Dr Joseph Yunis

Dr Joseph Yunis obtained his PhD from the University of Queensland under the mentorship of Associate Professor Philip Stevenson at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences on understanding the role of CD4+ T cells in herpesvirus immunity. He uncovered the immune evasion mechanisms of CD4+ T cells by cytomegaloviruses and demonstrated a novel vaccine design that specifically licences CD4+ T cells to control herpesvirus infection. Dr Yunis trained in Immunology under Professor Di Yu, first at the John Curtin School of Medical Research of Australian National University (Canberra), UQ Frazer Institute and now at the Child Health Research Centre. Dr Yunis employs preclinial models of infection (acute, chronic and latent), murine cancer models (melanoma, colorectal, glioma, osteosarcoma) and xenograft models of patient-derived tumour cells ((pediatric) to evaulate function and immune modulation of CD8+ T cells through immunisation and infection in immunity. His research has been recognised by a number of awards including, the Frazer Institute publication of the month award, The Gretel and Gordon Bootes Medical Research and Education Foundation Award, Eureka Research Fund for Immunology and Virology and UQ postdoctoral Fellowship and the Australian and New Zealand Sarcoma Association award.