My current research interests are in the area of comparative immunology and genomics. My background has included research on different groups of organisms, including viruses (herpesviruses), bacteria (marine bacteria), slime mold (single-celled eukaryote), plants (apple and peach), invertebrates (insects and marine invertebrates) and vertebrates (marsupials, dairy cattle, mice). The one common approach to all of these projects that I have been involved in is a biomolecular approach to addressing various issues in biological sciences. My PhD research, conducted at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) under the supervision of A/Prof David Raftos and Prof Robert Raison, examined host defense in the solitary tunicate, Styela plicata. In that project, I discovered a collagenous lectin (C-type lectin with a collagenous domain) that appeared to function in concert with a complement C3-like protein. It appears to be homologous to the lectin-mediated complement activation pathway in the vertebrates. After this, I undertook post-doctoral research at Prof Courtney Smith's laboratory at the George Washington University. Here I investigated transcriptomic responses of sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) blood cells and that work led to the discovery a high degree of molecular diversity in the gene family called 185/333. The expression of these genes are enhanced during immunological responses to non-self challenge. The diversity of 185/333 transcripts and proteins is increased during their expression (when compared to their corresponding gene sequences). There is some evidence to suggest that the sea urchin employs molecular diversity in the 185/333 molecular system as an immunological strategy during infections, although the exact function of these molecules has not been elucidated. Upon my return to Australia, I worked at Sydney University, examining (using microarrays) the transcriptional responses of mammary gland tissues from specially-derived mouse strains. While there, I also explored the development of transfected cell arrays and mammosphere cultures. I am currently at Macquarie University, where I have continued to work on my interests in comparative immunology and genomics. During this period, I have undertaken research on the diversity of the 185/333 gene family, genomics of the sea urchin, immunological responses of insects to infections and the relationship between physiological stress and immunity in marine invertebrates (e.g. oysters).