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Professor Kate Schroder
Professor

Kate Schroder

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 62058

Overview

Background

Professor Kate Schroder heads the Inflammasome Laboratory and is Director of the Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland, as an NHMRC Leadership Fellow. Kate’s graduate studies defined novel macrophage activation mechanisms and her subsequent postdoctoral research identified surprising inter-species divergence in the inflammatory programs of human versus mouse macrophages. As an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow in Switzerland, Kate trained with the pioneer of inflammasome biology, Jürg Tschopp. The IMB Inflammasome Laboratory, which Kate heads, investigates the molecular mechanisms governing inflammasome activity and caspase activation, the cellular mediators of inflammasome-dependent inflammation, and mechanisms of inflammasome inhibition by cellular pathways and small molecule inhibitors.

Kate is a co-inventor on patents for small molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome, currently under commercialisation by Inflazome Ltd. Inflazome Ltd was recently acquired by Roche in a landmark deal – one of the largest in Australian and Irish biotech history. The acquisition gives Roche full rights to Inflazome’s portfolio of inflammasome inhibitors. Two of the company’s drug candidates are in clinical trials for the treatment of debilitating conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and motor neuron disease.

Kate has authored more than 140 publications, featuring in journals such as Science, Cell, Nature Genetics, Nature Medicine, Nature Chemical Biology, Journal of Experimental Medicine and PNAS USA, and her work has been cited more than 35,000 times. Kate is an Editorial Board Member for international journals including Science Signaling, Clinical and Translational Immunology and Cell Death Disease. She is the recipient of the 2022 Women in Technology Excellence in Science Award, 2020 Nancy Mills Award for Women in Science, 2019 ANZSCDB Emerging Leader Award, 2019 Merck Research Medal, 2014 Milstein Young Investigator Award, 2013 Tall Poppy Award, 2012 Gordon Ada Career Award, 2010 QLD Premier’s Postdoctoral Award, and the 2008 Society for Leukocyte Biology’s Dolph Adams Award.

INFLAMMASOME LABORATORY RESEARCH

During injury or infection, our body’s immune system protects us by launching inflammation. But uncontrolled inflammation drives diseases such as gout, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. The Inflammasome Lab is defining the molecular and cellular processes of inflammation. We seek to unravel the secrets of inflammasomes – protein complexes at the heart of inflammation and disease – to allow for new therapies to fight human diseases.

The Inflammasome Laboratory integrates molecular and cell biology approaches with in vivo studies to gain a holistic understanding of inflammasome function during infection, and inflammasome dysfunction in human inflammatory disease. Current research interests include the molecular mechanisms governing inflammasome activity and caspase activation, the cellular mediators of inflammasome-dependent inflammation, and inflammasome suppression by autophagy and small molecule inhibitors.

Availability

Professor Kate Schroder is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

Our research focuses on understanding how immune cells launch healthy inflammation to fight infection and unhealthy inflammation to promote disease. By understanding exactly how the body fights infection, we can help identify new drug targets or vaccines to combat infectious disease, which causes 13 million deaths globally each year. By understanding how unhealthy inflammation is initiated, we may also be able to design new strategies for the treatment of common diseases such as cancer, gout and diabetes.

Works

Search Professor Kate Schroder’s works on UQ eSpace

167 works between 2001 and 2024

1 - 20 of 167 works

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Inflammasome signaling and regulation of interleukin-1 family cytokines

Chan, Amy H. and Schroder, Kate (2019). Inflammasome signaling and regulation of interleukin-1 family cytokines. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 217 (1) ARTN e20190314, jem.20190314. doi: 10.1084/jem.20190314

Inflammasome signaling and regulation of interleukin-1 family cytokines

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Tiered DNA sensors for escalating responses

Emming, Stefan and Schroder, Kate (2019). Tiered DNA sensors for escalating responses. Science, 365 (6460), 1375-1376. doi: 10.1126/science.aay2701

Tiered DNA sensors for escalating responses

Featured

2019

Journal Article

MCC950 directly targets the NLRP3 ATP-hydrolysis motif for inflammasome inhibition

Coll, Rebecca C., Hill, James R., Day, Christopher J., Zamoshnikova, Alina, Boucher, Dave, Massey, Nicholas L., Chitty, Jessica L., Fraser, James A., Jennings, Michael P., Robertson, Avril A. B. and Schroder, Kate (2019). MCC950 directly targets the NLRP3 ATP-hydrolysis motif for inflammasome inhibition. Nature Chemical Biology, 15 (6), 556-559. doi: 10.1038/s41589-019-0277-7

MCC950 directly targets the NLRP3 ATP-hydrolysis motif for inflammasome inhibition

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Noncanonical inflammasome signaling elicits gasdermin D–dependent neutrophil extracellular traps

Chen, Kaiwen W., Monteleone, Mercedes, Boucher, Dave, Sollberger, Gabriel, Ramnath, Divya, Condon, Nicholas D., von Pein, Jessica B., Broz, Petr, Sweet, Matthew J. and Schroder, Kate (2018). Noncanonical inflammasome signaling elicits gasdermin D–dependent neutrophil extracellular traps. Science Immunology, 3 (26) eaar6676, eaar6676. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aar6676

Noncanonical inflammasome signaling elicits gasdermin D–dependent neutrophil extracellular traps

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Interleukin-1β maturation triggers its relocation to the plasma membrane for gasdermin-D-dependent and -independent secretion

Monteleone, Mercedes, Stanley, Amanda C., Chen, Kaiwen W., Brown, Darren L., Bezbradica, Jelena S., von Pein, Jessica B., Holley, Caroline L., Boucher, Dave, Shakespear, Melanie R., Kapetanovic, Ronan, Rolfes, Verena, Sweet, Matthew J., Stow, Jennifer L. and Schroder, Kate (2018). Interleukin-1β maturation triggers its relocation to the plasma membrane for gasdermin-D-dependent and -independent secretion. Cell Reports, 24 (6), 1425-1433. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.07.027

Interleukin-1β maturation triggers its relocation to the plasma membrane for gasdermin-D-dependent and -independent secretion

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Caspase-1 self-cleavage is an intrinsic mechanism to terminate inflammasome activity

Boucher, Dave, Monteleone, Mercedes, Coll, Rebecca C., Chen, Kaiwen W., Ross, Connie M., Teo, Jessica L., Gomez, Guillermo A., Holley, Caroline L., Bierschenk, Damien, Stacey, Katryn J., Yap, Alpha S., Bezbradica, Jelena S. and Schroder, Kate (2018). Caspase-1 self-cleavage is an intrinsic mechanism to terminate inflammasome activity. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 215 (3), 827-840. doi: 10.1084/jem.20172222

Caspase-1 self-cleavage is an intrinsic mechanism to terminate inflammasome activity

Featured

2015

Journal Article

NLRP3 inflammasome activation downstream of cytoplasmic LPS recognition by both caspase-4 and caspase-5

Baker, Paul J., Boucher, Dave, Bierschenk, Damien, Tebartz, Christina, Whitney, Paul G., D'Silva, Damian B, Tanzer, Marco J., Monteleone, Mercedes, Robertson, Avril A.B., Cooper, Matthew A., Alvarez-Diaz, Silvia, Herold, Marco J., Bedoui, Sammy, Schroder, Kate and Masters, Seth L. (2015). NLRP3 inflammasome activation downstream of cytoplasmic LPS recognition by both caspase-4 and caspase-5. European Journal of Immunology, 45 (10), 2918-2926. doi: 10.1002/eji.201545655

NLRP3 inflammasome activation downstream of cytoplasmic LPS recognition by both caspase-4 and caspase-5

Featured

2015

Journal Article

A small-molecule inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome for the treatment of inflammatory diseases

Coll, Rebecca C., Robertson, Avril A. B., Chae, Jae Jin, Higgins, Sarah C., Muñoz-Planillo, Raúl, Inserra, Marco C., Vetter, Irina, Dungan, Lara S., Monks, Brian G., Stütz, Andrea, Croker, Daniel E., Butler, Mark S., Haneklaus, Moritz, Sutton, Caroline E., Núñez, Gabriel, Latz, Eicke, Kästner, Daniel L., Mills, Kingston H. G., Masters, Seth L., Schroder, Kate, Cooper, Matthew A. and O'Neill, Luke A. J. (2015). A small-molecule inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Nature Medicine, 21 (3), 248-257. doi: 10.1038/nm.3806

A small-molecule inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome for the treatment of inflammatory diseases

Featured

2014

Journal Article

The Neutrophil NLRC4 Inflammasome Selectively Promotes IL-1β Maturation without Pyroptosis during Acute Salmonella Challenge

Chen, Kaiwen W., Groß, Christina J., Vasquez Sotomayor, Flor, Stacey, Katryn J., Tschopp, Jurg, Sweet, Matthew J. and Schroder, Kate (2014). The Neutrophil NLRC4 Inflammasome Selectively Promotes IL-1β Maturation without Pyroptosis during Acute Salmonella Challenge. Cell Reports, 8 (2), 570-582. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.06.028

The Neutrophil NLRC4 Inflammasome Selectively Promotes IL-1β Maturation without Pyroptosis during Acute Salmonella Challenge

Featured

2012

Journal Article

Conservation and divergence in Toll-like receptor 4-regulated gene expression in primary human versus mouse macrophages

Schroder, Kate, Irvine, Katharine M., Taylor, Martin S., Bokil, Nilesh J., Le Cao, Kim-Anh, Masterman, Kelly-Anne, Labzin, Larisa I., Semple, Colin A., Kapetanovic, Ronan, Fairbairn, Lynsey, Akalin, Altuna, Faulkner, Geoffrey J., Baillie, John Kenneth, Gongora, Milena, Daub, Carsten O., Kawaji, Hideya, McLachlan, Geoffrey J., Goldman, Nick, Grimmond, Sean M., Carninci, Piero, Suzuki, Harukazu, Hayashizaki, Yoshihide, Lenhard, Boris, Hume, David A. and Sweet, Matthew J. (2012). Conservation and divergence in Toll-like receptor 4-regulated gene expression in primary human versus mouse macrophages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 109 (16), E944-E953. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1110156109

Conservation and divergence in Toll-like receptor 4-regulated gene expression in primary human versus mouse macrophages

Featured

2010

Journal Article

The inflammasomes

Schroder, Kate and Tschopp, Jurg (2010). The inflammasomes. Cell, 140 (6), 821-832. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2010.01.040

The inflammasomes

Featured

2010

Journal Article

NLRP3 inflammasome activation: The convergence of multiple signalling pathways on ROS production?

Tschopp, Jurg and Schroder, Kate (2010). NLRP3 inflammasome activation: The convergence of multiple signalling pathways on ROS production?. Nature Reviews Immunology, 10 (3), 210-215. doi: 10.1038/nri2725

NLRP3 inflammasome activation: The convergence of multiple signalling pathways on ROS production?

Featured

2010

Journal Article

The NLRP3 inflammasome: a sensor for metabolic danger?

Schroder, Kate, Zhou, Rongbin and Tschopp, Jurg (2010). The NLRP3 inflammasome: a sensor for metabolic danger?. Science, 327 (5963), 269-300. doi: 10.1126/science.1184003

The NLRP3 inflammasome: a sensor for metabolic danger?

Featured

2004

Journal Article

Interferon-gamma: an overview of signals, mechanisms and functions

Schroder, Kate, Hertzog, Paul J., Ravasi, Timothy and Hume, David A. (2004). Interferon-gamma: an overview of signals, mechanisms and functions. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 75 (2), 163-189. doi: 10.1189/jlb.0603252

Interferon-gamma: an overview of signals, mechanisms and functions

2024

Journal Article

Ornithine lipid is a partial TLR4 agonist and NLRP3 activator

Pizzuto, Malvina, Hurtado-Navarro, Laura, Molina-Lopez, Cristina, Soubhye, Jalal, Gelbcke, Michel, Rodriguez-Lopez, Silvia, Ruysschaert, Jean-Marie, Schroder, Kate and Pelegrin, Pablo (2024). Ornithine lipid is a partial TLR4 agonist and NLRP3 activator. Cell Reports, 43 (10) 114788, 114788. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114788

Ornithine lipid is a partial TLR4 agonist and NLRP3 activator

2024

Journal Article

Inflammasome components as new therapeutic targets in inflammatory disease

Coll, Rebecca C. and Schroder, Kate (2024). Inflammasome components as new therapeutic targets in inflammatory disease. Nature Reviews Immunology. doi: 10.1038/s41577-024-01075-9

Inflammasome components as new therapeutic targets in inflammatory disease

2024

Journal Article

The septin modifier, forchlorfenuron, activates NLRP3 via a potassium-independent mitochondrial axis

Holley, Caroline L., Emming, Stefan, Monteleone, Mercedes M., Mellacheruvu, Manasa, Kenney, Kirsten M., Lawrence, Grace M.E.P., Coombs, Jared R., Burgener, Sabrina S. and Schroder, Kate (2024). The septin modifier, forchlorfenuron, activates NLRP3 via a potassium-independent mitochondrial axis. Cell Chemical Biology, 31 (5), 962-972.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.04.012

The septin modifier, forchlorfenuron, activates NLRP3 via a potassium-independent mitochondrial axis

2024

Journal Article

Mechanistic insights from inflammasome structures

Fu, Jianing, Schroder, Kate and Wu, Hao (2024). Mechanistic insights from inflammasome structures. Nature Reviews Immunology, 24 (7), 1-18. doi: 10.1038/s41577-024-00995-w

Mechanistic insights from inflammasome structures

2024

Journal Article

Fluorochrome‐labeled inhibitors of caspase‐1 require membrane permeabilization to efficiently access caspase‐1 in macrophages

Thygesen, Sara J, Burgener, Sabrina S, Mudai, Prerna, Monteleone, Mercedes, Boucher, Dave, Sagulenko, Vitaliya, Schroder, Kate and Stacey, Katryn J (2024). Fluorochrome‐labeled inhibitors of caspase‐1 require membrane permeabilization to efficiently access caspase‐1 in macrophages. European Journal of Immunology, 54 (5) 2350515, e2350515. doi: 10.1002/eji.202350515

Fluorochrome‐labeled inhibitors of caspase‐1 require membrane permeabilization to efficiently access caspase‐1 in macrophages

2024

Journal Article

NLRP12 interacts with NLRP3 to block the activation of the human NLRP3 inflammasome

Coombs, Jared R., Zamoshnikova, Alina, Holley, Caroline L., Maddugoda, Madhavi P., Teo, Daniel Eng Thiam, Chauvin, Camille, Poulin, Lionel F, Vitak, Nazarii, Ross, Connie M., Mellacheruvu, Manasa, Coll, Rebecca C., Heinz, Leonhard X., Burgener, Sabrina S., Emming, Stefan, Chamaillard, Mathias, Boucher, Dave and Schroder, Kate (2024). NLRP12 interacts with NLRP3 to block the activation of the human NLRP3 inflammasome. Science Signaling, 17 (820) abg8145, eabg8145. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.abg8145

NLRP12 interacts with NLRP3 to block the activation of the human NLRP3 inflammasome

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    Hope on the horizon - Harnessing inflammation as a novel diagnostic for chronic liver disease (2024 MSHRSS Co-funded Collaboration Grant led by MSH)
    Metro South Health Research Support Scheme Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Pyroptotic macrophages posthumously sculpt immune responses
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Nuclear alarmins escalate tissue immune responses
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Inflammasome inhibitors as new first-in-class anti-inflammatory therapies
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Mining the host-pathogen interface to deliver a drug pipeline for treating intractable and emerging infections
    NHMRC Synergy Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    Elucidating Cardiolipin and Immune Dysfunction in Barth Syndrome
    The Barth Syndrome Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Accelerating the diagnosis of children with autoinflammatory diseases
    Specific Donations Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2022
    A novel mechanism of host defence via macrophage extracellular traps
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Developing treatments for vincristine-induced neuropathy
    The Kid's Cancer Project
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Pathogenic functions for the NLRP3 inflammasome in Alzheimer's Disease
    The Yulgilbar Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Molecular determinants of inflammatory caspase activity upon inflammasomes
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Advanced Brightfield and Fluorescent High Speed and Throughput Slide Scanner for biological, medical, materials science, and agricultural applications
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2019
    In vivo imaging system for tracking inflammation, infection, cancer, pain and bioactive molecules
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    PyroNETosis: a new mechanism of host defence
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Epifluorescent and live-cell imaging microscopes for the investigation of host-pathogen interactions and for molecular and cellular biology
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Extinguishing the fire: inflammasome inhibition
    NHMRC Career Development Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2024
    ACRF Cancer Ultrastructure and Function Facility
    Australian Cancer Research Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    A novel mechanism for IL-1B secretion
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Inflammatory pathways to liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic and alcoholic steatohepatitis: reversal by NLRP3 inhibitors (NHMRC Project Grant administered by ANU)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Pharmacological Targeting of Proinflammatory Kinase Signalling in Parkinson's disease
    The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    Blocking inflammasome-induced neuroinflammation in PD with a potent, orally available small molecule
    The Michael J Fox Foundation Therapeutic Pipeline Program
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    A molecular timer for inflammation and cell death
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Autophagic suppression of ASC inflammasomes
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Pharmacological targeting of the NLRP3 inflammasome in pre-clinical models of Parkinson's disease using a potent orally active inhibitor
    The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Inhibitors of NLRP3 activation for treatment of inflammatory CNS diseases
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Murine behavioural phenotyping facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Therapeutic targeting of the NLRP3 inflammasome using a potent and orally active inhibitor in experimental MND
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    Inflammasomes: molecular drivers of anti-microbial defence
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Microbial evasion of a novel inflammasome by Salmonella
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Pinpointing the initiation of immune responses
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Caspase 8 apoptotic signalling induced by the inflammasome
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Smart Futures Fellowship (Mid): Development of strategies to predict type 2 diabetes risk, and prevent diabetes onset in at-risk Queensland children
    Queensland Government Smart Futures Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Inflammasome function in neutrophils
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    NHMRC Training Fellowship (CJ Martin): Inflammasome function in gastrointestinal immunity and inflammation
    NHMRC Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2008
    Human macrophage transcriptional network
    Riken Genomic Sciences Center
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Kate Schroder is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Student projects

    Expressions of interest from prospective postgraduate students are welcome at any time. For information on future research higher degree projects, please email K.Schroder@imb.uq.edu.au with the following: (1) CV, including a summary of academic qualifications, work and research experience, and publication list; (2) studies report for undergraduate and honours degree(s); and (3) a letter of motivation outlining your research interests.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Professor Kate Schroder directly for media enquiries about:

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • arthritis
  • cancer
  • candida
  • caspase
  • cell biology
  • cytokine
  • diabetes
  • gout
  • hereditary disease
  • immune system
  • inerluekin
  • infection
  • infectious disease
  • inflammasome
  • inflammation
  • inflammatory disease
  • innate immunity
  • macrophage
  • myeloid
  • neutrophil
  • nod-like receptor
  • pyroptosis
  • salmonella
  • toll-like receptor

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