JCU > Research Portfolio > Prof Alan Baxter

About

Professor Alan Baxter is a medical graduate who completed a PhD in immunogenetics at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute under the supervision of Tom Mandel. He has worked as a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and at Cambridge University, where he was a Supervisor in Pathology for Trinity College. He has been a member of the Australasian Society for Immunology since 1994 and was President of the Society from 2006-2008. Alan is currently a member of the Council of the Federation of Immunological Societies of Asia-Oceania, the Council of the International Union of Immunological Societies and the MSRA Research Management Council. He is a member of the editorial boards of Immunology and Cell Biology and The Review of Diabetic Studies and is a reviewer for several journals including Nature Medicine, Science, The Lancet, Diabetologia, Autoimmunity, and the Journal of Immunology. His extensive commitments to the public appreciation of science have helped promote rational discussion of the health sciences in Australia. He established the Autoimmunity Research Group at the Centenary Institute, where he worked for nine years before taking up his current appointment as Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology and Director of the Comparative Genomics Centre of James Cook University. In 2013, he was appointed Honorary Professor at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow. His work is funded by the NHMRC, ARC and Lions Club.

Specialties

He is known internationally for his contributions to the genetics of autoimmune disease and has published pioneering work on the genetics of gastritis and the role of NKT cells in autoimmunity, and made major contributions to our understanding of gene/environment interactions in autoimmune disease.

Teaching

BC3102: Molecular Basis of Disease (Level 3; TSV)
BC3202: Special Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Level 3; TSV)
BC5101: Advanced Genes, Genomes and Development (Level 5; TSV)
BC5102: Advanced Molecular Basis of Disease (Level 5; TSV)
BC5202: Advanced Laboratory Practice in Molecular and Cell Biology (Level 5; TSV)
BC5312: Research and Dissertation in Molecular and Cell Biology (Level 5; TSV)
BM1000: Introductory Biochemistry and Microbiology (Level 1; TSV)
MD1020: Introduction to Integrated Medical Studies Part 2 of 2 (Level 1; TSV)
MD3011: Introduction to Clinical Healthcare Part 1 of 2 (Level 3; TSV)
PC3102: Health Care for Pharmacists (Level 3; TSV)
TV1102: Cell Biology and Biochemistry for Veterinary Science and Agriculture (Level 1; TSV)

Interests

Research

Immunogenetics of autoimmune disease
Innate immunity
Genetics of immune regulation
Multiple sclerosis
Type 1 diabetes
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Autoimmune gastritis

Research Disciplines

Socio-Economic Objectives

Honours

Awards

2011 to 2015 - NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (B)
2006 to 2010 - NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (B)
2001 to 2005 - NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (A)
1997 to 2000 - NHMRC RD Wright Fellowship
1992 to 1995 - NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship

Memberships

2013 - Elected member of the Council for the International Union of Immunological Societies.
2012 - Elected member of the Council for the Federation of Immunological Societies for Asia/Oceania.
2012 - Senior Editorial Board, American J Clinical and Experimental Immunology
2010 - Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia Research Management Council
2006 - Board of the Australian Institute of Tropical Medicine
2004 to 2007 - Professional Review Panel, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
1999 to 2003 - Professional Advisory Panel, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Australia
1997 to 2002 - Editorial Board, Autoimmunity

Other

2007 - Associate Editor, Immunology and Cell Biology
2004 - Associate Editor, The Review of Diabetic Studies
2006 to 2008 - President, Australasian Society for Immunology
2004 to 2008 - Associate Editor, Journal of Immunology
2005 to 2006 - Vice-President, Australasian Society for Immunology

Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

Kling J, Jordan M, Pitt L, Meiners J, Thanh-Tran T, Son Tran L, Nguyen T, Mittal D, Villani R, Steptoe R, Khosrotehrani K, Berzins S, Baxter A, Godfrey D, Blumenthal A and (2018) Temporal regulation of natural killer T cell interferon gamma responses by β-catenin-dependent and -independent Wnt signaling. Frontiers in Immunology, 9.
Field J, Fox A, Jordan M, Baxter A, Spelman T, Gresle M, Butzkueven H, Kilpatrick T and Rubio J (2017) Interleukin-2 receptor-α proximal promoter hypomethylation is associated with multiple sclerosis. Genes and Immunity, 18. pp. 59-66
Field J, Fox A, Jordan M, Baxter A, Spelman T, Gresle M, Butzkueven H, Kilpatrick T and Rubio J (2017) Interleukin-2 receptor-alpha proximal promoter hypomethylation is associated with multiple sclerosis. Genes and Immunity, 18. pp. 59-66
Mariño E, Richards J, McLeod K, Stanley D, Yap Y, Knight J, Mckenzie C, Kranich J, Oliveira A, Rossello F, Krishnamurthy B, Nefzger C, Macia L, Thorburn A, Baxter A, Morohan G, Wong L, Polo J, Moore R, Lockett T, Clarke J, Topping D, Harrison L and Mackay C (2017) Gut microbial metabolites limit the frequency of autoimmune T cells and protect against type 1 diabetes. Nature Immunology, 18. pp. 552-562
Modhiran N, Watterson D, Blumenthal A, Baxter A, Young P and Stacey K (2017) Dengue virus NS1 protein activates immune cells via TLR4 but not TLR2 or TLR6. Immunology and Cell Biology, 95. pp. 491-495
Binder M, Fox A, Merlo D, Johnson L, Giuffrida L, Calvert S, Akkermann R, Ma G, Perera A, Gresle M, Laverick L, Foo G, Fabis-Pedrini M, Spelman T, Jordan M, Baxter A, Foote S, Butzkueven H, Kilpatrick T and Field J (2016) Common and low Frequency variants in MERTK are independently associated with multiple sclerosis susceptibility with discordant association dependent upon HLA-DRB1*15:01 status. PLoS Genetics, 12 (3). pp. 1-25
Too L, McGregor I, Baxter A and Hunt N (2016) Altered behaviour and cognitive function following combined deletion of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 in mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 303. pp. 1-8
Gu B, Field J, Dutertre S, Ou A, Kilpatrick T, Lechner-Scott J, Scott R, Lea R, Taylor B, Stankovich J, Butzkueven H, Gresle M, Laws S, Petrou S, Hoffjan S, Akkad D, Graham C, Hawkins S, Bedri S, Glaser A, Hillert J, Matute C, Antiguedad A, Wiley J and ANZgene Consortium inlcuding Alan G. Baxter (2015) A rare P2X7 variant Arg307Gln with absent pore formation function protects against neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis. Human Molecular Genetics, 24 (19). pp. 5644-5654
Johnson L, Widi A, Rowarth S and Baxter A (2015) Abdominal distension and Escherichia coli peritonitis in mice lacking myeloid differentiation factor 88. Comparative medicine, 65 (2). pp. 123-126
Gresle M, Schulz K, Jonas A, Perreau V, Cipriani T, Baxter A, Miranda-Hernandez S, Field J, Jokubaitis V, Cherny R, Volitakis I, David S, Kilpatrick T and Butzkueven H (2014) Ceruloplasmin gene-deficient mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis show attenuated early disease evolution. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 92 (6). pp. 732-742
Quah H, Miranda-Hernandez S, Khoo A, Harding A, Fynch S, Elkerbout L, Brodnicki T, Baxter A, Kay T, Thomas H and Graham K (2014) Deficiency in type I interferon signaling prevents the early interferon–induced gene signature in pancreatic islets but not type 1 diabetes in NOD mice. Diabetes, 63 (3). pp. 1032-1040

Book Chapters

Jordan M, Field J, Butzkueven H and Baxter A (2014) Genetic predisposition: humans. In: The Autoimmune Diseases. Elsevier, Boston, pp. 341-364

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 102+ research outputs authored by Prof Alan Baxter from 1989 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Queensland Health - Queensland Genomics Health Alliance Project Fund

Bringing Modern Genomics to the Management of Lung Cancer in Queensland

Indicative Funding: $221,388 over 2 years (administered by QUT)
Summary: Our project will overcome many of the issues slowing the implementation of cancer genomics and personalised medicine in the state, including (and where relevant, in partnership with the QGHA capability projects): ? We will develop models of care covering all aspects from consent, sample collection and handling, genomic profiling, data analysis and reporting of both somatic and heritable variants, to enable clinical uptake. ? We will develop education programs for health care workers and patients. ? We will establish protocols for cancer genomics in Indigenous populations in consensus with Indigenous communities. ? We will perform a comprehensive analysis of the performance of all aspects of the upgraded model of care and compare it with the current standard of care to identify areas for improvement, and to establish the case for its broader implementation. A system of performance analysis and systems improvement will be built into the care pathways developed, to ensure continuous service improvement beyond the life of this project.
Investigators: Matt Brown, Ken O'Byrne, Fong Kwun, Ian Yang, Stephen Fox, Jayesh Desai, Alan Baxter, Emily Callander, Sabe Sabesan, Jacinta Elston, Nick Graves and Paul Leo (Queensland University of Technology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, The Prince Charles Hospital, The University of Queensland, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, College of Medicine & Dentistry and Division of Tropical Health & Medicine)
Keywords: Genomics; Lung Cancer; Clinical care

Townsville Hospital and Health Service - Study Education Research Trust Account (SERTA)

Tropikids Pilot Study: Longitudinal study of the social determinants of health and development of children in the tropics. TropiKids - an affiliate of the Mater-University Study of Pregnancy

Indicative Funding: $40,000
Summary: TropiKids will study the health and well-being of mothers and fathers and the growth, development and health of their children. The information will inform public policy and service provision, and advance our knowledge of the social and biological determinants of health for Tropical North Queensland. The specific focus of this pilot study is to test the materials and recruitment method for the TropiKids Longitudinal study, and to investigate in a tropical environment the associations between maternal and paternal characteristics (including stress), birth outcomes, and infectious disease in the first year of life.
Investigators: Kerrianne Watt, Linda Shields, Alan Baxter, Zoltan Sarnyai, Wendy Smyth, Damon Eisen and Brett McDermott (College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Townsville Hospital and Health Service and College of Medicine & Dentistry)
Keywords: Paediatrics; Social Determinants of Health; Epidemiology; Infectious Diseases; Risk Factors; Immunology

Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia - Project Grant

An immune transcriptional regulatory network approach to Multiple Sclerosis

Indicative Funding: $240,000 over 3 years
Summary: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In an attempt to understand the integration of both sets of risk factors, we have compared mRNA transcripts between relapsing/remitting (RR) MS patients and healthy controls in 5 leukocyte subsets: CD4 and CD8 T cells, B cells, NK cells and monocytes. A gene co-expression network was generated based on correlation of expression levels across >700 gene expression microarrays, and a major co-ordinately regulated sub-network (module) of mRNA transcripts that is differentially expressed in the monocytes of RR-MS patients was identified. This project validates, characterizes and attempts to manipulate this transcriptional module in human cells ex-vivo and in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity. These results should provide greater explanatory power than the analyses of individual risk factors separately and may provide a multi-faceted target for intervention.
Investigators: Alan Baxter, Margaret Jordan, Helmut Butzkueven and Louise Laverick in collaboration with Letitia Smith (College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences and The University of Melbourne)
Keywords: Autoimmunity; Cellular Immunology; Immunogenetics; Multiple Sclerosis; mouse models; humans

NHMRC - Project Grant

Metabolic Control of Innate-Like Lymphocytes

Indicative Funding: $604,847 over 3 years
Summary: All cells in the body need to get their energy from somewhere, and the chemical basis of their energy supply varies depends on many factors, including their location and rate of cell division. We have found that an important population of white blood cells that control the character and magnitude of most immune responses appear to use an unusual source of their energy. If true, this would provide a range of new opportunities to control the numbers and activities of these cells, and thereby control the character and magnitude of immune responses.
Investigators: Alan Baxter and Gurdyal Besra in collaboration with Dale Godfrey, Jim Burnell, Margaret Jordan and Marie Du Toit (College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, University of Birmingham, The University of Melbourne and Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine)
Keywords: metabolic control; Innate immunity; knockout mouse; Genetic Variation; Lipid Metabolism

NHMRC - Research Fellowship

Immunogenetics of Autoimmune Disease

Indicative Funding: $630,505 over 5 years
Summary: Autoimmune diseases are those in which the immune system attacks and damages the body?s own tissues, such as type 1 diabetes (T1D), gastritis and multiple sclerosis (MS). While it is known that both genes and environmental factors contribute, it is far from clear how they interact, or how they can cause multiple autoimmune diseases. A better understanding of these issues would enable the prediction of disease and provide new therapeutic opportunities. Over the last 4 years, Baxter?s research group has shown that the effects of some environmental risk factors are mediated by genes, such as the TLR genes, expressed by cells of the innate immune system including monocytes, NK and NKT cells. The aim of this application is to identify these genes and determine their mechanisms in mouse models, and to seek evidence for similar activities in humans.
Investigators: Alan Baxter (College of Public Health and Medical & Vet Sciences)
Keywords: Autoimmune Disease; Cellular Immunology; environmental risk factors; genetic risk factors; complex genetic disease

Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

Causes of Multiple Sclerosis: A Functional Genomics Approach. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)
The effects of the Ketogenic diet on animal models of schizophrenia (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)

Completed

Molecular analysis of innate immunity in type 1 diabetes (2014, PhD , Primary Advisor)
Regulation of the immune system during experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis in gene-deficient mice (2013, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Role of toll-like receptors and NKT cells in gene/environment interactions in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (2013, PhD , Primary Advisor)
Transcriptional analysis of natural killer T cell development (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor)
Evaluation of IgE and non-IgE mediated inflammatory pathways generated through exposure to prawn proteins (2014, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.