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Dr Rhys Parry
Dr

Rhys Parry

Email: 

Overview

Background

I am a molecular virologist and postdoctoral research fellow in Prof. Alexander Khromykh's laboratory, specialising in virus evolution, virus bioinformatics, and reverse genetics.

My research journey began with a Bachelor of Science, First Class Honours in Molecular Biology from The University of Queensland (2015). I then pursued my PhD (2016-2021) at UQ's School of Biology under Prof. Sassan Asgari, where I analysed the virome and microbiome of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, focusing on their interactions with Wolbachia pipientis infections.

Since 2021, I have been a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Alexander Khromykh's RNA Virology lab. Here, I contributed to developing the SARS-CoV-2 circular polymerase extension reaction (CPER) reverse-genetics methodology. As a physical containment 3 (PC3) researcher, I examine the virological properties of Flaviviruses and SARS-CoV-2 viruses under stringent PC3 conditions. Recently, with support from Therapeutic Innovation Australia and the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, I have been utilising the Kunjin virus replicon system as a versatile and durable self-replicating RNA platform for vaccine and protein replacement therapy.

Beyond my virology work, I actively provide bioinformatics and phylogenetics support within UQ and internationally. Let's connect if you’re interested in collaborating on differential gene and ncRNA expression analysis, ATAC-sequencing, ancestral state prediction, virus discovery, or microbiome analyses.

I am also on the organising committee of MicroSeq (2023-2024), an Australasian Microbiology conference focused on microbial sequencing promoting PhD students and early career researchers. Additionally, I am an incoming Ex Officio member of the Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM) Queensland branch.

Availability

Dr Rhys Parry is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

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

Research interests

  • Development of self-replicating RNA vaccines and therapeutics.

  • Flavivirus evolution and diversity.

  • Interferon-antagonistic activities of amino acid residues in the West Nile virus capsid protein identified by deep mutational scanning.

Research impacts

As a COVID-19 scientist, I am actively combating misinformation about COVID-19 research through academic channels and providing expert analysis to independent journalism organisations engaged in Fact-Checking. Some examples include COVID-19 vaccine misinformation examined by the Australian Associated Press and Health Feedback, an organisation contracted by Facebook to verify misinformation.

Works

Search Professor Rhys Parry’s works on UQ eSpace

52 works between 2018 and 2025

41 - 52 of 52 works

2020

Journal Article

Transcription profile and genomic variation of Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) in Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

Etebari, Kayvan, Parry, Rhys, Beltran, Marie Joy B. and Furlong, Michael J. (2020). Transcription profile and genomic variation of Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) in Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle. Journal of Virology, 94 (22) e01097-20, 1-18. doi: 10.1128/jvi.01097-20

Transcription profile and genomic variation of Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) in Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

2020

Journal Article

Sequencing of historical isolates, k‐mer mining and high serological cross‐reactivity with Ross River virus argue against the presence of Getah virus in Australia

Rawle, Daniel J., Nguyen, Wilson, Dumenil, Troy, Parry, Rhys, Warrilow, David, Tang, Bing, Le, Thuy T., Slonchak, Andrii, Khromykh, Alexander A., Lutzky, Viviana P., Yan, Kexin and Suhrbier, Andreas (2020). Sequencing of historical isolates, k‐mer mining and high serological cross‐reactivity with Ross River virus argue against the presence of Getah virus in Australia. Pathogens, 9 (10) 848, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/pathogens9100848

Sequencing of historical isolates, k‐mer mining and high serological cross‐reactivity with Ross River virus argue against the presence of Getah virus in Australia

2020

Journal Article

Divergent influenza-like viruses of amphibians and fish support an ancient evolutionary association

Parry, Rhys, Wille, Michelle, Turnbull, Olivia M. H., Geoghegan, Jemma L. and Holmes, Edward C. (2020). Divergent influenza-like viruses of amphibians and fish support an ancient evolutionary association. Viruses, 12 (9) 1042, 1042. doi: 10.3390/v12091042

Divergent influenza-like viruses of amphibians and fish support an ancient evolutionary association

2020

Journal Article

Viral CpG deficiency provides no evidence that dogs were intermediate hosts for SARS-CoV-2

Pollock, David D., Castoe, Todd A., Perry, Blair W., Lytras, Spyros, Wade, Kristen J., Robertson, David L., Holmes, Edward C., Boni, Maciej F., Kosakovsky Pond, Sergei L., Parry, Rhys, Carlton, Elizabeth J., Wood, James L. N., Pennings, Pleuni S. and Goldstein, Richard A. (2020). Viral CpG deficiency provides no evidence that dogs were intermediate hosts for SARS-CoV-2. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 37 (9), 2706-2710. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msaa178

Viral CpG deficiency provides no evidence that dogs were intermediate hosts for SARS-CoV-2

2020

Journal Article

Identification and RNAi profile of a novel iflavirus infecting Senegalese Aedes vexans arabiensis mosquitoes

Parry, Rhys, Naccache, Fanny, Ndiaye, El Hadji, Fall, Gamou, Castelli, Ilaria, Lühken, Renke, Medlock, Jolyon, Cull, Benjamin, Hesson, Jenny C., Montarsi, Fabrizio, Failloux, Anna-Bella, Kohl, Alain, Schnettler, Esther, Diallo, Mawlouth, Asgari, Sassan, Dietrich, Isabelle and Becker, Stefanie C. (2020). Identification and RNAi profile of a novel iflavirus infecting Senegalese Aedes vexans arabiensis mosquitoes. Viruses, 12 (4) 440, 440. doi: 10.3390/v12040440

Identification and RNAi profile of a novel iflavirus infecting Senegalese Aedes vexans arabiensis mosquitoes

2020

Journal Article

Wolbachia endosymbiont of the horn fly Haematobia irritans irritans: a supergroup A strain with multiple horizontally acquired cytoplasmic incompatibility genes

Madhav, Mukund, Parry, Rhys, Morgan, Jess A. T., James, Peter and Asgari, Sassan (2020). Wolbachia endosymbiont of the horn fly Haematobia irritans irritans: a supergroup A strain with multiple horizontally acquired cytoplasmic incompatibility genes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 86 (6) e02589. doi: 10.1128/aem.02589-19

Wolbachia endosymbiont of the horn fly Haematobia irritans irritans: a supergroup A strain with multiple horizontally acquired cytoplasmic incompatibility genes

2019

Journal Article

Effect of Wolbachia wAlbB on a positive-sense RNA negev-like virus: a novel virus persistently infecting Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and cells

Bishop, Cameron, Parry, Rhys and Asgari, Sassan (2019). Effect of Wolbachia wAlbB on a positive-sense RNA negev-like virus: a novel virus persistently infecting Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and cells. Journal of General Virology, 101 (2) 001361, 216-225. doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.001361

Effect of Wolbachia wAlbB on a positive-sense RNA negev-like virus: a novel virus persistently infecting Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and cells

2019

Journal Article

Discovery of novel crustacean and cephalopod flaviviruses: insights into evolution and circulation of flaviviruses between marine invertebrate and vertebrate hosts

Parry, Rhys and Asgari, Sassan (2019). Discovery of novel crustacean and cephalopod flaviviruses: insights into evolution and circulation of flaviviruses between marine invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. Journal of Virology, 93 (14) e00432. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00432-19

Discovery of novel crustacean and cephalopod flaviviruses: insights into evolution and circulation of flaviviruses between marine invertebrate and vertebrate hosts

2019

Journal Article

Density-dependent enhanced replication of a densovirus in Wolbachia-infected Aedes cells is associated with production of piRNAs and higher virus-derived siRNAs

Parry, Rhys, Bishop, Cameron, De Hayr, Lachlan and Asgari, Sassan (2019). Density-dependent enhanced replication of a densovirus in Wolbachia-infected Aedes cells is associated with production of piRNAs and higher virus-derived siRNAs. Virology, 528, 89-100. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.12.006

Density-dependent enhanced replication of a densovirus in Wolbachia-infected Aedes cells is associated with production of piRNAs and higher virus-derived siRNAs

2018

Journal Article

Aedes Anphevirus: an insect-specific virus distributed worldwide in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that has complex interplays with Wolbachia and dengue virus infection in cells

Parry, Rhys and Asgari, Sassan (2018). Aedes Anphevirus: an insect-specific virus distributed worldwide in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that has complex interplays with Wolbachia and dengue virus infection in cells. Journal of Virology, 92 (17) e00224-18, JVI.00224-18. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00224-18

Aedes Anphevirus: an insect-specific virus distributed worldwide in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that has complex interplays with Wolbachia and dengue virus infection in cells

2018

Journal Article

Mapping the virome in wild-caught Aedes aegypti from Cairns and Bangkok

Zakrzewski, Martha, Rašić, Gordana, Darbro, Jonathan, Krause, Lutz, Poo, Yee S., Filipović, Igor, Parry, Rhys, Asgari, Sassan, Devine, Greg and Suhrbier, Andreas (2018). Mapping the virome in wild-caught Aedes aegypti from Cairns and Bangkok. Scientific Reports, 8 (1) 4690, 4690. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22945-y

Mapping the virome in wild-caught Aedes aegypti from Cairns and Bangkok

2018

Journal Article

Upregulation of Aedes aegypti Vago1 by Wolbachia and its effect on dengue virus replication

Asad, Sultan, Parry, Rhys and Asgari, Sassan (2018). Upregulation of Aedes aegypti Vago1 by Wolbachia and its effect on dengue virus replication. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 92, 45-52. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.11.008

Upregulation of Aedes aegypti Vago1 by Wolbachia and its effect on dengue virus replication

Funding

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2028
    Lost in translation: why flaviviruses induce cleavage of tRNAs
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2025
    Broad-spectrum vaccine design for flaviviruses and henipaviruses
    NHMRC MRFF EMCR - Early to Mid-Career Researchers
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Rhys Parry is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Dr Rhys Parry directly for media enquiries about:

  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Virology
  • Virus evolution

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au