Honorary Professor John Upham
Honorary Professor

John Upham

Email: 

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

377 works between 1983 and 2025
All (377) Journal Article (230) Book Chapter (5) Conference Publication (142)

161 - 180 of 377 works

2016

Journal Article

Reduced antiviral interferon production in poorly controlled asthma is associated with neutrophilic inflammation and high-dose inhaled corticosteroids

Simpson, Jodie L., Carroll, Melanie, Yang, Ian A., Reynolds, Paul N., Hodge, Sandra, James, Alan L., Gibson, Peter G. and Upham, John W. (2016). Reduced antiviral interferon production in poorly controlled asthma is associated with neutrophilic inflammation and high-dose inhaled corticosteroids. Chest, 149 (3), 704-713. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2015.12.018

Reduced antiviral interferon production in poorly controlled asthma is associated with neutrophilic inflammation and high-dose inhaled corticosteroids

2016

Journal Article

Airway dysbiosis: Haemophilus influenzae and Tropheryma in poorly controlled asthma

Simpson, Jodie L., Daly, Joshua, Baines, Katherine J., Yang, Ian A., Upham, John W., Reynolds, Paul N., Hodge, Sandra, James, Alan L., Hugenholtz, Philip, Willner, Dana and Gibson, Peter G. (2016). Airway dysbiosis: Haemophilus influenzae and Tropheryma in poorly controlled asthma. European Respiratory Journal, 47 (3), 792-800. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00405-2015

Airway dysbiosis: Haemophilus influenzae and Tropheryma in poorly controlled asthma

2016

Journal Article

Is alveolar macrophage phagocytic dysfunction in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis a forerunner to bronchiectasis?

Hodge, Sandra, Upham, John W., Pizzutto, Susan, Petsky, Helen L., Yerkovich, Stephanie, Baines, Katherine J., Gibson, Peter, Simpson, Jodie L., Buntain, Helen, Chen, Alice C. H., Hodge, Greg and Chang, Anne B. (2016). Is alveolar macrophage phagocytic dysfunction in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis a forerunner to bronchiectasis?. Chest, 149 (2), 508-515. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2015.10.066

Is alveolar macrophage phagocytic dysfunction in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis a forerunner to bronchiectasis?

2016

Journal Article

Inhaled non-steroid anti-inflammatories for children and adults with bronchiectasis(Review)

Pizzutto, Susan J., Upham, John W., Yerkovich, Stephanie T. and Chang, Anne B. (2016). Inhaled non-steroid anti-inflammatories for children and adults with bronchiectasis(Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2016 (1) CD007525. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007525.pub3

Inhaled non-steroid anti-inflammatories for children and adults with bronchiectasis(Review)

2016

Conference Publication

Il-33 Augments Rhinovirus-Induced Type 2 Immune Responses in Subjects with Asthma, But Not in Healthy Individuals

Upham, J., Landgraf, M., Xi, Y. and Carroll, M. (2016). Il-33 Augments Rhinovirus-Induced Type 2 Immune Responses in Subjects with Asthma, But Not in Healthy Individuals. Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand and the Australian & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science, Annual Scientific Meeting, Perth, WA Australia, 1-6 April 2016. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL.

Il-33 Augments Rhinovirus-Induced Type 2 Immune Responses in Subjects with Asthma, But Not in Healthy Individuals

2016

Conference Publication

Critical role of pDC in regulating gene expression and innate immune responses to human rhinovirus

Xi, Y., Bosco, A. and Upham, J. W. (2016). Critical role of pDC in regulating gene expression and innate immune responses to human rhinovirus. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley.

Critical role of pDC in regulating gene expression and innate immune responses to human rhinovirus

2016

Conference Publication

Critical Role of pDC in regulating gene expression and innate immune responses to human rhinovirus

Xi, Yang , Anthony, Bosco and Upham, John (2016). Critical Role of pDC in regulating gene expression and innate immune responses to human rhinovirus. ICI 2016 International Congress of Immunology, Melbourne, Australia, 21-26 August 2016.

Critical Role of pDC in regulating gene expression and innate immune responses to human rhinovirus

2016

Conference Publication

LSC Abstract - Punching above their weight: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells play a critical role in regulating rhinovirus induced gene expression pathways

Upham, John, Xi, Camilla, Pena, Olga and Bosco, Anthony (2016). LSC Abstract - Punching above their weight: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells play a critical role in regulating rhinovirus induced gene expression pathways. ERS International Congress 2016, London, United Kingdom, 3-7 September, 2016. Lausanne, Switzerland: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PP236

LSC Abstract - Punching above their weight: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells play a critical role in regulating rhinovirus induced gene expression pathways

2016

Conference Publication

Uncoupling of the Pdc-Treg Crosstalk During Early-Life Pneumovirus Infection Underlies Long-Lived Treg Dysfunction and Asthma Development

Lynch, J., Rogers, M., Lane, K., Werder, R., Loh, Z., Diener, K., Hayball, J., Hill, G., Haque, A., Spann, K., Mazzone, S., Upham, J. and Phipps, S. (2016). Uncoupling of the Pdc-Treg Crosstalk During Early-Life Pneumovirus Infection Underlies Long-Lived Treg Dysfunction and Asthma Development. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne Australia, Aug 21-26, 2016. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL. doi: 10.1111/resp.12755_3

Uncoupling of the Pdc-Treg Crosstalk During Early-Life Pneumovirus Infection Underlies Long-Lived Treg Dysfunction and Asthma Development

2016

Conference Publication

Prostaglandin D2 contributes to severity of pneumoviral bronchiolitis

Werder, R., Hodge, N., Lynch, J., Simpson, J., Zhang, V, Forbes-Blom, E., Upham, J., Spann, K., Everard, M. and Phipps, S. (2016). Prostaglandin D2 contributes to severity of pneumoviral bronchiolitis. Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand and the Australian & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science, Annual Scientific Meeting, Perth, WA Australia, 1-6 April 2016. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia.

Prostaglandin D2 contributes to severity of pneumoviral bronchiolitis

2016

Conference Publication

Alveolar macrophage in protracted bacterial bronchitis

Chen, Alice, Pena, Olga, Nel, Hanno, Pizzuto, Susan, Petsky, Helen, Gardiner, Samantha, Yerkovich, Stephanie, Baines, Katie, Gibson, Peter, Hodge, Greg, Hodge, Sandra, Buntain, Helen, Chang, Anne and Upham, John (2016). Alveolar macrophage in protracted bacterial bronchitis. ERS International Congress 2016, London, United Kingdom, 2016. Lausanne, Switzerland: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA3977

Alveolar macrophage in protracted bacterial bronchitis

2016

Journal Article

Blood cytotoxic/inflammatory mediators in non-eosinophilic asthma

Hodge, S., Hodge, G., Simpson, J. L., Yang, I. A., Upham, J., James, A., Gibson, P. G. and Reynolds, P. N. (2016). Blood cytotoxic/inflammatory mediators in non-eosinophilic asthma. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 46 (1), 60-70. doi: 10.1111/cea.12634

Blood cytotoxic/inflammatory mediators in non-eosinophilic asthma

2016

Conference Publication

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Play a Critical Role in Regulating Rhinovirus Induced Gene Expression Pathways

Upham, J., Xi, Y., Pena, O. and Bosco, A. (2016). Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Play a Critical Role in Regulating Rhinovirus Induced Gene Expression Pathways. Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand and the Australian & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science, Annual Scientific Meeting, Perth, WA Australia, 1-6 April 2016. HOBOKEN: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.pp236

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Play a Critical Role in Regulating Rhinovirus Induced Gene Expression Pathways

2016

Conference Publication

Aeroallergen-induced IL-33 predisposes to respiratory virus-induced asthma by dampening Type I and III interferon production

Werder, R. B., Lynch, J., Simpson, J., Loh, Z., Zhang, V., Spann, K., Sly, P., Mazzone, S., Upham, J. and Phipps, S. (2016). Aeroallergen-induced IL-33 predisposes to respiratory virus-induced asthma by dampening Type I and III interferon production. 4th Annual Meeting of The International Cytokine and Interferon Society (ICIS), San Francisco, CA, United States, October 16 - 19 2016. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press.

Aeroallergen-induced IL-33 predisposes to respiratory virus-induced asthma by dampening Type I and III interferon production

2016

Conference Publication

The Lung Microbiota In Stable Adult Asthma Differs According To Inflammatory Phenotype, Sex, And Atopy

Rogers, G. B., Leong, L. E., Gibson, P. G., Yang, I. A., Hodge, S. J., Reynolds, P. N., James, A. L., Upham, J. W., Jenkins, C., Peters, M., Baraket, M. and Simpsons, J. L. (2016). The Lung Microbiota In Stable Adult Asthma Differs According To Inflammatory Phenotype, Sex, And Atopy. International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society (ATS), San Francisco, Ca, United States, May 13-18, 2016. NEW YORK: AMER THORACIC SOC.

The Lung Microbiota In Stable Adult Asthma Differs According To Inflammatory Phenotype, Sex, And Atopy

2016

Conference Publication

Aeroallergen-induced IL-33 predisposes to respiratory virus-induced asthma by dampening type I and III interferon production

Werder, R., Lynch, J., Simpson, J., Loh, Z., Zhang, V., Spann, K., Sly, P., Mazzone, S., Upham, J. and Phipps, S. (2016). Aeroallergen-induced IL-33 predisposes to respiratory virus-induced asthma by dampening type I and III interferon production. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley. doi: 10.1002/eji.201670200

Aeroallergen-induced IL-33 predisposes to respiratory virus-induced asthma by dampening type I and III interferon production

2016

Conference Publication

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Play A Critical Role In Regulating Gene Expression Patterns Induced By Human Rhinoviruses

Upham, J., Xi, C., Pena, O. and Bosco, A. (2016). Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Play A Critical Role In Regulating Gene Expression Patterns Induced By Human Rhinoviruses. International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society (ATS), San Francisco Ca United States, 13-18 May 2016. New York, NY United States: American Thoracic Society.

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Play A Critical Role In Regulating Gene Expression Patterns Induced By Human Rhinoviruses

2016

Conference Publication

Clinical Effectiveness Of Omalizumab In Severe Allergic Asthma Above The Recommended Dosing Range: The Australian Xolair Registry

Hew, M., Gillman, A., Sutherland, M., Wark, P., Bowden, J., McDonald, V., Guo, M., Reddel, H., Jenkins, C., Marks, G., Upham, J., Thien, F., Rimmer, J., Katsoulotos, G. P., Cook, M., Yang, I., Katelaris, C., Bowler, S., Langton, D., Gibson, P. G., Robinson, P. D., Wright, C., Bint, M., Yozghatlian, V., Burgess, S., Sivakumaran, P., Jaffe, A., Yan, K., Peters, M. ... Aminazad, A. (2016). Clinical Effectiveness Of Omalizumab In Severe Allergic Asthma Above The Recommended Dosing Range: The Australian Xolair Registry. International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society (ATS), San Francisco Ca, May 13-18, 2016. NEW YORK: AMER THORACIC SOC.

Clinical Effectiveness Of Omalizumab In Severe Allergic Asthma Above The Recommended Dosing Range: The Australian Xolair Registry

2015

Journal Article

Rhinovirus stimulated IFN-α production: how important are plasmacytoid DCs, monocytes and endosomal pH?

Xi, Yang, Finlayson, Arvid, White, Oliva J., Carroll, Melanie L. and Upham, John W. (2015). Rhinovirus stimulated IFN-α production: how important are plasmacytoid DCs, monocytes and endosomal pH?. Clinical and Translational Immunology, 4 (10) e46, e46. doi: 10.1038/cti.2015.27

Rhinovirus stimulated IFN-α production: how important are plasmacytoid DCs, monocytes and endosomal pH?

2015

Journal Article

Influenza epidemiology in adults admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2014: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN)

Cheng, Allen C., Holmes, Mark, Senenayake, Sanjaya, Dwyer, Dominic E., Hewagama, Saliya, Korman, Tony, Irving, Louis, Brown, Simon, Waterer, Grant, Hunter, Cameron, Friedman, N. Deborah, Wark, Peter, Simpson, Graham, Upman, John, Bowler, Simon, Macartney, Kristine, Blyth, Christopher, Kotsimbos, Tom and Kelly, Paul (2015). Influenza epidemiology in adults admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2014: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN). Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report, 39 (3), E355-E360.

Influenza epidemiology in adults admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2014: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN)

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

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

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

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au