Honorary Professor John Upham
Honorary Professor

John Upham

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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

Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Cardiovascular medicine and haematology Clinical sciences Immunology Respiratory diseases

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.

Search Professor John Upham’s works on UQ eSpace

376 works between 1983 and 2025
All (376) Journal Article (229) Book Chapter (5) Conference Publication (142)

361 - 376 of 376 works

1998

Conference Publication

Induction of eosinophilic differentiation involves selective up-regulation of beta-7 integrin

Lundahl, J., Sehmi, R., Hayes, L., Upham, J., Howie, K. and Denburg, J. A. (1998). Induction of eosinophilic differentiation involves selective up-regulation of beta-7 integrin. Unknown, Unknown, Unknown. ST LOUIS: MOSBY-YEAR BOOK INC.

Induction of eosinophilic differentiation involves selective up-regulation of beta-7 integrin

1997

Journal Article

Selective inhibition of T cell proliferation but not expression of effector function by human alveolar macrophages

Upham, J. W., Strickland, D. H., Robinson, B. W. S. and Holt, P. G. (1997). Selective inhibition of T cell proliferation but not expression of effector function by human alveolar macrophages. Thorax, 52 (9), 786-795. doi: 10.1136/thx.52.9.786

Selective inhibition of T cell proliferation but not expression of effector function by human alveolar macrophages

1997

Conference Publication

T-cell proliferative responses to mite allergens are detectable in most individuals regardless of atopic status and age

Upham, J. W. (1997). T-cell proliferative responses to mite allergens are detectable in most individuals regardless of atopic status and age. 36th Annual Meeting of Japan Society of Chest Diseases, Utsunomiya City, Japan, April 1996. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.1997.tb00069.x

T-cell proliferative responses to mite allergens are detectable in most individuals regardless of atopic status and age

1996

Conference Publication

Role of dendritic cells, macrophages, and gamma delta T cells in antigen processing and presentation in the respiratory mucosa

Holt, P. G., Nelson, D. J., McWilliam, A. S., Cooper, D., Strickland, D. and Upham, J. W. (1996). Role of dendritic cells, macrophages, and gamma delta T cells in antigen processing and presentation in the respiratory mucosa. 8th International Congress of Mucosal Immunology, San Diego CA, United States, 4 June 1995. SAN DIEGO: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/B978-012394330-9/50006-5

Role of dendritic cells, macrophages, and gamma delta T cells in antigen processing and presentation in the respiratory mucosa

1995

Journal Article

Malignant mesothelioma: new insights into tumour biology and immunology as a basis for new treatment approaches

Upham, J. W., Garlepp, M. J., Musk, A. W. and Robinson, B. W. S. (1995). Malignant mesothelioma: new insights into tumour biology and immunology as a basis for new treatment approaches. Thorax, 50 (8), 887-893. doi: 10.1136/thx.50.8.887

Malignant mesothelioma: new insights into tumour biology and immunology as a basis for new treatment approaches

1995

Journal Article

Inhalant allergen-specific T-cell reactivity is detectable in close to 100% of atopic and normal individuals: covert responses are unmasked by serum-free medium

Upham, J.W., Holt, B.J., Baron-Hay, M.J., Yabuhara, A., Hales, B.J., Thomas, W.R., Loh, R.K., O'Keeffe, P.T., Palmer, L. and Le Souef, P.N. (1995). Inhalant allergen-specific T-cell reactivity is detectable in close to 100% of atopic and normal individuals: covert responses are unmasked by serum-free medium. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 25 (7), 634-42.

Inhalant allergen-specific T-cell reactivity is detectable in close to 100% of atopic and normal individuals: covert responses are unmasked by serum-free medium

1995

Journal Article

Inhalant allergen-specific T-cell reactivity is detectable in close to 100% of atopic and normal individuals: Covert responses are unmasked by serum-free medium

Upham, J. W., Holt, B. J., Baron-Hay, M. J., Yabuhara, A., Hales, B. J., Thomas, W. R., Loh, R. K. S., O'Keeffe, P. T., Palmer, L., Le Souef, P. N., Sly, P. D., Burton, P. R., Robinson, B. W. S. and Holt, P. G. (1995). Inhalant allergen-specific T-cell reactivity is detectable in close to 100% of atopic and normal individuals: Covert responses are unmasked by serum-free medium. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 25 (7), 634-642. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1995.tb01111.x

Inhalant allergen-specific T-cell reactivity is detectable in close to 100% of atopic and normal individuals: Covert responses are unmasked by serum-free medium

1995

Journal Article

T-cell 'priming' against environmental allergens in human neonates: Sequential deletion of food antigen reactivity during infancy with concomitant expansion of responses to ubiquitous inhalant allergens

Holt, P. G., O'Keefe, P., Holt, B. J., Upham, J. W., Baron-Hay, M. J., Suphioglu, C., Knox, B., Stewart, G. A., Thomas, W. R. and Sly, P. D. (1995). T-cell 'priming' against environmental allergens in human neonates: Sequential deletion of food antigen reactivity during infancy with concomitant expansion of responses to ubiquitous inhalant allergens. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 6 (2), 85-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.1995.tb00264.x

T-cell 'priming' against environmental allergens in human neonates: Sequential deletion of food antigen reactivity during infancy with concomitant expansion of responses to ubiquitous inhalant allergens

1995

Journal Article

Alveolar macrophages from humans and rodents selectively inhibit T-cell proliferation but permit T-cell activation and cytokine secretion

Upham, J. W., Strickland, D. H., Bilyk, N., Robinson, B. W. S. and Holt, P. G. (1995). Alveolar macrophages from humans and rodents selectively inhibit T-cell proliferation but permit T-cell activation and cytokine secretion. Immunology, 84 (1), 142-147.

Alveolar macrophages from humans and rodents selectively inhibit T-cell proliferation but permit T-cell activation and cytokine secretion

1994

Journal Article

Functional analysis of human bronchial mucosal T cells extracted with interleukin-2

Upham, J. W., McMenamin, C., Schon-Hegrad, M. A., Robinson, B. W. S. and Holt, P. G. (1994). Functional analysis of human bronchial mucosal T cells extracted with interleukin-2. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 149 (6), 1608-1613. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.149.6.7911708

Functional analysis of human bronchial mucosal T cells extracted with interleukin-2

1993

Journal Article

Interferon alpha and doxorubicin in malignant mesothelioma: a phase II study

Upham, J. W., Musk, A. W., van Hazel, G., Byrne, M. and Robinson, B. W. S. (1993). Interferon alpha and doxorubicin in malignant mesothelioma: a phase II study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine, 23 (6), 683-687. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1993.tb04727.x

Interferon alpha and doxorubicin in malignant mesothelioma: a phase II study

1993

Conference Publication

The scientific basis for the immunotherapy of human malignant mesothelioma

Robinson, B. W. S., Manning, L. S., Bowman, R. V., Christmas, T. I., Musk, A. W., Davis, M. R., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, H., Upham, J. and Garlepp, M. J. (1993). The scientific basis for the immunotherapy of human malignant mesothelioma. International Conference on Mesothelial Cell and Mesothelioma: Past, Present and Future, Paris, France, 20 September - 2 October 1991. European Respiratory Society: Lausanne, Switzerland.

The scientific basis for the immunotherapy of human malignant mesothelioma

1992

Journal Article

Utility of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag) as a tumour marker in pulmonary malignancy

Upham, J. and Campbell, B. (1992). Utility of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag) as a tumour marker in pulmonary malignancy. Respiratory Medicine, 86 (3), 201-203. doi: 10.1016/S0954-6111(06)80055-7

Utility of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag) as a tumour marker in pulmonary malignancy

1992

Journal Article

Investigation of pleural effusion: the role of bronchoscopy

Upham, J. W., Mitchell, C. A., Armstrong, J. G. and Kelly, W. T. (1992). Investigation of pleural effusion: the role of bronchoscopy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine, 22 (1), 41-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1992.tb01707.x

Investigation of pleural effusion: the role of bronchoscopy

1992

Journal Article

Investigation of pleural effusion: the role of bronchoscopy

Upham, J W, Mitchell, C A, Armstrong, J G and Kelly, W T (1992). Investigation of pleural effusion: the role of bronchoscopy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine, 22 (1), 41-3. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1992.tb01707.x

Investigation of pleural effusion: the role of bronchoscopy

1983

Journal Article

Dystonic reaction to metoclopramide

Upham, J. W. (1983). Dystonic reaction to metoclopramide. Medical Journal of Australia, 1 (1), 12-12. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1983.tb136014.x

Dystonic reaction to metoclopramide

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

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

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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