
Overview
Background
John Upham is a clinical scientist and physician with longstanding research interests in the immunological basis of asthma and chronic lung disease, the role of dendritic cells in allergy and virus infections of the lung, and the development of novel approaches to severe asthma treatment.
John is highly influential in his field, with > 195 publications, > 5,400 citations and an H index of 46. Since 2009, he has 112 publications (1st/senior author on 45%) with a Field-Weighted Citation Impact of 2.03. Moreover, 21.5% of publications are in the top 10% of most-cited publications worldwide (field-weighted). His publications have been cited in >20 different subject areas, demonstrating translation to fields other than Medicine. His research has international reach with citations in 80 countries (Scopus Dec 2018).
In the last 10 years, he has secured over $24 million in research funding. John has been awarded 8 NHMRC Project grants (4 as CIA in the last 5 years), 2 NHMRC CRE (“Closing the gap in Indigenous Lung Health” and “Severe Asthma”), and 1 NHMRC Development Grant. He currently holds NHMRC grants of $7.5 million, including $2.96 million as CIA. John was regularly an invited (9x), plenary (3x) and Chair (9x) at national and international conferences in the last 5 years. In recognition of his international standing and influence in the field, he was elected Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (2004) and the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (2015).
Availability
- Honorary Professor John Upham is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Australia
Research interests
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Immune function and susceptibility to virus infections in asthma and COPD
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Plasmacytoid dendritic cells
Type I interferon production Immune regulation
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Severe asthma: towards evidence-based assessment and management
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Innate immunity and bacterial infections of the lungs
Bronchiectasis and chronic suppurative lung disease in children Lung health in Indigenous children
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Allergy and immune tolerance
Research impacts
John is currently the President (2021-22) of the Thoracic Society of Australia and Zealand and is a key member of the NHMRC funded Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) in Asthma Treatable Traits. He has played a leadership role in organising and co-chairing three recent national symposia on severe asthma to facilitate research collaboration, build research and clinical capacity, and improve models of care for severe asthma. He has been a member of multiple advisory boards to pharmaceutical companies, both international and national (AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis, Nycomed, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Mundipharma, Menarini), and has provided advice to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. His research has provided new treatment options for severe asthma, and guided the appropriate length of antibiotic treatment for Indigenous children with pneumonia, protracted bacterial bronchitis and bronchiectasis. John's research will inform best use of influenza vaccination in COPD, and guide the use of conjugate vaccines to improve immunity to Haemophilus in Indigenous children. He contributed to Clinical Practice Guidelines for the use of omalizumab and mepolizumab in Australia and he was part of the working group that prepared a web-based Severe Asthma Toolkit for the Severe Asthma CRE.
Works
Search Professor John Upham’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Early Treatment Response to Mepolizumab Predicts Clinical Remission in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma
Hamada, Yuto, Gibson, Peter G., Harvey, Erin S., Stevens, Sean, Lewthwaite, Hayley, Fricker, Michael, McDonald, Vanessa M., Gillman, Andrew, Hew, Mark, Kritikos, Vicky, Upham, John W. and Thomas, Dennis (2025). Early Treatment Response to Mepolizumab Predicts Clinical Remission in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 13 (2), 333-342.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.10.041
2025
Journal Article
Distinct trajectories of treatment response to mepolizumab toward remission in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma
Hamada, Yuto, Thomas, Dennis, Harvey, Erin S., Stevens, Sean, Fricker, Michael, Lewthwaite, Hayley, McDonald, Vanessa M., Gillman, Andrew, Hew, Mark, Kritikos, Vicky, Upham, John W. and Gibson, Peter G. (2025). Distinct trajectories of treatment response to mepolizumab toward remission in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. The European respiratory journal, 65 (1) 2400782, 2400782. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00782-2024
2025
Journal Article
Experiences of Oral Corticosteroid Use and Adverse Effects: A National Cross-Sectional Survey of People with Asthma
Jones, Arwel W., Mcdonald, Vanessa M., Mcloughlin, Rebecca F., Vella, Teresa M., Flynn, Anthony W., Blakey, John, Wolfenden, Luke, Hew, Mark, Upham, John W., Thomas, Dennis, Bardin, Philip and Holland, Anne E. (2025). Experiences of Oral Corticosteroid Use and Adverse Effects: A National Cross-Sectional Survey of People with Asthma. Patient Preference and Adherence, 19, 75-85. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S487743
2024
Journal Article
Exploring Definitions and Predictors of Severe Asthma Clinical Remission after Biologic Treatment in Adults
Perez-De-Llano, Luis, Scelo, Ghislaine, Tran, Trung N., Le, Tham T., Fagerås, Malin, Cosio, Borja G., Peters, Matthew, Pfeffer, Paul E., Al-Ahmad, Mona, Al-Lehebi, Riyad O., Altraja, Alan, Bergeron, Celine, Bjermer, Leif H., Bjerrum, Anne S., Bulathsinhala, Lakmini, Busby, John, Cano Rosales, Diana J., Canonica, Giorgio W., Carter, Victoria A., Charriot, Jeremy, Christoff, George C., Denton, Eve J., Dorscheid, Delbert R., Fernandez Sanchez, Maria J., Fonseca, João A., Gibson, Peter G., Goh, Celine Y.Y., Heaney, Liam G., Heffler, Enrico ... Price, David B. (2024). Exploring Definitions and Predictors of Severe Asthma Clinical Remission after Biologic Treatment in Adults. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 210 (7), 869-880. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202311-2192OC
2024
Conference Publication
24-month outcomes of extended vs standard-course antibiotic therapy in children hospitalised with pneumonia in high-risk settings: a multi-centre RCT
Kok, Hing Cheong, Mccallum, Gabrielle, Yerkovich, Stephanie, Grimwood, Keith, Fong, Siew Moy, Nathan, Anna, Byrnes, Catherine, Ware, Robert, Nachiappan, Nachal, Saari, Noorazlina, Morris, Peter, Yeo, Tsin Wen, Oguoma, Victor, Masters, I. Brent, De Bruyne, Jessie, Eg, Kah Peng, Lee, Bilawara, Ooi, Mong How, Upham, John, Torzillo, Paul and Chang, Anne (2024). 24-month outcomes of extended vs standard-course antibiotic therapy in children hospitalised with pneumonia in high-risk settings: a multi-centre RCT. ERS International Congress 2024, Vienna, Austria, 7–11 September 2024. Sheffield, United Kingdom: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2024.rct5395
2024
Journal Article
Exploring definitions and predictors of response to biologics for severe asthma
Scelo, Ghislaine, Tran, Trung N., Le, Tham T., Fagerås, Malin, Dorscheid, Delbert, Busby, John, Al-Ahmad, Mona, Al-Lehebi, Riyad, Altraja, Alan, Beastall, Aaron, Bergeron, Celine, Bjermer, Leif, Bjerrum, Anne S., Cano-Rosales, Diana Jimena, Canonica, Giorgio Walter, Carter, Victoria, Charriot, Jeremy, Christoff, George C., Cosio, Borja G., Denton, Eve, Fernandez-Sanchez, Maria Jose, Fonseca, João A., Gibson, Peter G., Goh, Celine, Heaney, Liam G., Heffler, Enrico, Hew, Mark, Iwanaga, Takashi, Katial, Rohit ... Price, David B. (2024). Exploring definitions and predictors of response to biologics for severe asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 12 (9), 2347-2361. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.05.016
2024
Journal Article
Real-world biologics response and super-response in the International Severe Asthma Registry cohort
Denton, Eve, Hew, Mark, Peters, Matthew J., Upham, John W., Bulathsinhala, Lakmini, Tran, Trung N., Martin, Neil, Bergeron, Celine, Al-Ahmad, Mona, Altraja, Alan, Larenas-Linnemann, Desiree, Murray, Ruth, Celis-Preciado, Carlos Andres, Al-Lehebi, Riyad, Belhassen, Manon, Bhutani, Mohit, Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia Z., Bourdin, Arnaud, Brusselle, Guy G., Busby, John, Canonica, Giorgio Walter, Heffler, Enrico, Chapman, Kenneth R., Charriot, Jeremy, Christoff, George C., Chung, Li Ping, Cosio, Borja G., Cote, Andreanne, Costello, Richard W. ... Price, David B. (2024). Real-world biologics response and super-response in the International Severe Asthma Registry cohort. Allergy, 79 (10), 2700-2716. doi: 10.1111/all.16178
2024
Journal Article
Twenty-four month outcomes of extended- versus standard-course antibiotic therapy in children hospitalized with pneumonia in high-risk settings: a randomized controlled trial
Kok, Hing C., McCallum, Gabrielle B., Yerkovich, Stephanie T., Grimwood, Keith, Fong, Siew M., Nathan, Anna M., Byrnes, Catherine A., Ware, Robert S., Nachiappan, Nachal, Saari, Noorazlina, Morris, Peter S., Yeo, Tsin W., Oguoma, Victor M., Masters, I. Brent, de Bruyne, Jessie A., Eg, Kah P., Lee, Bilawara, Ooi, Mong H., Upham, John W., Torzillo, Paul J. and Chang, Anne B. (2024). Twenty-four month outcomes of extended- versus standard-course antibiotic therapy in children hospitalized with pneumonia in high-risk settings: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 43 (9), 872-879. doi: 10.1097/inf.0000000000004407
2024
Journal Article
Azithromycin induced asthma remission in adults with persistent uncontrolled asthma: a secondary analysis of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Thomas, Dennis, McDonald, Vanessa M., Stevens, Sean, Baraket, Melissa, Hodge, Sandra, James, Alan, Jenkins, Christine, Marks, Guy B., Peters, Matthew, Reynolds, Paul, Upham, John W., Yang, Ian A. and Gibson, Peter G. (2024). Azithromycin induced asthma remission in adults with persistent uncontrolled asthma: a secondary analysis of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. CHEST, 166 (2), 262-270. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2024.02.048
2024
Journal Article
Biologics (mepolizumab and omalizumab) induced remission in severe asthma patients
Thomas, Dennis, McDonald, Vanessa M., Stevens, Sean, Harvey, Erin S., Baraket, Melissa, Bardin, Philip, Bowden, Jeffrey J., Bowler, Simon, Chien, Jimmy, Chung, Li Ping, Gillman, Andrew, Hew, Mark, Hodge, Sandra, James, Alan, Jenkins, Christine, Katelaris, Constance H., Katsoulotos, Gregory P., Langton, David, Lee, Joy, Marks, Guy, Peters, Matthew, Radhakrishna, Naghmeh, Reynolds, Paul N., Rimmer, Janet, Sivakumaran, Pathmanathan, Upham, John W., Wark, Peter, Yang, Ian A. and Gibson, Peter G. (2024). Biologics (mepolizumab and omalizumab) induced remission in severe asthma patients. Allergy, 79 (2), 384-392. doi: 10.1111/all.15867
2024
Journal Article
Effects of moderate- versus vigorous-intensity exercise training on asthma outcomes in adults
Valkenborghs, Sarah R., Wood, Lisa G., Callister, Robin, Upham, John W., Grainge, Christopher L., Anderson, Sophie, Williams, Lily M., McLoughlin, Rebecca F., Williams, Evan J. and Scott, Hayley A. (2024). Effects of moderate- versus vigorous-intensity exercise training on asthma outcomes in adults. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 12 (10), 2744-2753. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.06.015
2023
Journal Article
Impact of landscape fire smoke exposure on patients with asthma with or without laryngeal hypersensitivity
Vertigan, Anne E., Harvey, Erin S., Beyene, Tesfalidet, Van Buskirk, Joseph, Holliday, Elizabeth G., Bone, Sarah L., McDonald, Vanessa M., Horvat, Jay C., Murphy, Vanessa E., Jensen, Megan E., Morgan, Geoffrey G., Zosky, Graeme R., Peters, Matthew, Farah, Claude S., Jenkins, Christine R., Katelaris, Constance H., Harrington, John, Langton, David, Bardin, Philip, Katsoulotos, Gregory P., Upham, John W., Chien, Jimmy, Bowden, Jeffrey J., Rimmer, Janet, Bell, Rose and Gibson, Peter G. (2023). Impact of landscape fire smoke exposure on patients with asthma with or without laryngeal hypersensitivity. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 11 (10), 3107-3115.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.06.015
2023
Journal Article
Severe asthma ILC2s demonstrate enhanced proliferation that is modified by biologics
Malik, Bilal, Bartlett, Nathan W., Upham, John W., Nichol, Kristy S., Harrington, John and Wark, Peter A. B. (2023). Severe asthma ILC2s demonstrate enhanced proliferation that is modified by biologics. Respirology, 28 (8), 758-766. doi: 10.1111/resp.14506
2023
Journal Article
Right ventricular functional recovery assessment with stress echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing after pulmonary embolism: a pilot prospective multicentre study
Samaranayake, Chinthaka Bhagya, Upham, John, Tran, Khoa, Howard, Luke S, Nguyen, Sean, Lwin, Myo, Anderson, James, Wahi, Sudhir, Price, Laura C, Wort, Stephen, Li, Wei, McCabe, Colm and Keir, Gregory J (2023). Right ventricular functional recovery assessment with stress echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing after pulmonary embolism: a pilot prospective multicentre study. BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 10 (1) e001637, e001637. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001637
2023
Journal Article
Can Allergen Immunotherapy Improve Antiviral Immunity in Patients with Allergic Asthma?
Upham, John W. (2023). Can Allergen Immunotherapy Improve Antiviral Immunity in Patients with Allergic Asthma?. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 207 (9), 1112-1114. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202302-0234ed
2023
Journal Article
Prime-boost, double-dose influenza vaccine immunity in COPD: a pilot observational study
Anderson, Gary P., Irving, Louis B., Jarnicki, Andrew, Kedzierska, Katherine, Koutsakos, Marios, Kent, Stephen, Hurt, Aeron C., Wheatley, Adam K., Nguyen, Thi H. O., Snape, Natale and Upham, John W. (2023). Prime-boost, double-dose influenza vaccine immunity in COPD: a pilot observational study. ERJ Open Research, 9 (2) 00641-2021, 1-9. doi: 10.1183/23120541.00641-2021
2023
Journal Article
Comorbidities modify the phenotype but not the treatment effectiveness to mepolizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma
Kritikos, Vicky, Harvey, Erin S., Stevens, Sean, Katelaris, Constance H., Langton, David, Rimmer, Janet, Farah, Claude S., Gillman, Andrew, Hew, Mark, Radhakrishna, Naghmeh, Thomas, Dennis, Gibson, Peter G., Baraket, Melissa, Bardin, Philip, Bowden, Jeffrey J., Bowler, Simon, Chien, Jimmy, Chung, Li Ping, Grainge, Christopher, Harkness, Nicholas, Harrington, Zinta, Jenkins, Christine, Katsoulotos, Gregory P., McDonald, Vanessa M., Lee, Joy, Peters, Matthew, Reddel, Helen K., Reynolds, Paul N., Sivakumaran, Pathmanathan ... Wark, Peter A. B. (2023). Comorbidities modify the phenotype but not the treatment effectiveness to mepolizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 11 (3), 885-895.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2022.12.004
2023
Journal Article
Maternal diet modulates the infant microbiome and intestinal Flt3L necessary for dendritic cell development and immunity to respiratory infection
Sikder, Md. Al Amin, Rashid, Ridwan B., Ahmed, Tufael, Sebina, Ismail, Howard, Daniel R., Ullah, Md. Ashik, Rahman, Muhammed Mahfuzur, Lynch, Jason P., Curren, Bodie, Werder, Rhiannon B., Simpson, Jennifer, Bissell, Alec, Morrison, Mark, Walpole, Carina, Radford, Kristen J., Kumar, Vinod, Woodruff, Trent M., Ying, Tan Hui, Ali, Ayesha, Kaiko, Gerard E., Upham, John W., Hoelzle, Robert D., Cuív, Páraic Ó., Holt, Patrick G., Dennis, Paul G. and Phipps, Simon (2023). Maternal diet modulates the infant microbiome and intestinal Flt3L necessary for dendritic cell development and immunity to respiratory infection. Immunity, 56 (5), 1098-1114.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.03.002
2023
Conference Publication
Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with severe asthma in the Asian pacific region: Data from the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR)
Price, David, Rhee, Chin Kook, Tran, Trung N., Katial, Rohit, Martin, Neil, Peters, Matthew, Denton, Eve, Upham, John W., Bardin, Philip, Cochrane, Belinda, Middleton, Peter G., Reynolds, Paul, Perng, Diahn-Warng, Wang, Hao-Chien, Sheu, Chau-Chyun and Tsai, Ming-Ju (2023). Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with severe asthma in the Asian pacific region: Data from the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR). HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2023
Journal Article
Excess visceral adipose tissue is associated with poorer lung function and increased airway inflammation in adults with asthma
Valkenborghs, S.R., Wood, L.G., Callister, R., Upham, J.W., Grainge, C.L., Anderson, S., Williams, L.M., McLoughlin, R.F., Williams, E.J. and Scott, H.A. (2023). Excess visceral adipose tissue is associated with poorer lung function and increased airway inflammation in adults with asthma. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 82 (OCE2) E192. doi: 10.1017/s002966512300201x
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Honorary Professor John Upham is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Immune dysregulation in asthma and host defence against respiratory viruses
Our program of translational research is focussed on the study of immune function and dysfunction in asthma, and host defence against respiratory viruses, especially human rhinoviruses. We are interested in the mechanisms leading to excessive airway inflammation in asthma, and why people with asthma are unusually susceptible to asthma attacks during respiratory viral infections. Our aim is to discover new therapeutic targets in severe asthma.
Research Projects
- The function of key immune cells such as antigen presenting cells and NK cells
- The role of polarizing cytokines such as IL-33, IL-25 and TSLP in altering host defence against viruses.
- How macrolide antibiotics alter immune function
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Transmission dynamics of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis amongst immune suppressed patients exposed to an infectious case
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Antje Blumenthal, Professor Rachel Thomson
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Advancing management of pulmonary thromboembolic disease: from acute pulmonary embolism to pulmonary hypertension
Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Using proteomics to understand and prevent asthma exacerbations with macrolide antibiotics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Yang
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Role of Regulatory T cells in modulating antiviral immune responses to rhinovirus: relevance to asthma
Principal Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
The impact of asthma, toll-like receptors 7 and 8, genetic and clinical determinants on antiviral immune response
Principal Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
The influence of maternal diet on microbiome assembly and severity of viral bronchiolitis in the offspring
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Dennis
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
The role of necroptosis in the development of severe bronchiolitis and subsequent asthma
Associate Advisor
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
The role of the interleukin-6 pathway in asthma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nick Martin
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
A critical contribution of the airway epithelium to the pathogenesis of viral bronchiolitis and asthma
Associate Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
The role of interferon regulatory factor 3 and 7 in virus-induced bronchiolitis and the onset of asthma.
Associate Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the cellular and molecular processes that link RAGE gene-deletion with the development of pneumovirus-induced bronchiolitis and paucigranulocytic asthma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Sly
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
The plasmacytoid dendritic cell: a cell at the cross-roads in asthma
Associate Advisor
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Chronic wet cough in children and further exploration of protracted bacterial bronchitis
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Honorary Professor John Upham directly for media enquiries about:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Dendritic cells
- Immunity
- Lung infections
- Lungs - virus infections
- Virus infections of the lung
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