![Dr Antiopi Varelias](/sites/default/files/profiles/12053.jpeg)
Overview
Background
Dr Antiopi Varelias leads the Transplantation Immunology laboratory at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia and is the Coordinator of the Immunology and Infectious diseases seminar series at the Institute. She was awarded her PhD from The University of Adelaide (Faculty of Medicine) in 2002 and held post-doctoral positions within the University of Adelaide’s Department of Surgery (TQEH) and Haematology/Oncology Unit, TQEH before moving to Brisbane to join the Bone Marrow Transplantation laboratory at QIMR Berghofer in 2008, at the time led by Professor Geoff Hill. Under Professor Hill’s mentorship, she has published many original research articles in peer-reviewed high-ranking journals on graft-versus-host disease and has presented her research findings at many international and national scientific meetings. As a chief investigator, she has been the recipient of funding from the NH&MRC and CCQ and is a member of several professional societies (ASTCT, TTS, TSANZ, AAI, ASI, SMI, ICIS).
Dr Varelias’s research interests focus on improving our fundamental understanding of the pathophysiology of graft-versus-host disease using innovative technologies and pre-clinical models, with the view of translating these findings into clinical practice and thereby provide better transplant outcomes for patients. Current research aims to define the immunological basis that underpins graft-versus-host disease, with an emphasis on cellular, cytokine and microbiome interactions that regulate mucosal immunity during stem cell transplantation.
Availability
- Dr Antiopi Varelias is:
- Available for supervision
Works
Search Professor Antiopi Varelias’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Expansion of IL-17A-secreting CD8 + mucosa-associated invariant T cells in peripheral blood following stem cell mobilization
Varelias, Antiopi, Gartlan, Kate H., Wilkinson, Andrew N., Olver, Stuart D., Samson, Luke D., Tey, Siok-Keen, MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2019). Expansion of IL-17A-secreting CD8 + mucosa-associated invariant T cells in peripheral blood following stem cell mobilization. Blood Advances, 3 (5), 718-723. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2018025601
Featured
2018
Journal Article
Recipient mucosal-associated invariant T cells control GVHD within the colon
Varelias, Antiopi, Bunting, Mark D., Ormerod, Kate L., Koyama, Motoko, Olver, Stuart D., Straube, Jasmin, Kuns, Rachel D., Robb, Renee J., Henden, Andrea S., Cooper, Leanne, Lachner, Nancy, Gartlan, Kate H., Lantz, Olivier, Kjer-Nielsen, Lars, Mak, Jeffrey Y. W., Fairlie, David P., Clouston, Andrew D., McCluskey, James, Rossjohn, Jamie, Lane, Steven W., Hugenholtz, Philip and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2018). Recipient mucosal-associated invariant T cells control GVHD within the colon. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 128 (5), 1919-1936. doi: 10.1172/JCI91646
Featured
2017
Journal Article
Acute graft-versus-host disease is regulated by an IL-17-sensitive microbiome
Varelias, Antiopi, Ormerod, Kate L., Bunting, Mark D., Koyama, Motoko, Gartlan, Kate H., Kuns, Rachel D., Lachner, Nancy, Locke, Kelly R., Lim, Chun Y., Henden, Andrea S., Zhang, Ping, Clouston, Andrew D., Hasnain, Sumaira Z., McGuckin, Michael A., Blazar, Bruce R., MacDonald, Kelli P. A ., Hugenholtz, Philip and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2017). Acute graft-versus-host disease is regulated by an IL-17-sensitive microbiome. Blood, 129 (15), 2172-2185. doi: 10.1182/blood-2016-08-732628
Featured
2015
Journal Article
Lung parenchyma-derived IL-6 promotes IL-17A-dependent acute lung injury after allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Varelias, Antiopi, Gartlan, Kate H., Kreijveld, Ellen, Olver, Stuart D., Lor, Mary, Kuns, Rachel D., Lineburg, Katie E., Teal, Bianca E., Raffelt, Neil C., Cheong, Melody, Alexander, Kylie A., Koyama, Motoko, Markey, Kate A., Sturgeon, Elise, Leach, Justine, Reddy, Pavan, Kennedy, Glen A., Yanik, Gregory A., Blazar, Bruce R., Tey, Siok-Keen, Clouston, Andrew D., MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Cooke, Kenneth R. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2015). Lung parenchyma-derived IL-6 promotes IL-17A-dependent acute lung injury after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Blood, 125 (15), 2435-2444. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-07-590232
Featured
2014
Journal Article
Addition of interleukin-6 inhibition with tocilizumab to standard graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation: a phase 1/2 trial
Kennedy, Glen A., Varelias, Antiopi, Vuckovic, Slavica, Le Texier, Laetitia, Gartlan, Kate H., Zhang, Ping, Thomas, Gethin, Anderson, Lisa, Boyle, Glen, Cloonan, Nicole, Leach, Justine, Sturgeon, Elise, Avery, Judy, Olver, Stuart D., Lor, Mary, Misra, Ashish K., Hutchins, Cheryl, Morton, A. James, Durrant, Simon T. S., Subramoniapillai, Elango, Butler, Jason P., Curley, Cameron I., MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Tey, Siok-Keen and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2014). Addition of interleukin-6 inhibition with tocilizumab to standard graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation: a phase 1/2 trial. The Lancet Oncology, 15 (13), 1451-1459. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(14)71017-4
2024
Journal Article
Calcineurin inhibition rescues alloantigen-specific central memory T cell subsets that promote chronic GVHD
Wang, Yewei, Ullah, Md Ashik, Waltner, Olivia G., Bhise, Shruti S., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Schmidt, Christine R., Legg, Samuel R.W., Sekiguchi, Tomoko, Nelson, Ethan L., Kuns, Rachel D., Nemychenkov, Nicole S., Atilla, Erden, Yeh, Albert C., Takahashi, Shuichiro, Boiko, Julie R., Varelias, Antiopi, Blazar, Bruce R., Koyama, Motoko, Minnie, Simone A., Clouston, Andrew D., Furlan, Scott N., Zhang, Ping and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2024). Calcineurin inhibition rescues alloantigen-specific central memory T cell subsets that promote chronic GVHD. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 134 (11) e170125, 19-19. doi: 10.1172/jci170125
2024
Journal Article
IL-6–mediated endothelial injury impairs antiviral humoral immunity after bone marrow transplantation
Zhang, Ping, Fleming, Peter, Andoniou, Christopher E., Waltner, Olivia G., Bhise, Shruti S., Martins, Jose Paulo, McEnroe, Benjamin A., Voigt, Valentina, Daly, Sheridan, Kuns, Rachel D., Ekwe, Adaeze P., Henden, Andrea S., Saldan, Alda, Olver, Stuart, Varelias, Antiopi, Smith, Corey, Schmidt, Christine R., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Legg, Samuel R.W., Sekiguchi, Tomoko, Minnie, Simone A., Gradwell, Mark, Wagenaar, Irma, Clouston, Andrew D., Koyama, Motoko, Furlan, Scott N., Kennedy, Glen A., Ward, E Sally, Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A. ... Tey, Siok-Keen (2024). IL-6–mediated endothelial injury impairs antiviral humoral immunity after bone marrow transplantation. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 134 (7) e174184. doi: 10.1172/jci174184
2024
Journal Article
Regulatory T cells suppress myeloma-specific immunity during autologous stem cell mobilization and transplantation
Takahashi, Shuichiro, Minnie, Simone A., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Schmidt, Christine R., Sekiguchi, Tomoko, Legg, Samuel R. W., Zhang, Ping, Koyama, Motoko, Olver, Stuart D., Collinge, Alika D., Keshmiri, Sara, Comstock, Melissa L., Varelias, Antiopi, Green, Damian J. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2024). Regulatory T cells suppress myeloma-specific immunity during autologous stem cell mobilization and transplantation. Blood, 143 (16), 1656-1669. doi: 10.1182/blood.2023022000
2023
Journal Article
Intestinal microbiota controls graft-versus-host disease independent of donor-host genetic disparity
Koyama, Motoko, Hippe, Daniel S., Srinivasan, Sujatha, Proll, Sean C., Miltiadous, Oriana, Li, Naisi, Zhang, Ping, Ensbey, Kathleen S., Hoffman, Noah G., Schmidt, Christine R., Yeh, Albert C., Minnie, Simone A., Strenk, Susan M., Fiedler, Tina L., Hattangady, Namita, Kowalsky, Jacob, Grady, Willian M., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A., Varelias, Antiopi, Clouston, Andrew D., van den Brink, Marcel R.M., Dey, Neelendu, Randolph, Timothy W., Markey, Kate A., Fredricks, David N. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2023). Intestinal microbiota controls graft-versus-host disease independent of donor-host genetic disparity. Immunity, 56 (8), 1876-1893.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.06.024
2022
Journal Article
TIGIT inhibition and lenalidomide synergistically promote anti-myeloma immune responses after stem cell transplantation in mice
Minnie, Simone A., Waltner, Olivia G., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Olver, Stuart D., Collinge, Alika D., Sester, David P., Schmidt, Christine R., Legg, Samuel R.W., Takahashi, Shuichiro, Nemychenkov, Nicole S., Sekiguchi, Tomoko, Driessens, Gregory, Zhang, Ping, Koyama, Motoko, Spencer, Andrew, Holmberg, Leona A., Furlan, Scott N., Varelias, Antiopi and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2022). TIGIT inhibition and lenalidomide synergistically promote anti-myeloma immune responses after stem cell transplantation in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 133 (4) e157907, 1-11. doi: 10.1172/jci157907
2022
Journal Article
Editorial: Mouse Models of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Varelias, Antiopi, Zhang, Ping and Hashimoto, Daigo (2022). Editorial: Mouse Models of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 882592, 1-2. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.882592
2022
Journal Article
Adults with Plasmodium falciparum malaria have higher magnitude and quality of circulating T-follicular helper cells compared to children
Oyong, Damian. A., Loughland, Jessica. R., Soon, Megan. S.F., Chan, Jo-Anne, Andrew, Dean, Wines, Bruce D., Hogarth, P. Mark, Olver, Stuart D., Collinge, Alika D., Varelias, Antiopi, Beeson, James G., Kenangalem, Enny, Price, Ric N., Anstey, Nicholas M., Minigo, Gabriela and Boyle, Michelle J. (2022). Adults with Plasmodium falciparum malaria have higher magnitude and quality of circulating T-follicular helper cells compared to children. eBioMedicine, 75 103784, 1-22. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103784
2021
Journal Article
CMV exposure drives long-term CD57+ CD4 memory T-cell inflation following allogeneic stem cell transplant
Yeh, Albert C., Varelias, Antiopi, Reddy, Anupama, Barone, Sierra M., Olver, Stuart D., Chilson, Kate, Onstad, Lynn E., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Henden, Andrea S, Samson, Luke, Jaeger, Carla A, Bi, Timothy, Dahlman, Kimberly B., Kim, Tae Kon, Zhang, Ping, Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A., Newell, Evan W., Jagasia, Madan H., Irish, Jonathan M., Lee, Stephanie J. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2021). CMV exposure drives long-term CD57+ CD4 memory T-cell inflation following allogeneic stem cell transplant. Blood, 138 (26), 2874-2885. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020009492
2021
Journal Article
IFN-λ therapy prevents severe gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease
Henden, Andrea S., Koyama, Motoko, Robb, Renee J., Forero, Adriana, Kuns, Rachel D., Chang, Karshing, Ensbey, Kathleen S., Varelias, Antiopi, Kazakoff, Stephen H., Waddell, Nicole, Clouston, Andrew D., Giri, Rabina, Begun, Jakob, Blazar, Bruce R., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A., Kotenko, Sergei V., Lane, Steven W., Bowerman, Kate L., Savan, Ram, Hugenholtz, Philip, Gartlan, Kate H. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2021). IFN-λ therapy prevents severe gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease. Blood, 138 (8), 722-737. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020006375
2021
Journal Article
A phase 3 double-blind study of the addition of tocilizumab versus placebo to cyclosporin/methotrexate GvHD prophylaxis
Kennedy, Glen, Tey, Siok-Keen, Buizen, Luke, Varelias, Antiopi, Gartlan, Kate H., Curley, Cameron, Olver, Stuart, Chang, Karshing, Butler, Jason, Misra, Ashish, Subramoniapillai, Elango, Morton, Anthony, Durrant, Simon, Henden, Andrea S, Moore, John, Ritchie, David S, Gottlieb, David, Cooney, Julian P, Paul, Sanjoy K and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2021). A phase 3 double-blind study of the addition of tocilizumab versus placebo to cyclosporin/methotrexate GvHD prophylaxis. Blood, 137 (14), 1970-1979. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020009050
2020
Journal Article
Single-cell transcriptomics of alloreactive CD4+ T cells over time reveals divergent fates during gut graft-versus-host disease
Engel, Jessica A., Lee, Hyun Jae, Williams, Cameron G., Kuns, Rachel, Olver, Stuart, Lansink, Lianne Im, Soon, Megan Sf, Andersen, Stacey B., Powell, Joseph E., Svensson, Valentine, Teichmann, Sarah A., Hill, Geoffrey R., Varelias, Antiopi, Koyama, Motoko and Haque, Ashraful (2020). Single-cell transcriptomics of alloreactive CD4+ T cells over time reveals divergent fates during gut graft-versus-host disease. JCI Insight, 5 (13) 137990. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.137990
2020
Journal Article
ASC modulates CTL cytotoxicity and transplant outcome independent of the inflammasome
Cheong, Melody, Gartlan, Kate H., Lee, Jason S., Tey, Siok-Keen, Zhang, Ping, Kuns, Rachel D., Andoniou, Christopher E., Martins, Jose Paulo, Chang, Karshing, Sutton, Vivien R., Kelly, Greg, Varelias, Antiopi, Vuckovic, Slavica, Markey, Kate A., Boyle, Glen M., Smyth, Mark J., Engwerda, Christian R., MacDonald, Kelli P.A., Trapani, Joseph A., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A., Koyama, Motoko and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2020). ASC modulates CTL cytotoxicity and transplant outcome independent of the inflammasome. Cancer Immunology Research, 8 (8), 1085-1098. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0653
2020
Journal Article
PAG1 limits allergen-induced type 2 inflammation in the murine lung
Ullah, Md Ashik, Vicente, Cristina T., Collinson, Natasha, Curren, Bodie, Sikder, Md Al Amin, Sebina, Ismail, Simpson, Jennifer, Varelias, Antiopi, Lindquist, Jonathan A., Ferreira, Manuel A. R. and Phipps, Simon (2020). PAG1 limits allergen-induced type 2 inflammation in the murine lung. Allergy, 75 (2) all.13991, 336-345. doi: 10.1111/all.13991
2020
Journal Article
Continuous pre- and post-transplant exposure to a disease-associated gut microbiome promotes hyper-acute graft-versus-host disease in wild-type mice
Bowerman, Kate L., Varelias, Antiopi, Lachner, Nancy, Kuns, Rachel D., Hill, Geoffrey R. and Hugenholtz, Philip (2020). Continuous pre- and post-transplant exposure to a disease-associated gut microbiome promotes hyper-acute graft-versus-host disease in wild-type mice. Gut Microbes, 11 (4), 1-17. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2019.1705729
2020
Journal Article
MAIT cells promote tumor initiation, growth and metastases via tumor MR1
Yan, Juming, Allen, Stacey, McDonald, Elizabeth, Das, Indrajit, Mak, Jeffrey Y. W., Liu, Ligong, Fairlie, David P., Meehan, Bronwyn S., Chen, Zhenjun, Corbett, Alexandra J., Varelias, Antiopi, Smyth, Mark J. and Teng, Michele W. L. (2020). MAIT cells promote tumor initiation, growth and metastases via tumor MR1. Cancer Discovery, 10 (1), 124-141. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-19-0569
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Antiopi Varelias is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Understanding the immunological basis of increased mortality driven by a respiratory syncytial viral infection after stem cell transplantation.
Background
Viral infection and reactivation following stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a common complication following this procedure, which is performed for the treatment of blood cancers. One such pathogen is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common community-acquired infection that leads to significant morbidity in immunocompromised SCT patients. Current treatment strategies for patients infected with RSV is the use of anti-viral agents however these are ineffective. Thus, this complication remains a significant clinical problem where new treatments are desperately needed. To address this, a better understanding of the immunological mechanisms that underlie this disease are essential.
Aims
The specific aim of this project is to establish a robust model of RSV infection in the stem cell transplant setting using Pneumonia Virus of Mice (PVM), the murine relative of RSV. This will enable the contribution of host innate and acquired mucosal immune responses to the viral infection to be dissected.
Approaches / Techniques to be utilised
This project is not limited to, but will involve, extensive animal work, flow cytometry, immunological assays, molecular and viral techniques.
This project is suitable for Honours, Masters and PhD students. Please contact Dr Varelias (antiopi.varelias@qimrberghofer.edu.au) for further details.
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Dissecting the immunoregulatory interactions between cytokines, innate cells and intestinal microbiota during homeostasis and in acute graft-versus-host disease.
Background
To date, stem cell transplantation (SCT) remains the preferred treatment option for the majority of blood cancers. Chemotherapy/radiation during conditioning damages intestinal epithelium resulting in systemic exposure to microbial products normally sequestered in the intestinal lumen, in addition to a marked cytokine release. We have demonstrated that these microbial products and cytokines modulate graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and thereby transplant outcome. Numerous approaches in the clinic targeting intestinal microbiota to harness GVHD such as gut decontaminating antibiotics, introduction of beneficial bacteria or targeting anaerobic bacteria have been attempted but these have shown varied effects. A greater understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these approaches will inform of new strategies that could be adopted to protect against unrestrained immune activation and GVHD. Recently, we demonstrated that mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, activated in response to engagement with microbial-derived riboflavin derivatives loaded onto MR1 ligands, protected against intestinal acute GVHD.
Aims
The overall aim of this project is to further investigate the host innate immune response and its interaction with intestinal microbiota during homeostasis and in acute GVHD.
Approaches / Techniques to be utilised
This project is not limited to, but will involve, extensive animal work, flow cytometry, immunological assays, molecular and microbiological techniques.
This project is suitable for Honours, Masters and PhD students. Please contact Dr Varelias (antiopi.varelias@qimrberghofer.edu.au) for further details.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Defining the critical determinants of viral-mediated pneumonitis after bone marrow transplantation.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Dr Seweryn Bialasiewicz
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Doctor Philosophy
Modulating Donor T Cell Polarisation After Bone Marrow Transplantation to Prevent Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Kate Gartlan
Completed supervision
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Classification and functional characterisation of the murine gut bacterial family Muribaculaceae
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Phil Hugenholtz
Media
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