Researcher

Professor Rowena Anne Bull

Fields of Research (FoR)

Infectious Diseases, Cellular Immunology, Humoral Immunology and Immunochemistry, Medical Virology

Biography

Prof Rowena Bull is a research scientist with expertise in immunovirology based in the School of Medical Sciences and the Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of New South Wales. Prof Bull obtained her PhD in 2008 and is internationally recognized for her work on RNA viruses. Prof Bull has her own salary support as a tenured academic, and is a current NHMRC Investigator (2021-2025) funded to understand how best to train...view more

Prof Rowena Bull is a research scientist with expertise in immunovirology based in the School of Medical Sciences and the Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of New South Wales. Prof Bull obtained her PhD in 2008 and is internationally recognized for her work on RNA viruses. Prof Bull has her own salary support as a tenured academic, and is a current NHMRC Investigator (2021-2025) funded to understand how best to train the immune response to tackle genomically diverse RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis C, dengue, and Influenza. Prof Bull has led the development of several new high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) tools for both RNA viruses and host immune transcripts. More recently Prof Bull, with a team of bioinformaticians, has developed flow cytometry-based methods for concurrent isolation and characterisation of the entire transcriptome and antigen-receptor of virus-specific single B cells. These tools are providing unique insights into the mechanisms of protection from hepatitis C re-infection via long-lived, virus-specific memory B cells. Prof Bull is the Treasurer for the Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology (ACHV), and President for the Australasian Society of Virology (AVS). She is also part of the Communicable Diseases Genomic Network (CDGN), an expert committee formed to advise CDNA on SARS-CoV-2 viral genomic studies. She has a strong track record in influencing policy related to viral infection and control, with her work being cited in WHO, CDC and American Academy of Science Policy documents. Prof Bull was recently commissioned by WHO to advise on HTLV-1, in November 2019 in Japan.


My Grants

  1. Tackling Genomic Diversity of RNA viruses. NHMRC Investigator (EL2). CIA Bull. 2020-2025. $1,512,250
  2. BEAT COVID-19. Snow Medical Foundation. Bull, Martinello. 2020-2022. $365,000
  3. Monoclonal antibody therapy of COVID-19. MRFF COVD-19 Antivirals. CI Christ, Emery, Rawlinson, Goodnow. AI Bull. 2020-2021. $594,420.
  4. Molecular dissection of the dengue virus NS1 protein. NHMRC Project grant. CI Eyre. AI Bull. 2019-2021. $638,031.
  5. HCVax - International HCV vaccine consortium. Academy of Sciences Regional Collaboration Grant. PI. 2019-2021. $295,000.
  6. Improving the health of people with problematic drug use: hepatitis C and drug dependence (NHMRC Program) PI. 2019-24. $9,060,140.
  7. Risk of hepatitis C reinfection among people with current injecting drug use following successful HCV treatment. CI-F Bull. NHMRC Project. 2016-2021. $2,245,227.80
  8. Immune responses following SARS CoV2 infection and vaccination in individuals withinborn errors of immunity. AIFA. CI Tangye, Bull. 2021. $30,250.

My Awards

2006                                        Adrian Lee Travel scholarship, UNSW

2008                                        Australian Society of Microbiology Travel Award

2008                                        UNSW Citation Prize, most cited paper in 2008

2009                                        UNSW Early Career Researcher Award

2010                                        NHMRC Postdoctoral Training fellowship

2012                                        Dean’s Rising Star Award, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW

2013                                        Australasian Virology Society Young Investigator Award

2013                                        13th international HCV Conference Travel Award

2013                                        Gilead Sciences Pty Ltd Educational Grant (Early Career Award)

2020                                        SOMS Teaching Award for Adaptability & Innovation – Pathology UNSW


My Research Supervision


Areas of supervision

Virology and viral immunity


My Engagement

2006                                        Visiting Fellow, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, NIID, Tokyo, Japan

2010-                                       Principal Investigator, Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis viruses, ACH2

2011                                        Visiting Fellow, Stanford University, Stanford, USA

2013-                                       Member, Australasian Society of Immunology

2013                                        Committee member, 20th International Symposium on HCV

2015                                        Committee member, 9th Australasian Virology Society Meeting

2015-                                       Reviewer, National Health and Medical Research Council grants

2017                                        Secretary, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Viruses

2017                                        Committee member, Australasian Virology Society

2019-                                       Treasurer, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Viruses

2021-                                       Vice President, Australasian Virology Society

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Contact

+61 2 9385 2777