Professor Kirsten Spann leads the Respiratory Virus Research Group: a team of researchers examining viruses and respiratory diseases.
Professor Spann’s group is:
- Developing nasal and lung epithelial cell models to examine immune responses to viruses
- Examining how viruses and the body’s immune response exacerbate chronic respiratory conditions including asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Bringing virus expertise to other research, including improving air quality and engineered transmission controls
The team’s work combines virology, immunology and cell biology.
Develop models to examine airway epithelial immune responses
Professor Spann’s group is utilising and developing 3D nasal and lung primary epithelial cell culture models to better understand the underlying causes of respiratory disease. The group is using these models to understand disease process and identify treatment targets for respiratory conditions such as otitis media, asthma, COPD and chronic rhinosinusitis, in addition to acute upper respiratory viral infections. They work with a broad range of respiratory viruses including RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal coronavirus, HMPV and rhinovirus.
The group also collaborates closely with biomedical engineers, chemists and aerosol scientists to understand better how viruses are transmitted within the environment, how they survive in aerosols and on surface, and to develop tools and materials to reduce the spread of infectious viruses. This includes antimicrobial polymers, metal nanostructures and improved air quality.
Current collaborative projects with both QUT and external partners:
- The identification of biomarkers of high virus shedding and transmission risk ( with Prof Kirsty Short, UQ)
- The use of primary nasal cell models to identify probiotics with antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties
- The development and use of microphysiological systems to characterise respiratory disease and infection phenotypes ( With Prof Yi-Chin Toh, QUT)
- The identification of biomarkers of chronic otitis media in young children during early life viral infections
- The impact of RSV immunization on disease and immune response (with the QSIS team, CHQ)
- Factors that affect virus survival in aerosols (With DProf Lidia Morawska and Prof Zoran Ristovski, QUT)