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Dr Loughland is currently employed at QIMR-Berghofer in the Human Malaria Immunology group and is supervised by Dr Michelle Boyle. The Boyle Lab are focused on identifying cellular mechanisms that drive the induction of protective antibodies to human infection. The group primarily focuses on Plasmodium parasite infection, the causative parasite of malaria using human cohort of experimental and natural infection to understand immune development. Within the program, Dr Loughland leads the innate immune response arm of this research. Dr Loughland is focused on understanding our innate immune cell subsets are manipulated during malaria infection and how the malaria parasite subverts the function of innate immune cells. Innate immune cells are integral to the development of proper adaptive immune responses. By harnessing optimal innate immune cell function, Dr Loughland aims to improve vaccine responsiveness in malaria endemic populations.
Dr Jessica Loughland’s PhD was awarded in August 2017 at the Menzies School of Health Research. Dr Loughland received First Class Honours in 2012 and was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal and the Chief Ministers Award for Science. Following completion of her Honours, Dr Loughland embarked on a PhD evaluating human dendritic cell subset function in malaria. In this position, she developed expertise in studying cellular immune responses in malaria-naive adults using the Controlled Human Malaria Infection clinical trials as well as in adults and children living in malaria endemic countries.
Currently, Dr Loughland is a Research Officer at QIMRB in the Human Malaria Immunology laboratory. Under the supervision and mentorship of Dr Michelle Boyle, her research focuses on understanding innate immune cell function using unique human malaria cohorts. Other research interests include understanding T follicular helper cell function in human malaria and ultimately identifying which innate immune cells optimally activate the desired T follicular helper response to induce long-lived antibodies during malaria.
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