Overview
Background
Dr Andrew Brooks is the Group Leader of the Cytokine Receptor Signalling Group at the University of Queensland Diamantina Institute (UQ DI) within the Translational Research Institute. Andrew completed his Honours research on Flaviviruses in 1996 at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at James Cook University and then moved to the Department of Biochemistry to study Dengue Virus where he completed his PhD in 2002. He then moved to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, USA where he researched the role of Epstein-Barr Virus in B-cell lymphomagenesis. He then joined the research group headed by Prof Michael Waters at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, UQ in 2006 and subsequently began his independent research group at UQ DI in 2014. Andrew’s research interests are in cytokine receptors, cell signalling, oncogenesis, and immunology. His current research focus is on the molecular mechanisms of class I cytokine receptor activation including the growth hormone receptor (GHR), thrombopoietin receptor (TpoR/MPL), IL-7 receptor, and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R). In addition, he is investigating the regulation of inflammation by HLA-G. His research has led to publications in journals including Science, Blood, Hepatology, Oncogene, Nature Cell Biology, and PNAS. He has been the secured of over $12 million in research and commercialisation funding from sources including NHMRC, ARC, Innovation Connections, and Merck. He has a number of national and international collaborations, a scientific founder of a start-up company, and is an Editorial Board member for the Journal Cancers and Human Cell. He was previously a committee member of Australian Early-Mid Career Researchers Forum (AEMCRF) launched by the Australian Academy of Science.
Availability
- Associate Professor Andrew Brooks is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, James Cook University
Research interests
-
Cytokine receptor signalling
Mechanisms of cytokine receptor signal transduction
-
Growth hormone receptor signalling
Mechanisms of growth hormone receptor signal transduction
-
Regulating Inflammation in the Liver
Regulation of inflammation by HLA-G in the liver and its role in acute and chronic inflammatory disorders
Research impacts
Quality of Research Outputs
In the last 10 years I have published in journals including Science, Nature Cell Biology, Blood, Oncogene, J Immunol, and Nature Reviews. I have over 1000 citations (Web of Knowledge or over 1500 Google Scholar) with an h-index of 16 (Web of Knowledge) or 19 (Google Scholar; i10-index 20). I have presented my research at a number of national (including as an invited speaker) and international (including as an invited speaker: Keystone JAK-STAT 2016, Biochemical Society 2016, US ENDO 2013, ICIS 2014) conferences.
Grant Success
In the last 5 year I have been awarded two NHMRC project grants as CIA awarded $919,834 for "Defining a general mechanism for class 1 cytokine receptor activation" and $494,050 for "HLA-G/H2-Bl is Critical for Regulating Inflammation in the Liver". I was also recently awarded an NHMRC project grant as CIB with Melissa and Matthew Call (WEHI) $667,521 for "The Structural Basis of Cytokine Receptor Triggering". In addition I was awarded a GGI award (Merck) (~$200,000) in 2016 for "Targeting the Growth Hormone Receptor Achilles’ Heel for Novel Therapeutics". I have also been a CI for three NHMRC project grants. These grants are: “Roles of the nuclear growth hormone receptor in cell proliferation and survival” awarded $414,925 in 2011, “Mechanism of activation of JAK2 by a class 1 cytokine receptor” awarded $543,675 in 2011, and “Constitutive activation of the growth hormone receptor” awarded $546,732 in 2010. In 2009 I was awarded a University of Queensland Early Career Researcher Grant for $20,000 (competitive written ARC style grant application) for “Establishment of an RCAS-TVA gene delivery system and in vivo analysis of growth hormone receptor signalling and its role in oncogenesis.”
Research Supervision and Mentoring
I have always had a strong role in supervising research higher degree (RHD) students. I have previously supervised 19 research students including two PhD students. I am currently supervising 3 PhD students. All of the students I have supervised are currently either continuing their research studies or are employed in their desired scientific field. I have given a number of lectures to undergraduate students to students at UQ since 2006. I am a member of the Translational Research Insititute Mentoring committee.
Community Engagement
I am actively involved in promoting my field to the general community and due to my standing have received multiple invitations for public engagement, including a radio interview (ABC: The World Today) and medical research information talks to community groups including the Northlakes Probus Club, Brisbane, 2015 and the Palm Lakes Lifestyle Village, Toowoomba, 2015 as part of a Cancer fundraiser. I have also received an invitation to present at an Educational Conference (Ausmed Education Australia) which will be attended by, health professionals and clinicians. I was previously a part of the IMB Science Ambassador program where I supervised High School work experience students in my research environment, gave tours of the IMB research facilities to students and members of the community, gave educational science demonstrations to a local primary school, as well as being part of “Scientists on the Loose” run by Australian Broadcasting Corporation which promotes science and science careers to regional high school students. I have attended the Talking Scientists Workshop in Brisbane which is a Queensland government initiative to engage Queensland scientists to talk about their work at branch meetings of community groups, and business associations, with the goal of showcasing your research, and getting the Queensland public thinking and talking about Queensland science. I have been a member of the Australian Early-Mid Career Researchers Forum.
Works
Search Professor Andrew Brooks’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2020
Journal Article
Novel drivers and modifiers of MPL-dependent oncogenic transformation identified by deep mutational scanning
Bridgford, Jessica L., Lee, Su Min, Lee, Christine M. M., Guglielmelli, Paola, Rumi, Elisa, Pietra, Daniela, Wilcox, Stephen, Chhabra, Yash, Rubin, Alan F., Cazzola, Mario, Vannucchi, Alessandro M., Brooks, Andrew J., Call, Matthew Edwin and Call, Melissa Joy (2020). Novel drivers and modifiers of MPL-dependent oncogenic transformation identified by deep mutational scanning. Blood, 135 (4), 287-292. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019002561
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Oncogenic basic amino acid insertions at the extracellular juxtamembrane region of IL7Rα cause receptor hypersensitivity
Campos, Livia Weijenborg, Zenatti, Priscila Pini, Pissinato, Leonardo Granato, Rodrigues, Gisele Olinto Libanio, Artico, Leonardo Luís, Guimarães, Thais Rafael, Archangelo, Leticia Fröhlich, Martínez, Leandro, Brooks, Andrew J. and Yunes, Jose Andres (2019). Oncogenic basic amino acid insertions at the extracellular juxtamembrane region of IL7Rα cause receptor hypersensitivity. Blood, 133 (11), 1259-1263. doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-09-872945
Featured
2018
Journal Article
A growth hormone receptor SNP promotes lung cancer by impairment of SOCS2-mediated degradation
Chhabra, Y., Wong, H. Y., Nikolajsen, L. F., Steinocher, H., Papadopulos, A., Tunny, K. A., Meunier, F. A., Smith, A. G., Kragelund, B. B., Brooks, A. J. and Waters, M. J. (2018). A growth hormone receptor SNP promotes lung cancer by impairment of SOCS2-mediated degradation. Oncogene, 37 (4), 489-501. doi: 10.1038/onc.2017.352
Featured
2018
Book Chapter
Cytokine receptors
Brooks, Andrew J., Dehkhoda, Farhad and Kragelund, Birthe (2018). Cytokine receptors. Endocrinology: principles of endocrinology and hormone action. (pp. 157-185) edited by Antonino Belfiore and Derek LeRoith. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-44675-2_8
Featured
2014
Journal Article
Mechanism of activation of protein kinase JAK2 by the growth hormone receptor
Brooks, Andrew J., Dai, Wei, O’Mara, Megan L., Abankwa, Daniel, Chhabra, Yash, Pelekanos, Rebecca A., Gardon, Olivier, Tunny, Kathryn A., Blucher, Kristopher M., Morton, Craig J., Parker, Michael W., Sierecki, Emma, Gambin, Yann, Gomez, Guillermo A., Alexandrov, Kirill, Wilson, Ian A., Doxastakis, Manolis, Mark, Alan E. and Waters, Michael J. (2014). Mechanism of activation of protein kinase JAK2 by the growth hormone receptor. Science, 344 (6185) 1249783, 1249783.1-1249783.12. doi: 10.1126/science.1249783
Featured
2010
Journal Article
The growth hormone receptor: mechanism of activation and clinical implications
Brooks, Andrew J. and Waters, Michael J. (2010). The growth hormone receptor: mechanism of activation and clinical implications. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 6 (9), 515-525. doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2010.123
Featured
2008
Journal Article
An agonist-induced conformational change in the growth hormone receptor determines the choice of signalling pathway
Rowlinson, Scott W., Yoshizato, Hideo, Barclay, Johanna L., Brooks, Andrew J., Behncken, Stuart N., Kerr, Linda M., Millard, Kirstin, Palethorpe, Kathryn, Nielsen, Katherine, Clyde-Smith, Jodie, Hancock, John F. and Waters, Michael J. (2008). An agonist-induced conformational change in the growth hormone receptor determines the choice of signalling pathway. Nature Cell Biology, 10 (6), 740-747. doi: 10.1038/ncb1737
2024
Journal Article
The roles of Growth Hormone dependent JAK-STAT5 and Lyn kinase signalling in determining lifespan and cancer incidence
Chhabra, Yash, Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Brooks, Tania Louise, Brooks, Andrew James and Waters, Michael J (2024). The roles of Growth Hormone dependent JAK-STAT5 and Lyn kinase signalling in determining lifespan and cancer incidence. Endocrinology. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqae136
2024
Journal Article
A scalable, spin‐free approach to generate enhanced induced pluripotent stem cell–derived natural killer cells for cancer immunotherapy
Rossi, Gustavo R., Sun, Jane, Lin, Cheng‐Yu, Wong, Joshua K.M., Alim, Louisa, Lam, Pui Yeng, Khosrotehrani, Kiarash, Wolvetang, Ernst, Cheetham, Seth W., Derrick, Emily B., Amoako, Akwasi, Lehner, Christoph, Brooks, Andrew J., Beavis, Paul A. and Souza‐Fonseca‐Guimaraes, Fernando (2024). A scalable, spin‐free approach to generate enhanced induced pluripotent stem cell–derived natural killer cells for cancer immunotherapy. Immunology & Cell Biology, 1-11. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12820
2024
Journal Article
Long-term environmental flows restore benthic invertebrate communities in a highly regulated river
Brooks, Andrew J., Coleman, Daniel W., Bevitt, Robyn C., Haeusler, Timothy, Russell, Matthew D., Rose, Teresa and Williams, Simon (2024). Long-term environmental flows restore benthic invertebrate communities in a highly regulated river. Restoration Ecology, 32 (5), 1-13. doi: 10.1111/rec.14174
2024
Journal Article
The heavy subunit of ferritin stimulates NLRP3 inflammasomes in hepatic stellate cells through ICAM-1 to drive hepatic inflammation
Fernandez-Rojo, Manuel A., Pearen, Michael A., Burgess, Anita G., Ikonomopoulou, Maria P., Hoang-Le, Diem, Genz, Berit, Saggiomo, Silvia L., Nawaratna, Sujeevi S. K., Poli, Maura, Reissmann, Regina, Gobert, Geoffrey N., Deutsch, Urban, Engelhardt, Britta, Brooks, Andrew J., Jones, Alun, Arosio, Paolo and Ramm, Grant A. (2024). The heavy subunit of ferritin stimulates NLRP3 inflammasomes in hepatic stellate cells through ICAM-1 to drive hepatic inflammation. Science Signaling, 17 (830) eade4335, 1-16. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.ade4335
2024
Journal Article
Location, location, location: Protein kinase nanoclustering for optimised signalling output
Gormal, Rachel S., Martinez-Marmol, Ramon, Brooks, Andrew J. and Meunier, Frédéric A. (2024). Location, location, location: Protein kinase nanoclustering for optimised signalling output. eLife, 13 ARTN e93902, 1-21. doi: 10.7554/elife.93902
2024
Journal Article
Freshwater invertebrate responses to fine sediment stress: A multi-continent perspective
McKenzie, Morwenna, Brooks, Andrew, Callisto, Marcos, Collins, Adrian L., Durkota, Jessica M., Death, Russell G., Jones, J. Iwan, Linares, Marden S., Matthaei, Christoph D., Monk, Wendy A., Murphy, John F., Wagenhoff, Annika, Wilkes, Martin, Wood, Paul J. and Mathers, Kate L. (2024). Freshwater invertebrate responses to fine sediment stress: A multi-continent perspective. Global Change Biology, 30 (1) ARTN e17084. doi: 10.1111/gcb.17084
2023
Journal Article
Author Correction: Discovery of an exosite on the SOCS2-SH2 domain that enhances SH2 binding to phosphorylated ligands
Linossi, Edmond M., Li, Kunlun, Veggiani, Gianluca, Tan, Cyrus, Dehkhoda, Farhad, Hockings, Colin, Calleja, Dale J., Keating, Narelle, Feltham, Rebecca, Brooks, Andrew J., Li, Shawn S., Sidhu, Sachdev S., Babon, Jeffrey J., Kershaw, Nadia J. and Nicholson, Sandra E. (2023). Author Correction: Discovery of an exosite on the SOCS2-SH2 domain that enhances SH2 binding to phosphorylated ligands. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 7951, 7951. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-42706-4
2023
Journal Article
Tyrosine kinases compete for growth hormone receptor binding and regulate receptor mobility and degradation
Chhabra, Yash, Seiffert, Pernille, Gormal, Rachel S., Vullings, Manon, Lee, Christine Mei Mei, Wallis, Tristan P., Dehkhoda, Farhad, Indrakumar, Sowmya, Jacobsen, Nina L., Lindorff-Larsen, Kresten, Durisic, Nela, Waters, Michael J., Meunier, Frederic A., Kragelund, Birthe B. and Brooks, Andrew J. (2023). Tyrosine kinases compete for growth hormone receptor binding and regulate receptor mobility and degradation. Cell Reports, 42 (5) 112490, 112490. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112490
2022
Conference Publication
Gene-therapy based modulation of antigen-presenting cells within hyperproliferative epithelium to restore immunity
Dang, T. V. T., Gillinder, K. G., Brooks, A. J., Asplett, K., Tolley, L. K., Hume, D. A., Leggatt, G. R., Frazer, I. H. and Chandra, J. (2022). Gene-therapy based modulation of antigen-presenting cells within hyperproliferative epithelium to restore immunity. 29th Annual Congress of the European-Society-of-Gene-and-Cell-Therapy (ESCGT), Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 11-14 October 2022. New Rochelle, NY United States: Mary Ann Liebert.
2022
Journal Article
Germline missense variants in SH2B3 underpin platelet count variation and inherited MPN
Butler, Liesl, Lee, Christine, Magor, Graham William, Morris, Rhiannon, Tallack, Michael, Lam, Charlene, Ivey, Adam, Lin, Jane, Deng, Zihao, Grigg, Andrew, Mason, Jane, Perchard, Malaika, Weston, Helen, Cummings, Nik, Brooks, Andrew, Babon, Jeffrey J, Murphy, Andrew J, Salmon, Jessica M and Perkins, Andrew Charles (2022). Germline missense variants in SH2B3 underpin platelet count variation and inherited MPN. Blood, 140 (S1), 1093-1094. doi: 10.1182/blood-2022-159416
2021
Journal Article
Discovery of an exosite on the SOCS2-SH2 domain that enhances SH2 binding to phosphorylated ligands
Linossi, Edmond M., Li, Kunlun, Veggiani, Gianluca, Tan, Cyrus, Dehkhoda, Farhad, Hockings, Colin, Calleja, Dale J., Keating, Narelle, Feltham, Rebecca, Brooks, Andrew J., Li, Shawn S., Sidhu, Sachdev S., Babon, Jeffrey J., Kershaw, Nadia J. and Nicholson, Sandra E. (2021). Discovery of an exosite on the SOCS2-SH2 domain that enhances SH2 binding to phosphorylated ligands. Nature Communications, 12 (1) 7032, 7032. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26983-5
2021
Journal Article
GHR signalling: Receptor activation and degradation mechanisms
Chhabra, Yash, Lee, Christine M. M., Mueller, Alexandra Franziska and Brooks, Andrew J. (2021). GHR signalling: Receptor activation and degradation mechanisms. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 520 111075, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111075
2020
Journal Article
Just add water: rapid assembly of new communities in previously dry riverbeds, and limited long-distance effects on existing communities
Brooks, Andrew J., Lancaster, Jill, Downes, Barbara J. and Wolfenden, Benjamin (2020). Just add water: rapid assembly of new communities in previously dry riverbeds, and limited long-distance effects on existing communities. Oecologia, 194 (4), 709-722. doi: 10.1007/s00442-020-04799-2
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Andrew Brooks is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Utilising alternative cytokine receptor signalling for enhanced cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Joshua Tobin, Dr Soi Law, Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes
-
Doctor Philosophy
Harnessing the power of iPSC-NK cells for cancer immunotherapy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Fiona Simpson, Dr Mathew Jones, Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes
-
Doctor Philosophy
Pathogen Promoters of Squamous Epithelial Cancer
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Graham Leggatt, Professor David Hume, Dr Janin Chandra, Professor Ian Frazer
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the regulatory nature of CD8+/CD4+ Double-positive T-cells
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz, Associate Professor James Wells
Completed supervision
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Structural and Functional Characterisation of the Thrombopoietin Receptor and its Negative Regulator, LNK in Myeloid Malignancies
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Deciphering the structure and function of class I cytokine receptors: GHR and GP130
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Maher Gandhi
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Mesenchymal-Epidermal Interactions in Hair Follicle Cycling and Regeneration
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani
-
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Andrew Brooks directly for media enquiries about their areas of expertise.
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: