
Overview
Background
Maher Gandhi received his medical degree in the UK in 1989, and then trained as a haematologist, including a Fellowship in malignant haematology at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto. He was awarded a PhD in immunology at Cambridge University under Patrick Sissons. He moved to Brisbane and from 2003-2024 worked as a Senior Staff Specialist (Pre-Eminent Status) in the Haematology / Oncology Department of the Princess Alexandra Hospital. He leads his own laboratory group and has established an international reputation studying the tumour immune microenvironment in lymphoma and its manipulation, with continuous NHMRC/MRFF funding since 2005. He was Chair of Laboratory Sciences for the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group between 2010-2016, won the prestigious Australian Society of Medical Research Clinical Research Award in 2010 and in 2012 took up the inaugural John McCaffrey Cancer Council of Queensland / Office of Health and Medical Research Clinical Research Fellowship. Between 2011-2014 he was privileged to serve as Chair of the Metro South Human Research Ethics Committee. In 2013 he was appointed Professor of Experimental Haematology, University of Queensland, based at the Translational Research Institute, in 2014 became the inaugural Leukaemia Foundation Chair of Blood Cancer Research at the University of Queensland Frazer Institute, and was appointed Cancer Program Head in 2016. In 2018 he became Executive Director and Director of Clinical Research at Mater Research. He also continues to head the Blood Cancer Research Group, which is based in Mater Research. In 2025 to current, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Translational Research Institute and its manufacturing branch TM@TRI, to serve Queenslanders by transforming health through collaborative research.
Availability
- Professor Maher Gandhi is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine Surgery, University of Aberdeen
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge
Research interests
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Lymphoma
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Immunotherapy
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Biomarkers
Research impacts
The research of the Blood Cancer Research Laboratory aims to understand the basis of lymphoma; to devise new treatments which are less toxic and more effective; to establish new biomarkers which will help determine the most effective treatment strategies and to monitor response and relapse and understand the development of lymphomas. The group has a strong emphasis on patient material, which it obtains from international and national clinical collaborators. Lymphomas studied includeEBV-associated lymphomas, Hodgkin Lymphoma, PTLD, Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma and amyloidosis. We utilise a broad range of approaches including genomics, transcriptomics and functional immunoassays, and are conducting a number of MRFF funded cellular therapy studies sponsored by the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group.
The Mater Foundation, the Leukaemia Foundation, the Mark Coghlan EBV Lymphoma Project and the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Kirsten Jack Memorial Fund are thanked for their kind support.
Works
Search Professor Maher Gandhi’s works on UQ eSpace
2018
Journal Article
A high LDH to absolute lymphocyte count ratio in patients with DLBCL predicts for a poor intratumoral immune response and inferior survival
Keane, Colm, Tobin, Joshua, Talaulikar, Dipti, Green, Michael, Crooks, Pauline, Jain, Sanjiv and Gandhi, Maher (2018). A high LDH to absolute lymphocyte count ratio in patients with DLBCL predicts for a poor intratumoral immune response and inferior survival. OncoTarget, 9 (34), 23620-23627. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.25306
2018
Journal Article
Immune evasion via PD-1/PD-L1 on NK-cells and monocyte/macrophages is more prominent in Hodgkin lymphoma than DLBCL
Vari, Frank, Arpon, David, Keane, Colm, Hertzberg, Mark S, Talaulikar, Dipti, Jain, Sanjiv, Cui, Qingyan, Han, Erica, Tobin, Josh, Bird, Robert, Cross, Donna, Hernandez, Annette, Gould, Clare, Birch, Simone and Gandhi, Maher K (2018). Immune evasion via PD-1/PD-L1 on NK-cells and monocyte/macrophages is more prominent in Hodgkin lymphoma than DLBCL. Blood, 131 (16), 1809-1819. doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-07-796342
2018
Conference Publication
Outcomes of Stages I and II Follicular Lymphoma in the Era of 18F-FDG PET-CT Staging: An International Collaborative Study from the Australian Lymphoma Alliance
Tobin, Joshua W. D., Rule, Gabrielle, Colvin, Katherine, Calvente, Lourdes, Hodgson, David C., Dunduru, Chengetai, Bell, Stephen, Gallo, James, Tsang, Erica, Tan, Xuan, Pearce, Jessica, Wong, Jonathan, Campbell, Robert, Tneh, Shao Yang, Shorten, Sophie, Ng, Melissa Liet Hing, Darch, Jacob, Cochrane, Tara, Tam, Constantine S., Abro, Emad Uddin, Hawkes, Eliza, Hodges, Georgina, Talaulikar, Dipti, Gilbertson, Michael P., Johnson, Anna, Kansara, Roopesh R., Villa, Diego, Savage, Kerry J., Morris, Kirk Lachlan ... Hapgood, Greg (2018). Outcomes of Stages I and II Follicular Lymphoma in the Era of 18F-FDG PET-CT Staging: An International Collaborative Study from the Australian Lymphoma Alliance. 60th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), San Diego, CA United States, 1-4 December 2018. Washington, DC United States: American Society of Hematology. doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-99-114097
2018
Journal Article
B cell lymphoma progression promotes the accumulation of circulating Ly6Clo monocytes with immunosuppressive activity
McKee, Sara J., Tuong, Zewen K., Kobayashi, Takumi, Doff, Brianna L., Soon, Megan S. F ., Nissen, Michael, Lam, Pui Yeng, Keane, Colm, Vari, Frank, Moi, Davide, Mazzieri, Roberta, Leggatt, Graham, Gandhi, Maher K. and Mattarollo, Stephen R. (2018). B cell lymphoma progression promotes the accumulation of circulating Ly6Clo monocytes with immunosuppressive activity. OncoImmunology, 7 (2) e1393599, e1393599. doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2017.1393599
2018
Conference Publication
The Tumor Microenvironment of Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma Is a Unique Immunobiological Entity Distinct from Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
Gunawardana, Jay, Bednarska, Karolina, Law, Soi C., Lee, Justina, Sabdia, Muhammed Bilal, Tobin, Joshua W. D., Birch, Simone, Keane, Colm and Gandhi, Maher K. (2018). The Tumor Microenvironment of Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma Is a Unique Immunobiological Entity Distinct from Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. 60th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), San Diego CA, United States, 1-4 December 2018. Washington, DC United States: American Society of Hematology. doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-99-115836
2018
Conference Publication
Elevated LAG-3 111,xpression in the Tumor Microenvironement of Patients with DLBCL Is Associated with a Non-GCB Phenotype and Poor Prognosis
Keane, Colm, Law, Soi C., Gould, Clare, Francis, Santiyagu, Abro, Emad Uddin, Tobin, Joshua W. D., Birch, Simone, Gifford, Grace, Gabreilli, Sara, Stevenson, William S., Talaulikar, Dipti, Gill, Anthony, Jain, Sanjiv, Cross, Donna, Hernadez, Annette, Halliday, Sarah-Jane, Bird, Robert, Hertzberg, Mark and Gandhi, Maher K. (2018). Elevated LAG-3 111,xpression in the Tumor Microenvironement of Patients with DLBCL Is Associated with a Non-GCB Phenotype and Poor Prognosis. 60th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), San Diego, CA, United States, 1-4 December 2018. Washington, DC, Untied States: American Society of Hematology. doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-99-112830
2018
Conference Publication
The Tumour Microenvironment as an Independent Prognostic Biomarker in Follicular Lymphoma
Tobin, J., Keane, C., Mollee, P., Birch, S., Gould, C., Gunawardana, J., Hoang, T., Savarimuthu, S., Ma, T., Li, L., Murigneux, V. , Fink, L., Matigian, N. and Gandhi, M. K. (2018). The Tumour Microenvironment as an Independent Prognostic Biomarker in Follicular Lymphoma. RACP Congress 2018, Disruption for Healthy Futures, Sydney, NSW Australia, 14–16 May 2018. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley. doi: 10.1111/imj.2_13826
2017
Conference Publication
The tumor microenvironment is independently prognostic of conventional and clinicogenetic risk models in follicular lymphoma
Tobin, Joshua W. D., Keane, Colm, Mollee, Peter, Birch, Simone, Gould, Clare, Gunawardana, Jay, Hoang, Thanh, Ma, Ti, Abro, Emad Uddin, Shanavas, Mohamed, Yoo, Hyung, Li, Li, Scuffham, Paul, Murigneux, Valentine, Fink, Lynn, Matigian, Nicholas, Vari, Frank, Francis, Santiyagu and Gandhi, Maher K. (2017). The tumor microenvironment is independently prognostic of conventional and clinicogenetic risk models in follicular lymphoma. 59th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), Atlanta, GA United States, 9-12 December 2017. Washington, DC United States: American Society of Hematology. doi: 10.1182/blood.V130.Suppl_1.728.728
2017
Journal Article
The T-cell receptor repertoire influences the tumor microenvironment and is associated with survival in aggressive B-cell lymphoma
Keane, Colm, Gould, Clare, Jones, Kimberley, Hamm, David, Talaulikar, Dipti, Ellis, Jonathan, Vari, Frank, Birch, Simone, Han, Erica, Wood, Peter, Le-Cao, Kim-Anh, Green, Michael R., Crooks, Pauline, Jain, Sanjiv, Tobin, Josh, Steptoe, Raymond J. and Gandhi, Maher K. (2017). The T-cell receptor repertoire influences the tumor microenvironment and is associated with survival in aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Clinical Cancer Research, 23 (7), 1820-1828. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-16-1576
2017
Journal Article
Early treatment intensification with R-ICE and 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin)-BEAM stem cell transplantation in patients with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients and positive interim PET after 4 cycles of R-CHOP-14
Hertzberg, Mark, Gandhi, Maher K. , Trotman, Judith, Butcher, Belinda, Taper, John, Johnston, Amanda, Gill, Devinder, Ho, Shir-Jing, Cull, Gavin, Fay, Ketih, Chong, Geoff, Grigg, Andrew, Lewis, Ian D. , Milliken, Sam, Renwick, William, Hahn, Uwe, Filshie, Robin, Kannourakis, George, Watson, Anne-Marie, Warburton, Pauline, Wirth, Andrew, Seymour, John F. , Hofman, Michael S. and Hicks, Rodney J. (2017). Early treatment intensification with R-ICE and 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin)-BEAM stem cell transplantation in patients with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients and positive interim PET after 4 cycles of R-CHOP-14. Haematologica, 102 (2), 356-363. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2016.154039
2017
Conference Publication
The T-Cell Receptor Repertoire Predicts Interim-PET in Patients with DLBCL Treated with R-CHOP: An Observational Study from a Prospective Clinical Trial
Shanavas, Mohamed, Hertzberg, Mark, Hicks, Rodney J., Seymour, John F., Tobin, Joshua W. D., Mathews, Marina, Francis, Santiyagu, Vari, Frank, Gandhi, Maher K. and Keane, Colm (2017). The T-Cell Receptor Repertoire Predicts Interim-PET in Patients with DLBCL Treated with R-CHOP: An Observational Study from a Prospective Clinical Trial. 59th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), Atlanta, GA United States, 9-12 December 2017. Washington, DC United States: American Society of Hematology.
2017
Conference Publication
The impact of EBV upon the tumor microenvironment and mutational profile of primary CNS lymphoma in PTLD
Gandhi, Maher K., Keane, Colm, Tobin, Joshua W. D., Talaulikar, Dipti, Jain, Sanjiv, Vari, Frank, Kruze, Lutz, Murigneux, Valentine, Fink, Lynn, Gunawardana, Jithendra, Gould, Clare, Oey, Harold, Fink, Susanne, Trappe, Ralf Ulrich, Mathews, Marina, Francis, Santiyagu and Hoang, Thanh (2017). The impact of EBV upon the tumor microenvironment and mutational profile of primary CNS lymphoma in PTLD. 59th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), Atlanta, GA, United States, 9-12 December 2017. Washington, DC, United States: American Society of Hematology.
2017
Conference Publication
Prognostic role of antitumor immunity within tumor microenvironment in follicular lymphoma
Yoo, H., Tobin, J., Palmatier, L., Gandhi, M. and Li, L. (2017). Prognostic role of antitumor immunity within tumor microenvironment in follicular lymphoma. Southern Regional Meeting of the American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR), New Orleans, LA, United States, 11-13 February 2017. London, United Kingdom: BMJ Group. doi: 10.1136/jim-2016-000393.429
2016
Journal Article
Dielectrophoretic microfluidic chip enables single-cell measurements for multidrug resistance in heterogeneous acute myeloid leukemia patient samples
Khamenehfar, Avid, Gandhi, Maher K., Chen, Yuchun, Hogge, Donna E. and Li, Paul C. H. (2016). Dielectrophoretic microfluidic chip enables single-cell measurements for multidrug resistance in heterogeneous acute myeloid leukemia patient samples. Analytical Chemistry, 88 (11), 5680-5688. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b04446
2016
Journal Article
Recent treatment advances in Hodgkin Lymphoma: a concise review
Arulogun, Suzanne, Hertzberg, Mark and Gandhi, Maher K. (2016). Recent treatment advances in Hodgkin Lymphoma: a concise review. Internal Medicine Journal, 46 (12), 1364-1369. doi: 10.1111/imj.13051
2016
Journal Article
The impact of HLA class I and EBV latency-II antigen-specific CD8+ T cells on the pathogenesis of EBV+ Hodgkin lymphoma
Jones, K., Wockner, L., Brennan, R. M., Keane, C., Chattopadhyay, P. K., Roederer, M., Price, D. A., Cole, D. K., Hassan, B., Beck, K., Gottlieb, D., Ritchie, D. S., Seymour, J. F., Vari, F., Crooks, P., Burrows, S. R. and Gandhi, M. K. (2016). The impact of HLA class I and EBV latency-II antigen-specific CD8+ T cells on the pathogenesis of EBV+ Hodgkin lymphoma. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 183 (2), 206-220. doi: 10.1111/cei.12716
2016
Conference Publication
Low-dose doxorubicin reduces an immunosuppressive Ly6C(lo) monocyte population to improve efficacy of anti-41BB monoclonal antibody against B cell lymphoma
Mckee, S. J., Doff, B. L., Gandhi, M. K. and Mattarollo, S. R. (2016). Low-dose doxorubicin reduces an immunosuppressive Ly6C(lo) monocyte population to improve efficacy of anti-41BB monoclonal antibody against B cell lymphoma. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, Australia, Aug 21-26, 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley - V C H Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. doi: 10.1002/eji.201670200
2016
Conference Publication
The IRE1/XBP1) pathway is a critical regulatory hub for human NK-cell mediated lysis and motility that modulates the actin-binding protein XIRP1
Gandhi, M. K., Mujaj, S., Vari, F., Cui, Q., Nourse, J. P., Han, E. and Cristino, A. (2016). The IRE1/XBP1) pathway is a critical regulatory hub for human NK-cell mediated lysis and motility that modulates the actin-binding protein XIRP1. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2016
Journal Article
Whole blood EBV-DNA: a surrogate for immune dysfunction in aggressive lymphoma?
Cui, Qingyan and Gandhi, Maher K. (2016). Whole blood EBV-DNA: a surrogate for immune dysfunction in aggressive lymphoma?. Leukemia and Lymphoma, 57 (3), 507-508. doi: 10.3109/10428194.2015.1087522
2016
Conference Publication
A Novel Anti-Lymphoma Immune Evasion Mediated By the Interaction Between PD-1 Enriched NK-Cells and CD163+PD-L1+PD-L2+Tumor Associated Macrophages, That Is More Prominent in Hodgkin Lymphoma Than Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Gandhi, Maher K., Arpon, David, Keane, Colm, Han, Erica, Tobin, Josh, Bird, Robert, Hertzberg, Mark S., Self, Marlene, Cross, Donna, Hernandez, Annette and Vari, Frank (2016). A Novel Anti-Lymphoma Immune Evasion Mediated By the Interaction Between PD-1 Enriched NK-Cells and CD163+PD-L1+PD-L2+Tumor Associated Macrophages, That Is More Prominent in Hodgkin Lymphoma Than Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. 58th Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American-Society-of-Hematology, San Diego CA, United States, 3-6 December 2016. Washington, DC United States: American Society of Hematology.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Maher Gandhi is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Personalised therapy for lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Kristen Radford
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Doctor Philosophy
Metabolic Reprogramming of Malignant B-cells Impairs Immune-Fitness of Intratumoral T-Cells in Follicular Lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Joshua Tobin, Dr Soi Law
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Doctor Philosophy
Personalised therapy for lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Kristen Radford
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Doctor Philosophy
Impact of genetics upon the tumour microenvironment in Follicular Lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Joshua Tobin, Dr Soi Law, Associate Professor Colm Keane
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Doctor Philosophy
Impact of genetics upon the tumour microenvironment in Follicular Lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Joshua Tobin, Dr Soi Law, Associate Professor Colm Keane
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigations in the development of cord blood derived, GMP grade cellular immunotherapies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Kristen Radford
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Master Philosophy
Developing Companion Biomarkers Application in Follicular Lymphoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Adam Ewing, Dr Joshua Tobin
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of novel vaccines for cancer immunotherapy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kelvin Tuong, Honorary Professor Kristen Radford
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Doctor Philosophy
Utilising alternative cytokine receptor signalling for enhanced cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Soi Law, Dr Joshua Tobin
Completed supervision
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
A Comprehensive Study of Intratumoural T-cells in Follicular Lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Soi Law, Associate Professor Colm Keane
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Clinical and Prognostic Tools to Improve Frontline Management Strategies in Follicular Lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Colm Keane
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
The impact of deficient antigen presentation on the tumour microenvironment of diffuse large B cell lymphoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Colm Keane
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
A LABORATORY STUDY OF PRIMARY CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM LYMPHOMA
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Colm Keane
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2016
Master Philosophy
Killer cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors in Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
Principal Advisor
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Novel strategies for monitoring, treating and preventing Epstein Barr virus-associated Lymphomas
Principal Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising miRNA - gene network associated with natural killer cell activation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Soi Law
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Deciphering the structure and function of class I cytokine receptors: GHR and GP130
Associate Advisor
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
IRE1-mediated splicing of xbp1 in Natural Killer cells
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Maher Gandhi directly for media enquiries about:
- Biomarkers
- Immunotherapy
- Lymphoma
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