Overview
Background
My research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate innate immune responses during infection and inflammation. I have expertise in host–pathogen interactions, macrophage biology, Toll-like receptor signalling, and intracellular trafficking, with a particular interest in how spatiotemporal regulation of immune receptors shapes antimicrobial and inflammatory responses. Through the integration of cell biology, immunology, and advanced imaging approaches, my work aims to identify mechanisms that can be leveraged for host-directed therapies against infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and bacterial infections. My research program combines fundamental discovery science with translational approaches to improve our understanding of immune regulation in health and disease.
Availability
- Dr Carmen Mathmann is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Cellular Biology, Columbia University in the City of New York
Research interests
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Innate Immune Signalling
Investigating the molecular mechanisms that regulate innate immune responses during infection and inflammation. My research focuses on Toll-like receptor signalling, receptor trafficking, and the spatial regulation of signalling complexes that control antimicrobial and inflammatory responses. This work aims to identify pathways that can be targeted to improve immune function and disease outcomes.
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Host–Pathogen Interactions
Studying how immune cells detect and respond to bacterial pathogens, with a particular focus on macrophage responses to intracellular infection. My work examines the mechanisms that influence pathogen clearance, immune activation, and host defence, with the goal of informing new therapeutic strategies for infectious diseases.
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Translational Immunology
Applying mechanistic insights from immunology to develop clinically relevant approaches for infectious and inflammatory diseases. My research integrates cellular immunology, functional immune screening, and collaborative translational studies to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets that can improve patient outcomes.
Research impacts
My research aims to improve our understanding of how the immune system responds to infectious diseases and how these responses can be harnessed to develop better treatments. By investigating the cellular mechanisms that regulate inflammation and host defence, my work has identified new insights into Toll-like receptor signalling and immune pathways that influence the body's ability to fight bacterial infections.
Research outcomes include:
- Competitive research funding from national and international organisations, including the American Association of Immunologists, Queensland Government, Translational Research Institute, and Metro South Health.
- Publications in leading peer-reviewed journals that advance understanding of innate immune signalling and host–pathogen interactions.
- Collaborative projects focused on translating immunology research into improved approaches for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.
- Supervision and mentoring of Honours, postgraduate and early-career researchers, helping build future capacity in biomedical and immunology research.
Works
Search Professor Carmen Mathmann’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
TLR4 endocytosis and endosomal TLR4 signaling are distinct and independent outcomes of TLR4 activation
Schultz, Thomas E., Mathmann, Carmen D., Domínguez Cadena, Leslie C., Muusse, Timothy W., Kim, Hyoyoung, Wells, James W., Ulett, Glen C., Hamerman, Jessica A., Brooks, Andrew J., Kobe, Bostjan, Sweet, Matthew J., Stacey, Katryn J. and Blumenthal, Antje (2025). TLR4 endocytosis and endosomal TLR4 signaling are distinct and independent outcomes of TLR4 activation. EMBO Reports, 26 (10) 2250056, 2740-2766. doi: 10.1038/s44319-025-00444-2
2024
Journal Article
Myddosomes in Toll-like receptor signaling-one to bind and rule them all
Mathmann, Carmen D., Schultz, Thomas E., Cadena, Leslie C. Dominguez and Blumenthal, Antje (2024). Myddosomes in Toll-like receptor signaling-one to bind and rule them all. Immunology and Cell Biology, 102 (9), 752-756. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12816
2023
Conference Publication
Spatiotemporal regulation of rp105 subcellular localization shapes endosomal TLR4 signaling
Mathmann, Carmen, Schultz, Thomas, Ongtengco, Cherica Felize J., Dalton, Emma, Domínguez Cadena, Leslie C., Zamoshnikova, Alina, Stow, Jennifer L. and Blumenthal, Antje (2023). Spatiotemporal regulation of rp105 subcellular localization shapes endosomal TLR4 signaling. IMMUNOLOGY 2023 Meeting, Washington, DC, United States, 11 - 15 May 2023. Rockville, MD, United States: American Association of Immunologists. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.210.supp.160.06
2022
Journal Article
Inhibition of the master regulator of Listeria monocytogenes virulence enables bacterial clearance from spacious replication vacuoles in infected macrophages
Tran, Thao Thanh, Mathmann, Carmen D., Gatica-Andrades, Marcela, Rollo, Rachel F., Oelker, Melanie, Ljungberg, Johanna K., Nguyen, Tam T. K., Zamoshnikova, Alina, Kummari, Lalith K., Wyer, Orry J. K., Irvine, Katharine M., Melo-Bolívar, Javier, Gross, Annette, Brown, Darren, Mak, Jeffrey Y. W., Fairlie, David P., Hansford, Karl A., Cooper, Matthew A., Giri, Rabina, Schreiber, Veronika, Joseph, Shannon R., Simpson, Fiona, Barnett, Timothy C., Johansson, Jörgen, Dankers, Wendy, Harris, James, Wells, Timothy J., Kapetanovic, Ronan, Sweet, Matthew J. ... Blumenthal, Antje (2022). Inhibition of the master regulator of Listeria monocytogenes virulence enables bacterial clearance from spacious replication vacuoles in infected macrophages. PLoS Pathogens, 18 (1) e1010166, e1010166. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010166
2021
Journal Article
Rab6b localizes to the Golgi complex in murine macrophages and promotes tumor necrosis factor release in response to mycobacterial infection
Domínguez Cadena, Leslie C., Schultz, Thomas E., Zamoshnikova, Alina, Donovan, Meg L., Mathmann, Carmen D., Yu, Chien-Hsiung, Mori, Giorgia, Stow, Jennifer L and Blumenthal, Antje (2021). Rab6b localizes to the Golgi complex in murine macrophages and promotes tumor necrosis factor release in response to mycobacterial infection. Immunology and Cell Biology, 99 (10), 1067-1076. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12503
2019
Journal Article
A tension-independent mechanism reduces Aurora B-mediated phosphorylation upon microtubule capture by CENP-E at the kinetochore
Taveras, Carmen, Liu, Chenshu and Mao, Yinghui (2019). A tension-independent mechanism reduces Aurora B-mediated phosphorylation upon microtubule capture by CENP-E at the kinetochore. Cell Cycle, 18 (12), 1349-1363. doi: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1617615
2016
Journal Article
Meeting report - New York Symposium on Quantitative Biology of the Cell
Liu, Chenshu, Taveras, Carmen, Kulukian, Anita, Ma, Rui, Ezratty, Ellen and Mao, Yinghui (2016). Meeting report - New York Symposium on Quantitative Biology of the Cell. Journal of Cell Science, 129 (8), 1525-1529. doi: 10.1242/jcs.188375
2011
Journal Article
p53 inhibits mRNA 3' processing through its interaction with the CstF/BARD1 complex
Nazeer, F. I., Devany, E., Mohammed, S., Fonseca, D., Akukwe, B., Taveras, C. and Kleiman, F. E. (2011). p53 inhibits mRNA 3' processing through its interaction with the CstF/BARD1 complex. Oncogene, 30 (27), 3073-3083. doi: 10.1038/onc.2011.29
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Carmen Mathmann is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Molecular regulators of macrophage functions during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Antje Blumenthal
Media
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