Stuart Turville
My background is as a basic and translational scientist with extensive expertise in molecular virology (Nature Methods 2008; Nature Microbiology 2022; PloS Pathogens 2012; Traffic 2017; Nature Microbiology 2022) and basic immunology (Nature Immunology 2002, Blood 2004). Using this foundation, I have utilized many mechanistic aspects of basic science research to focus on translational solutions with regard to gene therapy efforts (Molecular Therapy, 2015 & 2017) and pandemic responses (PloS Med. 2021; Nature Microbiology 2022; Lancet Ebiomedicine 2022 & 2023).
Talk: Engineering tools for rapid viral tracking
From the beginning of the pandemic we have been engaged in “tool” making. The tools are engineered cells, as SARS COV-2 evolved we have used them to build platforms to study not only the changes in viral phenotype but also to enable high throughput screening of many large Australian cohorts. Recent work has used antibody pooling to track the maturation of antibody responses to the virus across 4 years of the pandemic. Using this approach, we can observe hundreds of thousands of donors over time and have mapped a pandemic trajectory for this response. In parallel we have also resolved the evolving cellular entry requirements of the virus and have defined the shift in molecular mechanisms the virus uses over time to target specific cells and tissue. This entry shift is consistent with movement of the virus away from the lower respiratory tract and consolidation within the upper respiratory tract and also the small intestine.
Abstracts this author is presenting: