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Professor Gabrielle Belz
Professor

Gabrielle Belz

Email: 

Overview

Background

Gabrielle Belz originally trained in veterinary medicine and surgery and received her PhD in understanding the organisation of lymphatics and lymphoid tissues at The University of Queensland. After a short stint in Canada to work on B cells, she moved to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital to work with Peter Doherty supported by an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship. Here she established a number of systems that now allow tracking of virus-specific T cells and established the paradigm changing notion that CD4 T cell help was required for generating antiviral responses. She returned to The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and uncovered the identity of the key dendritic cells necessary for initiating antiviral infections. Subsequently she was awarded the Burnet Prize and NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn Fellowship. Her research contributions have been recognized by a number of awards including a Wellcome Trust Overseas Fellowship, HHMI international fellowship, ARC Future fellowship, Doctor of Veterinary Science, the Gottschalk Medal (Australian Academy of Science) and in 2024 an ARC Laureate Fellowship. Her laboratory focuses on deciphering the key cellular and transcriptional signals of protective immunity particularly by T cells and in understanding how innate immune cells develop and make novel contributions to mucosal immune defence.

Availability

Professor Gabrielle Belz is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Veterinary Biology, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Doctoral Diploma, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

Overall goals:

Our work aims to understand how the immune system responds to infections including viruses, bacteria and parasites.

We are elucidating how different types of immune cells develop, and what factors influences their decision to become one type of immune cell or another.

Understanding how the body deals with pathogens will give clues about how to enhance protective immunity. Our goal is to discover new therapies that boost our immune system to protect against infection.

Research interests:

Cell differentiation is the process by which cells develop and mature. In this process, cells become more specialised and acquire potent effector functions that allow them to eliminate infectious organisms. There is an urgent need to develop new therapies that focus on augmenting host immunity.

Our research focuses on:

  • Elucidating the mechanisms responsible for the generation of protective immunity in response to lung and gastrointestinal pathogens
  • How protective immunity breaks down in chronic overwhelming infections
  • Identifying factors that can promote host immune responses and potent long-lived protective immunological memory.

We have developed and use a number of in vivo models of infectious diseases including:

  • Influenza
  • Herpes virus
  • Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)

These models provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to examine the mechanisms that these pathogens employ to infect hosts and elicit immune protection or to subvert the host responses. Using a variety of approaches including multiparameter flow cytometry, systems biology and global gene expression profiling we aim to define cellular and transcriptional pathways in normal memory T cell differentiation, innate immune cell subsets and immune failure.

Works

Search Professor Gabrielle Belz’s works on UQ eSpace

295 works between 1981 and 2025

201 - 220 of 295 works

2011

Conference Publication

Blimp1: Driving terminal differentiation to a T

Xin, Annie, Nutt, Stephen L., Belz, Gabrielle T. and Kallies, Axel (2011). Blimp1: Driving terminal differentiation to a T. Aegean Conference: 3rd Crossroads between innate and adaptive immunity, Chania, Crete, Greece, 27 September - October 2, 2009. New York, NY, United States: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-5632-3_8

Blimp1: Driving terminal differentiation to a T

2010

Journal Article

Interference with dendritic cell populations limits early antigen presentation in chronic γ-herpesvirus-68 infection

Mount, Adele M., Masson, Frederick, Kupresanin, Fiona, Smith, Christopher M., May, Janet S., Van Rooijen, Nico, Stevenson, Philip G. and Belz, Gabrielle T. (2010). Interference with dendritic cell populations limits early antigen presentation in chronic γ-herpesvirus-68 infection. Journal of Immunology, 185 (6), 3669-3676. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1001079

Interference with dendritic cell populations limits early antigen presentation in chronic γ-herpesvirus-68 infection

2010

Journal Article

A complementary role for the tetraspanins CD37 and Tssc6 in cellular immunity

Gartlan, Kate H., Belz, Gabrielle T., Tarrant, Jacqueline M., Minigo, Gabriela, Katsara, Maria, Sheng, Kuo-Ching, Sofi, Mariam, van Spriel, Annemiek B., Apostolopoulos, Vasso, Plebanski, Magdalena, Robb, Lorraine and Wright, Mark D. (2010). A complementary role for the tetraspanins CD37 and Tssc6 in cellular immunity. Journal of Immunology, 185 (6), 3158-3166. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0902867

A complementary role for the tetraspanins CD37 and Tssc6 in cellular immunity

2010

Journal Article

Effector and memory CD8+ T cell differentiation: toward a molecular understanding of fate determination

Belz, Gabrielle T. and Kallies, Axel (2010). Effector and memory CD8+ T cell differentiation: toward a molecular understanding of fate determination. Current Opinion in Immunology, 22 (3), 279-285. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2010.03.008

Effector and memory CD8+ T cell differentiation: toward a molecular understanding of fate determination

2010

Journal Article

Editorial overview

Belz, Gabrielle T. and Wherry, E John (2010). Editorial overview. Current Opinion in Immunology, 22 (3), 271-273. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2010.04.007

Editorial overview

2010

Journal Article

Interleukin-2 tickles T cell memory

Belz, Gabrielle T. and Masson, Frédérick (2010). Interleukin-2 tickles T cell memory. Immunity, 32 (1), 7-9. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2010.01.009

Interleukin-2 tickles T cell memory

2010

Journal Article

Mobilizing forces - CD4+ helper T cells script adaptive immunity

Masson, Frédérick and Belz, Gabrielle T. (2010). Mobilizing forces - CD4+ helper T cells script adaptive immunity. Cell Research, 20 (1), 1-3. doi: 10.1038/cr.2010.1

Mobilizing forces - CD4+ helper T cells script adaptive immunity

2010

Journal Article

Mouse models of viral infection: influenza infection in the lung

Mount, Adele M. and Belz, Gabrielle T. (2010). Mouse models of viral infection: influenza infection in the lung. Methods in Molecular Biology, 595, 299-318.

Mouse models of viral infection: influenza infection in the lung

2010

Journal Article

Direct ex vivo activation of T cells for analysis of dendritic cells antigen presentation

Belz, Gabrielle T. (2010). Direct ex vivo activation of T cells for analysis of dendritic cells antigen presentation. Methods in Molecular Biology: Dendritic Cell Protocols , 595, 351-369.

Direct ex vivo activation of T cells for analysis of dendritic cells antigen presentation

2009

Journal Article

Membrane-bound Fas ligand only is essential for Fas-induced apoptosis

O Reilly, Lorraine A., Tai, Lin, Lee, Lily, Kruse, Elizabeth A., Grabow, Stephanie, Fairlie, W. Douglas, Haynes, Nicole M., Tarlinton, David M., Zhang, Jian-Guo, Belz, Gabrielle T., Smyth, Mark J., Bouillet, Philippe, Robb, Lorraine and Strasser, Andreas (2009). Membrane-bound Fas ligand only is essential for Fas-induced apoptosis. Nature, 461 (7264), 659-663. doi: 10.1038/nature08402

Membrane-bound Fas ligand only is essential for Fas-induced apoptosis

2009

Journal Article

Blimp-1 transcription factor is required for the differentiation of effector CD8+ T cells and memory responses

Kallies, Axel, Xin, Annie, Belz, Gabrielle T. and Nutt, Stephen L. (2009). Blimp-1 transcription factor is required for the differentiation of effector CD8+ T cells and memory responses. Immunity, 31 (2), 283-295. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2009.06.021

Blimp-1 transcription factor is required for the differentiation of effector CD8+ T cells and memory responses

2009

Journal Article

Life in the balance: Killer T-cell self-control fends off lethal influenza

Belz, Gabrielle T. (2009). Life in the balance: Killer T-cell self-control fends off lethal influenza. Immunology and Cell Biology, 87 (5), 364-365. doi: 10.1038/icb.2009.22

Life in the balance: Killer T-cell self-control fends off lethal influenza

2009

Journal Article

Dendritic cells in viral infections

Belz, Gabrielle, Mount, Adele and Masson, Frederick (2009). Dendritic cells in viral infections. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, 188, 51-77. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-71029-5-3

Dendritic cells in viral infections

2009

Journal Article

The tapestry of the immune response for protective immunity

Belz, Gabrielle (2009). The tapestry of the immune response for protective immunity. Human Vaccines, 5 (2), 50-52. doi: 10.4161/hv.5.2.7841

The tapestry of the immune response for protective immunity

2009

Journal Article

Tissue destruction caused by cytotoxic T lymphocytes induces deletional tolerance

Parish, Ian A., Waithman, Jason, Davey, Gayle M., Belz, Gabrielle T., Mintern, Justine D., Kurts, Christian, Sutherland, Robyn M., Carbone, Francis R. and Heath, William R. (2009). Tissue destruction caused by cytotoxic T lymphocytes induces deletional tolerance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106 (10), 3901-3906. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0810427106

Tissue destruction caused by cytotoxic T lymphocytes induces deletional tolerance

2009

Journal Article

Selected toll-like receptor ligands and viruses promote helper-independent cytotoxic T cell priming by upregulating CD40L on dendritic cells

Johnson, Susan, Zhan, Yifan, Sutherland, Robyn M., Mount, Adele M., Bedoui, Sammy, Brady, Jamie L., Carrington, Emma M., Brown, Lorena E., Belz, Gabrielle T., Heath, William R. and Lew, Andrew M. (2009). Selected toll-like receptor ligands and viruses promote helper-independent cytotoxic T cell priming by upregulating CD40L on dendritic cells. Immunity, 30 (2), 218-227. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2008.11.015

Selected toll-like receptor ligands and viruses promote helper-independent cytotoxic T cell priming by upregulating CD40L on dendritic cells

2009

Journal Article

The race between infection and immunity: how do pathogens set the pace?

Davenport, Miles P., Belz, Gabrielle T. and Ribeiro, Ruy M. (2009). The race between infection and immunity: how do pathogens set the pace?. Trends in Immunology, 30 (2), 61-66. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2008.11.001

The race between infection and immunity: how do pathogens set the pace?

2009

Journal Article

Kinetics of major histocompatibility class I antigen presentation in acute infection

Lay, Matthew D. H., Zhang, Lei, Ribeiro, Ruy M., Mueller, Scott N., Belz, Gabrielle T. and Davenport, Miles P. (2009). Kinetics of major histocompatibility class I antigen presentation in acute infection. Journal of Immunology, 182 (2), 902-911. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.182.2.902

Kinetics of major histocompatibility class I antigen presentation in acute infection

2008

Journal Article

Differential MHC class II synthesis and ubiquitination confers distinct antigen-presenting properties on conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Young, Louise J., Wilson, Nicholas S., Schnorrer, Petra, Proietto, Anna, ten Broeke, Toine, Matsuki, Yohei, Mount, Adele M., Belz, Gabrielle T., O'Keeffe, Meredith, Ohmura-Hoshino, Mari, Ishido, Satoshi, Stoorvogel, Willem, Heath, William R., Shortman, Ken and Villadangos, Jose A. (2008). Differential MHC class II synthesis and ubiquitination confers distinct antigen-presenting properties on conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Nature Immunology, 9 (11), 1244-1252. doi: 10.1038/ni.1665

Differential MHC class II synthesis and ubiquitination confers distinct antigen-presenting properties on conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells

2008

Journal Article

Blood-stage Plasmodium infection induces CD8+ T lymphocytes to parasite-expressed antigens, largely regulated by CD8α+ dendritic cells

Lundie, Rachel J., De Koning-Ward, Tania F., Davey, Gayle M., Nie, Catherine Q., Hansen, Diana S., Lei, Shong Lau, Mintern, Justine D., Belz, Gabrielle T., Schofield, Louis, Carbone, Francis R., Villadangos, Jose A., Crabb, Brendan S. and Heath, William R. (2008). Blood-stage Plasmodium infection induces CD8+ T lymphocytes to parasite-expressed antigens, largely regulated by CD8α+ dendritic cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105 (38), 14509-14514. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0806727105

Blood-stage Plasmodium infection induces CD8+ T lymphocytes to parasite-expressed antigens, largely regulated by CD8α+ dendritic cells

Funding

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2029
    Unravelling immune signalling networks that protect vertebrates from attack
    ARC Australian Laureate Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2028
    METASPATIAL Study: Metabolic Spatial Analysis of Lung Cancer Study
    NHMRC MRFF EMCR - Early to Mid-Career Researchers
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2026
    From Pixels to Prognosis: Harnessing single-cell spatial analysis to predict and improve immunotherapy response in lung cancer
    Cure Cancer Early Career Research Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2026
    Preclinical refinement of a UQ-Moderna vaccine developed to prevent StrepA infection
    NHMRC Development Grant
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Screening experimental adjuvants in non-human primates for improved Group A Streptococcus (GAS) vaccine efficacy
    The University of Queensland in America, Inc
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Regulation of lung immune-epithelial networks sensing environmental change
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2028
    Building the next mRNA vaccines and therapies
    MRFF - National Critical Infrastructure Initiative
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Personalising Innate-immunotherapy for Superior Treatment Outcomes with Large anticancer applicability (PISTOL)
    NHMRC MRFF EMCR - Early to Mid-Career Researchers
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Harnessing immune cell programs to drive immune protection
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2024
    Determining Causative Mechanisms of Hidradenitis Suppurativa (TRI LINC grant led by MSHHS)
    Metro South Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2024
    LUNG PREDICT Study
    Cancer Australia
    Open grant
  • 2022
    Generating neuroprotective IgA through microbiome-epithelial interactions
    MS Research Australia Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2024
    Type 2 innate lymphoid cells orchestrate anti-melanoma responses.
    Cancer Council NSW Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and tumour MICroenvironment Multiplex Spatial Profiling - cMIC STUDY (PA Research Foundation Award administered by MSHHS)
    Metro South Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Coordinating neuroimmune sensory networks in health and disease
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    New guardians of the mucosa: Molecular characterisation of M cell biology (ARC Discovery Project administered by UTS)
    University of Technology Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2022
    Delineating immune circuits for innate and adaptive immune protection
    NHMRC Research Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    The recirculation of myeloid dendritic cells
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Understanding the circadian regulation of the innate lymphoid cells (NHMRC Project Grant administered by WEHI)
    Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI)
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Gabrielle Belz is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Understanding mucosal immunity

    The picture of the network governing the mucosal immunity and how the different immune populations interplay is only just emerging, but it is already opening a whole new array of exciting possibilities for immune regulation and immunotherapeutic strategies. Our current projects aim to provide a new dimension to this emerging field in understanding how mucosal epithelial cells interact with immune cells to drive mucosal immunosurveillance, homeostasis and immunity. We have developed a number of new tools to dissect this epithelial immune network and understand its regulation in immunity.

  • Delineating long-term protective immunity to pathogen infection

    Our work aims to understand how the immune system responds to infections including viruses, bacteria and parasites. We endeavour to elucidate how different types of immune cells develop, and what factors influences their decision to become one type of immune cell or another. Understanding how the body deals with pathogens will give clues about how to enhance protective immunity. Our goal is to discover new therapies that boost our immune system to protect against infection.

    Our research focuses on:

    • Elucidating the mechanisms responsible for the generation of protective immunity in response to lung and gastrointestinal pathogens including influenza, herpesvirus and intestinal bacterial infections
    • How protective immunity breaks down in chronic overwhelming infections
    • Identifying factors that can promote host immune responses and potent long-lived protective immunological memory

  • Understanding mucosal immunity

    The picture of the network governing the mucosal immunity and how the different immune populations interplay is only just emerging, but it is already opening a whole new array of exciting possibilities for immune regulation and immunotherapeutic strategies. Our current projects aim to provide a new dimension to this emerging field in understanding how mucosal epithelial cells interact with immune cells to drive mucosal immunosurveillance, homeostasis and immunity. We have developed a number of new tools to dissect this epithelial immune network and understand its regulation in immunity.

  • Delineating long-term protective immunity to pathogen infection

    Our work aims to understand how the immune system responds to infections including viruses, bacteria and parasites. We endeavour to elucidate how different types of immune cells develop, and what factors influences their decision to become one type of immune cell or another. Understanding how the body deals with pathogens will give clues about how to enhance protective immunity. Our goal is to discover new therapies that boost our immune system to protect against infection.

    Our research focuses on:

    • Elucidating the mechanisms responsible for the generation of protective immunity in response to lung and gastrointestinal pathogens including influenza, herpesvirus and intestinal bacterial infections
    • How protective immunity breaks down in chronic overwhelming infections
    • Identifying factors that can promote host immune responses and potent long-lived protective immunological memory

  • Unravelling immune signalling networks in mucosal immunity

    Mucosal surfaces are critical interfaces where host-environment interactions occur, and the interplay between epithelial cells and immune components is essential for balancing tolerance and immunity. Disruptions to mucosal barrier integrity have profound consequences, contributing to the onset and progression of numerous diseases. Moreover, mucosal surfaces are key entry points for pathogens, including emerging viral threats, making a robust barrier indispensable for preventing infection. Despite the importance of this barrier, our understanding of how it is regulated and integrates signals from the microbiome to the immune cells is poorly understood.

    This exciting opportunity aims to unravel the intricate interactions between immune cells and epithelial tissues, with a focus on understanding their roles in maintaining barrier integrity and immune homeostasis in mucosal environments such as the gut, lungs, and skin. This project will investigate how epithelial cells communicate with innate and adaptive immune cells to modulate responses to microbial, dietary, and environmental stimuli.

    Utilizing cutting-edge approaches including advanced imaging, organoid co-culture systems, multiomics, and animal models, the candidate will uncover molecular mechanisms that underpin immune-epithelial cross-talk. The findings will unravel new knowledge that sets the foundation for the development of new strategies for diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and other epithelial barrier disorders.

    The Belz Laboratory

    The successful candidate will join a dynamic and interdisciplinary research team in a supportive academic environment. Our team is composed of highly collaborative passionate post-doctoral scientists, research assistants and PhD students with diverse backgrounds. We have expertise in state-of the art imaging, multi-dimensional flow cytometry and mucosal immunology. We provide a unique, collaborative environment and opportunity to develop diverse skill-sets and make impactful discoveries.

    Frazer Institute at the University of Queensland

    The Frazer Institute at the University of Queensland offers a dynamic and collaborative research environment dedicated to advancing biomedical innovation. Situated in Brisbane, a vibrant and rapidly growing hub for science and technology, the Institute provides access to world-class facilities and resources in a stunning subtropical setting.

    As a leading research centre, the Frazer Institute fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts in immunology, molecular biology, and translational medicine. Its strategic partnerships with hospitals, biotech industries, and global research networks enable researchers to translate discoveries into real-world applications.

    The Institute is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, including single-cell genomics, high-resolution imaging, organoid platforms, and advanced proteomics. These cutting-edge tools empower researchers to explore complex biological questions with unprecedented precision.

    With its emphasis on mentorship, innovation, and impact-driven research, the Frazer Institute offers exceptional opportunities for scientists aiming to contribute to transformative discoveries in health and medicine.

    The Frazer Institute is committed to diversity and equal opportunity and the development of emerging researchers at the highest level.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

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