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Honorary Professor John Upham
Honorary Professor

John Upham

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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

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Australia

Research interests

  • Immune function and susceptibility to virus infections in asthma and COPD

  • Plasmacytoid dendritic cells

    Type I interferon production Immune regulation

  • Severe asthma: towards evidence-based assessment and management

  • Innate immunity and bacterial infections of the lungs

    Bronchiectasis and chronic suppurative lung disease in children Lung health in Indigenous children

  • 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

376 works between 1983 and 2025

1 - 20 of 376 works

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

Early Treatment Response to Mepolizumab Predicts Clinical Remission in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma

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

Distinct trajectories of treatment response to mepolizumab toward remission in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma

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

Experiences of Oral Corticosteroid Use and Adverse Effects: A National Cross-Sectional Survey of People with Asthma

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

Exploring Definitions and Predictors of Severe Asthma Clinical Remission after Biologic Treatment in Adults

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

24-month outcomes of extended vs standard-course antibiotic therapy in children hospitalised with pneumonia in high-risk settings: a multi-centre RCT

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

Exploring definitions and predictors of response to biologics for severe asthma

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

Real-world biologics response and super-response in the International Severe Asthma Registry cohort

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

Twenty-four month outcomes of extended- versus standard-course antibiotic therapy in children hospitalized with pneumonia in high-risk settings: a randomized controlled trial

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

Azithromycin induced asthma remission in adults with persistent uncontrolled asthma: a secondary analysis of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

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

Biologics (mepolizumab and omalizumab) induced remission in severe asthma patients

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

Effects of moderate- versus vigorous-intensity exercise training on asthma outcomes in adults

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

Impact of landscape fire smoke exposure on patients with asthma with or without laryngeal hypersensitivity

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

Severe asthma ILC2s demonstrate enhanced proliferation that is modified by biologics

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

Right ventricular functional recovery assessment with stress echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing after pulmonary embolism: a pilot prospective multicentre study

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

Can Allergen Immunotherapy Improve Antiviral Immunity in Patients with Allergic Asthma?

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

Prime-boost, double-dose influenza vaccine immunity in COPD: a pilot observational study

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

Comorbidities modify the phenotype but not the treatment effectiveness to mepolizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma

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

Maternal diet modulates the infant microbiome and intestinal Flt3L necessary for dendritic cell development and immunity to respiratory infection

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.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with severe asthma in the Asian pacific region: Data from the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR)

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

Excess visceral adipose tissue is associated with poorer lung function and increased airway inflammation in adults with asthma

Funding

Past funding

  • 2020 - 2021
    Reducing acute severe respiratory events in health care workers during the Covid-19 pandemic with OM85
    NHMRC MRFF Coronavirus Research Response
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    The airway epithelium in paediatric respiratory diseases
    UWA-UQ Bilateral Research Collaboration Award
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Honorary Professor John Upham is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • 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

Completed supervision

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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