Melissa C Graham
Senior Research Assistant
+ 61 7 3362 0222melissa.graham@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CAREER HISTORY
Melissa joined the Mosquito Control Laboratory (MCL) in September 2017. She has over twenty years experience in molecular biology and virology, having completed a BSc in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (University of California, Santa Cruz) and a MPhil in Molecular Virology (University of Queensland) on mutagenesis investigation of Dengue Fever envelope protein maturation. She has previously worked at UQCCR designing constructs of RNA transcripts tagged with fluorophores in the study of oocyte development, at QUT in the Faculty of Health and at Patheon/Thermo Fisher in QC validation. Prior to her research at UQ, she spent nine years in biotech research at Roche Molecular Systems, developing DNA polymerases for novel functionality and at Bayer Biotechnology, both in California. She is currently working on our DIP project (dengue interfering particles) as well as developing novel and efficient screening of arboviruses in mosquitoes (multiplex qRT-PCR, RNASeq, etc) and managing the MCL. She is also a reserve Scientific Officer at the Australian Defence Force Malaria and Infectious Disease Institute (ADFMIDI). Melissa brings a spectrum of skills to the lab and a passion for mosquito-borne infectious diseases.
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
2017-current: Senior Research Assistant, MCL
Current: Scientific Officer, Lieutenant, ADF Malaria and Infectious Disease Institute
CURRENT AREA OF RESEARCH
- Arboviral, Wolbachia and insecticide resistance diagnostics
- Australasian detection of alpha and flaviviridae
- Dengue Defective Interfering Particles
- Personal repellent development