Prof Alex Andrianopoulos
Laboratory Head
School of BioSciences
University of Melbourne
alex.a@unimelb.edu.au
Research Activities
We are studying a number of aspect of T. marneffei biology
and pathogenicity and are particularly interested in understanding the
molecular mechanisms which control the dimorphic switching and asexual
development (conidiation) programs. Dimorphic switching is a temperature- and
host-dependent response that allows T. marneffei to switch from
a non-pathogenic hyphal growth form to the pathogenic yeast
form. The yeast form is specialized to survive with host innate immune cells. Asexual
development is the program the produce asexual spores, the infectious
particles. We are teasing up the mechanisms that control these programs
and examining their effects on growth and pathogenesis in the host.
Research Keywords
Researching in the following areas:
Fungal pathogens, Innate immunity, Genomics, Animal Models - Zebrafish, Animal models - Mice
Techniques/Expertise
DNA-protein interactions, genomics, transcriptomics
Disease Models
Macrophage cells, zebrafish, mice
Genetically Modified Organisms
Talaromyces marneffei (formerly Penicillium marneffei), Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus nidulans