Red X iconGreen tick iconYellow tick icon
The University of Otago has launched a new brand. Find out more

Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 7714
Email
jo.kirman@otago.ac.nz
Position
Associate Professor and Head of Department Academic Leader, Flow Cytometry, for Otago Micro and Nanoscale Imaging (OMNI)
Department
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Qualifications
BSc Hons, PhD
Research summary
Immunology

Research

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a deadly lung disease killing more people every year than any other bacterial infection. One third of the world's population is estimated to be infected, and New Zealand is not exempt. We believe the best way to control the global TB epidemic is through vaccination. Our lab's research is focused on understanding the generation and maintenance of immunological memory in order to improve vaccination against TB. Our lab is also interested in other respiratory pathogens, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes bronchiolitis in infants.

Publications

Kirman, J. R., Weinkove, R., & Borger, J. G. (2023). Immunology across two islands: Understanding the research landscape of Aotearoa (New Zealand) [Interview]. Immunology & Cell Biology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12709 Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Sircombe, K. J., Kirman, J. R., & Pletzer, D. (2022, August). Can BCG vaccination train innate immune cells to protect against skin and soft tissue infections? Poster session presented at the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Ryder, B., Foster, M., Krotky, N., Daniels, N., & Kirman, J. (2022, August). Teaching the unteachable: Training innate immune cells in the lung using the BCG vaccine. Verbal presentation at the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Chen, S., Quan, D. H., Wang, X. T., Sandford, S., Kirman, J. R., Britton, W. J., & Rehm, B. H. A. (2021). Particulate mycobacterial vaccines induce protective immunity against tuberculosis in mice. Nanomaterials, 11, 2060. doi: 10.3390/nano11082060 Journal - Research Article

Blanchett, S., Tsai, C. J. Y., Sandford, S., Loh, J. M. S., Huang, L., Kirman, J. R., & Proft, T. (2021). Intranasal immunisation with Ag85B peptide 25 displayed on Lactococcus lactis using the PilVax platform induces antigen-specific B- and T-cell responses. Immunology & Cell Biology, 99, 767-781. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12462 Journal - Research Article

Back to top