Overview
Background
Keith is Molecular Virologist and group leader with a dual appointment within the Australian Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Institute and the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences. His research is focused on vaccine development and the understanding of medically and environmentally significant viruses. Keith is one of the inventors of a UQ’s molecular clamp platform and is the co-leader of a program to produce a vaccine for COVID-19 at UQ. Keith has played a leading role in designing and implementing an epidemic response vaccine pipeline which enabled the progression of UQ’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate from sequence information to clinical trial dosing within 6 months.
Keith completed his PhD at the University of Queensland in 2007 on the structure and function of flavivirus NS3 protease. Subsequently, he spent three years (2007-2010) as a post-doctoral researcher at one of Spain’s most respected research institutes, Instituto Salud Carlos III, where I conducted research on the fusion protein of Respiratory Syncytial viurs as a target for conformationally specific neutralizing antibodies. Keith returned to UQ in 2011 and his research has focused on understanding of many medically and environmentally important viruses and bacteria, particularly focussing on Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV), SARS-CoV-2, Koala Retrovirus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Availability
- Professor Keith Chappell is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research impacts
Keith is the co-leader of UQ's COVID-19 vaccine program, which produced one of the first vaccines to eneter clinical trials, in just 6 months after the pandemic was announced. In phase I clinical trials, UQ's COVID-19 vaccine was shown to be safe and produce a strong neutralising immune response, however the initial version was not progressed due to the induction of response that interfered with some HIV diagnostic tests. The outcome of UQ's COVID-19 vaccine program represents an important proof of principle finding for the molecular clamp technology and the team are now re-engineering the platform to aleviate the potential for diagnostic interferance.
Keith is the co-creator of the molecular clamp platform technology, which has potential to produce vaccines for many medically significant viral pathogens. This technology has received a total of over $30 million in investment from Australian competitive grant schemes, international funders and philanthropic organisations and Keith now leads a team of 12 researchers.
Keith also works on Koala retrovirus (KoRV), which is a signficant cause of disease amongst koala populations in QLD and NSW. This work has received research support from the ARC improved our understanding of KoRV genetic diversity, mode of transmission and the fundamental process of genome immunity which mitigates against disease.
Works
Search Professor Keith Chappell’s works on UQ eSpace
2012
Journal Article
Neutralizing antibodies against the preactive form of respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein offer unique possibilities for clinical intervention
Magro, Margarita, Mas, Vicente, Chappell, Keith, Vázquez, Mónica, Cano, Olga, Luque, Daniel, Terrón, María C., Melero, José A. and Palomo, Concepción (2012). Neutralizing antibodies against the preactive form of respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein offer unique possibilities for clinical intervention. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 109 (8), 3089-3094. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1115941109
2010
Conference Publication
Sneaking up on West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease subcellular activity utilising dye-quenched substrates
Liebscher, Susan, Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, Martin J., Watterson, Daniel, Webb, Richard I., Khromykh, Alexander A., Fairlie, David P. and Young, Paul R. (2010). Sneaking up on West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease subcellular activity utilising dye-quenched substrates. PlusStrand 2010: The Ninth International Symposium on Positive-Strand RNA Viruses, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A., 17-21 May 2010.
2010
Conference Publication
Potent inhibitors of West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease
Chappell, K. J., Fairlie, D. P., Gan, C. H., Gupta, P. K., Hu, S., Jensen, C. M., Liebscher, S., Martin, J. L., Robin, G., Stoermer M. J., Xu, W. and Young, P. R. (2010). Potent inhibitors of West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease. 6th General Meeting of the International Proteolysis Society, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 26-30 October 2009. Berlin, Germany: Walter De Gruyter.
2009
Journal Article
Structure of West Nile virus NS3 protease: Ligand stabilization of the catalytic conformation
Robin, Gautier, Chappell, Keith, Stoermer, Martin J., Hu, Shu-Hong, Young, Paul R., Fairlie, David P. and Martin, Jennifer L. (2009). Structure of West Nile virus NS3 protease: Ligand stabilization of the catalytic conformation. Journal of Molecular Biology, 385 (5), 1568-1577. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.11.026
2009
Conference Publication
Antiviral activity in cell culture of potent inhibitors targeting the West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease
Liebscher, S., Chappell, K.J., Stoermer, M.J., Fairlie, D.P. and Young, P.R (2009). Antiviral activity in cell culture of potent inhibitors targeting the West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease. 6th General Meeting of the International Proteolysis Society, Gold Coast , QLD, Australia, 26-30 October, 2009.
2008
Journal Article
West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease as an antiviral target
Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fairlie, D. P. and Young, P. R. (2008). West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease as an antiviral target. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 15 (27), 2771-2784. doi: 10.2174/092986708786242804
2008
Journal Article
Potent cationic inhibitors of West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease with serum stability, cell permeability and antiviral activity
Stoermer, Martin J., Chappell, Keith J., Liebscher, Susann, Jensen, Christina M., Gan, Chun H., Gupta, Praveer K., Xu, Wei-Jun, Young, Paul R. and Fairlie, David P. (2008). Potent cationic inhibitors of West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease with serum stability, cell permeability and antiviral activity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 51 (18), 5714-5721. doi: 10.1021/jm800503y
2008
Journal Article
Mutagenesis of the West Nile virus NS2B cofactor domain reveals two regions essential for protease activity
Chappell, Keith J., Stoermer, Martin J., Fairlie, David P. and Young, Paul R. (2008). Mutagenesis of the West Nile virus NS2B cofactor domain reveals two regions essential for protease activity. Journal of General Virology, 89 (4), 1010-1014. doi: 10.1099/vir.0.83447-0
2008
Journal Article
A dual-purpose synthetic colloidal platform for protease mapping: substrate profiling for Dengue and West Nile virus proteases
Marcon, L., Kozak, D., Battersby, B.J., Chappell, K., Fairlie, D., Young, P.R. and Trau, M. (2008). A dual-purpose synthetic colloidal platform for protease mapping: substrate profiling for Dengue and West Nile virus proteases. Analytical Biochemistry, 2008 (376), 151-153. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2008.01.034
2007
Journal Article
Generation and characterization of proteolytically active and highly stable truncated and full-length recombinant West Nile virus NS3
Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fairlie, D. P. and Young, P. R. (2007). Generation and characterization of proteolytically active and highly stable truncated and full-length recombinant West Nile virus NS3. Protein Expression and Purification, 53 (1), 87-96. doi: 10.1016/j.pep.2006.10.022
2007
Other Outputs
Structure-function relationships of the West Nile Virus protease NS3 and its cofactor NS2B
Chappell, Keith Joseph (2007). Structure-function relationships of the West Nile Virus protease NS3 and its cofactor NS2B. PhD Thesis, School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/158576
2006
Journal Article
Insights to substrate binding and processing by West Nile Virus NS3 protease through combined modeling, protease mutagenesis, and kinetic studies
Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fairlie, D. P. and Young, P. R. (2006). Insights to substrate binding and processing by West Nile Virus NS3 protease through combined modeling, protease mutagenesis, and kinetic studies. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 281 (50), 38448-38458. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M607641200
2006
Conference Publication
Multiple targets for antiviral inhibitors
Young, P. R., Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fairlie, D., Kampmann, T. and Kobe, B. (2006). Multiple targets for antiviral inhibitors. 7th Asia Pacific Congress of Virology, New Delhi, 13-15 Nov, 2006.
2006
Conference Publication
Investigation of the West Nile virus NS3 protease by tandem use of site-directed mutagenesis and substrate modification
Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M J, Fairlie, D and Young, P R (2006). Investigation of the West Nile virus NS3 protease by tandem use of site-directed mutagenesis and substrate modification. Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting, Gold Coast, Qld, 2-6 July, 2006.
2005
Journal Article
Site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic studies of the West Nile virus NS3 protease identify key enzyme-substrate interactions
Chappell, Keith J., Nall, Tessa A., Stoermer, Martin J., Fang, Ning-Xia, Tyndall, Joel D. A., Fairlie, David P. and Young, Paul R. (2005). Site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic studies of the West Nile virus NS3 protease identify key enzyme-substrate interactions. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280 (4), 2896-2903. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M409931200
2005
Conference Publication
Development of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile NS3 protease and the identification of key enzyme-substrate interactions by site-directed mutagenesis
Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fairlie, D. and Young, P. R. (2005). Development of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile NS3 protease and the identification of key enzyme-substrate interactions by site-directed mutagenesis. International Congress of Virology, San Francisco, 23-27 July, 2005.
2005
Conference Publication
Development of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile virus NS3 protease and the identification of key enzyme-substrate and enzyme-cofactor interactions by site-directed mutagenesis
Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fairlie, D. and Young, P. R. (2005). Development of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile virus NS3 protease and the identification of key enzyme-substrate and enzyme-cofactor interactions by site-directed mutagenesis. 3rd Australian Virology Group Meeting, Phillip Island, Vic., 9-12 Dec, 2005.
2005
Conference Publication
Development of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile NS3 protease and the identification of key enzyme-substrate interactions by site-directed mutagenesis
Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fairlie, D. and Young, P. R. (2005). Development of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile NS3 protease and the identification of key enzyme-substrate interactions by site-directed mutagenesis. 30th Lorne Conference on Protein Structure & Function, Lorne, 6-10 Feb, 2005.
2004
Journal Article
Enzymatic characterization and homology model of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile virus NS3 protease
Nall, T. A., Chappell, K. J., Stoermer, M. J., Fang, N. X., Tyndall, J. D. A., Young, P. R. and Fairlie, D. P. (2004). Enzymatic characterization and homology model of a catalytically active recombinant West Nile virus NS3 protease. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279 (47), 48535-48542. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M406810200
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Keith Chappell is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Silencing of fusion-gene expression in cancer with synthetic long-noncoding RNA therapies
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding vaccine-intrinsic factors which influence immunological memory and protection from disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Donnell, Dr Noushin Jaberolansar
-
Doctor Philosophy
Preclinical development and clinical testing of a Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-specific vaccine
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Donnell, Dr Noushin Jaberolansar
Completed supervision
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the koala retrovirus epidemic: genetic diversity, transmission and immunogenicity
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Steve Johnston
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Rational design of a recombinant subunit influenza vaccine
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Watterson
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Structure-guided vaccine and therapeutic design for emerging viruses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Watterson
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Broad-Spectrum Vaccines & Therapeutics for Henipaviruses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Watterson
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
The Filovirus glycoprotein as applied to rational vaccine design and diagnostics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Watterson
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Structural and functional studies of the respiratory syncytial virus F protein
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Watterson
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Epitope-focused vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Watterson, Emeritus Professor Istvan Toth, Associate Professor Mariusz Skwarczynski
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Dengue virus NS2B-NS3protease as a target for inhibitor-drugs
Associate Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Viral/bacterial respiratory tract co-infections in children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Phil Hugenholtz
Media
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