Dr Ahlenstiel completed her B.Adv.Sc (Hons) in 2000 at the University of Sydney and her PhD at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, USyd in 2004. Chantelle was awarded an NIH Visting Fellowship award to undertake postdoctoral training at the Vaccine Research Center, NIH. In 2009, she moved to the University of New South Wales in the Immunvirology & Pathogenesis Program at the Kirby Institute, where she studies RNA-directed epigenetic silencing of HIV-1 and SIV.
Senior Research Fellow
Dr Chantelle Ahlenstiel
- Bachelor of Advanced Science (Hons 1st class), USyd in 2000.
- PhD in Infectious Diseases, USyd in 2004.
- Postdoctoral fellowship at Vaccine Reserach Center, NIH from 2004-2009.
- Reserach Fellow in Immunovirology & Pathogenesis Program (IVPP) at the Kirby Institute, UNSW from 2009-current.
Grants
NHMRC Project Grant APP1128012.
Research activities
Investigates the components and mechanisms involved in RNA-directed transcriptional gene silencing, specifically short interfering RNA (siRNA) and short hairpin RNA (shRNA), to control SIV & HIV-1 virus replication.
Current projects in the lab involve;
- Live cell imaging techniques to capture in real time siRNA being trafficked into the nucleus of cells infected with HIV-1.
- Live cell imaging techniques to define the role of F-actin during transcriptioal gene silencing of HIV-1.
-Characterisation of transcriptional gene silencing in HIV-1 infected cells of CNS origin.
-In vivo experiments using a humanised mouse model of HIV-1 to confirm the protective effect of specific shRNA targeting HIV-1.
-Investigating the use of nanoparticles to deliver si/shRNA targeting HIV-1 in various cell types relevant to the HIV-1 latent reservoir.
Teaching & Supervision
Honours, Masters and PhD students.
Area of Expertise
HIV-1, gene therapy approaches