Dr Antiopi Varelias
Dr

Antiopi Varelias

Email: 

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

Search Professor Antiopi Varelias’s works on UQ eSpace

45 works between 2010 and 2024
All (45) Journal Article (44) Conference Publication (1)

41 - 45 of 45 works

2012

Journal Article

Immune insufficiency during GVHD is due to defective antigen presentation within dendritic cell subsets

Markey, Kate A., Koyama, Motoko, Kuns, Rachel D., Lineburg, Katie E., Wilson, Yana A., Olver, Stuart D., Raffelt, Neil C., Don, Alistair L. J., Varelias, Antiopi, Robb, Renee J., Cheong, Melody, Engwerda, Christian R., Steptoe, Raymond J., Ramshaw, Hayley S., Lopez, Angel F., Vega-Ramos, Javier, Lew, Andrew M., Villadangos, Jose A., Hill, Geoffrey R. and MacDonald, Kelli P. A. (2012). Immune insufficiency during GVHD is due to defective antigen presentation within dendritic cell subsets. Blood, 119 (24), 5918-5930. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-12-398164

Immune insufficiency during GVHD is due to defective antigen presentation within dendritic cell subsets

2012

Journal Article

Identification and expansion of highly suppressive CD8 +FoxP3 + regulatory T cells after experimental allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Robb, R.J., Lineburg, K.E., Kuns, R.D., Wilson, Y.A., Raffelt, N.C., Olver, S.D., Varelias, A., Alexander, K.A., Teal, B.E., Sparwasser, T., Hammerling, G.J., Markey, K.A., Koyama, M., Clouston, A.D., Engwerda, C.R., Hill, G.R. and MacDonald, K.P.A. (2012). Identification and expansion of highly suppressive CD8 +FoxP3 + regulatory T cells after experimental allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Blood, 119 (24), 5898-5908. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-12-396119

Identification and expansion of highly suppressive CD8 +FoxP3 + regulatory T cells after experimental allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

2012

Journal Article

Recipient nonhematopoietic antigen-presenting cells are sufficient to induce lethal acute graft-versus-host disease

Koyama, Motoko, Kuns, Rachel D., Olver, Stuart D., Raffelt, Neil C., Wilson, Yana A., Don, Alistair L. J., Lineburg, Katie E., Cheong, Melody, Robb, Renee J., Markey, Kate A., Varelias, Antiopi, Malissen, Bernard, Hammerling, Gunter J., Clouston, Andrew D., Engwerda, Christian R., Bhat, Purnima, MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2012). Recipient nonhematopoietic antigen-presenting cells are sufficient to induce lethal acute graft-versus-host disease. Nature Medicine, 18 (1), 135-142. doi: 10.1038/nm.2597

Recipient nonhematopoietic antigen-presenting cells are sufficient to induce lethal acute graft-versus-host disease

2011

Journal Article

Type I-IFNs control GVHD and GVL responses after transplantation

Robb, Renee J., Kreijveld, Ellen, Kuns, Rachel D., Wilson, Yana A., Olver, Stuart D., Don, Alistair L. J., Raffelt, Neil C., De Weerd, Nicole A., Lineburg, Katie E., Varelias, Antiopi, Markey, Kate A., Koyama, Motoko, Clouston, Andrew D., Hertzog, Paul J., MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2011). Type I-IFNs control GVHD and GVL responses after transplantation. Blood, 118 (12), 3399-3409. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-12-325746

Type I-IFNs control GVHD and GVL responses after transplantation

2010

Journal Article

Stem cell mobilization with G-CSF induces type 17 differentiation and promotes scleroderma

Hill, Geoffrey R., Olver, Stuart D., Kuns, Rachel D., Varelias, Antiopi, Raffelt, Neil C., Don, Alistair L., Markey, Kate A., Wilson, Yana A., Smyth, Mark J., Iwakura, Yoichiro, Tocker, Joel, Clouston, Andrew D. and MacDonald, Kelli P. A. (2010). Stem cell mobilization with G-CSF induces type 17 differentiation and promotes scleroderma. Blood, 116 (5), 819-828. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-11-256495

Stem cell mobilization with G-CSF induces type 17 differentiation and promotes scleroderma

Availability

Dr Antiopi Varelias is:
Available for supervision

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

Available projects

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Defining the critical determinants of viral-mediated pneumonitis after bone marrow transplantation.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Dr Seweryn Bialasiewicz

  • 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

  • 2021

    Doctor Philosophy

    Classification and functional characterisation of the murine gut bacterial family Muribaculaceae

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Phil Hugenholtz

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Antiopi Varelias's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au