Prof Aaron Jex, Division Lead | WEHI Researcher Profile

Q: Parasite drug development, resistance and stress responses

In this project stream, we use advanced sequencing and bioinformatics to understand how parasites respond to drugs at the molecular level and how these responses differ from those to heat, oxidative and other non-drug induced forms of stress.We explore how these behaviours change as parasites (primarily Giardia duodenalis) develop drug resistance. The aim is to understand mechanisms of resistance to major antiparasitic drugs and, more generally, to identify general drug-induced responses that facilitate the development of drug resistance.Ultimately, we use this information to guide efforts to develop new antiparasitic compounds.

Q: Parasite invasion, development and immune evasion

We use genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and epigenetic methods to explore the molecular biology underpinning parasite invasion of a new host, development within that host, and the methods by which the parasite interacts with and seeks to thwart the host immune attack against it.This research project focuses primarily on human gastrointestinal helminthes, diarrhoeal pathogens (Giardia and Cryptosporidium) and relapsing malaria parasites (Plasmodium vivax).

Q: Diagnostic tools for gastrointestinal and aquatic microorganisms

This project stream focuses on the development and utilisation of molecular (primarily PCR-based) diagnostic tools for the rapid and specific identification and quantitation of gastrointestinal pathogens (helminths and diarrhoeal parasites) and select aquatic microorganisms (specific toxigenic and/or taste/odor compound producing cyanobacteria).Within this research stream, we partner with the local Victorian water industry to test drinking, recreational and recycled water supplies for cyanobacteria that may reduce water quality or present a risk to the public or local wildlife.

Q: Exploring gastrointestinal parasite impacts and epidemiology

This project stream is aimed at exploring and quantifying the importance of neglected gastrointestinal parasites in people in resource poor settings.The current focus of this research is on evaluating the impact of gastrointestinal parasites on childhood health and development in Karen populations in refugee communities in northwest Thailand (Tha Song Yang region).We will use PCR-based tools and microbiomic sequencing to support efforts to quantify the impact of gastrointestinal parasites in child health in the region. These will also assist in monitoring the effectiveness of a newly established childhood health intervention program aimed at controlling gastrointestinal infections and improving child health.

About

My team has two major parallel interests: fundamental parasite biology and advanced parasite diagnostics and epidemiology.

On the fundamental side, we use advanced sequencing technologies and bioinformatics to explore the genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics of major human parasites, including soil transmitted helminthes and major diarrhoeal pathogens (Giardia and Cryptosporidium).

We are particularly interested in:

Hosts and parasites interaction at the immunological level
Parasite development in their host
Parasite resistance to common antiparasitic drugs
On the applied side, we develop quantitative real-time PCR assays to test for major parasites and other pathogens/microorganisms of relevance to the local water industry (for example Cryptosporidium and toxigenic cyanobacteria) and/or of relevance to global health (for example human gastrointestinal parasites).

We use these tools to assess transmission risk and to explore parasite epidemiology in developed and resource poor settings.

Education

Publications

Selected publications from Prof Aaron Jex

Kapoor S, Yang YT, Bone M, Jex AR, Baxter S, Oxley APA, Harvey ML, Batterham P, Gasser RB, Bowles VM, Perry T, Anstead CA. Comparative microbiome analysis of parasitic and necrophagous subspecies of Lucilia cuprina. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2026;:10.1007/s00253-026-13969-w

Ewart KM, Adams MWD, Zhang Z, Baker L, Fujiwara K, Hayashi Y, Featherstone LA, Lu OL, Helbling JES, Moral M, Maekawa K, Rose H, Jex A, Ho SYW, Lo N. Uncovering thousands of endosymbiont DNA transfer events within single cockroach genomes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2026;123(25):10.1073/pnas.2604240123

Mardahl M, Hansen EP, Fromm B, Borup A, Whitehead B, Boysen AT, Stensballe A, Andersen KL, Williams AR, Jex AR, Gasser RB, Fredholm M, Thamsborg SM, Nejsum P. Analysis of Oesophagostomum dentatum excretory-secretory molecules and extracellular vesicles uncovers a repertoire of microRNAs shared with A. Suum and T. Suis and ES containing Paz and Piwi domain proteins implicated in RNAi signaling. International Journal for Parasitology. 2026;56(5):10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.006

Marapana DS, Lopaticki S, Balan B, Reaksudsan K, Cobbold SA, Geoghegan ND, Khurana S, Scally SW, Hickey P, Jayakrishnan N, Vaibhav V, Spall S, Yousef JM, Dagley LF, Goodman CD, Cozijnsen A, McFadden GI, Rogers KL, Jex A, Komander D, McCarthy JS, Tonkin CJ, Dixon MWA, Cowman AF. GID/CTLH E3 ligase complex control cell fate programs for sexual development of Plasmodium falciparum. Nature Communications. 2026;17(1):10.1038/s41467-026-69183-9

Clucas D, Bennett C, Harding R, Pettikiriarachchi A, Baldi A, Randall LM, Steel R, Mellin R, Hobbs M, Caiazzo S, Mwangi MN, Fielding KL, Hickey PF, Baldwin TM, Amann-Zalcenstein D, Emery-Corbin SJ, Mzembe G, Moya E, Braat S, Jex A, Demir AY, Verhoef H, Phiri KS, Biggs B-A, Tham W-H, Boddey JA, Pasricha S-R, Ataíde R. Host iron deficiency protects against Plasmodium infection and drives parasite molecular reprofiling. Science Advances. 2026;12(9):10.1126/sciadv.aeb0828

Kapoor S, Hickner PV, Dickey AN, Bailey E, de Paula LCB, Belikoff EJ, Davis RJ, Tandonnet S, Canettieri CK, Bertone MA, Szpila K, Hall RS, Young ND, Korhonen PK, Gasser RB, Perry T, Jex AR, Bowles VM, Wiegmann BM, Torres TT, Anstead CA, Scott MJ. Comparative genomic analysis of necrophagous and parasitic subspecies of Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) provides important insight into their divergent biologies. International Journal for Parasitology. 2026;56(1):10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.06.001

Nolan M, Jex A, Ahmed W, Payyappat S, Gazeley J, Metcalf L. From threat to action: building Australian wastewater surveillance capability for emerging pathogens. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 2026;50:10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100544

Lam AYF, Lucet IS, Jex AR, Emery-Corbin SJ. Illuminating the druggability of the Giardia duodenalis kinome through reannotation and high-throughput screens. International Journal for Parasitology Drugs and Drug Resistance. 2025;29:10.1016/j.ijpddr.2025.100619

Tichkule S, van Oosterhout C, Cacciò SM, Weisz F, Balan B, Nohýnková E, Naung M, Ansell BRE, Emery-Corbin SJ, Baker L, Lalle M, Svärd S, Gasser RB, Jex AR. Host range expansion of asexual parasite can be explained by loss of adaptions in Muller’s Ratchet. Nature Communications. 2025;16(1):10.1038/s41467-025-65843-4

Kapoor S, Young ND, Jex AR, Baxter S, Yang YT, Davies AJ, Armstrong MN, Whiteside TL, Batterham P, Gasser RB, Bowles VM, Perry T, Anstead CA. Population structure, gene flow and genetic diversity of sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina dorsalis) in Australia. BMC Genomics. 2025;26(1):10.1186/s12864-025-11852-y