Dr. Paul Giacomin is currently a Senior Research Fellow in the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine at JCU Cairns. Since completing his PhD studies at the University of Adelaide in 2008, his research interests have focussed on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which immune responses to parasitic helminths (worms) are initiated and regulated. Dr. Giacomin underwent his postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania between 2008 and 2012 in the laboratory of Dr. David Artis, where he was awarded fellowships from the American-Australian Association, as well as the NHMRC, to conduct his research. Dr. Giacomin continued his fellowship at JCU Cairns in 2012, where he continues to investigate the key immune cells and cytokines involved in immunity to intestinal worms, as well as exploring the potential beneficial effects that worm infection may have in alleviating inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases.

Teaching

• TM5503: Human Parasitology (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

• Immunity to gastrointestinal helminths
• Epithelial regulation of Type 2 inflammatory responses to parasites and allergens
• Therapeutic roles for helminths and helminth-derived proteins for treating allergic or autoimmune diseases

Experience

• 2016 to 2019 - Advance QLD Mid-Career Fellow, James Cook Univers (Australia)
• 2012 to 2015 - NHMRC CJ Martin Research Fellow, James Cook University, Cairns (Australia)
• 2010 to 2012 - NHMRC CJ Martin Research Fellow, University of Pennsylvania (USA)
• 2009 - Research Fellow, University of Pennsylvania (USA)
• 2008 to 2009 - Sir Keith Murdoch Fellow, University of Pennsylvania (USA)
• 2003 to 2008 - PhD candidate, University of Adelaide (Australia)
• 2002 - BSc (Hons), University of Adelaide (Australia)
• 1999 to 2002 - BSc (Biomedical Science), University of Adelaide (Australia)

Research Disciplines

• Immunology (3204)
• Medical microbiology (3207)

Fellowships

• 2010 to 2014 - NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow
• 2008 to 2009 - Sir Keith Murdoch Fellow, American Australian Association

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

• Buitrago G, Pickering D, Ruscher R, Cobos Caceres C, Jones L, Cooper M, Van Waardenberg A, Ryan S, Miles K, Field M, Dredge K, Daly N, Giacomin P and Loukas A (2021) A netrin domain-containing protein secreted by the human hookworm Necator americanus protects against CD4 T cell transfer colitis. Translational Research, 232, pp. 88-102, DOI:10.1016/j.trsl.2021.02.012.
• Khudhair Z, Alhallaf R, Eichenberger R, Whan J, Kupz A, Field M, Krause L, Wilson D, Daly N, Giacomin P, Sotillo J and Loukas A (2021) Gastrointestinal helminth infection improves insulin sensitivity, decreases systemic inflammation, and alters the composition of gut microbiota in distinct mouse models of Type 2 diabetes. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11, Article: 606530, DOI:10.3389/fendo.2020.606530.
• Bouchery T, Moyat M, Sotillo J, Silverstein S, Volpe B, Coakley G, Tsourouktsoglou T, Becker L, Shah K, Kulagin M, Guiet R, Camberis M, Schmidt A, Seitz A, Giacomin P, Le Gros G, Papayannopoulos V, Loukas A and Harris N (2020) Hookworms evade host immunity by secreting a deoxyribonuclease to degrade neutrophil extracellular traps. Cell Host & Microbe, 27 (2), pp. 277-289.e6, DOI:10.1016/j.chom.2020.01.011.
• Giacomin P, McCarthy J, O'Rourke P, Radford-Smith G, Loukas A, Norrie M, Masson J, Rahman T, Remedios M, Marquart L, Gearry R, Llewellyn S, Croese J, Gupta R, Miller G, Visscher P, Becker L, Clouston A, Welch C, Sidorenko J and Wallace L (2020) Randomized, placebo controlled trial of experimental hookworm infection for improving gluten tolerance in Celiac disease. Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology, 11, Article: e00274, DOI:10.14309/ctg.0000000000000274.
• Kupz A, Pai S, Giacomin P, Whan J, Walker R, Hammoudi P, Smith N and Miller C (2020) Treatment of mice with S4B6 IL‑2 complex prevents lethal toxoplasmosis via IL‑12‑ and IL‑18‑dependent interferon‑gamma production by non‑CD4 immune cells. Scientific Reports, 10, Article: 13115, DOI:10.1038/s41598-020-70102-1.
• Ruscher R and Giacomin P (2020) IL-17A moonlighting in lung type 2 immunity. Mucosal Immunology, 13, pp. 849-851, DOI:10.1038/s41385-020-0329-z.
• Ryan S, Eichenberger R, Ruscher R, Giacomin P and Loukas A (2020) Harnessing helminth-driven immunoregulation in the search for novel therapeutic modalities. PLoS Pathogens, 16 (5), Article: e1008508, DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1008508.
• Chenery A, Alhallaf R, Agha Z, Ajendra J, Parkinson J, Cooper M, Chan B, Eichenberger R, Dent L, Robertson A, Kupz A, Brough D, Loukas A, Sutherland T, Allen J and Giacomin P (2019) Inflammasome-independent role for NLRP3 in controlling innate antihelminth immunity and tissue repair in the lung. Journal of Immunology, 203 (10), Article: 1900640, pp. 2724-2734, DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.1900640.
• Dastpeyman M, Giacomin P, Wilson D, Nolan M, Bansal P and Daly N (2019) A C-terminal fragment of chlorotoxin retains bioactivity and inhibits cell migration. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10, Article: 250, DOI:10.3389/fphar.2019.00250.
• Filbey K, Camberis M, Chandler J, Turner R, Kettle A, Eichenberger R, Giacomin P and Le Gros G (2019) Intestinal helminth infection promotes IL-5- and CD4+ T cell-dependent immunity in the lung against migrating parasites. Mucosal Immunology, 11, pp. 352-362, DOI:10.1038/s41385-018-0102-8.
• Wangchuk P, Shepherd C, Constantinoiu C, Ryan R, Kouremenos K, Becker L, Jones L, Buitrago G, Giacomin P, Wilson D, Daly N, Mcconville M, Miles J and Loukas A (2019) Hookworm-derived metabolites suppress pathology in a mouse model of colitis and inhibit secretion of key inflammatory cytokines in primary human leukocytes. Infection and Immunity, 87 (4), Article: e00851-18, DOI:10.1128/IAI.00851-18.
• Alhallaf R, Agha Z, Miller C, Robertson A, Sotillo-Gallego J, Croese J, Cooper M, Masters S, Kupz A, Smith N, Loukas A and Giacomin P (2018) The NLRP3 inflammasome suppresses protective immunity to gastrointestinal helminth infection. Cell Reports, 23 (4), pp. 1085-1098, DOI:10.1016/j.celrep.2018.03.097.

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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 58+ research outputs authored by Dr Paul Giacomin from 2002 onwards.

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.

Current

• Airway Resident Memory T Cell Development and Persistence: The Key to Induction of Sterile Immunity against Pulmonary Tuberculosis? (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Experimental Hookworm Infection in Humans with Metabolic Disease (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Identification of viral versus bacterial triggers in immune cells from AECOPD patients (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The Role of Intestinal T Cells in Gut Homeostasis and Disease (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Regulation of immunity and inflammation during parasitic helminth infection by inflammasomes (2019, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Investigating the immunomodulatory properties of hookworm recombinant secretome (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Molecular profiling of immunity to infectious diseases using human challenge models (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Characterisation of Necator americanus excretory/secretory products (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Quantitative assessment of covariants of root canal treatment efficacy in human teeth (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The anti-colitic properties of hookworm protein Na-AIP-1 (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.