Dr Lee McMichael
Dr

Lee McMichael

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Background

My research has focused on molecular studies of pathogens, disease syndromes and health of Australian wildlife and domestic species. Particular research interests include the study of emerging and novel viral infections and syndromes of Australian bat species, being awarded the School of Veterinary Science, Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research in 2023. I am passionate about my undergraduate teaching in the discipline of animal genetics and genomics and my supervision and mentorship of Higher Degree Research students, being awarded the School of Veterinary Science, Helen Keates Developing Teacher Award, and Higher Degree Research Supervision Excellence Award in 2022. I mentor my students in developing their molecular biology skills in a diverse range of project areas, from molecular detection and characterisation of pathogens with zoonotic potential in wildlife and companion animals, characterisation of novel viruses of wildlife with potential wildlife health and conservation impacts and gene expression analyses in disease of companion animals.

Availability

Dr Lee McMichael is:
Not available for supervision

Fields of research

Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences Veterinary epidemiology Veterinary sciences Veterinary virology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
  • Masters (Coursework), The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Overview

    Dr McMichael's research focuses on molecular studies of emerging viruses with veterinary health, zoonotic and conservation implications; investigation of health biomarkers and gene expression analyses in disease of companion animals with translational outputs; and threatening disease syndromes of Australian wildlife species with a particular focus on threatened Australian bat species.

  • Pathogenic threats to Australian Pteropus (flying fox) species

    Generously supported by the Australian Bat Society, the Keith Mackie Lucas student scholarship, SVS Philanthropic Funds, and in collaboration with Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory.

  • Tick paralysis in the endangered Spectacled flying fox

    Generously supported by NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) and the Department of Environment and Science Threatened Species Research Grant Program, in collaboration with the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) and the Tolga Bat Hospital.

  • Tick borne pathogens

    Generously supported by Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, in collaboration with QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.

  • Cleft palate syndrome in the endangered Spectacled flying fox

    Generously supported by Wildlife Health Australia (WHA), Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholar Program, and in collaboration with the Tolga Bat Hospital, James Cook University and the University of Missouri.

Research impacts

Dr McMichael's research into the epidemiology of Hendra virus in its Australian reservoir flying fox host has contributed to establishing risk management policies at Queensland state government levels. Her continuing research into emerging viruses in Australian bats has lead to the discovery and characterision a number of novel viruses with potential wildlife health and conservation implications. Dr McMichael works collaboratively with Biosecurity Queensland (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries), and several Australian universities, inclusive of Griffith University, University of Southern Queensland, James Cook University and Macquarie University as part of her research into emerging infectious diseases. Dr McMichael also has ongoing collaborations with wildlife research organisations, in particular the University of Queensland Hidden Vale Teaching and Research Centre and the Tolga Bat Rehabilitation and Research Organisation, in undertaking conservation orientated research in Australian endangered species, particularly the mahogany glider and spectacled flying fox.

Search Professor Lee McMichael’s works on UQ eSpace

61 works between 1999 and 2025
All (61) Journal Article (35) Other Outputs (6) Conference Publication (20)

61 - 61 of 61 works

1999

Conference Publication

Promoters from Australian Banana streak Badna-Virus (BSV) isolates drive transgene expression in Banana, Sugarcane and Tobacco

Remans, T., Schenk, P. M., Elliot, A. R., Sagi, L., Geering, A. D., McMichael, L. A., Thomas, J.E., Swennen, R. L., Grof, C. P., Manners, J. and Ebert, P.R. (1999). Promoters from Australian Banana streak Badna-Virus (BSV) isolates drive transgene expression in Banana, Sugarcane and Tobacco. ComBio 99, Conrad Jupiters, Gold Coast, 27-30 September, 1999. Kent Town, SA: Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Promoters from Australian Banana streak Badna-Virus (BSV) isolates drive transgene expression in Banana, Sugarcane and Tobacco

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2026
    Diagnosis of stress-levels in koalas across different habitats with a species-specific enzyme immunoassay kit
    Community Sustainability Action - Qld Dep Env Science
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Reduction in tick paralysis mortalities of the endangered spectacled flying fox
    WIRES National Grant Program
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023
    Combination immunotherapies for the treatment of solid canine cancers
    Canine Research Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2024
    Innate immune response to Ross River virus infection in horses
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Epidemiology of retroviral infections of flying-foxes ...does infection predispose flying-foxes to infection and excretion of Hendra virus?
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Investigation of causal etiologies of cleft palate neonatal mass mortality events of the endangered Spectacled flying-fox in Far North Queensland's Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
    Annandale Bequest
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Lee McMichael is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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