Biography
Erica is an early career researcher driven by the need for more effective vaccines. Erica completed her PhD at the University of Sydney studying the immune correlates of protection of novel respiratory vaccines to tuberculosis and COVID-19. Her research focused on understanding the mechanism of action of mucosal adjuvants when delivered to the lungs, and how they produce protective immune responses against these pathogens.
After completing...view more
Erica is an early career researcher driven by the need for more effective vaccines. Erica completed her PhD at the University of Sydney studying the immune correlates of protection of novel respiratory vaccines to tuberculosis and COVID-19. Her research focused on understanding the mechanism of action of mucosal adjuvants when delivered to the lungs, and how they produce protective immune responses against these pathogens.
After completing her PhD in 2023, Erica worked as a postdoctoral research officer at the Centenary Institute, developing a novel intranasal COVID-19 subunit vaccine until the end of 2024. Currently, Erica is employed in the lab of Dr Deborah Burnett as a postdoctoral research fellow at the UNSW School of Biomedical Sciences, now focused on developing a novel mRNA vaccine for urinary tract infections.
My Qualifications
2019-2023 Doctor of Philosophy, Medicine; University of Sydney
2015-2018 Bachelor of Science, Advanced; University of Sydney
My Awards
2025
- 10X Genomics Millenium Science Fellowship Awardee
2024
- Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI) travel grant valued at $2000 to attend the European Congress of Immunology (ECI) in Dublin, Ireland in September 2024.
- Centenary Institute travel award valued at $3000 to attend ECI conference in Dublin, Ireland.
- Travel grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Collaboration for TB Vaccine Discovery to attend their annual meeting and ECR career development course to be held in Seattle in June 2024. Business class flights and accommodation paid.
2023
- Centenary Institute travel award valued at $3000 to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting of ASI held in Auckland, New Zealand.
2022
- ASI Annual Meeting Travel Bursary Award.
2020
- 8th Australasian Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics Development (AVID) Meeting 2020 Award for best EMCR short talk valued at $250.
My Research Activities
Erica's research focuses on studying the mechanisms behind protective immunity induced by vaccines. In the course of her research, this has led her to primarily characterize CD4+ T cell responses, both systemic and in mucosal tissues. Furthermore, she has experience in characterizing and assessing humoral immune responses such as binding antibody responses and neutralizing antibody titres.