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
- Awards
- Grants
- Engagement
- Teaching & Supervision
Publications
Journal articles
Preprints
Conference Presentations
Conference Papers
Reports
Conference Abstracts
Book Chapters
Theses / Dissertations
Awards
2006 Adrian Lee Travel scholarship, UNSW
2008 Australian Society of Microbiology Travel Award
2008 UNSW Citation Prize, most cited paper in 2008
2009 UNSW Early Career Researcher Award
2010 NHMRC Postdoctoral Training fellowship
2012 Dean’s Rising Star Award, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
2013 Australasian Virology Society Young Investigator Award
2013 13th international HCV Conference Travel Award
2013 Gilead Sciences Pty Ltd Educational Grant (Early Career Award)
2020 SOMS Teaching Award for Adaptability & Innovation – Pathology UNSW
Grants
- 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.
Engagement
2006 Visiting Fellow, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, NIID, Tokyo, Japan
2010- Principal Investigator, Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis viruses, ACH2
2011 Visiting Fellow, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
2013- Member, Australasian Society of Immunology
2013 Committee member, 20th International Symposium on HCV
2015 Committee member, 9th Australasian Virology Society Meeting
2015- Reviewer, National Health and Medical Research Council grants
2017 Secretary, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Viruses
2017 Committee member, Australasian Virology Society
2019- Treasurer, Australian Centre for Hepatitis Viruses
2021- Vice President, Australasian Virology Society
Teaching & Supervision
Virology and viral immunity