Prof James McCarthy, Lab Head | WEHI Researcher Profile

About

Our research is aimed at understanding the unique biology of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, with a particular focus on virulence and transmission.

We are investigating:
– How parasites renovate their RBC home to drive virulence and transmission
– How the parasite makes the banana-shaped sexual blood stage gametocyte
– How this shape helps them survive in the host and be efficiently transmitted
– How parasites behave inside the human host in vivo
– How effective specific drugs and vaccines are at blocking transmission of gametocytes from infected humans to Anopheles mosquitos.
– In these projects, we will use CRISPR gene editing to create transgenic malaria parasites, which we will study by combing proteomics, molecular and cellular biology techniques with super resolution microscopy to define the molecular players driving gametocyte development and transmission.

This in vitro work will be complimented by ex vivo examination of samples from experimental human malaria infection studies, which are focused on identifying and confirming the activity of candidate transmission blocking drugs and vaccines.

A combined in vitro and in vivo approach to understanding how gametocytes mature will inform the development of effective means of combating this debilitating disease.

Professor McCarthy holds a joint appointment as Director of the Victorian Infectious Diseases Service at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Professor of Medicine at the Doherty Institute where he leads the Translational Models of Infectious Diseases group that focusses on human infection challenge models to develop drugs and vaccines.

Education

Joint appointments

Grants and funding

Awards

Fellowships

Publications

Selected publications from Prof James McCarthy

Puchner KP, Bottazzi ME, Periago V, Grobusch M, Maizels R, McCarthy J, Lee B, Gaspari E, Diemert D, Hotez P. Vaccine value profile for Hookworm. Vaccine. 2024;42(19):10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.05.013

Woolley SD, Grigg MJ, Marquart L, Gower JSE, Piera K, Nair AS, Amante FM, Rajahram GS, William T, Frazer DM, Chalon S, McCarthy JS, Anstey NM, Barber BE. Longitudinal changes in iron homeostasis in human experimental and clinical malaria. EBioMedicine. 2024;105:10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105189

Persson KEM, Horton JL, Kurtovic L, McCarthy JS, Anders RF, Beeson JG. Declining Antibody Affinity Over Time After Human Vaccination With a Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Vaccine Candidate. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2024;:10.1093/infdis/jiae259

Muhi S, Buultjens AH, Porter JL, Marshall JL, Doerflinger M, Pidot SJ, O’Brien DP, Johnson PDR, Lavender CJ, Globan M, McCarthy J, Osowicki J, Stinear TP. Mycobacterium ulcerans challenge strain selection for a Buruli ulcer controlled human infection model. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2024;18(5):10.1371/journal.pntd.0011979

Cao P, Kho S, Grigg MJ, Barber BE, Piera KA, William T, Poespoprodjo JR, Jang IK, Simpson JA, McCaw JM, Anstey NM, McCarthy JS, Britton S. Characterisation of Plasmodium vivax lactate dehydrogenase dynamics in P. vivax infections. Communications Biology. 2024;7(1):10.1038/s42003-024-05956-6

Williams E, Seib KL, Fairley CK, Pollock GL, Hocking JS, McCarthy JS, Williamson DA. Neisseria gonorrhoeae vaccines: a contemporary overview.Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 2024;37(1):10.1128/cmr.00094-23

Moso MA, Lim CK, Williams E, Marshall C, McCarthy J, Williamson DA. Prevention and post-exposure management of occupational exposure to Ebola virus. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2024;24(Viruses 11 2019):10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00376-6

Hugo LE, van Huyssteen K, Oloniniyi O, Donnelly L, Conn A, Collins KA, Mitchell H, McCarthy JS, Macdonald J. Rapid low-resource detection of Plasmodium falciparum in infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Frontiers in Tropical Diseases. 2024;5:10.3389/fitd.2024.1287025

Abo Y-N, Jamrozik E, McCarthy JS, Roestenberg M, Steer AC, Osowicki J. Strategic and scientific contributions of human challenge trials for vaccine development: facts versus fantasy. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2023;23(12):10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00294-3

Thornley S, Sundborn G, Engelman D, Roskvist R, Pasay C, Marshall R, Long W, Dugu N, Hopoi N, Moritsuka S, McCarthy J, Morris AJ. Children’s scabies survey indicates high prevalence and misdiagnosis in Auckland educational institutions. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. 2023;59(12):10.1111/jpc.16512