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LA TROBE UNIVERSITY

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Prof Stephanie Gras is head of the Viral & Structural Immunology laboratory and Deputy Director of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS) at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. She is an internationally recognised leader in the field of T cell Immunology and Structural Biology with a sustained record of high-quality publications in peer reviewed journals (> 140 publications in Nature, Science, Cell, Immunity, Nature Immunology, Science Immunology, Nature Communications, PNAS ...), with a successful record of research funding (NHMRC, MRFF, ARC, VMRAF, Commercial contract & philanthropy), and is strongly committed to advance supportive and equitable research environments. Prof Gras is currently an NHMRC Investigator Fellow (L2) and has been awarded five fellowships over her career (Monash, ARC Future Fellowship, NHMRC CDF2 and SRFA). She has been awarded the Georgina Sweet Award for Women in Biomedical Science (2017), SCANZ Sandy Mathieson Medal (2022), ASBMB Shimadzu Medal (2023). Prof Gras is also an inventor and co-founder of Resseptor Therapeutics to modify T cells for therapeutics applications.  

Prof Gras’ research is instrumental on providing a better understanding of the first key event in T cell-mediated immunity towards pathogens: the antigen recognition mechanism. Notably her work has elucidated the link between HLA and asymptomatic COVID profile, link between TCR docking orientation and T cell activation. Understanding antigen recognition using structural biology offers tremendous opportunities to design new therapies that mobilise, reprogram, or boost the immune system. 

WALTER AND ELIZA HALL INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH

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Dr O’ Reilly studied immunology at the University of Glasgow, Scotland and completed her PhD in the Department of Immunology at University College, London. Following post-doctoral training at the University of Cambridge, England, she joined the Walter and Eliza Institute of Medical Research with Prof. Andreas Strasser. During this time, she established the role of membrane and soluble FasL in apoptotic cell death and inflammation and developed a new model of gastric cancer. 

Currently Lorraine is a senior scientist based within the Inflammation Division at WEHI and her research program on inflammation-associated cancers has an oral cancer focus. She is investigating new imaging technologies with AI analysis for the early detection of oral cancer.  In addition she is also uncovering the relationship between inflammatory and cell death signalling pathways in oral cancer initiation and tumourigenesis whilst testing combinative small molecule (Smac Mimetics) and immune therapies for advanced disease.