Professor Rowena Bull
Prof Rowena Bull is a research scientist with expertise in immunovirology based in the School of Medical Sciences and the Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of New South Wales. Prof Bull obtained her PhD in 2008 and is internationally recognized for her work on RNA viruses. Prof Bull has her own salary support as a tenured academic, and is a current NHMRC Investigator (2021-2025) funded to understand how best to train the immune response to tackle genomically diverse RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis C, dengue, and Influenza. Prof Bull has led the development of several new high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) tools for both RNA viruses and host immune transcripts. More recently Prof Bull, with a team of bioinformaticians, has developed flow cytometry-based methods for concurrent isolation and characterisation of the entire transcriptome and antigen-receptor of virus-specific single B cells. These tools are providing unique insights into the mechanisms of protection from hepatitis C re-infection via long-lived, virus-specific memory B cells. Prof Bull is the Treasurer for the Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology (ACHV), and President for the Australasian Society of Virology (AVS). She is also part of the Communicable Diseases Genomic Network (CDGN), an expert committee formed to advise CDNA on SARS-CoV-2 viral genomic studies. She has a strong track record in influencing policy related to viral infection and control, with her work being cited in WHO, CDC and American Academy of Science Policy documents. Prof Bull was recently commissioned by WHO to advise on HTLV-1, in November 2019 in Japan.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
- Tackling Genomic Diversity of RNA viruses. NHMRC Investigator (EL2). CIA Bull. 2020-2025. $1,512,250
- BEAT COVID-19. Snow Medical Foundation. Bull, Martinello. 2020-2022. $365,000
- Monoclonal antibody therapy of COVID-19. MRFF COVD-19 Antivirals. CI Christ, Emery, Rawlinson, Goodnow. AI Bull. 2020-2021. $594,420.
- Molecular dissection of the dengue virus NS1 protein. NHMRC Project grant. CI Eyre. AI Bull. 2019-2021. $638,031.
- HCVax - International HCV vaccine consortium. Academy of Sciences Regional Collaboration Grant. PI. 2019-2021. $295,000.
- Improving the health of people with problematic drug use: hepatitis C and drug dependence (NHMRC Program) PI. 2019-24. $9,060,140.
- Risk of hepatitis C reinfection among people with current injecting drug use following successful HCV treatment. CI-F Bull. NHMRC Project. 2016-2021. $2,245,227.80
- Immune responses following SARS CoV2 infection and vaccination in individuals withinborn errors of immunity. AIFA. CI Tangye, Bull. 2021. $30,250.
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Adrian Lee Travel scholarship, UNSW
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Australian Society of Microbiology Travel Award
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNSW Citation Prize, most cited paper in 2008
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNSW Early Career Researcher Award
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NHMRC Postdoctoral Training fellowship
2012                                       Dean’s Rising Star Award, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Australasian Virology Society Young Investigator Award
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 13th international HCV Conference Travel Award
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Gilead Sciences Pty Ltd Educational Grant (Early Career Award)
2020                     SOMS Teaching Award for Adaptability & Innovation – Pathology UNSW
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Visiting Fellow, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, NIID, Tokyo, Japan
2010-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Principal Investigator, Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis viruses, ACH2
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Visiting Fellow, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
2013-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Member, Australasian Society of Immunology
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Committee member, 20th International Symposium on HCV
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Committee member, 9th Australasian Virology Society Meeting
2015-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reviewer, National Health and Medical Research Council grants
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Secretary, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Viruses
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Committee member, Australasian Virology Society
2019-ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Treasurer, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Viruses
2021-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Vice President, Australasian Virology Society