
Overview
Background
Dr Timothy Wells joined the Frazer Institute in 2016 as a Senior Research Fellow. His research aims to find novel methods of treating multi-drug resistant bacteria, by examing the interactions between the host immune system and Gram negative bacteria. His research largely focuses on Pseudomonas aeruginosa acute and chronic infections, espeically in people living with cystic fibrosis. Dr Wells is passionate about making his research as clinically relevant as possible, with his work previously having led to novel treatment of critically ill patients. His research uses a mixture of molecular microbiology, immunology and genomic approaches.
Availability
- Associate Professor Timothy Wells is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Biotechnology, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
-
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
The T-Wells lab is interested in all infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa whether that be chronic lung infection, wound and joint infections, acute pneumonia, UTIs and bacteremia.
-
Bacterial chronic lung infections
The T-Wells lab is interested in bacterial infections in people with cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, COPD and post-lung transplant
Research impacts
Dr Wells’s original work in the field of host- pathogen interactions during chronic lung infection has led to several key insights and direct translation to the clinic.
Antibody dependent enhancement of bacterial infection: Antibodies usually protect against bacterial infection, however Dr Wells' work has identified ‘cloaking antibodies’ in patients who have Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Cloaking antibodies paradoxically prevent immune killing of patient's bacterial strains. Importantly, high titres of cloaking antibodies has been associated with worse lung function and patient outcomes in people with cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and post-lung transplant. These antibodies are also prevelant in actue Pseduomonas infections such as bacteremia.
Novel treatment of multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection: As cloaking antibodies (cAbs) protect bacteria from immune killing, we hypothesised that cAb removal would restore normal immune killing. Three patients with chronic P. aeruginosa infections and cAb, who had exhausted all standard treatment options have now been treated via plasmapheresis. This treatment removes all antibody, including cAbs from the patients. After treatment, P. aeruginosa was undetectable in all patients, inflammatory markers were normal and lung function increased. As these patients had strains displaying resistance to many antibiotics used clinically, this is a novel treatment method for multi-drug resistant infections.
Works
Search Professor Timothy Wells’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Oral vaccination reduces the effects of Lawsonia intracellularis challenge on the swine small and large intestine microbiome
Leite, Fernando L., Winfield, Brittanie, Miller, Elizabeth A., Weber, Bonnie P., Johnson, Timothy J., Sylvia, Fred, Vasquez, Erika, Vannucci, Fabio, Beckler, Dana and Isaacson, Richard E. (2021). Oral vaccination reduces the effects of Lawsonia intracellularis challenge on the swine small and large intestine microbiome. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8 692521. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.692521
2021
Journal Article
Towards efficient immunotherapy for bacterial infection
McCulloch, Timothy R., Wells, Timothy J. and Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes, Fernando (2021). Towards efficient immunotherapy for bacterial infection. Trends in Microbiology, 30 (2), 158-169. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.05.005
2021
Journal Article
Mediation of interleukin-23 and tumor necrosis factor–driven reactive arthritis by Chlamydia-infected macrophages in SKG mice
Romand, Xavier, Liu, Xiao, Rahman, M. Arifur, Bhuyan, Zaied Ahmed, Douillard, Claire, Arora Kedia, Reena, Stone, Nathan, Roest, Dominique, Chew, Zi Huai, Cameron, Amy J., Rehaume, Linda M., Bozon, Aurélie, Habib, Mohammed, Armitage, Charles W., Nguyen, Minh Vu Chuong, Favier, Bertrand, Beagley, Kenneth, Maurin, Max, Gaudin, Philippe, Thomas, Ranjeny, Wells, Timothy J. and Baillet, Athan (2021). Mediation of interleukin-23 and tumor necrosis factor–driven reactive arthritis by Chlamydia-infected macrophages in SKG mice. Arthritis and Rheumatology, 73 (7) art.41653, 1200-1210. doi: 10.1002/art.41653
2021
Journal Article
Determination of Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Salmonella from Commercial Poultry as Influenced by Microbiological Culture and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Methods
Wang, Xi, Chaney, W. Evan, Pavlidis, Hilary O., McGinnis, James P., Byrd, J. Allen, Farnell, Yuhua Z., Johnson, Timothy J., McElroy, Audrey P. and Farnell, Morgan B. (2021). Determination of Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Salmonella from Commercial Poultry as Influenced by Microbiological Culture and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Methods. Microorganisms, 9 (6) 1319, 1319. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9061319
2021
Journal Article
DOCA-salt hypertension and the role of the OVLT-sympathetic-gut microbiome axis
Pestana-Oliveira, Nayara, Nahey, David B., Hartson, Rochelle, Weber, Bonnie, Johnson, Timothy J. and Collister, John P. (2021). DOCA-salt hypertension and the role of the OVLT-sympathetic-gut microbiome axis. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 48 (4), 490-497. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.13457
2021
Journal Article
BamA and BamD are essential for the secretion of trimeric autotransporter adhesins
Rooke, Jessica L., Icke, Christopher, Wells, Timothy J, Rossiter, Amanda E., Browning, Douglas F., Morris, Faye C., Leo, Jack C., Schütz, Monika S., Autenrieth, Ingo B., Cunningham, Adam F., Linke, Dirk and Henderson, Ian R. (2021). BamA and BamD are essential for the secretion of trimeric autotransporter adhesins. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12 628879, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.628879
2021
Journal Article
Environmental spread of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and ESBL genes among children and domestic animals in Ecuador
Salinas, Liseth, Loayza, Fernanda, Cardenas, Paul, Saraiva, Carlos, Johnson, Timothy J., Amato, Heather, Graham, Jay P. and Trueba, Gabriel (2021). Environmental spread of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and ESBL genes among children and domestic animals in Ecuador. Environmental Health Perspectives, 129 (2) 027007, 1-10. doi: 10.1289/EHP7729
2021
Journal Article
Antibody-dependent enhancement of bacterial disease: prevalence, mechanisms and treatment
Torres, Von Vergel L., Coggon, Carrie F. and Wells, Timothy J. (2021). Antibody-dependent enhancement of bacterial disease: prevalence, mechanisms and treatment. Infection and Immunity, 89 (4) e00054-21, 1-15. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00054-21
2021
Journal Article
Streptococcus species enriched in the oral cavity of patients with RA are a source of peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers that can induce arthritis in mice
Moentadj, Rabia, Wang, Yiwen, Bowerman, Kate, Rehaume, Linda, Nel, Hendrik, O Cuiv, Paraic, Stephens, Juliette, Baharom, Amalina, Maradana, Muralidhara, Lakis, Vanessa, Morrison, Mark, Wells, Timothy, Hugenholtz, Philip, Benham, Helen, Le Cao, Kim-Anh and Thomas, Ranjeny (2021). Streptococcus species enriched in the oral cavity of patients with RA are a source of peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers that can induce arthritis in mice. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 80 (5) annrheumdis-2020-219009, annrheumdis-2020. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-219009
2021
Journal Article
Assessment of two DNA extraction kits for profiling poultry respiratory microbiota from multiple sample types
Abundo, Michael E. C., Ngunjiri, John M., Taylor, Kara J. M., Ji, Hana, Ghorbani, Amir, Mahesh, K. C., Weber, Bonnie P., Johnson, Timothy J. and Lee, Chang-Won (2021). Assessment of two DNA extraction kits for profiling poultry respiratory microbiota from multiple sample types. PLoS One, 16 (1) e0241732, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241732
2020
Journal Article
Structure of dual-BON domain protein DolP identifies phospholipid binding as a new mechanism for protein localization
Bryant, Jack Alfred, Morris, Faye C., Knowles, Timothy J., Maderbocus, Riyaz, Heinz, Eva, Boelter, Gabriela, Alodaini, Dema, Colyer, Adam, Wotherspoon, Peter J., Staunton, Kara A., Jeeves, Mark, Browning, Douglas F., Sevastsyanovich, Yanina R., Wells, Timothy J., Rossiter, Amanda E., Bavro, Vassiliy N., Sridhar, Pooja, Ward, Douglas G., Chong, Zhi-Soon, Goodall, Emily C. A., Icke, Christopher, Teo, Alvin, Chng, Shu-Sin, Roper, David I., Lithgow, Trevor, Cunningham, Adam F., Banzhaf, Manuel, Overduin, Michael and Henderson, Ian R. (2020). Structure of dual-BON domain protein DolP identifies phospholipid binding as a new mechanism for protein localization. eLife, 9 e62614, 1-61. doi: 10.7554/elife.62614
2020
Journal Article
Merging metagenomics and spatial epidemiology to understand the distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes from Enterobacteriaceae in wild owls
Miller, Elizabeth A., Ponder, Julia B., Willette, Michelle, Johnson, Timothy J. and VanderWaal, Kimberly L. (2020). Merging metagenomics and spatial epidemiology to understand the distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes from Enterobacteriaceae in wild owls. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 86 (20) e00571-20, 1-16. doi: 10.1128/AEM.00571-20
2020
Journal Article
Genomic landscape of multi-drug resistant avian pathogenic Escherichia coli recovered from broilers
Azam, Mariya, Mohsin, Mashkoor, Johnson, Timothy J., Smith, Emily A., Johnson, Abigail, Umair, Muhammad, Saleemi, Muhammad Kashif and Sajjad-ur-Rahman, (2020). Genomic landscape of multi-drug resistant avian pathogenic Escherichia coli recovered from broilers. Veterinary Microbiology, 247 108766, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2020.108766
2020
Journal Article
Characterization of antimicrobial resistance genes in Enterobacteriaceae carried by suburban mesocarnivores and locally owned and stray dogs
Worsley-Tonks, Katherine E. L., Miller, Elizabeth A., Gehrt, Stanley D., McKenzie, Shane C., Travis, Dominic A., Johnson, Timothy J. and Craft, Meggan E. (2020). Characterization of antimicrobial resistance genes in Enterobacteriaceae carried by suburban mesocarnivores and locally owned and stray dogs. Zoonoses and Public Health, 67 (4), 460-466. doi: 10.1111/zph.12691
2020
Journal Article
Genomic landscape of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale in commercial turkey production in the United States
Smith, Emily A., Miller, Elizabeth A., Weber, Bonnie P., Aguayo, Jeannette Munoz, Figueroa, Cristian Flores, Huisinga, Jared, Nezworski, Jill, Kromm, Michelle, Wileman, Ben and Johnson, Timothy J. (2020). Genomic landscape of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale in commercial turkey production in the United States. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 86 (11) e02874-19, 1-9. doi: 10.1128/AEM.02874-19
2020
Conference Publication
A Novel Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence Factor Predicts CLAD and Death after Lung Transplantation
Divithotawela, C., Pham, A., Ledger, E. L., Hopkins, P., Tan, M., Yerkovich, S., Wells, T. J. and Chambers, D. C. (2020). A Novel Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence Factor Predicts CLAD and Death after Lung Transplantation. International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions, Online, 22 - 25 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2020.01.1265
2020
Conference Publication
A Novel Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence Factor Predicts CLAD and Death after Lung Transplantation
Divithotawela, C., Pham, A., Ledger, E. L., Hopkins, P., Tan, M., Yerkovich, S., Wells, T. J. and Chambers, D. C. (2020). A Novel Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence Factor Predicts CLAD and Death after Lung Transplantation. 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT), Montreal, Canada, 22-25 April 2020. New York, NY United States: Elsevier.
2020
Journal Article
Treatment of life-threatening Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection by pheresis of inhibitory antibodies
Divithotawela, Chandima, Pham, Amy, Ledger, Emma L., Hopkins, Peter, Wells, Timothy J. and Chambers, Daniel (2020). Treatment of life-threatening Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection by pheresis of inhibitory antibodies. Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 39 (1), 87-89. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2019.10.001
2019
Journal Article
Bacterial flagellin promotes viral entry via an NF-kB and Toll Like Receptor 5 dependent pathway
Benedikz, Elizabeth K., Bailey, Dalan, Cook, Charlotte N. L., Gonçalves-Carneiro, Daniel, Buckner, Michelle M. C., Blair, Jessica M. A., Wells, Timothy J., Fletcher, Nicola F., Goodall, Margaret, Flores-Langarica, Adriana, Kingsley, Robert A., Madsen, Jens, Teeling, Jessica, Johnston, Sebastian L., MacLennan, Calman A., Balfe, Peter, Henderson, Ian R., Piddock, Laura J. V., Cunningham, Adam F. and McKeating, Jane A. (2019). Bacterial flagellin promotes viral entry via an NF-kB and Toll Like Receptor 5 dependent pathway. Scientific Reports, 9 (1) 7903. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44263-7
2019
Journal Article
Antibiotics and host-tailored probiotics similarly modulate effects on the developing avian microbiome, mycobiome, and host gene expression
Ward, Tonya L., Weber, Bonnie P., Mendoza, Kristelle M., Danzeisen, Jessica L., Llop, Katharine, Lang, Kevin, Clayton, Jonathan B., Grace, Elicia, Brannon, Jeanine, Radovic, Igor, Beauclaire, Mai, Heisel, Timothy J., Knights, Dan, Cardona, Carol, Kogut, Mike, Johnson, Casey, Noll, Sally L., Arsenault, Ryan, Reed, Kent M. and Johnson, Timothy J. (2019). Antibiotics and host-tailored probiotics similarly modulate effects on the developing avian microbiome, mycobiome, and host gene expression. mBio, 10 (5) e02171-19, 1-17. doi: 10.1128/mBio.02171-19
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Timothy Wells is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
-
Synergistic drugs to counteract cloaking antibodies
Some patients infected with P. aeruginosa produce antibodies that, instead of fighting infection, actively protect P. aeruginosa from killing by the immune system. These ‘cloaking antibodies’ (cAb) target a lipopolysaccharide on the bacterial surface, known as O-antigen and form a physical barrier that stops the membrane attack complex (MAC) from reaching the bacterial outer membrane. Importantly, patients with cAb had greater disease severity and worse outcomes than patients with no cAb. Previous treatment for cAbs has focused on removal of the antibody, however a second attractive target is the infecting bacteria itself. We have recently investigated the bacterial requirements for the cloaking phenotype by creating strains with variable amounts and lengths of O-antigen expression. Serum bactericidal assays revealed that the serum-inhibition phenotype requires long and dense O-antigen We hypothesise that existing bacterial outer membrane modifying drugs can overcome the effect of cAbs, without cAb removal. This project will investigate potential synergistic drugs that could counteract cAbs, leading to bacterial killing.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
The role of cloaking antibodies in the pathophysiology and diagnosis of Crohn's Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Morrison
-
Doctor Philosophy
Targeting the outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to disrupt the action of cloaking antibodies in cystic fibrosis
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenesis Mechanisms in Bacteraemia and Infective Endocarditis
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate McCarthy
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of PlpD in the Virulence of P. aeruginosa
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Henderson, Dr Jessica Rooke
-
2025
Master Philosophy
Antibody-mediated exacerbation of chronic wounds colonised with Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Improving Plasmapheresis: Investigating specific removal of cloaking antibodies to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Henderson
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating Pseudomonas aeruginosa persistence in the cystic fibrosis lung
Principal Advisor
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Antibody-Dependent Serum Resistance of Intractable Lung Bacteria
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Dan Chambers
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Mechanisms Underpinning Antibody-Mediated Serum Resistance of Gram-Negative Bacteria
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Morrison
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
High mobility group box family member TOX2 in innate lymphoid cell development and maintenance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gabrielle Belz
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Autoimmune Inflammatory Arthritis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ranjeny Thomas, Dr Anne-Sophie Bergot
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of the anti-mycobacterial activity of wollamide cyclic hexapeptides against Mycobacterium tuberculo sis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Antje Blumenthal
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating immunosuppression and immunotherapy in bacterial infection
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Immune functions of WNT production and signalling in the host response to infection with pathogenic E. coli.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Janin Chandra, Professor Antje Blumenthal
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Timothy Wells directly for media enquiries about:
- cystic fibrosis infections
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: