Prof Ivo Mueller, Division Head | WEHI Researcher Profile

Q: Serological markers of recent exposure to malaria

We are developing serological markers of recent exposure to malaria infections to aid elimination of this disease. We are doing so via the measurement of antibody responses in samples from cohort studies conducted in various malaria endemic regions around the world, along with the development of specialised diagnostic algorithms.

Q: Identification of novel malaria vaccine candidates

We are utilising well-characterised epidemiological studies to support the discovery and validation of novel malaria vaccine candidates. People in malaria-endemic countries naturally gain immunity to clinical disease. We are investigating which proteins are good targets for a vaccine-induced protective immune response and how antibodies against these targets induce protection against clinical disease. Our recent studies focus on measurement of functional antibody responses.

Q: COVID PROFILE: A longitudinal Victorian COVID-19 cohort

The COVID PROFILE study is designed to understand COVID-19 immunity in the Victorian community and was launched in October 2020. We have collected multiple different biospecimens from more than 150 participants at regular time points over 2.5 years. This will lead to improved understanding of immunity over time.

Q: Infectious disease transmission modelling

This project involves the modelling and quantitative analyses of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and malaria, in Australia and the Asia-Pacific to aid in disease prevention, control, and elimination. For example, this work has included the investigation of COVID-19 epidemiology, transmission, acquisition, and waning of both vaccine-induced and naturally acquired immunity to SARS-CoV-2. The results of these scenario models have been used to inform COVID-19 policies in Australia and in the South Pacific countries.

Q: Autoreactive immune responses in infection.

This project involves understanding of autoreactive (both humoral and cellular) immune responses after SARS-CoV-2 infection. As part of this project, a novel, customised serological assay has been developed that enables measurement of autoantibodies in plasma and/or serum. Findings from this project may lead to identification of individuals that are at risk of long-term and/or future complications.

Q: Longitudinal cellular and humoral immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination.

Using samples collected as part of the COVID PROFILE study, this project comprehensively investigates longitudinal immune responses. We have adapted a Luminex-based multiplex serological assay to enable measurement of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels and are also measuring T cell responses over time after primary infection, vaccination and in some cases after re-infection.

About

We aim to study malaria host-parasite interactions with a particular focus on gaining a better understanding of:

Differential patterns of natural acquisition of immune responses and their association with parasite exposure and protection from infection.
Parasite dynamics within the human host and the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of parasites.
Transmission epidemiology and biology of Plasmodium gametocytes and sporozoites.
Host immune responses to Plasmodium infection and how they relate to exposure history and protection against clinical disease
The role of hypnozoite in the increase resilience of P. vivax to control and elimination.
Host genetic adaptation to malaria.
These questions are being addressed with a range of population-based studies in malaria-affected regions of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Cambodia and Brazil that combine well-designed epidemiological and clinical studies with in-depth molecular, immunological and systems biology studies of host-parasite interactions.

More recently we have extended into studying COVID-19 infection. Leveraging our experience from malaria serology, we have developed novel approached to COVID-19 sero-surveillance and are studying the acquisition and maintenance of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infections.

In parallel, we are supporting health authorities in the Pacific with planning for and managing the COVID-19 pandemic by modelling different SARS-CoV-2 transmission scenarios and development of analytical tools to monitor the local progression of the pandemic.

Education

Grants and funding

Publications

Selected publications from Prof Ivo Mueller

Rosado J, Han J, Obadia T, Munro J, Traore Z, Schoffer K, Brewster J, Bourke C, Vinetz JM, Taylor AR, White M, Bahlo M, Gamboa D, Mueller I, Ruybal-Pesántez S. Understanding Plasmodium vivax recurrent infections using an amplicon deep sequencing assay, identity-by-descent and model-based classification. iScience. 2026;29(5):10.1016/j.isci.2026.115799

Bansal A, Olechnowicz SWZ, Kiernan-Walker N, Cumming J, Abdul Azeez I, Mazhari R, Cox RJ, Mueller I, Bowden R, Eriksson EM. Divergent inflammatory and neurology-related protein levels in long COVID following primary and breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections. Communications Medicine. 2026;:10.1038/s43856-026-01541-6

Netto RLA, Chen C, Mwangi VI, de Morais CEP, Xavier MS, Gardinassi LG, Eriksson EM, Kiernan-Walker N, Conway E, Mueller I, Lacerda MVG, Monteiro WM, Almeida-Val FF, de Melo GC. Autoantibodies Against Type I Interferons are a Prominent Feature in SARS-CoV-2 Fatal Disease and Hospitalization. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2026;233(3):10.1093/infdis/jiaf514

Hafidzah M, Degaga TS, Christian M, Alam MS, Hossain MS, Baird JK, Sutano I, Smith L, Argyropoulos DC, Amelia AR, Noviyanti R, Robinson LJ, Price RN, Mueller I, Thriemer K, Longley RJ. Predicting Risk of Plasmodium Vivax Microscopy-Detected Episodes Using Serological Markers in Patients With Plasmodium falciparum Malaria: A Multicountry Diagnostic Performance Evaluation. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2026;:10.1093/infdis/jiag164

Opi DH, Longley RJ, Takashima E, Spelman T, Tayipto Y, Schoffer K, Brewster J, Reiling L, Wines BD, Kiniboro B, Siba P, Harbers M, Hogarth M, Tsuboi T, Robinson LJ, Mueller I, Beeson JG. A longitudinal study of children identifies antibody Fc-mediated functions and antigen targets of immunity to Plasmodium vivax malaria. Immunity. 2026;59(3):10.1016/j.immuni.2026.02.003

Mahanty S, Eriksson EM, Edler P, Mordant F, Kiernan-Walker N, Price DJ, Braat S, Conway E, Bryant V, Ding H, Lee LYY, Randall L, Mazhari R, Mueller I, Subbarao K. Antibody responses following COVID-19 vaccination and breakthrough infections in naïve and convalescent individuals suggest imprinting to the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2. mBio. 2026;17(1):10.1128/mbio.03221-25

Fola AA, Mehra S, Razook Z, Lautu-Gumal D, Nate E, Lee S, Kattenberg JH, Koepfli C, Kazura J, Ome-Kaius M, Laman M, Robinson LJ, Mueller I, Barry AE. Correction: Population genetics of Plasmodium vivax with transmission decline and rebound in two endemic areas of Papua New Guinea. Frontiers in Genetics. 2026;17:10.3389/fgene.2026.1805349

Bongiovanni F, Conway E, Smith L, Cumming J, Mazhari R, Kiernan-Walker N, Eriksson EM, McVernon J, Mueller I. Quantification of the IgG antibody response half-life for hybrid immunity to SARS-CoV-2. BMC Medicine. 2025;23(1):10.1186/s12916-025-04490-4

Tacoli C, Kleinecke M, Hoon KS, Trimarsanto H, Nadeem M, Eam R, Khim N, Rumaseb A, Ley B, Sayre D, Phok S, Lek D, Witkowski B, Hwang J, Auburn S, Mueller I, Price RN, Popovici J. Rapid detection of G6PD deficiency SNPs using a novel amplicon-based minion sequencing assay. Scientific Reports. 2025;16(1):10.1038/s41598-025-31822-4

Saeed M, Aitken EH, Naung MT, Bourke C, Wu KW, Longley RJ, Chung AW, Damelang T, Kiniboro B, Mueller I, Rogerson SJ. Association of a Novel IgG3 Allele With Malaria in Children From the Sepik Region of Papua New Guinea. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2025;232(4):10.1093/infdis/jiaf390