Dr Paul Giacomin ~ Senior Research Fellow
Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
- About
-
- 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
- Socio-Economic Objectives
Dr. Paul Giacomin is currently an Advance Queensland Mid-Career 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 and 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.
- Honours
-
- Fellowships
-
- 2010 to 2014 - NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow
- 2008 to 2009 - Sir Keith Murdoch Fellow, American Australian Association
- 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
-
- 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 (in press) IL-17A moonlighting in lung type 2 immunity. Mucosal Immunology, 1, 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.
- Bouchery T, Filbey K, Shepherd A, Chandler J, Patel D, Schmidt A, Camberis M, Peignier A, Smith A, Johnston K, Painter G, Pearson M, Giacomin P, Loukas A, Bottazzi M, Hotez P and LeGros G (2018) A novel blood-feeding detoxification pathway in Nippostrongylus brasiliensis L3 reveals a potential checkpoint for arresting hookworm development. PLoS Pathogens, 14 (3), DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1006931.
- Eichenberger R, Ryan S, Jones L, Buitrago G, Polster R, Montes de Oca M, Zuvelek J, Giacomin P, Dent L, Engwerda C, Field M, Sotillo J and Loukas A (2018) Hookworm secreted extracellular vesicles interact with host cells and prevent inducible colitis in mice. Frontiers in Immunology, 9, DOI:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00850.
- Eichenberger R, Hasanuzzaman T, Field M, Wangchuk P, Giacomin P, Loukas A and Sotillo J (2018) Characterization of Trichuris muris secreted proteins and extracellular vesicles provides new insights into host–parasite communication. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 7 (1), Article: 1428004, DOI:10.1080/20013078.2018.1428004.
- Giacomin P, Kraeuter A, Albornoz E, Jin S, Bengsston M, Gordon R, Woodruff T, Urich T, Sarnyai Z and Soares Magalhães R (2018) Chronic helminth infection perturbs the gut-brain axis, promotes neuropathology, and alters behavior. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 218 (9), pp. 1511-1516, DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiy092.
- More
-
ResearchOnline@JCU stores 53+ research outputs authored by Dr Paul Giacomin from 2002 onwards.
- Current Funding
-
Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Grant
Laser based diagnostics for STH infections
- Indicative Funding
- $43,000 over 2 years (administered by University of Queensland)
- Summary
- Developing novel laser based methods for rapid diagnosis and quantification of parasitic worm infection in various animal and human biological tissue samples, with the end goal of a point-of-care, rapid and sensitive diagnostic,
- Investigators
- Maggy Lord, Ricardo Soares Magalhaes and Paul Giacomin (The University of Queensland and Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine)
- Keywords
- Helminth; Parasite
National Health & Medical Research Council - Development Grant
Hookworm peptide therapeutic for oral treatment of IBD
- Indicative Funding
- $732,700 over 2 years
- Summary
- We intend to develop an orally delivered peptide that can modulate the immune system and be developed as a therapeutic for inflammatory bowel disease. We have identified a peptide, derived from a hookworm protein, that alleviates the clinical symptoms of experimental colitis when orally administered to mice. The peptide has bioactivity with human cells ex vivo and displays desirable drug-like properties. The aim of this project is to acquire further data on the mechanism of action and formulation conditions to facilitate formal product development prior to licensing and clinical trials.
- Investigators
- Alex Loukas, Norelle Daly, Paul Giacomin, John Miles, Roland Ruscher, Keith Dredge, Istvan Toth, Mariusz Skwarczynski, Matthew Moyle, Ashley Waardenberg, John Croese, Matt Field and Tony Rahman (Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, The University of Queensland and The Prince Charles Hospital)
- Keywords
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Peptide; therapeutic; Hookworm; Oral delivery
National Health & Medical Research Council - Project Grant
Hookworm therapy for Coeliac Disease: A randomised, double blink, placebo-controlled clinical trial
- Indicative Funding
- $865,000 over 5 years
- Summary
- Parasitic worms have an amazing ability to manipulate the immune system, and our research group recently discovered how they may hold the key for treating inflammatory diseases such as Coeliac Disease. The aim of this research is to further develop this novel therapy in a clinical trial and study the mechanism of how worms control the immune response, including identifying the molecules that the worm produces that could be produced as a pill-based medication for treating coeliac disease.
- Investigators
- John Croese, Paul Giacomin, Graham Radford-Smith, Tony Rahman and Louise Marquart (Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Queensland Institute of Medical Research and The Prince Charles Hospital)
- Keywords
- Autoimmunity; Parasite; Inflammation
Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation - Research Grant
Can experimental hookworm infection prevent metabolic disease/Type 2 diabetes?
- Indicative Funding
- $24,810 over 1 year
- Summary
- We will conduct a world-first clinical trial in Cairns testing the safety and efficacy of experimental hookworm infection in women at risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. For this application we will examine how worm infection alters the microbiome, a potental mechanism of how worms control metabolism.
- Investigators
- Paul Giacomin in collaboration with Robyn McDermott, Alex Loukas, John Miles and Matt Field (Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, College of Public Health and Medical & Vet Sciences)
- Keywords
- metabolism; Obesity; microbiome; Parasitic infection; Clinical trial; inflammation
QLD Department of Environment and Science - Advance Queensland Research Fellowship
New therapies for Coeliac Disease: Helminths and their secreted products.
- Indicative Funding
- $300,000 over 3 years
- Summary
- Coeliac Disease (CeD) is a common and debilitating autoimmune disorder (affecting 1% of the Queensland population) where gluten ingestion triggers an inflammatory reaction and severe intestinal symptoms. A gluten-free diet is effective for some, but is expensive, inconvenient and inadvertant gluten exposure is common. Hence there is a need for new new treatements for CeD. In a recent clinical trial, our research group demonstrated the efficacy of an unlikely agent to imporive gluten tolerance; parasitic helominths (worms). The overall aim of my research is to translate this movel thereapy into a larger, placebo-controlled clinical trail and study the mechanisms by which worms control the immune response. Identification of the molecules that the worms prodcue to suppress gluten-induced pathology will allow the development of "pill-based" medcations for CeD, and potentially other autoimmune or inflammatory conditions.
- Investigators
- Paul Giacomin, John Croese, Tony Rahman and Graham Radford Smith (Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine and The Prince Charles Hospital)
- Keywords
- Autoimmunity; Inflammation; Parasite; Clinical Trial
Coeliac Australia - Project Grant
Hookworm therapy for restoring tolerance in coeliac disease
- Indicative Funding
- $86,110 over 1 year
- Summary
- Parasitic worms have an amazing ability to manipulate the immune system, and our research group recently discovered how they may hold the key for treating inflammatory diseases such as Coeliac Disease. The aim of our reseach is to further develop this novel therapy in a clinical trial and study the mechanism of how worms control the immune response, including identifying the molecules that the work produces that could be produced as a pill-based medication for treating coeliac disease.
- Investigators
- John Croese, Paul Giacomin, Tony Rahman and Alex Loukas (Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, The Prince Charles Hospital, College of Public Health and Medical & Vet Sciences)
- Keywords
- Autoimmunity; Parasite; Inflammation
- 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
-
- Identification of viral versus bacterial triggers in immune cells from AECOPD patients (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- 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)
- Completed
-
- Investigating the immunomodulatory properties of hookworm recombinant secretome (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Regulation of immunity and inflammation during parasitic helminth infection by inflammasomes (2019, PhD , Primary Advisor)
- Molecular profiling of immunity to infectious diseases using human challenge models (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)
- Characterisation of Necator americanus excretory/secretory products (2020, 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.- 5+ collaborations
- 4 collaborations
- 3 collaborations
- 2 collaborations
- 1 collaboration
- Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)
Connect with me
- Phone
- Location
-
- E5.105, AITHM Cairns (Cairns campus)
- Advisory Accreditation
- Primary Advisor
- Find me on…
-
My research areas
Similar to me
-
Dr Roland RuscherAustralian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
-
Dr Stephanie M. RyanAustralian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
-
Dr Phurpa WangchukAustralian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
-
Dr Mark PearsonAustralian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
-
Prof Alex LoukasAustralian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine