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Professor Leann Tilley
Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow
(FL150100106)
Current Organisation
Administering Organisation
Primary research field
Strategic Research Priority area
The University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne
Cell Metabolism
Promoting population health and wellbeing
Image credit: The
University of Melbourne
Fellowship project summary:
Bio-metrology and modelling of a complex system: the malaria parasite
This fellowship project aims to develop a cross-disciplinary program to measure, model and manipulate
a complex cellular system—sexual differentiation of the human malaria parasite. Combining life and
physical sciences with powerful imaging techniques, the project seeks to develop quantitative
biochemical, biophysical and modelling techniques to probe a complex system in a way previously not
possible. It expects to integrate and correlate thousands of measurements of the dynamic processes
inside cells and use these datasets to generate rigorous and sophisticated mathematical models that can
predict drivers of commitment for transformation of the parasite to a sexual phase in preparation for
transmission to mosquitoes. This holistic approach hopes to deliver new biotechnology and biomedical
outcomes, including new ways to combat disease in livestock and humans.
About Professor Tilley
Professor Tilley’s main research areas of interest include cell biology and drug development relating to
infectious diseases such as malaria. She embraces a large range of technologies from drug and protein
chemistry to molecular cell biology and novel imaging technologies.
Professor Tilley believes that answering the major medical and biotechnology questions of the 21st
century will require convergence of the life and physical sciences and reliance on the use of advanced
imaging techniques, and would like to be part of the exciting developments in this area. She is
passionate about encouraging the next generation of scientists, particularly about enhancing the roles of
women in quantitative science.
In 2011 Professor Tilley was awarded an ARC Professional Fellowship and the Beckman Coulter
Discovery Award of the Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Professor Tilley was Deputy Director and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent
X-ray Science from 2008 to 2012, and currently is the Deputy Head of Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology in the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute at The University of Melbourne.
Find out more about Professor Tilley and her research by visiting her profile page on The University of
Melbourne website.
For further information about this funding scheme please visit the Australian Laureate Fellowships
scheme page on the ARC website.