Overview
Background
Dr Chris McMillan is a virologist and vaccinologist whose work focuses on innovative vaccine platforms and advanced delivery technologies. His research spans several pathogens of global health importance, including seasonal and pandemic influenza, flaviviruses, poliovirus, SARS-CoV-2, and emerging viral threats. He works across multiple vaccine modalities, from recombinant proteins and virus-like particles to DNA, mRNA, and self-amplifying RNA platforms.
A major research focus is improving vaccine performance through targeted skin delivery using microarray patches (MAPs) to access immune-rich epidermal and dermal layers. By applying spatial transcriptomics and other tissue-scale profiling tools, we aim to map how MAP vaccines interact with the skin and draining lymph nodes in vivo to inform next-generation vaccine design.
He is also focusing on new RNA technologies, including self-amplifying RNA systems for both vaccine and therapeutic applications. This work integrates virology, RNA engineering, and spatial immunology to better understand and enhance immune responses at the tissue level.
Availability
- Dr Chris McMillan is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Chris McMillan’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Global transcriptional reprogramming by cytomegalovirus infection suppresses MHC class II antigen presentation while enhancing migration machinery in murine dendritic cells
Parry, Rhys H, McMillan, Christopher L D, Bruce, Kimberley L and Farrell, Helen E (2025). Global transcriptional reprogramming by cytomegalovirus infection suppresses MHC class II antigen presentation while enhancing migration machinery in murine dendritic cells. Microbial genomics, 11 (11) 001563. doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.001563
2025
Journal Article
Tetravalent microprojection-based dengue chimeric virus vaccine raises potent neutralising antibodies in mice
Choo, Jovin J. Y., Mcmillan, Christopher L. D., Scott, Connor A. P., Harrison, Jessica J., Watterson, Daniel, Hall, Roy A., Young, Paul R., Hobson-Peters, Jody and Muller, David A. (2025). Tetravalent microprojection-based dengue chimeric virus vaccine raises potent neutralising antibodies in mice. Npj Vaccines, 10 (1) 245, 245. doi: 10.1038/s41541-025-01297-5
2025
Journal Article
Improved efficacy of an influenza DNA vaccine through high-density microarray patch delivery
Entriken, Chloe G., Bruce, Kimberley L., Coyne, Bridget M., Kruyer, Saxon H., Sinclair, Jane E., Choo, Jovin J.Y., Muller, David A. and McMillan, Christopher L. D. (2025). Improved efficacy of an influenza DNA vaccine through high-density microarray patch delivery. Journal of General Virology, 106 (11) 002179. doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.002179
2025
Journal Article
Vaccine-induced and hybrid immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in two cohorts in Queensland, Australia (2021-2022)
Parry, Rhys H., Shang, Yingjun, Sng, Julian D. J., McMillan, Christopher L. D., Modhiran, Naphak, Amarilla, Alberto A., Isaacs, Ariel, Liang, Benjamin, Muller, David A., Rawle, Daniel J., Suhrbier, Andreas, Anderson, Stevie, Kelly, Samuel, Watterson, Daniel, Burr, Lucy D. and Khromykh, Alexander A. (2025). Vaccine-induced and hybrid immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in two cohorts in Queensland, Australia (2021-2022). Journal of Medical Virology, 97 (10) e70642, 1-15. doi: 10.1002/jmv.70642
2025
Journal Article
A nanobody-based therapeutic targeting Nipah virus limits viral escape
Isaacs, Ariel, Nieto, Guillermo Valenzuela, Zhang, Xinghai, Modhiran, Naphak, Barr, Jennifer, Thakur, Nazia, Low, Yu Shang, Parry, Rhys H., Barnes, James B., Jara, Ronald, Himelreichs, Johanna, Yao, Yanfeng, Deride, Camila, Barthou-Gatica, Barbara, Salinas-Rebolledo, Constanza, Ehrenfeld, Pamela, Hen, Jun Jet, Hayes, Noah, Paramitha, Devina, Morgan, Mahali S., McMillan, Christopher L. D., Jones, Martina L., Munro, Trent P., Khromykh, Alexander A., Reading, Patrick C., Young, Paul R., Chappell, Keith J., Shi, Yi, Bailey, Dalan ... Watterson, Daniel (2025). A nanobody-based therapeutic targeting Nipah virus limits viral escape. Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, 32 (10), 1920-1931. doi: 10.1038/s41594-025-01598-2
2025
Journal Article
Twelfth scientific biennial meeting of the Australasian Virology Society: AVS12 2024
Monson, Ebony A., Loterio, Robson K., Roby, Justin A., Adhikari, Anurag, Bull, Rowena A., Carr, Jill M., Chatzileontiadou, Demetra S. M., Cheng, Colin X., Coulibaly, Fasséli, Davis, Samantha K., Deerain, Joshua M., Douglas, Mark W., Drummer, Heidi E., Eyre, Nicholas S., Freppel, Wesley, Gowripalan, Anjali, Grant, Emma J., Gras, Stephanie, Guthmiller, Jenna J., Herrero, Lara J., Hesping, Eva, Horsburgh, Bethany A., Hyde, Jennifer L., Koutsakos, Marios, Mackenzie, Jason M., Mahar, Jackie E., McCoullough, Laura C., McMillan, Christopher L. D., Modhiran, Naphak ... Tate, Michelle D. (2025). Twelfth scientific biennial meeting of the Australasian Virology Society: AVS12 2024. Journal of Virology, 99 (5), e0225524. doi: 10.1128/jvi.02255-24
2025
Journal Article
Skin patch delivery of a SARS-CoV-2 Spike DNA vaccine produces broad neutralising antibody responses
McMillan, Christopher L.D., Corner, Andrea V., Wijesundara, Danushka K., Choo, Jovin J.Y., Pittayakhajonwut, Daraporn, Poredi, Indrajeet, Parry, Rhys H., Bindra, Guneet K., Bruce, Kimberley, Khromykh, Alexander A., Fernando, Germain J.P., Dapremont, Laurent, Young, Paul R. and Muller, David A. (2025). Skin patch delivery of a SARS-CoV-2 Spike DNA vaccine produces broad neutralising antibody responses. Heliyon, 11 (4) e42533, e42533. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42533
2024
Journal Article
Enhancement of cellular immunity following needle-free vaccination of mice with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
McMillan, Christopher L. D., Wijesundara, Danushka K., Choo, Jovin J. Y., Amarilla, Alberto A., Modhiran, Naphak, Fernando, Germain J. P., Khromykh, Alexander A., Watterson, Daniel, Young, Paul R. and Muller, David A. (2024). Enhancement of cellular immunity following needle-free vaccination of mice with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Journal of General Virology, 105 (1) 001947, 1-6. doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.001947
2023
Journal Article
Superior efficacy of a skin-applied microprojection device for delivering a novel Zika DNA vaccine
Wijesundara, Danushka K., Yeow, Arthur, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Choo, Jovin J. Y., Todorovic, Aleksandra, Mekonnen, Zelalem A., Masavuli, Makutiro G., Young, Paul R., Gowans, Eric J., Grubor-Bauk, Branka and Muller, David A. (2023). Superior efficacy of a skin-applied microprojection device for delivering a novel Zika DNA vaccine. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 34 102056, 102056. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.102056
2023
Journal Article
Elevated BMI reduces the humoral response to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection
Tong, Marcus Z. W., Sng, Julian D. J., Carney, Meagan, Cooper, Lucy, Brown, Samuel, Lineburg, Katie E., Chew, Keng Yih, Collins, Neve, Ignacio, Kirsten, Airey, Megan, Burr, Lucy, Joyce, Briony A., Jayasinghe, Dhilshan, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Muller, David A., Adhikari, Anurag, Gallo, Linda A., Dorey, Emily S., Barrett, Helen L., Gras, Stephanie, Smith, Corey, Good‐Jacobson, Kim and Short, Kirsty R. (2023). Elevated BMI reduces the humoral response to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Clinical and Translational Immunology, 12 (12) e1476, 1-13. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1476
2023
Journal Article
Microarray patches: scratching the surface of vaccine delivery
Choo, Jovin J. Y., McMillan, Christopher L. D., Young, Paul R. and Muller, David A. (2023). Microarray patches: scratching the surface of vaccine delivery. Expert Review of Vaccines, 22 (1), 937-955. doi: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2270598
2023
Journal Article
The feasibility of negative pressure wound therapy versus standard dressings in paediatric hand and foot burns protocol: a pilot, single-centre, randomised control trial
Lumsden, Emma, Kimble, Roy, McMillan, Catherine, Storey, Kristen, Ware, Robert S. and Griffin, Bronwyn (2023). The feasibility of negative pressure wound therapy versus standard dressings in paediatric hand and foot burns protocol: a pilot, single-centre, randomised control trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9 (1) 90, 1-10. doi: 10.1186/s40814-023-01308-z
2023
Journal Article
SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein
Albornoz, Eduardo A., Amarilla, Alberto A., Modhiran, Naphak, Parker, Sandra, Li, Xaria X., Wijesundara, Danushka K., Aguado, Julio, Zamora, Adriana Pliego, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Liang, Benjamin, Peng, Nias Y. G., Sng, Julian D. J., Saima, Fatema Tuj, Fung, Jenny N., Lee, John D., Paramitha, Devina, Parry, Rhys, Avumegah, Michael S., Isaacs, Ariel, Lo, Martin W., Miranda-Chacon, Zaray, Bradshaw, Daniella, Salinas-Rebolledo, Constanza, Rajapakse, Niwanthi W., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Munro, Trent P., Rojas-Fernandez, Alejandro, Young, Paul R., Stacey, Katryn J. ... Woodruff, Trent M. (2023). SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein. Molecular Psychiatry, 28 (7), 2878-2893. doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01831-0
2022
Journal Article
Monoclonal antibodies specific for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein suitable for multiple applications for current variants of concern
Morgan, Mahali S., Yan, Kexin, Le, Thuy T., Johnston, Ryan A., Amarilla, Alberto A., Muller, David A., McMillan, Christopher L. D., Modhiran, Naphak, Watterson, Daniel, Potter, James R., Sng, Julian D. J., Lor, Mary, Paramitha, Devina, Isaacs, Ariel, Khromykh, Alexander A., Hall, Roy A., Suhrbier, Andreas, Rawle, Daniel J. and Hobson-Peters, Jody (2022). Monoclonal antibodies specific for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein suitable for multiple applications for current variants of concern. Viruses, 15 (1) 139, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/v15010139
2022
Journal Article
A platform technology for generating subunit vaccines against diverse viral pathogens
Young, Andrew, Isaacs, Ariel, Scott, Connor A. P., Modhiran, Naphak, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Cheung, Stacey T. M., Barr, Jennifer, Marsh, Glenn, Thakur, Nazia, Bailey, Dalan, Li, Kenneth S. M., Luk, Hayes K. H., Kok, Kin-Hang, Lau, Susanna K. P., Woo, Patrick C. Y., Furuyama, Wakako, Marzi, Andrea, Young, Paul R., Chappell, Keith J. and Watterson, Daniel (2022). A platform technology for generating subunit vaccines against diverse viral pathogens. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 963023, 1-16. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.963023
2022
Journal Article
Skin-patch delivered subunit vaccine induces broadly neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern
McMillan, Christopher L.D., Amarilla, Alberto A., Modhiran, Naphak, Choo, Jovin J.Y., Azuar, Armira, Honeyman, Kate E., Khromykh, Alexander A., Young, Paul R., Watterson, Daniel and Muller, David A. (2022). Skin-patch delivered subunit vaccine induces broadly neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Vaccine, 40 (34), 4929-4932. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.07.013
2022
Journal Article
Nucleocapsid specific diagnostics for the detection of divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants
Isaacs, Ariel, Amarilla, Alberto A., Aguado, Julio, Modhiran, Naphak, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Baradar, Alireza A., McMillan, Christopher L. D., Choo, Jovin J. Y., Idris, Adi, Supramaniam, Aroon, McMillan, Nigel A. J., Muller, David A., Young, Paul R., Woodruff, Trent M., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Chappell, Keith J. and Watterson, Daniel (2022). Nucleocapsid specific diagnostics for the detection of divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 926262, 926262. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.926262
2022
Journal Article
Absence of anti-RBD antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 infected or naive individuals prior to vaccination with CoronaVac leads to short protection of only four months duration
Oliveira, Camille F. de, Neto, Walter F. F., Silva, Carla P. da, Ribeiro, Ana Claudia S., Martins, Lívia C., Sousa, Alana W. de, Freitas, Maria N. O., Chiang, Jannifer O., Silva, Franko A., Santos, Eder B. dos, Medeiros, Daniele B. A., Pinheiro, Gleiciane S., Brandão, Gleiciane F., Carvalho, Valéria L., Azevedo, Raimunda S. S., Vasconcelos, Pedro F. C., Costa, Igor B., Costa, Iran B., Santos, Mirleide C. dos, Soares, Luana S., Bedran, Rayssa L. S., Ferreira, James L., Amarilla, Alberto A., Modhiran, Naphak, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Freney, Morgan E., Muller, David A., Watterson, Daniel, Casseb, Lívia M. N. and Henriques, Daniele F. (2022). Absence of anti-RBD antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 infected or naive individuals prior to vaccination with CoronaVac leads to short protection of only four months duration. Vaccines, 10 (5) 690, 690. doi: 10.3390/vaccines10050690
2022
Journal Article
Dermal delivery of a SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine induces immunogenicity against variants of concern
McMillan, Christopher L. D., Azuar, Armira, Choo, Jovin J. Y., Modhiran, Naphak, Amarilla, Alberto A., Isaacs, Ariel, Honeyman, Kate E., Cheung, Stacey T. M., Liang, Benjamin, Wurm, Maria J., Pino, Paco, Kint, Joeri, Fernando, Germain J. P., Landsberg, Michael J., Khromykh, Alexander A., Hobson-Peters, Jody, Watterson, Daniel, Young, Paul R. and Muller, David A. (2022). Dermal delivery of a SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine induces immunogenicity against variants of concern. Vaccines, 10 (4) 578, 578. doi: 10.3390/vaccines10040578
2022
Journal Article
Author Correction: Development of molecular clamp stabilized hemagglutinin vaccines for Influenza A viruses
McMillan, Christopher L. D., Cheung, Stacey T. M., Modhiran, Naphak, Barnes, James, Amarilla, Alberto A., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Lee, Leo Yi Yang, Guilfoyle, Kate, van Amerongen, Geert, Stittelaar, Koert, Jakob, Virginie, Lebas, Celia, Reading, Patrick, Short, Kirsty R., Young, Paul R., Watterson, Daniel and Chappell, Keith J. (2022). Author Correction: Development of molecular clamp stabilized hemagglutinin vaccines for Influenza A viruses. npj Vaccines, 7 (1) 3, 3. doi: 10.1038/s41541-021-00428-y
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Chris McMillan is:
- Available for supervision
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