After the completion of a PhD in 2005, Mark was appointed the senior research scientist of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research arm of the Human Helminth Vaccine Initiative, a multi-national collaborative effort funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop recombinant vaccines against the human parasitic worms, Necator americanus and Schistosoma mansoni.

In 2009, Mark was granted an NHMRC training fellowship to study how molecules in parasite secretions and on the parasite surface influence the host-parasite relationship with a view to develop anti-worm vaccines and novel therapies for autoimmune disorders. Mid-way through 2011 Mark completed part of this work at the Institute of Infection and Immunology Research at the University of Edinburgh and is now continuing this research at James Cook University.

Interests

Research

• Mark’s major research focus involves looking at the functions of proteins from human parasites (specifically helminths, or worms) and how these molecules interact with the host immune system.I am particularly interested in understanding these processes in the context of developing vaccines against parasites of third world populations and finding novel therapies for autoimmune disorders such as asthma.

Experience

• 2011 to present - Research Fellow, James Cook University (Cairns, Qld, Australia)
• 2009 to 2011 - Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh, UK)
• 2006 to 2010 - Research Officer, Queensland institute of Medical Research (Brisbane, Qld, Australia)
• 2001 to 2005 - PhD Student, Queensland institute of Medical Research (Brisbane, Qld, Australia)

Research Disciplines

• Medical microbiology (3207)
• Clinical sciences (3202)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Clinical health (2001)

Awards

• 2011 - Finalist - Australian Museum Eureka Prizes
• 2010 - Research Australia Griffith University Discovery Award

Fellowships

• 2009 to 2013 - NHMRC Early Career Training Fellowship

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

• Phumrattanaprapin W, Chaiyadet S, Brindley P, Pearson M, Smout M, Loukas A and Laha T (2021) Orally administered Bacillus spores expressing an extracellular vesicle-derived tetraspanin protect hamsters against challenge infection with carcinogenic human liver fluke. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 223 (8), pp. 1445-1455, DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiaa516.
• Shalash A, Becker L, Yang J, Giacomin P, Pearson M, Hussein W, Loukas A, Skwarczynski M and Toth I (2021) Oral peptide vaccine against hookworm infection: correlation of antibody titers with protective efficacy. Vaccines, 9, Article: 1034, DOI:10.3390/vaccines9091034.
• Kifle D, Chaiyadet S, Waardenberg A, Wise I, Cooper M, Becker L, Doolan D, Laha T, Sotillo J, Pearson M and Loukas A (2020) Uptake of Schistosoma mansoni extracellular vesicles by human endothelial and monocytic cell lines and impact on vascular endothelial cell gene expression. International Journal for Parasitology, 50 (9), pp. 685-696, DOI:10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.05.005.
• Kifle D, Pearson M, Becker L, Pickering D, Loukas A and Sotillo J (2020) Proteomic analysis of two populations of Schistosoma mansoni-derived extracellular vesicles: 15k pellet and 120k pellet vesicles. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 236, Article: 111264, DOI:10.1016/j.molbiopara.2020.111264.
• Logan J, Pearson M, Manda S, Choi Y, Field M, Eichenberger R, Mulvenna J, Nagaraj S, Fujiwara R, Gazzinelli-Guimaraes P, Bueno L, Mati V, Bethony J, Mitreva M, Sotillo J and Loukas A (2020) Comprehensive analysis of the secreted proteome of adult Necator americanus hookworms. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14 (5), Article: e0008237, DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008237.
• Mekonnen G, Tedla B, Pickering D, Becker L, Wang L, Zhan B, Bottazzi M, Loukas A, Sotillo J and Pearson M (2020) Schistosoma haematobium extracellular vesicle proteins confer protection in a heterologous model of schistosomiasis. Vaccines, 8 (3), Article: 416, DOI:10.3390/vaccines8030416.
• Tedla B, Pickering D, Becker L, Loukas A and Pearson M (2020) Vaccination with Schistosoma mansoni cholinesterases reduces the parasite burden and egg viability in a mouse model of Schistosomiasis. Vaccines, 8 (2), Article: 162, DOI:10.3390/vaccines8020162.
• Singh A, McBride J, Govan B and Pearson M (2019) Survey of local fauna from endemic areas of northern Queensland, Australia for the presence of Mycobacterium ulcerans. International Journal Of Mycobacteriology, 8 (1), pp. 48-52, DOI:10.4103/ijmy.ijmy_168_18.
• Singh A, McBride W, Govan B, Pearson M and Ritchie S (2019) A survey on Mycobacterium ulcerans in mosquitoes and march flies captured from endemic areas of northern Queensland, Australia. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13 (2), Article: e0006745, DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006745.
• Sotillo J, Pearson M, Becker L, Mekonnen G, Amoah A, Van Dam G, Corstjens P, Murray J, Mduluza T, Mutapi F and Loukas A (2019) In-depth proteomic characterization of Schistosoma haematobium: towards the development of new tools for elimination. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13 (5), Article: e0007362, DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0007362.
• Tedla B, Sotillo J, Pickering D, Eichenberger R, Ryan S, Becker L, Loukas A and Pearson M (2019) Novel cholinesterase paralogs of Schistosoma mansoni have perceived roles in cholinergic signaling and drug detoxification and are essential for parasite survival. PLoS Pathogens, 15 (12), Article: e1008213, DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1008213.

Book Chapters

• Sotillo J, Pearson M and Loukas A (2019) Trematode genomics and proteomics. In: Digenetic Trematodes. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1154. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 411-436

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

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.

Completed

• Characterisation of the proteomic composition of Schistosoma haematobium extracellular vesicles: towards the development of vaccine and diagnostic candidate antigens (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Schistosoma mansoni extracellular vesicles: immunobiology and vaccine efficacy (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Investigation of potential environmental reservoirs of mycobacterium ulcerans in North Queensland (2019, Masters , Secondary Advisor)
• Targeting schistosome cholinesterases for vaccine and drug development (2019, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Rational vaccine development for malaria from genomic sequence information (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

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.