Griffith University Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics

Today, we are celebrating a discovery from our own Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics that could reshape the future of Strep A vaccine development.

Led by Associate Professor Manisha Pandey, Professor Michael Good and their team, in collaboration with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), this landmark research reveals that mild, symptom-free exposure to Strep A can quietly activate the immune system and build limited but lasting protection.

Strep A causes painful tonsillitis and school sores in children and adolescents. If left untreated, these infections can progress to rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease and kidney disease, conditions that place a devastating burden on First Nations communities in Australia. With more than 250 distinct strains and no cross-protection between them, it has long remained unclear how some people develop lasting immunity despite no known history of Strep A infection.

This discovery brings us significantly closer to understanding that process. Importantly, it also demonstrates the limitations of naturally acquired immunity. With protection largely confined to the strains an individual has encountered, achieving broad protection against hundreds of Strep A strains through natural exposure is highly unlikely. This finding further supports the vaccine approach our team has been pursuing for years. It is a powerful example of the calibre of research taking place here at IBG, and we could not be prouder of the entire team behind it.

Strep A immunity is possible without getting sick - Griffith News Exposure to a mild or symptom-free strain of Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) can trigger the body’s immune response and naturally build protection, potentially solving a nearly 100-year-old mystery of immunity.

Meet the 2026 recipients of the IBG PhD Professional Development Awards, selected for the drive, curiosity, and ambition they bring to their research every day.

This award exists to back these outstanding candidates as they pursue the goals that matter most to them, with professional development opportunities shaped around relevant conferences, networking opportunities and growing their footprint in their chosen research field.

Congratulations to the following students, who received their award from our Executive Director, Professor Paul R Clarke earlier this week:

• Mr Henry Smith
• Ms Quynh Nguyen
• Ms Sanchia Marie Malapitan
• Ms Sreedevi Damodaran
• Ms Habeebah Owolabi
• Ms Nirosha Dissanayake Mudiyanselage
• Ms Ran Ran
• Ms Vidya Ranasinghe

We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 IBG Research Excellence Awards, celebrating the calibre and excellence of research being undertaken at IBG.

𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭
The Spinal Injury Project team, led by Prof James St John
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
A/Prof Rohan Davis
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐝-𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫
Prof Thomas Ve
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦
The IBG Vaccine Adjuvant Discovery Team, led by Prof Kathy Andrews, A/Prof Danielle Stanisic and A/Prof Rohan Davis
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩
Prof Kathy Andrews
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡
A/Prof Danielle Stanisic
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫
Dr Louise Sternicki

All of our winners will now progress to represent IBG as nominees in the Vice Chancellor's Research Excellence Awards. We wish them all the best!

Scholarship Opportunity at IBG for a PhD candidate to undertake research on the mode of action of marine Bacillus probiotics using advanced multi-omics approaches.

This project forms part of a larger collaborative research initiative between Griffith University, Bioproton Pty Ltd and the Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre (MBCRC).
Please find additional details about this scholarship via https://www.griffith.edu.au/research-study/scholarships/mode-of-action-studies-of-marine-bacillus-probiotics-using-multi-omics-approaches

Expression of Interest closes at 5pm AEST on Friday, 28 August 2026.

Thank you Community Bank Gold Coast North, for providing support for our IBG Summer Scholarships program, creating meaningful experiences and impact for students just like Jenny!

Meet Jenny 👋🏻

Jenny is a student at Griffith University and earlier this year, she had the opportunity to take part in the Griffith University Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics Summer Scholarship Program.

We recently caught up with Jenny to learn more about her experience.

🏡 Jenny is a Gold Coast local, born and bred.

🔬A first-year Medical student at GU, Jenny chose medicine because she believes it will give her the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives and have a positive impact on her community.

🧪 After graduating, Jenny hopes to become a clinical-researcher and work alongside international not-for-profit health organisations such as the WHO. She hopes to engage in health policy & be an advocate for health equity - particularly for rural or First Nations communities within Australia.

✨ Jenny found the Summer Scholarship Program really valuable, because it gave her an insight into the research side of medicine - helping her see how scientific discoveries are translated into treatments, therapies and better health outcomes for patients.

👏🏻 Thank you to our customers - your banking has helped make opportunities like the Summer Scholarship Program possible. You’re creating real impact for students like Jenny and helping shape the future of health and research.

Congratulations to IBG PhD students Ahmed Sid-Ahmed and Daniella Spink, who recently attended the Monash mRNA Workforce Training Centre’s "mRNA Design and Optimisation | Essentials" short course, supported by EMBL Australia.

The intensive workshop provided participants with a comprehensive introduction to the design and optimisation of therapeutic mRNA constructs, covering key aspects of mRNA structure, development workflows, and strategies for clinical application. Through collaborative activities, attendees gained hands-on experience designing and presenting therapeutic mRNA constructs while exploring the latest advances in RNA therapeutics.

Beyond the technical training, the course provided valuable opportunities to engage with leading researchers, industry experts, and peers from across Australia, fostering new connections and strengthening the national RNA therapeutics community.

Reflecting on the experience, Ahmed and Daniella highlighted the course's practical insights into therapeutic mRNA design, access to valuable resources, and the opportunity to learn from experts at the forefront of the field. The workshop also showcased the exciting RNA therapeutics research being undertaken across Australia and facilitated meaningful networking opportunities.

We are proud to support our Higher Degree Research students in accessing world-class training opportunities that enhance their research capabilities and contribute to the development of Australia's growing biotechnology and mRNA workforce.

Thank you to EMBL Australia and the Monash mRNA Workforce Training Centre for delivering this outstanding professional development opportunity.

Over the past fortnight, we were delighted to bring together our IBG staff and students for our Mid-Year Lunch at both our Gold Coast and Brisbane South campuses, proudly sponsored by Community Bank Paradise Point and Pimpama Ormeau.
It was a wonderful chance to celebrate the incredible contributions and achievements of our staff and students over the first six months of the year, and to enjoy some Queensland winter sunshine together.
We were especially delighted to welcome Ash Wijey and Jodie Draffin from Community Bank Paradise Point, whose support of the Institute goes all the way back to 2013. Lunches like this give our research teams a chance to connect and network socially - and you never know, the next big discovery might have just been made over a delicious bowl of paella in the sun!
A sincere thank you to Community Bank Paradise Point and Pimpama Ormeau for their generous support, and to all of our staff and students for the energy and dedication you bring every day. Here's to an exciting second half of the year!

As part of NAIDOC Week, our Institute's People and Culture Committee hosted an insightful discussion on "Working in Partnership with Communities: Principles for Culturally Respectful Research" with Dr Kerry Hall (SFHEA), Acting Director of the Indigenous Research Unit. The engaging Q&A session was facilitated by Professor Shivashankar Nagaraj.

The session highlighted several important principles for researchers and students seeking to work respectfully alongside Indigenous communities:

🤝 Culturally respectful research starts with awareness and engagement. Meaningful community involvement should begin from the earliest stages of research, not after projects have already been designed.

👂 Strong partnerships are built through listening and trust. Effective engagement requires moving beyond project-based interactions and recognising that communities bring invaluable knowledge, perspectives and expertise.

🌏 There is no one-size-fits-all approach to Indigenous community engagement. Researchers should remain open to adapting their engagement models and creating opportunities to involve Indigenous students and researchers, helping to strengthen relationships and research participation.

📚 Culturally respectful research skills can be developed. Researchers and students are encouraged to take advantage of the many training opportunities available at Griffith to build their understanding of culturally safe research practices, Indigenous Knowledge systems and Indigenous research methodologies.

A sincere thank you to Dr Kerry Hall for sharing her knowledge and experience, and to Professor Shiv Nagagraj for facilitating a thoughtful and engaging discussion. Conversations continued over a delicious morning tea featuring Australian native ingredients, providing a wonderful opportunity for attendees to connect and reflect on the themes explored during the session.

This NAIDOC Week, we are reminded that meaningful research is built on respect, partnership, listening and a genuine commitment to working alongside communities.

A Major Australian Vaccine Trial brings Important Clarity on Gonorrhoea Prevention Vaccine.
A major new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that the meningococcal B vaccine is ineffective in gonorrhoea prevention among gay and bisexual men at high risk of infection.
The GoGoVax trial led by Professor Kate Seib (Griffith University Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics) and Professor Andrew Grulich (Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney) is the world's largest double-blind, randomised controlled trial investigating this question. The study involved 587 gay and bisexual men at high risk of gonorrhoea infections and found no difference in gonorrhoea incidence between those who received the meningococcal B vaccine and those who received a saline placebo.
These findings are particularly significant because earlier observational studies suggested the vaccine may offer some cross-protection against gonorrhoea, leading to vaccination programs being introduced in the UK for high risk gay and bisexual men and in parts of Spain for people at high risk of infection. However, GoGoVax joins other randomised controlled trials that have similarly found no protective effect. Several ongoing trials will be important to understand vaccine efficacy in different populations, including women and people at lower risk of gonorrhoea infection.
As Professor Kate Seib noted, research like this provides valuable clarity for individuals managing their sexual health and helps ensure prevention strategies are guided by the strongest available evidence.
Importantly, the 4CMenB vaccine remains a safe and effective vaccine for preventing meningococcal B disease.
A huge thank you to the participants, researchers, clinicians, and community partners who contributed to this important study. Every finding, whether positive or negative helps advance our understanding and strengthens future public health responses.

Read more about this trial here: https://lnkd.in/gQQQerRi

Today we celebrate the researchers, students and support teams whose dedication, innovation and curiosity drives world-leading biomedical research.

At the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, our purpose is to make biomedical discoveries and inventions and translate them into clinical and commercial outcomes for the improvement of health. The Institute bridges the gap between discovery science and patient access by developing new vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic technologies with clear regulatory and clinical pathways.

Research is a collective effort, and today we recognise everyone who contributes to transforming innovative ideas into real-world health solutions. Thank you for your commitment to advancing science, fostering collaboration, and creating impact for communities locally and globally.

Here's to the people behind the discoveries, and to the discoveries that make a difference.