TRAINING 

Chris trained in veterinary medicine and surgery, immunochemistry, and immunology at Sydney University and in DNA technology at Stanford University.

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS 

Chris discovered, defined key molecular circuits, and established the concept that sequential immune tolerance checkpoints actively prevent the immune system attacking “self” while fighting off “foreign” infections, laying the scientific foundation for targeted arthritis treatments and the recent success of checkpoint inhibitor drugs to activate immune destruction of “altered self” cancer cells. He pioneered the use of mammalian genome sequencing to reveal how the body’s phenotype results from its’ genotype – “phenomics”. Most recently his team have used single cell genomics to discover that rogue immune cells bypass immune tolerance checkpoints to cause autoimmune disease through mutation pathways that also cause lymphoma and leukemia.

AWARDS 

Chris’ many awards include the AAI Pharmingen Award, Gottschalk Medal, Health Minister’s Prize, Centenary Medal, Ramaciotti Medal, GSK Award for Research Excellence, William E. Paul Award, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Fellow of the Royal Society, and Member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

RESEARCH INTERESTS 

Chris’ research focuses on understanding the cause of autoimmune diseases and the control mechanisms that normally guide formation of antibodies with desirable specificity, affinity and solubility. His team integrates genetics and genomics technologies with single cell analysis of immune cells and antibodies in people and in mouse models. A key focus is on identifying germline and somatic mutations that allow cells to circumvent immune tolerance checkpoints and produce autoantibodies. His research interests extend to the pathogenesis and targeted therapies for COVID-19, lymphoma and leukemia, and identifying immune tolerance checkpoint inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy.