CSL Centenary Fellowships to fund malaria, IBD research

Australian scientists Dr Michelle Boyle and Dr Samuel Forster have each been awarded a CSL Centenary Fellowship of $1.25 million over five years for their work investigating fundamental mysteries for the human immune system and applying their discoveries to the fight against microbes that cause chronic disease and suffering around the world.

The fellowships are competitively selected, high-value grants available to mid-career Australians who wish to continue a career in medical research in Australia. They are open to medical researchers working on discovery or translational research with a focus on rare/serious diseases, immunology or inflammation and are overseen by a selection committee comprising three independent members and two CSL representatives. The 2023 fellowships were presented at the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Annual Meeting on 13 October.

Dr Michelle Boyle and her team at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute have discovered how our immune response to malaria can be disrupted by the malaria parasite, reducing the effectiveness of vaccination in children in malaria-affected communities. With the help of her fellowship, she will work to bypass the parasite’s suppression of certain T cells critical to our body’s defences. Working at the Burnet Institute, she will investigate the function of these T cells in infection and vaccination, and develop ways to boost protection against malaria.

Dr Samuel Forster will meanwhile use his fellowship to investigate the causes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to attempt to design treatments. His team at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research will apply the latest research tools in genomics, computational biology, stem cells and microbiomics to answer fundamental questions about the immunology of the gut. He has already identified bacteria that appear to be blocking the normal, programmed death of cells lining the gut; his vision is to design safe and effective treatments for IBD.

“Dr Boyle and Dr Forster are both conducting research into serious chronic diseases and using the knowledge they gain to improve existing treatments and find new therapies,” said CSL Chief Scientific Officer Dr Andrew Nash.

“Michelle and Sam are both advancing fundamental human knowledge, but with potential practical applications for diseases of global consequence.

“It is this long-term purpose that the CSL Centenary Fellowships aim to support, by providing funding stability for leading mid-career Australian researchers and enabling the delivery of innovations that address rare and serious diseases and protect public health.”

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