Researcher

Dr Deborah Burnett

Keywords

Biography

Deborah’s background in veterinary medicine kindled her interest in immunology. She undertook her honours at WEHI investigating the genetic pathways which regulate blood clotting. In 2019, she completed a PhD at the Garvan Institute researching the role of antibodies in protective immune responses and autoimmunity. Deborah’s PhD made profound discoveries which redefined the role of antibodies in health and disease and led to first author...view more

Deborah’s background in veterinary medicine kindled her interest in immunology. She undertook her honours at WEHI investigating the genetic pathways which regulate blood clotting. In 2019, she completed a PhD at the Garvan Institute researching the role of antibodies in protective immune responses and autoimmunity. Deborah’s PhD made profound discoveries which redefined the role of antibodies in health and disease and led to first author publications in prestigious journals including Science, Cell and PNAS. The significance of her discoveries were acknowledged in her receipt of the “Garvan Best PhD Thesis”, the “UNSW Dean’s Award” and the “UNSW Faculty of Medicine Award” for Outstanding Contribution to Research.

With the emergence of the COVID19 pandemic Deborah pivoted her expertise to explore vaccination strategies to induce antibodies resistant to viral escape. This resulted in discoveries published in Immunity, Nature Microbiology, EJI, mAbs and Cell Reports Medicine. This work led Deborah to receive a highly commended Discovery Award from Research Australia in 2022.

Deborah currently co-leads collaborative initiatives that span research institutions and hospitals, her focus is on enhancing vaccine efficacy against challenging infectious threats including those linked to autoimmune diseases.

In 2023 Deborah was awarded one of 4 Australian "Loreal-UNESCO For Women in Science" Fellows, and 2023 the Premier's Prize for Early Career Researcher of the Year (Biological Sciences).

My Grants

Her work is currently supported by several prestigious research grants including an NHMRC Investigator and Ideas Grant, an NSW OHMR RNA future Leaders Fellowship and a Perpetual Impact Grant.

My Qualifications

2015-2019 Doctor of Philosophy (Immunology); Garvan Institute, Awarded Garvan Best Thesis Award.

2012 Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours Class I) with High Distinction (92%); University of Sydney.

2010 Bachelor of Science (Honours Class I), with High Distinction (90%); University of Sydney and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Awarded the H.R. Carne Medal

My Awards

2023 NSW Premiers Award for Early Career Biological Researcher of the Year

2023 L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Fellowship

2022 Highly Commended, Griffith University Discovery Award at the Annual Health and Medical Research Awards by Research Australia

2022 Publication of the Quarter, St Vincent’s Clinical School, UNSW Medicine

2019 Outstanding Contribution to Research by a Higher Degree Student, UNSW Medicine Education and Research Awards

2019 Dean’s Award for Outstanding PhD Theses, UNSW Graduate Research School

2019 Garvan Best PhD Thesis Award

2015 - 2018 Research Excellence Award, University of NSW

2015 - 2018 Australian Postgraduate Award, University of NSW

2018 Publication of the Year Award, Immunology and Cell Biology Journal

2018 New Investigator Finalist, Australian Society of Immunology

My Research Activities

Deborah's research focuses on how the immune system, and in particular B cells respond to immune threats. This includes pathogens believed to mimic our own tissues, hampering vaccine development efforts. Deborah's research involves establishing and validating sophisticated next-generation pre-clinical models to explore responses to these antigens, with the aim of developing improved vaccines against these threats and understanding why a proportion of people develop autoimmune disease following these infections.