
Overview
Background
Professor Mark Schembri is a prominent microbiologist with experience in combating the global health crisis presented by multi-drug resistant pathogens. Professor Schembri’s expertise on the virulence of bacterial pathogens and his innovative analysis of biofilm formation aims to improve the outcomes of the >400 million individuals that suffer from urinary tract infections each year across the globe.
Through the application of genetic, genomic and functional studies on uropathogenic E. coli, Professor Schembri has identified targets to reduce the virulence of this pathogen, and will pursue the development of life-saving therapeutic and preventative advances with the assistance of NHMRC, MRFF and ARC grants. Professor Schembri has tracked the rapid emergence and global spread of a virulent, drug-resistant E. coli clone and used genome sequencing to understand its evolution and virulence.
Links: Professor Schembri collaborates with national and international research leaders, including in Denmark, where he was a lecturer. Professor Schembri has strong links with other international experts in his field, including at the Pasteur Institute and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge. His research collaborations also span lead groups at UQ and other top Australian institutes, including Griffith and La Trobe Universities.
Membership, Funding and patents: Since 2014, Professor Schembri has been awarded over $15 million in funding from competitive national research funding bodies. He holds provisional patents for the development of novel therapeutic agents and vaccine antigens. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and is regularly invited to speak at international conferences in his field.
Awards and Communication: Professor Schembri was the recipient of the Frank Fenner Award (2010) and the ASM BacPath Oration Award (2019) for his outstanding original research contribution to the study of Infectious Disease. He was an Australian Research Council Future Fellow (2011-2015) a National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellow (2016-2020). Professor Schembri is the author of >240 peer-reviewed research manuscripts. He is President of the Australian Society for Microbiology (2022-2026).
Availability
- Professor Mark Schembri is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University
Research impacts
Professor Schembri’s outstanding original work in the field of infectious disease and multi-drug resistant pathogens has led to several key advances in the fight to reduce the prevalence and improve outcomes of urinary tract infections.
Key research outputs: The genomic epidemiology of the most widespread antibiotic resistant uropathogenic E. coli clone allowed its origin and dissemination to be mapped on a global scale. Recent work in Professor Schembri’s group has defined the virulence of this pathogen using advanced genetic, transcriptomic and proteomic methods in conjunction with mouse models of infection. He has also led the use of new treatments to prevent infection by this antibiotic resistant pathogen.
Key capabilities: Professor Schembri has deep expertise in microbiology, with particular capability in the study of antibiotic resistant Gram-negative bacterial pathogens and high-throughput modelling of drug-resistant biofilms, as well as the application of forefront technologies to examine virulence, genomic epidemiology, host-pathogen interactions and novel strategies for the treatment/prevention of infectious diseases.
Works
Search Professor Mark Schembri’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Journal Article
Cyclic ADP ribose isomers: Production, chemical structures, and immune signaling
Manik, Mohammad K., Shi, Yun, Li, Sulin, Zaydman, Mark A., Damaraju, Neha, Eastman, Samuel, Smith, Thomas G., Gu, Weixi, Masic, Veronika, Mosaiab, Tamim, Weagley, James S., Hancock, Steven J., Vasquez, Eduardo, Hartley-Tassell, Lauren, Kargios, Nestoras, Maruta, Natsumi, Lim, Bryan Y. J., Burdett, Hayden, Landsberg, Michael J., Schembri, Mark A., Prokes, Ivan, Song, Lijiang, Grant, Murray, DiAntonio, Aaron, Nanson, Jeffrey D., Guo, Ming, Milbrandt, Jeffrey, Ve, Thomas and Kobe, Bostjan (2022). Cyclic ADP ribose isomers: Production, chemical structures, and immune signaling. Science, 377 (6614) eadc8969, 1-11. doi: 10.1126/science.adc8969
2022
Journal Article
Enhancing the Thermal and Kinetic Stability of Ketol-Acid Reductoisomerase, a Central Catalyst of a Cell-Free Enzyme Cascade for the Manufacture of Platform Chemicals
Lv, You, Zheng, Shan, Goldenzweig, Adi, Liu, Fengjiang, Gao, Yan, Yang, Xiuna, Kandale, Ajit, McGeary, Ross P., Williams, Simon, Kobe, Bostjan, Schembri, Mark A., Landsberg, Michael J., Wu, Bin, Brück, Thomas B., Sieber, Volker, Boden, Mikael, Rao, Zihe, Fleishman, Sarel J., Schenk, Gerhard and Guddat, Luke W. (2022). Enhancing the Thermal and Kinetic Stability of Ketol-Acid Reductoisomerase, a Central Catalyst of a Cell-Free Enzyme Cascade for the Manufacture of Platform Chemicals. Applied Biosciences, 1 (2), 163-178. doi: 10.3390/applbiosci1020011
2022
Journal Article
Ucl fimbriae regulation and glycan receptor specificity contribute to gut colonisation by extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli
Hancock, Steven J., Lo, Alvin W., Ve, Thomas, Day, Christopher J., Tan, Lendl, Mendez, Alejandra A., Phan, Minh-Duy, Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Peters, Kate M., Richards, Amanda C., Fleming, Brittany A., Chang, Chyden, Ngu, Dalton H. Y., Forde, Brian M., Haselhorst, Thomas, Goh, Kelvin G. K., Beatson, Scott A., Jennings, Michael P., Mulvey, Matthew A., Kobe, Bostjan and Schembri, Mark A. (2022). Ucl fimbriae regulation and glycan receptor specificity contribute to gut colonisation by extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli. PLoS Pathogens , 18 (6) e1010582, e1010582. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010582
2022
Journal Article
Gut–bladder axis in recurrent UTI
Schembri, Mark A., Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh and Phan, Minh-Duy (2022). Gut–bladder axis in recurrent UTI. Nature Microbiology, 7 (5), 601-602. doi: 10.1038/s41564-022-01113-z
2022
Journal Article
Variation of Antigen 43 self-association modulates bacterial compacting within aggregates and biofilms
Vo, Julieanne L., Ortiz, Gabriela C. Martínez, Totsika, Makrina, Lo, Alvin W., Hancock, Steven J., Whitten, Andrew E., Hor, Lilian, Peters, Kate M., Ageorges, Valentin, Caccia, Nelly, Desvaux, Mickaël, Schembri, Mark A., Paxman, Jason J. and Heras, Begoña (2022). Variation of Antigen 43 self-association modulates bacterial compacting within aggregates and biofilms. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, 8 (1) 20, 20. doi: 10.1038/s41522-022-00284-1
2022
Journal Article
Plasmid-mediated ciprofloxacin resistance imparts a selective advantage on Escherichia coli ST131
Phan, Minh-Duy, Peters, Kate M., Alvarez Fraga, Laura, Wallis, Steven C., Hancock, Steven, Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Forde, Brian, Bauer, Michelle J., Paterson, David L., Beatson, Scott A, Lipman, Jeffrey and Schembri, Mark A. (2022). Plasmid-mediated ciprofloxacin resistance imparts a selective advantage on Escherichia coli ST131. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 66 (1) e02146-21, 1-11. doi: 10.1128/aac.02146-21
2022
Journal Article
Differential Afa/Dr fimbriae expression in the multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli ST131 clone
Alvarez-Fraga, Laura, Phan, Minh-Duy, Goh, Kelvin G. K., Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Hancock, Steven J., Allsopp, Luke P., Peters, Kate M., Forde, Brian M., Roberts, Leah W., Sullivan, Matthew J., Totsika, Makrina, Beatson, Scott A., Ulett, Glen C. and Schembri, Mark A. (2022). Differential Afa/Dr fimbriae expression in the multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli ST131 clone. mBio, 13 (1) e03519, e0351921. doi: 10.1128/mbio.03519-21
2022
Journal Article
Rescuing Tetracycline Class Antibiotics for the Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Pulmonary Infection
De Oliveira, David M. P., Forde, Brian M., Phan, Minh-Duy, Steiner, Bernhard, Zhang, Bing, Zuegg, Johannes, El-deeb, Ibrahim M., Li, Gen, Keller, Nadia, Brouwer, Stephan, Harbison-Price, Nichaela, Cork, Amanda J., Bauer, Michelle J., Alquethamy, Saleh F., Beatson, Scott A., Roberts, Jason A., Paterson, David L., McEwan, Alastair G., Blaskovich, Mark A. T., Schembri, Mark A., McDevitt, Christopher A., von Itzstein, Mark and Walker, Mark J. (2022). Rescuing Tetracycline Class Antibiotics for the Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Pulmonary Infection. mBio, 13 (1) e03517, e0351721. doi: 10.1128/mbio.03517-21
2021
Journal Article
Modified horseshoe crab peptides target and kill bacteria inside host cells
Amiss, Anna S., von Pein, Jessica B., Webb, Jessica R., Condon, Nicholas D., Harvey, Peta J., Phan, Minh-Duy, Schembri, Mark A., Currie, Bart J., Sweet, Matthew J., Craik, David J., Kapetanovic, Ronan, Henriques, Sónia Troeira and Lawrence, Nicole (2021). Modified horseshoe crab peptides target and kill bacteria inside host cells. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 79 (1) 38, 38. doi: 10.1007/s00018-021-04041-z
2021
Journal Article
Short-term oral steroids significantly improves chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps
De Silva, April P., Schembri, Mark A., Sarah, Angus H., Chao, Jessica, Yip, Kwok Ho, Cildir, Gökhan, Lopez, Angel, Tumes, Damon J. and Pant, Harshita (2021). Short-term oral steroids significantly improves chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps. Laryngoscope, 131 (10), E2618-E2626. doi: 10.1002/lary.29495
2021
Journal Article
Genome profiling of fluoroquinolone-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates from Brazil
da Silva, Patrick, Lustri, Bruna C., Castilho, Ivana Giovannetti, Ferreira, Adriano Martison, Hernandes, Rodrigo T., Schembri, Mark A. and Moreira, Cristiano G. (2021). Genome profiling of fluoroquinolone-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates from Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 52 (3), 1067-1075. doi: 10.1007/s42770-021-00513-3
2021
Journal Article
Bacteriophage isolated from non‐target bacteria demonstrates broad host range infectivity against multidrug resistant bacteria
Ngiam, Lyman, Schembri, Mark A., Weynberg, Karen and Guo, Jianhua (2021). Bacteriophage isolated from non‐target bacteria demonstrates broad host range infectivity against multidrug resistant bacteria. Environmental Microbiology, 23 (9) 1462-2920.15714, 1-18. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.15714
2021
Journal Article
Characterisation of DtrJ as an IncC plasmid conjugative DNA transfer component
Hancock, Steven J., Phan, Minh‐Duy, Roberts, Leah, Vu, Thu Ngoc Minh, Harris, Patrick N.A., Beatson, Scott A. and Schembri, Mark A. (2021). Characterisation of DtrJ as an IncC plasmid conjugative DNA transfer component. Molecular Microbiology, 116 (1), 154-167. doi: 10.1111/mmi.14697
2021
Other Outputs
Modified defence peptides from horseshoe crab target and kill bacteria inside host cells
Amiss, Anna S., von Pein, Jessica B., Webb, Jessica R., Condon, Nicholas D., Harvey, Peta J., Phan, Minh-Duy, Schembri, Mark A., Currie, Bart J., Sweet, Matthew J., Craik, David J., Kapetanovic, Ronan, Henriques, Sónia Troeira and Lawrence, Nicole (2021). Modified defence peptides from horseshoe crab target and kill bacteria inside host cells. doi: 10.1101/2021.06.27.450110
2021
Journal Article
MicroPIPE: validating an end-to-end workflow for high-quality complete bacterial genome construction
Murigneux, Valentine, Roberts, Leah W., Forde, Brian M., Phan, Minh-Duy, Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Irwin, Adam D., Harris, Patrick N. A., Paterson, David L., Schembri, Mark A., Whiley, David M. and Beatson, Scott A. (2021). MicroPIPE: validating an end-to-end workflow for high-quality complete bacterial genome construction. BMC Genomics, 22 (1) 474, 474. doi: 10.1186/s12864-021-07767-z
2021
Journal Article
Discovery of bacterial fimbria–glycan interactions using whole-cell recombinant Escherichia coli expression
Day, Christopher J., Lo, Alvin W., Hartley-Tassell, Lauren E., Argente, M. Pilar, Poole, Jessica, King, Nathan P., Tiralongo, Joe, Jennings, Michael P. and Schembri, Mark A. (2021). Discovery of bacterial fimbria–glycan interactions using whole-cell recombinant Escherichia coli expression. mBio, 12 (1) e03664-20, 1-10. doi: 10.1128/mbio.03664-20
2021
Journal Article
Genomic surveillance, characterization and intervention of a polymicrobial multidrug-resistant outbreak in critical care
Roberts, Leah W., Forde, Brian M., Hurst, Trish, Ling, Weiping, Nimmo, Graeme R., Bergh, Haakon, George, Narelle, Hajkowicz, Krispin, McNamara, John F., Lipman, Jeffrey, Permana, Budi, Schembri, Mark A., Paterson, David, Beatson, Scott A. and Harris, Patrick N. A. (2021). Genomic surveillance, characterization and intervention of a polymicrobial multidrug-resistant outbreak in critical care. Microbial Genomics, 7 (3) 000530. doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.000530
2021
Other Outputs
MicroPIPE: An end-to-end solution for high-quality complete bacterial genome construction
Murigneux, Valentine, Roberts, Leah W., Forde, Brian M., Phan, Minh-Duy, Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Irwin, Adam D., Harris, Patrick N. A., Paterson, David L., Schembri, Mark A., Whiley, David M. and Beatson, Scott A. (2021). MicroPIPE: An end-to-end solution for high-quality complete bacterial genome construction. doi: 10.1101/2021.02.02.429319
2021
Journal Article
An alloy of zinc and innate immunity: galvanizing host defence against infection
Pein, Jessica B., Stocks, Claudia J., Schembri, Mark A., Kapetanovic, Ronan and Sweet, Matthew J. (2021). An alloy of zinc and innate immunity: galvanizing host defence against infection. Cellular Microbiology, 23 (1) e13268, 1-11. doi: 10.1111/cmi.13268
2020
Journal Article
Repurposing a neurodegenerative disease drug to treat Gram-negative antibiotic-resistant bacterial sepsis
De Oliveira, David M. P., Bohlmann, Lisa, Conroy, Trent, Jen, Freda E.-C., Everest-Dass, Arun, Hansford, Karl A., Bolisetti, Raghu, El-Deeb, Ibrahim M., Forde, Brian M., Phan, Minh-Duy, Lacey, Jake A., Tan, Aimee, Rivera-Hernandez, Tania, Brouwer, Stephan, Keller, Nadia, Kidd, Timothy J., Cork, Amanda J., Bauer, Michelle J., Cook, Gregory M., Davies, Mark R., Beatson, Scott A., Paterson, David L., McEwan, Alastair G., Li, Jian, Schembri, Mark A., Blaskovich, Mark A. T., Jennings, Michael P., McDevitt, Christopher A., von Itzstein, Mark and Walker, Mark J. (2020). Repurposing a neurodegenerative disease drug to treat Gram-negative antibiotic-resistant bacterial sepsis. Science Translational Medicine, 12 (570) abb3791, eabb3791. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb3791
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Mark Schembri is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
How bacteria form antibiotic resistant biofilms
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nhu Nguyen, Dr Duy Phan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Diversity, regulation and function of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli capsule
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Sweet, Dr Duy Phan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding virulence factors and their regulation in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nhu Nguyen
-
Doctor Philosophy
Application of Transposon Directed Insertion Site Sequencing to Enhance Understanding of Essential Genes in Escherichia coli
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Henderson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Identifying new targets for treatment of antimicrobial resistant infections
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Henderson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Boosting innate immune defence to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Divya Ramnath, Professor Matt Sweet
-
Doctor Philosophy
Application of Transposon Directed Insertion Site Sequencing to Enhance Understanding of Essential Genes in Escherichia coli
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Henderson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic and molecular characterisation of antibiotic resistance mechanisms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Brian Forde
-
Doctor Philosophy
Microbial effects on host mitochondrial DNA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Steven Zuryn
Completed supervision
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding virulence factors and their regulation in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nhu Nguyen
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding antibiotic resistance and virulence in uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Duy Phan
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the regulation of biofilm matrix components in uropathogenic Escherichia coli virulence
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nhu Nguyen
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Virulence and Resistance Plasmids of Extra-intestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Duy Phan
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of Escherichia coli fimbrial and autotransporter adhesins
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Duy Phan
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular characterisation of A/C plasmids
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Duy Phan
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular and genomic analysis of multidrug resistant Uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Scott Beatson
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of flagella and resistance to oxidative stress in Escherichia coli ST131 virulence
Principal Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of Factors Involved in Escherichia coli Virulence: Type Ve Inverse Autotransporter Proteins and the K1 Capsule
Principal Advisor
-
2016
Master Philosophy
Autotransporter Proteins of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli: Regulation, Characterisation and the Role of Periplasmic Proteins in their Expression
Principal Advisor
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli: Towards a Better Understanding through the Characterisation of a Vaccine Antigen and Virulence Factor
Principal Advisor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Evolutionary Phylogeny and Molecular Characterisation of Chaperone-Usher Fimbriae from Uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Principal Advisor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Virulence Potential of the Multidrug Resistant Uropathogenic Escherichia coli ST131 clone
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Scott Beatson
-
2012
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular analysis of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from an intensive care unit
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Scott Beatson
-
2011
Doctor Philosophy
Identification and Characterisation of New Adhesins in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Principal Advisor
-
2011
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular characterisation of asymptomatic bacteriuria Escherichia coli
Principal Advisor
-
2011
Doctor Philosophy
Identification and characterisation of novel surface proteins of the urinary tract pathogen Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Scott Beatson
-
2009
Doctor Philosophy
Identification and Characterisation of Novel Autotransporters of Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7
Principal Advisor
-
2009
Doctor Philosophy
Bacterial Aggregation and Biofilm Formation by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Principal Advisor
-
2024
Master Philosophy
Theoretical investigations of integron evolution in bacteria
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jan Engelstaedter
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Application of Transposon Directed Insertion Site Sequencing to Enhance Understanding of Essential Genes in Escherichia coli
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Henderson
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of the macrophage zinc toxicity response as an antimicrobial weapon
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Sweet
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding Roles of Commonly Prescribed Antidepressants in the Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
A bitter taste in your heart: the role of T2Rs in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Walker, Professor Wally Thomas
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising B1 Metallo-ß-Lactamases (MBLs)
Joint Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of innate immune antimicrobial zinc toxicity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Sweet
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Characterization of interactions between uropathogenic Escherichia coli and the innate immune system
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Sweet
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Application of whole genome sequencing to characterise clinically significant multidrug resistant bacteria
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Scott Beatson
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Bacterial ketol-acid reductoisomerase: structure, catalytic mechanism and thermal stability
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bostjan Kobe, Professor Luke Guddat
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Preventing canine urinary tract infection (UTI) using an asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) Escherichia coli strain
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Mills
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the host and bacterial factors in cystic fibrosis that promote persistence of infection in the lung.
Associate Advisor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Structural and functional studies of TcpB, a protein involved in Brucella pathogenesis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Sweet, Professor Bostjan Kobe
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Structural & Functional Characterization of Bacterial TRX-fold proteins
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emerita Professor Jenny Martin
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Identification and characterization of anti-microbial pathways in human macrophages
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kate Stacey, Professor Matt Sweet
-
2007
Doctor Philosophy
FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISATION OF THE MULTICOPPER OXIDASE FROM Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
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