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
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
2019
Journal Article
MHC class II antigen presentation by the intestinal epithelium initiates graft-versus-host disease and is influenced by the microbiota
Koyama, Motoko, Mukhopadhyay, Pamela, Schuster, Iona S., Henden, Andrea S., Hülsdünker, Jan, Varelias, Antiopi, Vetizou, Marie, Kuns, Rachel D., Robb, Renee J., Zhang, Ping, Blazar, Bruce B., Thomas, Ranjeny, Begun, Jakob, Waddell, Nicola, Trinchieri, Giorgio, Zeiser, Robert, Clouston, Andrew D., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2019). MHC class II antigen presentation by the intestinal epithelium initiates graft-versus-host disease and is influenced by the microbiota. Immunity, 51 (5), 885-898. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.08.011
2019
Journal Article
Pilot study investigating the effect of enteral and parenteral nutrition on the gastrointestinal microbiome post‐allogeneic transplantation
Andersen, Sarah, Staudacher, Heidi, Weber, Nicholas, Kennedy, Glen, Varelias, Antiopi, Banks, Merrilyn and Bauer, Judy (2019). Pilot study investigating the effect of enteral and parenteral nutrition on the gastrointestinal microbiome post‐allogeneic transplantation. British Journal of Haematology, 188 (4) bjh.16218, 570-581. doi: 10.1111/bjh.16218
2019
Journal Article
IL-6 dysregulation originates in dendritic cells and initiates graft-versus-host disease via classical signaling
Wilkinson, Andrew N., Chang, Karshing, Kuns, Rachel D., Henden, Andrea S., Minnie, Simone A., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Clouston, Andrew D., Zhang, Ping, Koyama, Motoko, Hidalgo, Juan, Rose-John, Stefan, Varelias, Antiopi, Vuckovic, Slavica, Gartlan, Kate H. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2019). IL-6 dysregulation originates in dendritic cells and initiates graft-versus-host disease via classical signaling. Blood, 134 (23), 2092-2106. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019000396
2019
Journal Article
Phase I trial of inducible caspase 9 T cells in adult stem cell transplant demonstrates massive clonotypic proliferative potential and long-term persistence of transgenic T cells
Zhang, Ping, Raju, Jyothy, Ullah, Md Ashik, Au, Raymond, Varelias, Antiopi, Gartlan, Kate H, Olver, Stuart D., Samson, Luke D., Sturgeon, Elise, Zomerdijk, Nienke, Avery, Judy, Gargett, Tessa, Brown, Michael P., Coin, Lachlan J., Ganesamoorthy, Devika, Hutchins, Cheryl, Pratt, Gary R, Kennedy, Glen A., Morton, A. James, Curley, Cameron I., Hill, Geoffrey R. and Tey, Siok-Keen (2019). Phase I trial of inducible caspase 9 T cells in adult stem cell transplant demonstrates massive clonotypic proliferative potential and long-term persistence of transgenic T cells. Clinical Cancer Research, 25 (6), 1749-1755. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-3069
2018
Journal Article
Bone marrow transplantation generates T cell–dependent control of myeloma in mice
Vuckovic, Slavica, Minnie, Simone A., Smith, David, Gartlan, Kate H., Watkins, Thomas S., Markey, Kate A., Mukhopadhyay, Pamela, Guillerey, Camille, Kuns, Rachel D., Locke, Kelly R., Pritchard, Antonia L., Johansson, Peter A., Varelias, Antiopi, Zhang, Ping, Huntington, Nicholas D., Waddell, Nicola, Chesi, Marta, Miles, John J., Smyth, Mark J. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2018). Bone marrow transplantation generates T cell–dependent control of myeloma in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 129 (1) CI98888, 106-121. doi: 10.1172/jci98888
2018
Journal Article
Early blood stream infection after BMT is associated with cytokine dysregulation and poor overall survival
Catchpoole, Elizabeth M., Thirunavukarasu, Caitlin E., Varelias, Antiopi, Schlebusch, Sanmarié, Olver, Stuart, Zomerdijk, Nienke, Osland, Emma, Kennedy, Glen A., Tey, Siok-Keen, Hill, Geoffrey R. and Markey, Kate A. (2018). Early blood stream infection after BMT is associated with cytokine dysregulation and poor overall survival. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, 24 (7), 1360-1366. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2018.02.025
Featured
2017
Journal Article
A critical role for donor-derived IL-22 in cutaneous chronic GVHD
Gartlan, Kate H., Bommiasamy, Hemamalini, Paz, Katelyn, Wilkinson, Andrew N., Owen, Mary, Reichenbach, Dawn K., Banovic, Tatjana, Wehner, Kimberly, Buchanan, Faith, Varelias, Antiopi, Kuns, Rachel D., Chang, Karshing, Fedoriw, Yuri, Shea, Thomas, Coghill, James, Zaiken, Michael, Plank, Maximilian W., Foster, Paul S., Clouston, Andrew D., Blazar, Bruce R., Serody, Jonathan S. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2017). A critical role for donor-derived IL-22 in cutaneous chronic GVHD. American Journal of Transplantation , 18 (4), 810-820. doi: 10.1111/ajt.14513
2017
Journal Article
Eomesodermin promotes the development of Type-1 Regulatory T (TR1) cells
Zhang, Ping, Lee, Jason S., Gartlan, Kate H., Schuster, Iona S., Comerford, Iain, Varelias, Antiopi, Ullah, Md Ashik, Vuckovic, Slavica, Koyama, Motoko, Kuns, Rachel D., Locke, Kelly R., Beckett, Kirrilee J., Olver, Stuart D., Samson, Luke D., Montes de Oca, Marcela, de Labastida Rivera, Fabian, Clouston, Andrew D., Belz, Gabrielle T., Blazar, Bruce R., MacDonald, Kelli P., McColl, Shaun R., Thomas, Ranjeny, Engwerda, Christian R., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A., Kallies, Axel, Tey, Siok-Keen and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2017). Eomesodermin promotes the development of Type-1 Regulatory T (TR1) cells. Science Immunology, 2 (10) eaah7152. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aah7152
2017
Journal Article
Th17 plasticity and transition toward a pathogenic cytokine signature are regulated by cyclosporine after allogeneic SCT
Gartlan, Kate H., Varelias, Antiopi, Koyama, Motoko, Robb, Renee J., Markey, Kate A., Chang, Karshing, Wilkinson, Andrew N., Smith, David, Ullah, Md Ashik, Kuns, Rachel D., Raffelt, Neil C., Olver, Stuart D., Lineburg, Katie E., Teal, Bianca E., Cheong, Melody, Teng, Michele W. L., Smyth, Mark J., Tey, Siok-Keen, MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2017). Th17 plasticity and transition toward a pathogenic cytokine signature are regulated by cyclosporine after allogeneic SCT. Blood Advances, 1 (6), 341-351. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2016002980
2017
Journal Article
GVHD prevents NK-cell-dependent leukemia and virus-specific innate immunity
Bunting, Mark D., Varelias, Antiopi, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes, Fernando, Schuster, Iona S., Lineburg, Katie E., Kuns, Rachel D., Fleming, Peter, Locke, Kelly R., Huntington, Nicholas D., Blazar, Bruce R., Lane, Steven W., Tey, Siok-Keen, MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Smyth, Mark J., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2017). GVHD prevents NK-cell-dependent leukemia and virus-specific innate immunity. Blood, 129 (5), 630-642. doi: 10.1182/blood-2016-08-734020
2016
Journal Article
Pharmacokinetics and immunological outcomes of alemtuzumab-based treatment for steroid-refractory acute GvHD
Tey, S-K., Vuckovic, S., Varelias, A., Martins, J. P., Olver, S., Samson, L., Sturgeon, E., Leach, J., Avery, J., Nakagaki, M., Butler, J. P., Curley, C., Morton, A. J., Durrant, S. T., Kennedy, G. A. and Hill, G. R. (2016). Pharmacokinetics and immunological outcomes of alemtuzumab-based treatment for steroid-refractory acute GvHD. Bone Marrow Transplantation, 51 (8), 1153-1155. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2016.83
2015
Journal Article
IL-17A-Producing gamma delta T Cells Suppress Early Control of Parasite Growth by Monocytes in the Liver
Sheel, Meru, Beattie, Lynette, Frame, Teija C. M., Rivera, Fabian de Labastida, Faleiro, Rebecca J., Bunn, Patrick T., de Oca, Marcela Montes, Edwards, Chelsea L., Ng, Susanna S., Kumar, Rajiv, Amante, Fiona H., Best, Shannon E., McColl, Shaun R., Varelias, Antiopi, Kuns, Rachel D., MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Smyth, Mark J., Haque, Ashraful, Hill, Geoff R. and Engwerda, Christian R. (2015). IL-17A-Producing gamma delta T Cells Suppress Early Control of Parasite Growth by Monocytes in the Liver. Journal of Immunology, 195 (12), 5707-5717. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1501046
Featured
2015
Journal Article
Tc17 cells are a proinflammatory, plastic lineage of pathogenic CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells that induce GVHD without antileukemic effects
Gartlan, Kate H., Markey, Kate A., Varelias, Antiopi, Bunting, Mark D., Koyama, Motoko, Kuns, Rachel D., Raffelt, Neil C., Olver, Stuart D., Lineburg, Katie E., Cheong, Melody, Teal, Bianca E., Lor, Mary, Comerford, Iain, Teng, Michele W. L., Smyth, Mark J., McCluskey, James, Rossjohn, Jamie, Stockinger, Brigitta, Boyle, Glen M., Lane, Steven W., Clouston, Andrew D., McColl, Shaun R., MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2015). Tc17 cells are a proinflammatory, plastic lineage of pathogenic CD8+ T cells that induce GVHD without antileukemic effects. Blood, 126 (13), 1609-1620. doi: 10.1182/blood-2015-01-622662
2015
Journal Article
Donor colonic CD103(+) dendritic cells determine the severity of acute graft-versus-host disease
Koyama, Motoko, Cheong, Melody, Markey, Kate A., Gartlan, Kate H., Kuns, Rachel D., Locke, Kelly R., Lineburg, Katie E., Teal, Bianca E., Leveque-El Mouttie, Lucie, Bunting, Mark D., Vuckovic, Slavica, Zhang, Ping, Teng, Michele W. L., Varelias, Antiopi, Tey, Siok-Keen, Wockner, Leesa F., Engwerda, Christian R., Smyth, Mark J., Belz, Gabrielle T., McColl, Shaun R., MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2015). Donor colonic CD103(+) dendritic cells determine the severity of acute graft-versus-host disease. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 212 (8), 1303-1321. doi: 10.1084/jem.20150329
2015
Conference Publication
The adaptor protein ASC controls transplantation outcomes independently of the inflammasome
Cheong, Melody, Gartlan, Kate, Tey, Siok-Keen, Kuns, Rachel, Lor, Mary, Lineburg, Katie, Tea, Bianca, Shi, Wei, Raju, Jyothy, Zhang, Ping, Varelias, Antiopi, Leveque-El Mouttie, Lucie, Olver, Stuart, Bunting, Mark, Lane, Steven, Boyle, Glen, Ting, Jenny, Schroder, Kate, Engwerda, Christian, Khanna, Kum Kum, Smyth, Mark, MacDonald, Kelli, Koyama, Motoko and Hill, Geoffrey (2015). The adaptor protein ASC controls transplantation outcomes independently of the inflammasome. Annual Meeting of the American-Association-of-Immunologists (IMMUNOLOGY), New Orleans La, May 08-12, 2015. BETHESDA: AMER ASSOC IMMUNOLOGISTS.
2015
Journal Article
Allergen-induced IL-6 trans-signaling activates γδ T cells to promote type 2 and type 17 airway inflammation
Ullah, Md Ashik, Revez, Joana A., Loh, Zhixuan, Simpson, Jennifer, Zhang, Vivian, Bain, Lisa, Varelias, Antiopi, Rose-John, Stefan, Blumenthal, Antje, Smyth, Mark J., Hill, Geoffrey R., Sukkar, Manuel A. R, Ferreira M. A. R. and Phipps, Simon (2015). Allergen-induced IL-6 trans-signaling activates γδ T cells to promote type 2 and type 17 airway inflammation. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 136 (4), 1065-1073. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.02.032
2014
Journal Article
CSF-1-dependant donor-derived macrophages mediate chronic graft-versus-host disease
Alexander K.A., Flynn R., Lineburg K.E., Kuns R.D., Teal B.E., Olver S.D., Lor M., Raffelt N.C., Koyama M., Leveque L., Le Texier L., Melino M., Markey K.A., Varelias A., Engwerda C., Serody J.S., Janela B., Ginhoux F., Clouston A.D., Blazar B.R., Hill G.R. and MacDonald K.P.A. (2014). CSF-1-dependant donor-derived macrophages mediate chronic graft-versus-host disease. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 124 (10), 4266-4280. doi: 10.1172/JCI75935
2014
Journal Article
Type I IFN signaling in CD8-DCs impairs Th1-dependent malaria immunity
Haque, Ashraful, Best, Shannon E., De Oca, Marcela Montes, James, Kylie R., Ammerdorffer, Anne, Edwards, Chelsea L., De Labastida Rivera, Fabian, Amante, Fiona H., Bunn, Patrick T., Sheel, Meru, Sebina, Ismail, Koyama, Motoko, Varelias, Antiopi, Hertzog, Paul J., Kalinke, Ulrich, Gun, Sin Yee, Renia, Laurent, Ruedl, Christiane, MacDonald, Kelli P.A., Hill, Geoffrey R. and Engwerda, Christian R. (2014). Type I IFN signaling in CD8-DCs impairs Th1-dependent malaria immunity. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 124 (6), 2483-2496. doi: 10.1172/JCI70698
2013
Journal Article
Induced regulatory T cells promote tolerance when stabilized by rapamycin and IL-2 in vivo
Zhang, Ping, Tey, Siok-Keen, Koyama, Motoko, Kuns, Rachel D., Olver, Stuart D., Lineburg, Katie E., Lor, Mary, Teal, Bianca E., Raffelt, Neil C., Raju, Jyothy, Leveque, Lucie, Markey, Kate A., Varelias, Antiopi, Clouston, Andrew D., Lane, Steven W., Macdonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2013). Induced regulatory T cells promote tolerance when stabilized by rapamycin and IL-2 in vivo. Journal of Immunology, 191 (10), 5291-5303. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1301181
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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