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Co-Head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group; Microbiology Lead, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines & Infectious Diseases

Dr Ruth Thornton

Co-head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group (BRIDG)

Defining the cellular immune response to vaccines for enhanced protection from invasive pneumococcal disease

Peter Lea-Ann Ruth Richmond Kirkham Thornton MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP PhD PhD Head, Vaccine Trials Group Co-Head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease

Development of molecular tools for accurate diagnosis and disease surveillance (including vaccine impact)

Janessa Lea-Ann Peter Ruth Pickering Kirkham Richmond Thornton BSc PhD PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP PhD Senior Research Fellow (currently HOT NORTH Early

Does mum know best? Should we be vaccinating mothers to protect their babies from ear and lung disease?

Elke Lea-Ann Ruth Peter Seppanen Kirkham Thornton Richmond BSc PhD PhD PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP Program Manager, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious

Impact of Repeat Pertussis Vaccination on Infant and Maternal Antibody Quality

Ruth Peter Thornton Richmond PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP Co-head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group (BRIDG) Head, Vaccine Trials Group

An infant mouse model of influenza-driven nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonization and acute otitis media suitable for preclinical testing of novel therapies

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a major otitis media (OM) pathogen, with colonization a prerequisite for disease development. Most acute OM is in children <5 years old, with recurrent and chronic OM impacting hearing and learning. Therapies to prevent NTHi colonization and/or disease are needed, especially for young children. Respiratory viruses are implicated in driving the development of bacterial OM in children.

In Vivo Evidence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Persistence in a Subset of Pulmonary Dendritic Cells Following a Primary Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes annual epidemics of infections affecting the whole population. In vitro, it has been shown to infect and persist in human dendritic cells (DCs) for prolonged periods. Initially persistence is associated with low levels of replication before the virus becomes dormant. Reactivation of viral replication can be triggered many months later.

The SPEC score—A quantifiable CT scoring system for primary ciliary dyskinesia

Structural lung changes seen on computed tomography scans in persons with primary ciliary dyskinesia are currently described using cystic fibrosis derived scoring systems. Recent work has shown structural changes and frequencies that are unique to PCD, indicating the need for a unique PCD-derived scoring system.

Safety, tolerability, and effect of a single aural dose of Dornase alfa at the time of ventilation tube surgery for otitis media: A Phase 1b double randomized control trial

One third of children require repeat ventilation tube insertion (VTI) for otitis media. Disease recurrence is associated with persistent middle ear bacterial biofilms. With demonstration that Dornase alfa (a DNase) disrupts middle ear effusion biofilms ex vivo, we identified potential for this as an anti-biofilm therapy to prevent repeat VTI. First, safety and tolerability needed to be measured.