Dr. Saparna Pai began her research career at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), Brisbane, Australia where she was conferred the title ‘John Earnshaw Scholar’ by the Queensland Cancer Council for her work on the immunomodulatory properties of Epstein-Barr Virus that help evade host CTL response. She spent the first 7 years of her post-doctoral career at the Translational Research Institute (Diamantina), Brisbane, Australia, where her key achievements include identifying the mechanism by which RelB regulates DC antigen presenting function and inflammation during autoimmune disease. Her motivation to study immune regulation within an in vivo setting led her to The Centenary Institute, Sydney, Australia where she has led research studies on cerebral malaria pathogenesis. Here she has successfully blended her strength in the area of immune regulation with that of intravital imaging to generate a whole new approach for the study of neuroinflammation. To continue pursuing her interest in the area of inflammation, she has recently joined the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University where she will investigate the role of memory CD8+ T cells in controlling infectious diseases, including Tuberculosis.

Saparna Pai hails from a traditional community of the west coast of India. She is supported by her family. In the course of her career, Dr. Pai has made important discoveries that have significant implications not only for the field of immunology but also related biological disciplines. For this she has received rare recognition including a fellowship from the prestigious Australian Academy of Science.

 

 

Interests

Research

• Immune Regulation Inflammation Infectious Disease Intravital Imaging

Research Disciplines

• Microbiology (0605)
• Immunology (1107)
• Clinical Sciences (1103)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Clinical Health (9201)

Awards

• 2013 - Gordon Research Conference Travel Award
• 2012 - CASS Foundation Award
• 2009 - British Medical Association (BMA) Award
• 2008 - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Travel Grant
• 2005 - Queensland Cancer Council Travel Award
• 2004 - Uniquest Trailblazer Certificate of Merit
• 2000 - Queensland Cancer Council Travel Award
• 1999 - Australasian Society of Immunology (ASI) International travel prize
• 1998 - John Earnshaw Scholar
• 1997 - QUT overseas postgraduate research Scholarship

Fellowships

• 2013 - Australian Academy of Science Fellowship
• 1993 - IIS Research Fellowship

Memberships

• 2014 - Associate Editor, Frontiers in Immunology
• 2010 to 2012 - Deputy Secretary, Australian Society of Medical Research-NSW Committe
• 1998 to 2010 - Australian Society of Immunology/FIMSA

Other

• 2013 - NHMRC Equipment Grant
• 1998 - Queensland Cancer Council Grant

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.
• Muruganandah V, Sathkumara H, Pai S, Rush C, Brosch R, Waardenberg A and Kupz A (2020) A systematic approach to simultaneously evaluate safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of novel tuberculosis vaccination strategies. Science Advances, 6 (10), DOI:10.1126/sciadv.aaz1767.
• Pai S, Muruganandah V and Kupz A (2020) What lies beneath the airway mucosal barrier? Throwing the spotlight on antigen-presenting cell function in the lower respiratory tract. Clinical & Translational Immunology, 9 (e1158), DOI:10.1002/cti2.1158.
• Sathkumara H, Pai S, de Jesús Aceves-Sánchez M, Ketheesan N, Flores-Valdez M and Kupz A (2019) BCG vaccination prevents reactivation of latent lymphatic murine tuberculosis independently of CD4+ T cells. Frontiers in Immunology, 10, Article: 532.
• Lovelace M, Varney B, Sundaram G, Franco N, Ng M, Pai S, Lim C, Guillemin G and Brew B (2016) Current evidence for a role of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism in multiple sclerosis. Frontiers in Immunology, 7, Article: 246, pp. 1-22, DOI:10.3389/fimmu.2016.00246.
• Pai S, Qin J, Cavanagh L, Mitchell A, El-Assaad F, Jain R, Combes V, Hunt N, Grau G and Weninger W (2014) Real-time imaging reveals the dynamics of leukocyte behaviour during experimental cerebral malaria pathogenesis. PLoS Pathogens, 10 (7), Article: e1004236, pp. 1-17, DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1004236.
• Pai S, Danne K, Qin J, Cavanagh L, Smith A, Hickey M and Weninger W (2013) Visualizing leukocyte trafficking in the living brain with 2-photon intravital microscopy. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 6, Article: 67, pp. 1-14, DOI:10.3389/fncel.2012.00067.
• O’Sullivan B, Pai S, Street S, An X, MacDonald K, Wong M, Strutton G, Gerondakis S, Steptoe R, Fazekas de St. Groth B, Hill G and Thomas R (2011) Immunotherapy with costimulatory dendritic cells to control autoimmune inflammation. Journal of Immunology, 187 (8), pp. 4018-4030, DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.1101727.
• Mollah Z, Pai S, Moore C, O'Sullivan B, Harrison M, Peng J, Phillips K, Prins J, Cardinal J and Thomas R (2008) Abnormal NF-κB function characterizes human type 1 diabetes dendritic cells and monocytes. The Journal of Immunology, 180 (5), pp. 3166-3175, DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.180.5.3166.
• Pai S and Thomas R (2008) Immune deficiency or hyperactivity-Nf-κb illuminates autoimmunity. Journal of Autoimmunity, 31 (3), pp. 245-251, DOI:10.1016/j.jaut.2008.04.012.
• Pai S, O'Sullivan B, Abdul-Jabbar I, Peng J, Connoly G, Khanna R, Thomas R and thomas r (2007) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma-associated Epstein–Barr virus-encoded oncogene latent membrane protein 1 potentiates regulatory T-cell function. Immunology and Cell Biology, 85 (5), pp. 370-377, DOI:10.1038/sj.icb.7100046.

Book Chapters

• Pai S and Thomas R (2008) Dendritic cells. In: Rheumatoid Arthritis. Mosby, Philadelphia, USA, pp. 116-123

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 19+ research outputs authored by Dr Saparna Pai from 2001 onwards.

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

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
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