Prof Menno van Zelm
Lab Head
Immunology
Monash University
menno.vanzelm@monash.edu
"see above"
Licensing opportunities
Two patent application involving differential diagnosis of allergies, immune monitoring of allergen immunotherapy and quantification of immune memory to infection or vaccination, incl COVID-19 with recombinant allergen tetramersResearch Activities
Research aimsIn the past 10 years, our group has developed, patented and applied new technologies to ex vivo evaluate antigen-specific, human B-cell memory following infection, vaccination and treatment intervention. We will apply these new technologies for quantitative measurements of immune memory and thereby systematise the provision and use of an evidence base for clinical care and assessing vaccination strategies.Current research
Current research lines include:
- Defining the contribution of rare and common genetic variants to the severity and heterogeneity of disease in patients with predominantly antibody deficiency;
- The impact of persistent viral infections and intestinal microbiota in young children on T-cell and B-cell memory, and immune-mediated diseases (esp. Celiac disease and allergies);
- Abnormal IgE responses and memory B cells in allergic asthma and anaphylaxis, and how IgG induced by allergen-specific immunotherapy inhibits IgE-mediated effector cell activation.
- Diversity, specificity and durability of B-cell memory following vaccination or natural infection with zoonotic viruses (influenza, SARS-CoV2)