Biography
Dr. Farshad Guirakhoo, a virologist by training, was named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Vaccines in VaccineNation’s 2014 list. His most recent assignment was CTO at Vaxess Technologies. Prior to this, he served as CSO at Hookipa Biotech and Executive Director of External R&D at Sanofi Pasteur. Before joining Sanofi Pasteur in 2007, he was with Acambis for 15 years as Head of Research and co-invented the ChimeriVax-technology platform in association with St. Louis University. This platform has successfully been applied in the development of vaccines such as IMOJEV™, PreVenile™, Dengvaxia™, and WN human vaccine. Dr. Guirakhoo has broad experience in the application of gene expression technologies and molecular virology for the construction and production of recombinant proteins, human antibodies, and attenuated viral vectored vaccines for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Dr. Guirakhoo is the author of over 80 peer-reviewed publications and holder of multiple patents.
Research Interest
Application of genetics, gene expression technologies and molecular virology for the constructions and productions of recombinant proteins, human antibodies and attenuated viral vectored vaccines for prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
Katherine Kedzierska
Head of Human T cell Laboratory
University of Melbourne
Australia
Biography
Dr Kedzierska trained as a viral immunologist and has over 14 years of experience in researching the immune responses to acute (influenza) and chronic (HIV) viral infections. Her expertise in both the murine system and human settings allows her to translate any of the key findings obtained from an easily manipulated mouse model into human viral immunology. Her PhD work undertaken at the Burnet Institute in Melbourne has provided an important contribution to our knowledge of AIDS pathogenesis by proposing the mechanisms of why HIV-infected patients develop specific opportunistic infections as their disease progresses, ultimately the cause of their death. Her PhD work was recognised by prestigious awards, including a 2001 Premier’s Commendation for Medical Research, 2002 Monash University Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal for the Best PhD Thesis and the NHMRC Peter Doherty Postdoctoral Fellowship to pursue her postdoctoral research with Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty. She joined Professor Doherty’s laboratory upon his return to the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne in July 2002. During the four-year postdoctoral position she has further contributed to the field of viral immunology and developed her own research interests related to the cellular and molecular aspects of CD8+ T cell immunity to influenza virus infection. After being awarded the NHMRC RD Wright Fellowship and a NHMRC Project Grant, she established her independent research group in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. She aims to understand how immunological T cell memory is generated, whether it is feasible to elicit immunity towards escape viral variants, and how T cell receptor repertoire relates to T cell phenotype, function and viral escape.
Research Interest
Viral immunology, T cell memory formation, influenza (Immunology).
Biography
Dr. Barakat is an Assistant Professor at the school of Pharmacy at the University of Alberta, Canada. His research stands at the multidisciplinary interface of physics, biology and computer science. Dr. Barakat’s major focus is on developing and applying state-of-the-art computational drug discovery tools to discover new antiviral and immunotherapeutic drugs. Dr. Barakat has made great contributions in understanding the nature and biophysical processes underlying protein–drug, protein–protein and drug off-target interactions and predicting drug-mediated toxicity. He also received numerous awards including the CIHR and AIHS postdoctoral fellowships, the prestigious University of Alberta dissertation award and many distinction awards throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies. Dr. Barakat is also the editor of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems and serves as a guest reviewer for several journals.
Research Interest
Host Immune Defences & Immunotherapy
