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

381 works between 1983 and 2025
All (381) Journal Article (234) Book Chapter (5) Conference Publication (142)

81 - 100 of 381 works

2019

Conference Publication

Baseline predictors of being exacerbation-free during 2 years of benralizumab treatment

Upham, John W., Jackson, David J., Barker, Peter, Newbold, Paul and Cook, William (2019). Baseline predictors of being exacerbation-free during 2 years of benralizumab treatment. European-Respiratory-Society (ERS) International Congress, Madrid, Spain, 28 September - 2 October 2019. Sheffield, United Kingdom: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2019.OA5337

Baseline predictors of being exacerbation-free during 2 years of benralizumab treatment

2019

Journal Article

Influenza epidemiology in patients admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2017: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN)

Cheng, Allen C., Holmes, Mark, Dwyer, Dominic E., Senanayake, Sanjaya, Cooley, Louise, Irving, Louis B., Simpson, Graham, Korman, Tony, Macartney, Kristine, Friedman, N Deborah, Wark, Peter, Howell, Anna, Blyth, Christopher C., Bowler, Simon, Upham, John, Waterer, Grant W., Kotsimbos, Tom and Kelly, Paul M. (2019). Influenza epidemiology in patients admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2017: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN). Communicable Diseases Intelligence, 43. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2019.43.39

Influenza epidemiology in patients admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2017: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN)

2019

Journal Article

Long-term azithromycin reduces Haemophilus influenzae and increases antibiotic resistance in severe asthma

Taylor, Steven L., Leong, Lex E. X., Mobegi, Fredrick M., Choo, Jocelyn M., Wesselingh, Steve, Yang, Ian A., Upham, John W., Reynolds, Paul N., Hodge, Sandra, James, Alan L., Jenkins, Christine, Peters, Matthew J., Baraket, Melissa, Marks, Guy B., Gibson, Peter G., Rogers, Geraint B. and Simpson, Jodie L. (2019). Long-term azithromycin reduces Haemophilus influenzae and increases antibiotic resistance in severe asthma. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 200 (3), 309-317. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201809-1739OC

Long-term azithromycin reduces Haemophilus influenzae and increases antibiotic resistance in severe asthma

2019

Journal Article

Effects of interleukin‐6 receptor blockade on allergen‐induced airway responses in mild asthmatics

Revez, Joana A., Bain, Lisa M., Watson, Rick M., Towers, Michelle, Collins, Tina, Killian, Kieran J., O'Byrne, Paul M., Gauvreau, Gail M., Upham, John W. and Ferreira, Manuel A. R. (2019). Effects of interleukin‐6 receptor blockade on allergen‐induced airway responses in mild asthmatics. Clinical & Translational Immunology, 8 (6) e1044, e1044. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1044

Effects of interleukin‐6 receptor blockade on allergen‐induced airway responses in mild asthmatics

2019

Journal Article

HOspitalised Pneumonia Extended (HOPE) Study to reduce the long-term effects of childhood pneumonia: protocol for a multicentre, double-blind, parallel, superiority randomised controlled trial

Chang, Anne B., Fong, Siew Moy, Yeo, Tsin Wen, Ware, Robert S., McCallum, Gabrielle B., Nathan, Anna M., Ooi, Mong H., de Bruyne, Jessie, Byrnes, Catherine A., Lee, Bilawara, Nachiappan, Nachal, Saari, Noorazlina, Torzillo, Paul, Smith-Vaughan, Heidi, Morris, Peter S., Upham, John W. and Grimwood, Keith (2019). HOspitalised Pneumonia Extended (HOPE) Study to reduce the long-term effects of childhood pneumonia: protocol for a multicentre, double-blind, parallel, superiority randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 9 (4) e026411, e026411. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026411

HOspitalised Pneumonia Extended (HOPE) Study to reduce the long-term effects of childhood pneumonia: protocol for a multicentre, double-blind, parallel, superiority randomised controlled trial

2019

Journal Article

Treatable traits: a new paradigm for 21st century management of chronic airway diseases: Treatable Traits Down Under International Workshop report

McDonald, Vanessa M., Fingleton, James, Agusti, Alvar, Hiles, Sarah A., Clark, Vanessa L., Holland, Anne E., Marks, Guy B., Bardin, Philip P., Beasley, Richard, Pavord, Ian D., Wark, Peter A.B., Gibson, Peter G., Treatable Traits Down Under International Workshop, Agusti, Alvar, Anderson, Gary, Bardin, Philip P., Beasley, Richard, Cheng, Allen, Chung, Li Ping, Clark, Vanessa L., Dabscheck, Eli, Dharmage, Shyamali, Fingleton, James, Gibson, Peter, Hardy, Jo, Hew, Mark, Hiles, Sarah A., Holland, Anne E., James, Alan ... Wark, Peter A.B. (2019). Treatable traits: a new paradigm for 21st century management of chronic airway diseases: Treatable Traits Down Under International Workshop report. European Respiratory Journal, 53 (5) 1802058, 1802058. doi: 10.1183/13993003.02058-2018

Treatable traits: a new paradigm for 21st century management of chronic airway diseases: Treatable Traits Down Under International Workshop report

2019

Journal Article

Contemporary Concise Review 2018: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: asthma and COPD

Upham, John W. (2019). Contemporary Concise Review 2018: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: asthma and COPD. Respirology, 24 (7) resp.13553, 693-699. doi: 10.1111/resp.13553

Contemporary Concise Review 2018: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: asthma and COPD

2019

Journal Article

Multiple respiratory microbiota profiles are associated with lower airway inflammation in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis

Marsh, Robyn L., Smith-Vaughan, Heidi C., Chen, Alice C.H., Marchant, Julie M., Yerkovich, Stephanie T., Gibson, Peter G., Pizzutto, Susan J., Hodge, Sandra, Upham, John W. and Chang, Anne B. (2019). Multiple respiratory microbiota profiles are associated with lower airway inflammation in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis. Chest, 155 (4), 778-786. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2019.01.002

Multiple respiratory microbiota profiles are associated with lower airway inflammation in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis

2019

Journal Article

A sputum 6-gene signature predicts future exacerbations of poorly controlled asthma

Fricker, Michael, Gibson, Peter G., Powell, Heather, Simpson, Jodie L., Yang, Ian A., Upham, John W., Reynolds, Paul N., Hodge, Sandra, James, Alan L., Jenkins, Christine, Peters, Matthew J., Marks, Guy B., Baraket, Melissa and Baines, Katherine J. (2019). A sputum 6-gene signature predicts future exacerbations of poorly controlled asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 144 (1), 51-60.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.12.1020

A sputum 6-gene signature predicts future exacerbations of poorly controlled asthma

2019

Conference Publication

Innate immune interactions of human rhinovirus-16 and grass pollen in grass pollen allergic adults

Kailaivasan, T. H., Nouri, H., Upham, J. and Davies, J. M. (2019). Innate immune interactions of human rhinovirus-16 and grass pollen in grass pollen allergic adults. Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), Lisbon Portugal, 1-5 June, 2019. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/all.13962

Innate immune interactions of human rhinovirus-16 and grass pollen in grass pollen allergic adults

2019

Journal Article

Treatable traits can be identified in a severe asthma registry and predict future exacerbations

McDonald, Vanessa M., Hiles, Sarah A., Godbout, Krystelle, Harvey, Erin S., Marks, Guy B., Hew, Mark, Peters, Matthew, Bardin, Philip G., Reynolds, Paul N., Upham, John W., Baraket, Melissa, Bhikoo, Zaheerodin, Bowden, Jeffrey, Brockway, Ben, Chung, Li Ping, Cochrane, Belinda, Foxley, Gloria, Garrett, Jeffrey, Jayaram, Lata, Jenkins, Christine, Katelaris, Constance, Katsoulotos, Gregory, Koh, Mariko S., Kritikos, Vicky, Lambert, Marina, Langton, David, Lara Rivero, Alexis, Middleton, Peter G., Nanguzgambo, Aldoph ... Gibson, Peter G. (2019). Treatable traits can be identified in a severe asthma registry and predict future exacerbations. Respirology, 24 (1), 37-47. doi: 10.1111/resp.13389

Treatable traits can be identified in a severe asthma registry and predict future exacerbations

2019

Conference Publication

Efficacy of azithromycin in severe asthma

Gibson, P., Yang,, Upham, J., Reynolds, P., Hodge, S., James, A., Jenkins, C., Peters, M., Marks, G., Baraket, M., Powell, H. and Simpson, J. (2019). Efficacy of azithromycin in severe asthma. TSANZSRS 2019, Gold Coast, Australia, 29 March–2 April 2019. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/resp.13491

Efficacy of azithromycin in severe asthma

2019

Conference Publication

A novel role of IL-22 in regulating epithelial MHC molecule expression and antigen presentation during viral infection

Wang, R., Taylor, S., Moniruzzaman, M., Wong, K., Upham, J., Spann, K., McGuckin, M., Phipps, S. and Hasnain, S. (2019). A novel role of IL-22 in regulating epithelial MHC molecule expression and antigen presentation during viral infection. 17th International Congress of Immunology (IUIS), Beijing, People's Republic of China, 9-23 October 2019. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley.

A novel role of IL-22 in regulating epithelial MHC molecule expression and antigen presentation during viral infection

2019

Journal Article

CLEC4C gene expression can be used to quantify circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Murray, Liisa, Xi, Yang and Upham, John W. (2019). CLEC4C gene expression can be used to quantify circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Journal of Immunological Methods, 464, 126-130. doi: 10.1016/j.jim.2018.11.001

CLEC4C gene expression can be used to quantify circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells

2019

Conference Publication

Late discontinuation of omalizumab in severe asthma

Fanning, M., Harvey, E. and Upham, J. (2019). Late discontinuation of omalizumab in severe asthma. TSANZSRS 2019, Gold Coast, Australia, 29 March–2 April 2019. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/resp.13490

Late discontinuation of omalizumab in severe asthma

2019

Conference Publication

Antibody response to influenza vaccine in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Anderson, G., Irving, L., Jarnicki, A., Upham, J. and Snape, N. (2019). Antibody response to influenza vaccine in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). TSANZSRS 2019 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 29 March–2 April 2019. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell.

Antibody response to influenza vaccine in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

2019

Conference Publication

Specific Antibody Response to Seasonal Influenza Vaccine in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Healthy Older People

Snape, N., Jarnicki, A., Irving, L., Anderson, G. P. and Upham, J. W. (2019). Specific Antibody Response to Seasonal Influenza Vaccine in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Healthy Older People. International Conference of the American Thoracic Society, Dallas, TX United States, 17-22 May 2019. New York, NY United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2019.199.1_meetingabstracts.a7093

Specific Antibody Response to Seasonal Influenza Vaccine in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Healthy Older People

2019

Book Chapter

Immunity to rhinoviruses

Narla, Sai P. and Upham, John W. (2019). Immunity to rhinoviruses. Rhinovirus infections: rethinking the impact on human health and disease. (pp. 99-119) edited by Nathan Bartlett, Peter Wark and Darryl Knight. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-816417-4.00004-4

Immunity to rhinoviruses

2018

Journal Article

Managing patients with severe asthma in Australia: current challenges with the existing models of care

Chung, Li Ping, Hew, Mark, Bardin, Philip, McDonald, Vanessa M. and Upham, John W. (2018). Managing patients with severe asthma in Australia: current challenges with the existing models of care. Internal Medicine Journal, 48 (12), 1536-1541. doi: 10.1111/imj.14103

Managing patients with severe asthma in Australia: current challenges with the existing models of care

2018

Journal Article

A charter to improve patient care in severe asthma

Menzies-Gow, Andrew, Canonica, G-Walter, Winders, Tonya A., Correia de Sousa, Jaime, Upham, John W. and Fink-Wagner, Antje-Henriette (2018). A charter to improve patient care in severe asthma. Advances in Therapy, 35 (10), 1485-1496. doi: 10.1007/s12325-018-0777-y

A charter to improve patient care in severe asthma

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2028
    Minimising Oral Corticosteroid use in Asthma using Treatable Traits (2021 MRFF Chronic Respiratory Conditions grant Administering Institution University of Newcastle)
    University of Newcastle
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Centre of Research Excellence in Asthma Treatable Traits (CREATT) (administered by University of Newcastle)
    University of Newcastle
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Diagnostic utility of tests of latent tuberculosis in immune compromised contacts exposed to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (2021 Metro South SERTA Novice Researcher Grant administered by MSHHS)
    Metro South Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant
  • 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
  • 2018 - 2022
    Understanding how azithromycin prevents exacerbations in severe asthma
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Anti-viral immune dysfunction in severe asthma varies across inflammatory phenotypes
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Multicentre randomised controlled trial on duration of antibiotics for children with chronic wet cough - (Children's Hospital Foundation grant administered by QUT)
    Queensland University of Technology
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Abberant immune responses to viruses in severe asthma: what role does IL-33 play? (Seed Grant awarded by NHMRC CCRE in Severe Asthma APP1078579 administered by the University of Newcastle)
    University of Newcastle
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2022
    A multi-centre double-blind RCT on community-acquired pneumonia in Indigenous children and a developing country (NHMRC Project Grant administered by Menzies School of Health Research)
    Menzies School of Health Research
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Improving asthma through lifestyle interventions: how much exercise is best?
    Asthma Australia Incorporated
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Using influenza vaccination to understand and improve anti-viral immunity in COPD
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2020
    National Clinical Centre of Research Excellence in Severe Asthma (NHMRC CRE administered by the University of Newcastle)
    University of Newcastle
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Anti-viral immunity in asthma: a detailed assessment of TLR7 function and the regulation of interferon a/B synthesis
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Protracted bacterial bronchitis: long term outcomes, systemic and airway predictors of recurrence (NHMRC Project Grant administered by Menzies)
    The Menzies Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2017
    Centre of Research Excellence in Lung Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children (NHMRC CRE administered by Menzies School of Health Research)
    Menzies School of Health Research
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    Defective toll-like receptor 7 signalling in plasmacytoid dendritic cells underlies the inception of virus-associated asthma
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Influenza vaccination and asthma
    Asthma Foundation of Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Microbial immunity in a large population of adult asthmatics with suboptimal disease control
    PA Research Foundation Private Practice Trust Fund Research Support Grants
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    The airway epithelium in paediatric respiratory diseases
    UWA-UQ Bilateral Research Collaboration Award
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Allergic sensitization to grass pollens in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma in subtropical regions of Australia (Year 2)
    Asthma Foundation of Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Understanding immune responses to influenza vaccination in people with asthma
    Asthma Foundation of Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2011
    Development of the major Bahia grass pollen allergen, Pas n 1, as an immunodiagnostic test for subtropical grass pollen allergy
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Protracted bacterial bronchitis in children: what is the natural history and role of innate immunity dysfunction?
    Financial Markets Foundation for Children
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Allergic sensitization to grass pollens in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma in subtropical regions of Australia
    Asthma Foundation of Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Allergy to subtropical grass pollens in Australia: IgE cross-reactivity between subtropical and temperate grass pollens
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Antiviral innate immunity in asthma: why are some people with asthma susceptible to virus infections?
    Asthma Foundation of Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Prevention of allergic asthma through induction of tolerance in allergen-sensitised T cells
    Asthma Foundation of Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2015
    The AMAZES Study: Asthma and Macrolides: the AZithromycin Efficacy and Safety study (NHMRC Project Grant administered by University of Newcastle)
    University of Newcastle
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2010
    Anti-viral immunity in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
    Princess Alexandra Hospital R&D Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2008
    Antiviral innate immunity in asthma: why are some people with asthma susceptible to virus infections?
    Asthma Foundation of Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2012
    NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship
    NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    Protracted bronchitis in children: what is the natural history and role of innate immunity dysfunction?
    Royal Children's Hospital Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2007
    NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship
    NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2011
    Developmental aspects of respiratory inflammation, allergy and asthma (UWA_lead institution)
    University of Western Australia
    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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