6^th Euro Virology Congress and Expo

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).