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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 7726
Email
merilyn.hibma@otago.ac.nz
Position
Professor
Department
Department of Pathology (Dunedin)
Qualifications
BSc MSc PhD(Otago)
Research summary
Immune regulation and its contribution to skin pathogenesis

Research

Merilyn is a Professor in the Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine. She worked for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in University of Cambridge with Lionel Crawford (FRS), before being awarded an HRC Repatriation Fellowship and returning to the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Otago. In 2014 she was appointed to the Department of Pathology.

Her research interests include viral regulation of cell function and immunity in the skin, with a particular emphasis on human papillomavirus (HPV) and cancer. HPV causes persistent infections of cutaneous and mucosal skin and is the causal agent of cervical cancer. Although an effective prophylactic vaccine has been developed for the major cancer-causing HPV types, there is a continuing need for better therapeutics for HPV to address the health needs of individuals who are already infected with this high-prevalence virus. Understanding viral regulation of immunity by HPV and developing better immunotherapeutics to treat HPV are the focus of her research.

Publications

Lawton, B., MacDonald, E. J., Storey, F., Stanton, J.-A., Adcock, A., Gibson, M., … King, F., … Watson, H., Bennett, M., Lambert, C. S., Geller, S., Paasi, I., Hibma, M., Sykes, P., Hawkes, D., & Saville, M. (2023). A model for empowering rural solutions for cervical cancer prevention (He Tapu Te Whare Tangata): Protocol for a cluster randomized crossover trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 12, e51643. doi: 10.2196/51643

Saito, M., Rajesh, A., Innes, C., van der Griend, R., Fitzgerald, P., Simcock, B., Sykes, P., & Hibma, M. (2023). The high-risk human papillomavirus type influences the tissue microenvironment in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2. Viruses, 15, 1953. doi: 10.3390/v15091953

Ticar, V. S., Tschirley, A., Wilson, M., du Plessis, A., & Hibma, M. (2023). Case report: An adverse response to cyclosporin A treatment in BALB/cJ mice. Laboratory Animals. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00236772231177857

Speck, P., Mackenzie, J., Bull, R. A., Slobedman, B., Drummer, H., Fraser, J., … Hibma, M., … Ward, V., … Young, P. (2023). Statement in support of: "Virology under the microscope: A call for rational discourse". Journal of Virology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1128/jvi.00451-23

Gibson-Helm, M., Slater, T., MacDonald, E. J., Stevenson, K., Adcock, A., Geller, S., … Hibma, M., Sykes, P., … Lawton, B. (2023). Te Ara Waiora-Implementing human papillomavirus (HPV) primary testing to prevent cervical cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: A protocol for a non-inferiority trial. PLoS ONE, 18(3), e0280643. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280643

Rajesh, A., & Hibma, M. (2020). Novel concepts: Langerhans cells in the tumour microenvironment. In A. Birbrair (Ed.), Tumor microenvironment: Hematopoietic cells, part B: Advances in experimental medicine and biology (Vol. 1273). (pp. 147-158). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-49270-0_8

Chapter in Book - Research

Saito, M., Rajesh, A., Innes, C., van der Griend, R., Fitzgerald, P., Simcock, B., Sykes, P., & Hibma, M. (2023). The high-risk human papillomavirus type influences the tissue microenvironment in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2. Viruses, 15, 1953. doi: 10.3390/v15091953

Journal - Research Article

Aziz, M. A., Seo, B., Hussaini, H. M., Hibma, M., & Rich, A. M. (2022). Comparing two methods for the isolation of exosomes. Journal of Nucleic Acids, 8648373. doi: 10.1155/2022/8648373

Journal - Research Article

Rajesh, A., Saito, M., Morrin, H., Tschirley, A., Simcock, J., Currie, M., & Hibma, M. (2022). Characterisation of the immune microenvironment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in immunosuppression. Experimental Dermatology, 31, 1720-1728. doi: 10.1111/exd.14650

Journal - Research Article

Saito, M., Rajesh, A., Innes, C., van der Griend, R., Fitzgerald, P., Simcock, B., Sykes, P., & Hibma, M. (2022). Blimp-1 is a prognostic indicator for progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2. Journal of Cancer Research & Clinical Oncology, 148, 1991-2002. doi: 10.1007/s00432-022-03993-4

Journal - Research Article

Sykes, P. H., Simcock, B. J., Innes, C. R., Harker, D., Williman, J. A., Whitehead, M., van der Griend, R. A., … Hibma, M., … Petrich, S., … Sadler, L. (2022). Predicting regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 in women under 25 years. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 226, 222.e1-222.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.09.009

Journal - Research Article

MacDonald, E. J., Geller, S., Sibanda, N., Stevenson, K., Denmead, L., Adcock, A., Cram, F., Hibma, M., & Lawton, B. (2021). Reaching under-screened/never-screened indigenous peoples with human papilloma virus self-testing: A community-based cluster randomised controlled trial. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 61, 135-141. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13285

Journal - Research Article

Mohd Zawawi, W. F. A. W., Hibma, M. H., Salim, M. I., & Jemon, K. (2021). Hyperthermia by near infrared radiation induced immune cells activation and infiltration in breast tumor. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 10278. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-89740-0

Journal - Research Article

Tschirley, A. M., Stockwell, P. A., Rodger, E. J., Eltherington, O., Morison, I. M., Christensen, N., Chatterjee, A., & Hibma, M. (2021). The mouse papillomavirus epigenetic signature is characterised by DNA hypermethylation after lesion regression. Viruses, 13, 2045. doi: 10.3390/v13102045

Journal - Research Article

Dempster-Rivett, K., Innes, C. R., Simcock, B. J., Harker, D., Williman, J. A., Van Der Griend, R. A., Whitehead, M., Hibma, M., … Petrich, S., Faherty, J., … Sykes, P. H. (2020). Evaluation of guidelines for observational management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 in young women. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 223, 408.e1-408.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.02.029

Journal - Research Article

Rajesh, A., Stuart, G., Real, N., Ahn, J., Tschirley, A., Wise, L., & Hibma, M. (2020). Depletion of langerin+ cells enhances cutaneous wound healing. Immunology, 160, 366-381. doi: 10.1111/imm.13202

Journal - Research Article

Adcock, A., Cram, F., Lawton, B., Geller, S., Hibma, M., Sykes, P., … Hart, S. (2019). Acceptability of self-taken vaginal HPV sample for cervical screening among an under-screened Indigenous population. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 59, 301-307. doi: 10.1111/ajo.12933

Journal - Research Article

Innes, C. R., Sykes, P. H., Harker, D., Williman, J. A., Van der Griend, R. A., Whitehead, M., Hibma, M., … Petrich, S., Faherty, J., … Simcock, B. J. (2018). Changes in human papillomavirus genotypes associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 lesions in a cohort of young women (2013–2016). Papillomavirus Research, 6, 77-82. doi: 10.1016/j.pvr.2018.10.010

Journal - Research Article

Zhang, J., Burn, C., Young, K., Wilson, M., Ly, K., Budhwani, M., Tschirley, A., Braithwaite, A., Baird, M., & Hibma, M. (2018). Microparticles produced by human papillomavirus type 16 E7-expressing cells impair antigen presenting cell function and the cytotoxic T cell response. Scientific Reports, 8, 2373. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20779-2

Journal - Research Article

Jemon, K., Leong, C.-M., Ly, K., Young, S. L., McLellan, A. D., & Hibma, M. H. (2016). Suppression of the CD8 T cell response by human papillomavirus type 16 E7 occurs in Langerhans cell-depleted mice. Scientific Reports, 6, 34789. doi: 10.1038/srep34789

Journal - Research Article

Warif, N. M. A., Stoitzner, P., Leggatt, G. R., Mattarollo, S. R., Frazer, I. H., & Hibma, M. H. (2015). Langerhans cell homeostasis and activation Is altered in hyperplastic human papillomavirus type 16 E7 expressing epidermis. PLoS ONE, 10(5), e0127155. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127155

Journal - Research Article

Jemon, K., Young, V., Wilson, M., McKee, S., Ward, V., Baird, M., Young, S., & Hibma, M. (2013). An enhanced heterologous virus-like particle for human papillomavirus type 16 tumour immunotherapy. PLoS ONE, 8(6), e66866. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066866

Journal - Research Article

D'Costa, Z. J., Jolly, C., Androphy, E. J., Mercer, A., Matthews, C. M., & Hibma, M. H. (2012). Transcriptional repression of E-cadherin by human papillomavirus type 16 E6. PLoS ONE, 7(11), e48954. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048954

Journal - Research Article

D'Costa, Z. J., Leong, C.-M., Shields, J., Matthews, C., & Hibma, M. H. (2012). Screening of drugs to counteract human papillomavirus 16 E6 repression of E-cadherin expression. Investigational New Drugs, 30(6), 2236-2251. doi: 10.1007/s10637-012-9803-0

Journal - Research Article

Dutton, S., Fleming, S. B., Ueda, N., Heath, D. D., Hibma, M. H., & Mercer, A. A. (2012). Delivery of Echinococcus granulosus antigen EG95 to mice and sheep using recombinant vaccinia virus. Parasite Immunology, 34(6), 312-317. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2012.01360.x

Journal - Research Article

Hibma, M. H. (2012). The immune response to papillomavirus during infection persistence and regression. Open Virology Journal, 6(Suppl. 2), 241-248. doi: 10.2174/1874357901206010241

Journal - Research Article

Rose, S. B., Lawton, B. A., Lanumata, T. S., Hibma, M., & Baker, M. G. (2012). Predictors of intent to vaccinate against HPV/cervical cancer: A multi-ethnic survey of 769 parents in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 125(1350). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Leong, C. M., Doorbar, J., Nindl, I., Yoon, H.-S., & Hibma, M. H. (2010). Loss of epidermal Langerhans cells occurs in human papillomavirus α, γ, and μ but not β genus infections. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 130(2), 472-480. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.266

Journal - Research Article

Leong, C.-M., Doorbar, J., Nindl, I., Yoon, H.-S., & Hibma, M. H. (2010). Deregulation of E-cadherin by human papillomavirus is not confined to high-risk, cancer-causing types. British Journal of Dermatology, 163(6), 1253-1263. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.09968.x

Journal - Research Article

Rose, S. B., Lawton, B. A., Lanumata, T., Hibma, M., & Baker, M. G. (2010). HPV/cervical cancer vaccination: Parental preferences on age, place and information needs. Journal of Primary Health Care, 2(3), 190-198.

Journal - Research Article

Hibma, M. H., Real, N. C., Wiles, A., Dobson-Le, D., Dix, B. R., Wynford-Thomas, D., Braithwaite, A. W., & Royds, J. A. (2009). Increased apoptosis and reduced replication efficiency of the E3 region-modified dl309 adenovirus in cancer cells. Virus Research, 145(1), 112-120. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2009.06.016

Journal - Research Article

Westphal, D., Ledgerwood, E. C., Tyndall, J. D. A., Hibma, M. H., Ueda, N., Fleming, S. B., & Mercer, A. A. (2009). The orf virus inhibitor of apoptosis functions in a Bcl-2-like manner, binding and neutralizing a set of BH3-only proteins and active Bax. Apoptosis, 14(11), 1317-1330. doi: 10.1007/s10495-009-0403-1

Journal - Research Article

Heinemann, L., Woodfield, L., Amer, M., & Hibma, M. (2008). Effective induction of type 1 helper IgG2a and cytotoxic T-cell responses in mice following immunization with human papillomavirus type 16 E2 in MF59. Viral Immunology, 21(2), 225-233. doi: 10.1089/vim.2007.0101

Journal - Research Article

Dillon, S., Sasagawa, T., Crawford, A., Prestidge, J., Inder, M. K., Jerram, J., Mercer, A. A., & Hibma, M. (2007). Resolution of cervical dysplasia is associated with T-cell proliferative responses to human papillomavirus type 16 E2. Journal of General Virology, 88, 803-813.

Journal - Research Article

Westphal, D., Ledgerwood, E. C., Hibma, M. H., Fleming, S. B., Whelan, E. M., & Mercer, A. A. (2007). A novel Bcl-2-like inhibitor of apoptosis is encoded by the parapoxvirus orf virus. Journal of Virology, 81(13), 7178-7188.

Journal - Research Article

Royds, J. A., Hibma, M., Dix, B. R., Hananeia, L., Russell, I. A., Wiles, A., … Braithwaite, A. W. (2006). p53 promotes adenoviral replication and increases late viral gene expression. Oncogene, 25, 1509-1520.

Journal - Research Article

Leong, C.-M., & Hibma, M. H. (2005). A flow cytometry-based assay for the measurement of protein regulation of E-cadherin-mediated adhesion. Journal of Immunological Methods, 302, 116-124.

Journal - Research Article

Heinemann, L., Dillon, S., Crawford, A., Bäckström, B. T., & Hibma, M. H. (2004). Flow cytometric quantitation of the protective efficacy of dendritic cell based vaccines in a human papillomavirus type 16 murine challenge model. Journal of Virological Methods, 117, 9-18.

Journal - Research Article

Matthews, K. E., Leong, C. M., Baxter, L., Inglis, E., Yun, K., Bäckström, B. T., … Hibma, M. H. (2003). Depletion of Langerhans cells in human papillomavirus type 16-infected skin is associated with E6-mediated down regulation of E-cadherin. Journal of Virology, 77(15), 8378-8385. doi: 10.1128/JVI.77.15.8378-8385.2003

Journal - Research Article

Middleton, K., Peh, W., Southern, S., Griffin, H., Sotlar, K., Nakahara, T., … Hibma, M. H., … Doorbar, J. (2003). Organization of human papillomavirus productive cycle during neoplastic progression provides a basis for selection of diagnostic markers. Journal of Virology, 77(19), 10186-10201.

Journal - Research Article

Edwards, S. J., Dix, B. R., Myers, C. J., Dobson-Le, D., Huschtscha, L., Hibma, M., Royds, J., & Braithwaite, A. W. (2002). Evidence that replication of the antitumor adenovirus ONYX-015 is not controlled by the p53 and p14ARF tumor suppressor genes. Journal of Virology, 76(24), 12483-12490. doi: 10.1128/JVI.76.24.12483-12490.2002

Journal - Research Article

Heinemann, B. L., Dillon, S. M., & Hibma, M. H. (2002). Immunisation with bone marrow-derived dendritic cells presenting HPV-16 E2 protects mice from virus challenge. New Zealand Medical Journal, 115(1159). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/115-1159

Journal - Research Article

Hibma, M., & Braithwaite, A. (2001). Viruses to the rescue: p53-based therapies in the fight against cancer. New Zealand Medical Journal, 114(1133), 266-269.

Journal - Research Article

Housawi, F. M., Roberts, G. M., Gilray, J. A., Pow, I., Reid, H. W., Nettleton, P. F., … Hibma, M. H., & Mercer, A. A. (1998). The reactivity of monoclonal antibodies against orf virus with other parapoxviruses and the identification of a 39 kDa immunodominant protein. Archives of Virology, 143(12), 2289-2303.

Journal - Research Article

Stellato, G., Paavonen, J., Nieminen, P., Hibma, M., Vilja, P., & Lehtinen, M. (1997). Diagnostic phase antibody response to the human papillomavirus type 16 E2 protein is associated with successful treatment of genital HPV lesions with systemic interferon α-2b. Clinical & Diagnostic Virology, 7(3), 167-172.

Journal - Research Article

Zatsepina, O., Braspenning, J., Robberson, D., Hajibagheri, M., Blight, K., Ely, S., Hibma, M., … Tommasino, M. (1997). The human papillomavirus type 16 E7 protein is associated with the nucleolus in mammalian and yeast cells. Oncogene, 14(10), 1137-1145.

Journal - Research Article

Gibson-Helm, M., Slater, T., MacDonald, E. J., Stevenson, K., Adcock, A., Geller, S., … Hibma, M., Sykes, P., … Lawton, B. (2023). Te Ara Waiora-Implementing human papillomavirus (HPV) primary testing to prevent cervical cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: A protocol for a non-inferiority trial. PLoS ONE, 18(3), e0280643. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280643

Journal - Research Other

Hibma, M. H. (2023). Silencing genes in the vaginal mucosa by topical application of a cholesterol-modified siRNA to inhibit HIV transmission. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology, 37(3), 467-468. doi: 10.1111/jdv.18877

Journal - Research Other

Lawton, B., MacDonald, E. J., Storey, F., Stanton, J.-A., Adcock, A., Gibson, M., … King, F., … Watson, H., Bennett, M., Lambert, C. S., Geller, S., Paasi, I., Hibma, M., Sykes, P., Hawkes, D., & Saville, M. (2023). A model for empowering rural solutions for cervical cancer prevention (He Tapu Te Whare Tangata): Protocol for a cluster randomized crossover trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 12, e51643. doi: 10.2196/51643

Journal - Research Other

Speck, P., Mackenzie, J., Bull, R. A., Slobedman, B., Drummer, H., Fraser, J., … Hibma, M., … Ward, V., … Young, P. (2023). Statement in support of: "Virology under the microscope: A call for rational discourse". Journal of Virology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1128/jvi.00451-23

Journal - Research Other

Ticar, V. S., Tschirley, A., Wilson, M., du Plessis, A., & Hibma, M. (2023). Case report: An adverse response to cyclosporin A treatment in BALB/cJ mice. Laboratory Animals. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00236772231177857

Journal - Research Other

Hibma, M. (2022). Special Issue: HPV and HPV Vaccines. Viruses, 14, 274. doi: 10.3390/v14020274

Journal - Research Other

Rajesh, A., Stuart, G., Real, N., Tschirley, A., Ahn, J., Wise, L., & Hibma, M. (2021). Skin antigen presenting cells and wound healing: New knowledge gained and challenges encountered using mouse depletion models. Immunology, 163, 98-104. doi: 10.1111/imm.13311

Journal - Research Other

Lawton, B., Heffernan, M., Wurtak, G., Steben, M., Lhaki, P., Cram, F., … Hibma, M., Adcock, A., … Garland, S. M. (2020). IPVS Policy Statement addressing the burden of HPV disease for Indigenous peoples. Papillomavirus Research, 9, 100191. doi: 10.1016/j.pvr.2019.100191

Journal - Research Other

Rajesh, A., Wise, L., & Hibma, M. (2019). The role of Langerhans cells in pathologies of the skin. Immunology & Cell Biology, 97(8), 700-713. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12253

Journal - Research Other

Sykes, P., Innes, C., Harker, D., Whitehead, M., van der Griend, R., Lawton, B., Hibma, M., … Petrich, S., Faherty, J., Bergzoll, C., … Parker, C., Sadler, L., & Simcock, B. (2016). Observational management of CIN 2 in young women: A prospective multicenter trial. Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease, 20(4), 343-347. doi: 10.1097/lgt.0000000000000244

Journal - Research Other

Leong, C. M., Hibma, M., & Tarbotton, J. (2007). Self-applied treatment of persistent plantar wart with 5% imiquimod cream [Letter]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 120(1259). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/120-1259/2668/content.pdf

Journal - Research Other

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