Professor Paul Young

Professor, Research Development

Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)

Affiliate Professor

Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
p.young@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 59044

Overview

Molecular virology.

My group's research interests encompass the molecular biology and immunopathology of medically important viral infections including Ebola. Current studies are focussed on two different viruses; dengue virus, a serious mosquito-borne disease in many tropical countries, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a major cause of hospitalization of children with respiratory infections.

The primary goals of our research are the development of vaccine and anti-viral strategies for the control of infections as well as a clearer understanding of the pathogenesis of severe disease.

Current projects in my laboratory include:

  • Structural biology based studies on the dengue virus proteins, NS3 (the viral protease) and E (a virion surface protein involved in cell binding and entry) and the RSV protein F (the viral fusion protein) as targets for antiviral drug design
  • Sub-unit and DNA based vaccines for the dengue viruses
  • Molecular pathogenesis of severe dengue disease (in particular, the consequences of dengue virus infection of host macrophages and the induction of mediators of vascular leak)
  • Design and delivery of ribozymes (catalytic RNAs) to the respiratory tract as an antiviral strategy for RSV infections

These projects involve the application of a range of techniques covering a number of disciplines including molecular biology, immunology, biotechnology, molecular cell biology, protein biochemistry and structural biology.

Qualifications

  • PhD, University of London
  • Bachelor of Science (Honours), The University of Queensland

Publications

  • Modhiran, Naphak, Lauer, Simon Malte, Amarilla, Alberto A., Hewins, Peter, Lopes van den Broek, Sara Irene, Low, Yu Shang, Thakur, Nazia, Liang, Benjamin, Nieto, Guillermo Valenzuela, Jung, James, Paramitha, Devina, Isaacs, Ariel, Sng, Julian D. J., Song, David, Jørgensen, Jesper Tranekjær, Cheuquemilla, Yorka, Bürger, Jörg, Andersen, Ida Vang, Himelreichs, Johanna, Jara, Ronald, MacLoughlin, Ronan, Miranda-Chacon, Zaray, Chana-Cuevas, Pedro, Kramer, Vasko, Spahn, Christian M. T., Mielke, Thorsten, Khromykh, Alexander A., Munro, Trent, Jones, Martina L. ... Watterson, Daniel (2023). A nanobody recognizes a unique conserved epitope and potently neutralizes against the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants. iScience, 26 (7) 107085, 107085. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107085

  • Speck, Peter, Mackenzie, Jason, Bull, Rowena A., Slobedman, Barry, Drummer, Heidi, Fraser, Johanna, Herrero, Lara, Helbig, Karla, Londrigan, Sarah, Moseley, Gregory, Prow, Natalie, Hansman, Grant, Edwards, Robert, Ahlenstiel, Chantelle, Abendroth, Allison, Tscharke, David, Hobson-Peters, Jody, Kriiger-Loterio, Robson, Parry, Rhys, Marsh, Glenn, Harding, Emma, Jacques, David A., Gartner, Matthew J., Lee, Wen Shi, McAuley, Julie, Vaz, Paola, Sainsbury, Frank, Tate, Michelle D., Sinclair, Jane ... Young, Paul (2023). Statement in Support of: “Virology under the Microscope—a Call for Rational Discourse”. mBio, 14 (3). doi: 10.1128/mbio.00815-23

  • Speck, Peter, Mackenzie, Jason, Bull, Rowena A., Slobedman, Barry, Drummer, Heidi, Fraser, Johanna, Herrero, Lara, Helbig, Karla, Londrigan, Sarah, Moseley, Gregory, Prow, Natalie, Hansman, Grant, Edwards, Robert, Ahlenstiel, Chantelle, Abendroth, Allison, Tscharke, David, Hobson-Peters, Jody, Kriiger-Loterio, Robson, Parry, Rhys, Marsh, Glenn, Harding, Emma, Jacques, David A., Gartner, Matthew J., Lee, Wen Shi, McAuley, Julie, Vaz, Paola, Sainsbury, Frank, Tate, Michelle D., Sinclair, Jane ... Young, Paul (2023). Statement in Support of: “Virology under the Microscope—a Call for Rational Discourse”. mSphere, 8 (3). doi: 10.1128/msphere.00165-23

View all Publications

Publications

Book Chapter

  • Young, Paul R. (2018). Arboviruses: a family on the move. Dengue and Zika: Control and Antiviral Treatment Strategies. (pp. 1-10) edited by Rolf Hilgenfeld and Subhash G. Vasudevan. Singapore, Singapore: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-8727-1_1

  • Watterson, Daniel, Modhiran, Naphak, Muller, David A., Stacey, Katryn J. and Young, Paul R. (2018). Plugging the leak in Dengue shock. Dengue and Zika: Control and Antiviral Treatment Strategies. (pp. 89-106) edited by Rolf Hilgenfeld and Subhash G. Vasudevan. Singapore, Singapore: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-8727-1_7

  • de Silva, Aravinda M., Rey, Félix A., Young, Paul R., Hilgenfeld, Rolf and Vasudevan, Subhash G. (2018). Viral entry and NS1 as potential antiviral drug targets. (pp. 107-113) Singapore, Singapore: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-8727-1_8

  • Depelsenaire, A. C. I., Kendall, M. A. F., Young, P. R. and Muller, D. A. (2017). Introduction to vaccines and vaccination. Micro and nanotechnology in vaccine development. (pp. 47-62) edited by Mariusz Skwarczynski and Istvan Toth. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-39981-4.00003-8

  • Chappell, Keith J. and Young, Paul R. (2014). The nonstructural proteins of dengue virus. Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever: Second Edition. (pp. 377-405) edited by D. J. Gubler, Eng Eong Ooi, Subhash Vasudevan and Jeremy Farrar. Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: CABI International. doi: 10.1079/9781845939649.0377

  • Young, Paul R., Ng, Lisa F.P., Hall, Roy A., Smith, David W. and Johansen, Cheryl A. (2013). Arbovirus Infections. Manson's Tropical Diseases: Twenty-Third Edition. (pp. 129-161) edited by Jeremy Farrar. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-7020-5101-2.00015-7

  • Muller, David and Young, Paul R. (2012). The many faces of the flavivirus non-structural glycoprotein NS1. Molecular virology and control of flaviviruses. (pp. 51-75) edited by Pei-Yong Shi. Norfolk, United Kingdom: Caister Academic Press.

  • Hans, Dhiraj, Young, Paul R. and Fairlie, David P. (2009). Tumor-associated antigenic peptides as vaccine candidates. Tumor-associated antigens. (pp. 303-316) edited by Olivier Gires and Barbara Seliger. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley - VCH Verlag. doi: 10.1002/9783527625970.ch17

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

Completed Supervision