West Nile viruses)
- Alphaviruses (Chikungunya, Ross River, Mayaro, Getah, and O'nyong'nyong viruses)
- Orthobunyaviruses (Oropouche and Akabane viruses)
- Coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2)
Research Projects
Current Research Projects
Virus restriction-guided drug target discovery for chikungunya virus
Identification of critical JEV-host interactions that drive infection of human neurons.
Identification of the molecular events that distinguish lethal versus non-lethal JEV encephalitis.
Funding
NHMRC Ideas Grant. Virus restriction-guided drug target discovery for chikungunya virus. CIA D Rawle. $1,041,471. 2025-2027.
NHMRC Targeted Call for Research: Climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes. The Impact of Climate on Vector-Borne Zoonoses in Australia: Changing transmission Pathways and Increased Spill-Over Risks. CIA G Devine. CIE D Rawle. $999,837.
Brazil Family Foundation special purpose donation. Responding to the unprecedented Japanese Encephalitis virus outbreak in Australia. CIA D Rawle. $500,000. 2023-2028.
Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre (AIDRC) Seed Grant. Harnessing the power of single-cell transcriptomics to understand the mechanism of flavivirus encephalitis. Co-CIA D Rawle. $50,000. 2024-2025.
Queensland Immunology Research Centre Seed Grant. Development of pan-alphavirus antiviral antibody therapy. Co-CIA D Rawle. $25,000. 2025.
Queensland Immunology Research Centre Seed Grant. Defining the immunopathology of Oropouche virus (OROV) in neuropathological models of neuroinvasion and vertical transmission. $25,000. co-CIA W Nguyen.
Queensland Immunology Research Centre Seed Grant. Evaluating immune responses of ISVac technology against JEV and emerging genotypes. $25,000. Co-CIA C Bishop
QIMRB Seed Grant. Deep sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostics of acute encephalitis syndrome. CIA Nguyen. Co-investigators Suhrbier, Rawle, Hajkowicz, Barber. $30,000.
Publications
Yan K, Dumenil T, Stewart S, Bishop CB, Tang B, Nguyen W, Suhrbier A, Rawle DJ. TMEM106B-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection allows for robust ACE2-independent infection in vitro but not in vivo. Cell Reports. 2024 Oct 30;43(11):114921.
Nguyen W, Gyawali N, Stewart R, Tang B, Cox AL, Yan K, Larcher T, Bishop C, Wood N, Devine GJ, Suhrbier A*, Rawle DJ*. Characterisation of a Japanese Encephalitis virus genotype 4 isolate from the 2022 Australian outbreak. npj Viruses. 2024. Volume 2, Article 15.
Harrison JJ, Nguyen W, Morgan MS, Tang B, Haburagira G, Malmanche H, Freney ME, Modhiran N, Watterson D, Cox AL, Yan K, Yuen NKY, Bowman D, Kirkland P, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, Suhrbier A, Hall RA, Rawle DJ*, Hobson-Peters J*. A chimeric vaccine displaying the prM-E proteins of the Australian genotype IV strain of Japanese encephalitis virus protects mice against lethal challenge. npj Vaccines. 2024 (accepted). *co-senior
Further Information
ACADEMIC
- Prof. Gorben Pijlman, Wageningen University, Netherlands.
- Prof. Gisa Gerold, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria.
- Dr. Tessy Hick, Umea University, Sweeden.
- A/Prof. Jody Hobson-Peters, The University of Queensland, Australia.
- Prof. Alex Khromykh, The University of Queensland, Australia.
- Dr. Andrii Slonchak, The University of Queensland, Australia.
- Prof. Daniel Watterson, The University of Queensland, Australia.
- A/Prof. Branka Grubor-Bauk, University of Adelaide, Australia.
INDUSTY
- Dr. Romain Troupe, Southern RNA, Australia.
- Dr. Joanne MacDonald, Biocifer, Australia.
CLINICAL
- Drs. Raith and Plummer, Royal Adelaide Hospital.
- Dr. Burr, Mater Hospital.
- Dr. Hajkowicz, Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital.