Heran Zhang

Passionate and hardworking Ph.D. applicant with solid knowledge and strong experimental skills in Microbiology and Immunology. Well-organized and dependable junior researcher successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude.

• H, Zhang, I. R. Monk, J, Braverman, C. M. Jones, A. G. Brooks, T. P. Stinear, and L. M. Wakim. "Staphylococcal superantigens evoke temporary and reversible T cell anergy but fail to block the development of a bacterium specific cellular immune response." (Accepted by Nature Communications on 19/09/2024, not published yet)
• Z, Liu, M. T. Kabir, S, Chen, H, Zhang, L. M. Wakim, and B. H. A. Rehm. "Intranasal Epitope-Polymer Vaccine Lodges Resident Memory T Cells Protecting against Influenza Virus." Advanced Healthcare Materials (2024). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202304188.
• J, Braverman, I. R. Monk, H, Zhang, T. P. Stinear, and L. M. Wakim. "Polyclonal but Not Monoclonal Circulating Memory CD4+ T Cells Attenuate the Severity of Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia." Frontiers in Immunology (2024). https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1417220.

Exploring the Impact of Staphylococcal Superantigens on Cellular Immune Responses, 01/2022 - 08/2024 

The Peter Doherty Institute, Supervised by A/Prof Linda Wakim

We show that sAg exposure drives the preferential expansion of CD4+ and CD8+ naive and central memory T cell subsets, but not effector or resident memory T cells, which instead, hyper release pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, we show a targeted therapeutic approach to minimise cytokine release by effector memory T cells attenuated sAg-induced cytokine release. Irrespective of antigen experience, sAg activation does not render mature T cells permanently dysfunctional, and full restoration of effector function is observed following a transient and reversible anergy. Using localised and systemic bacteraemia models, we demonstrate that an intact bacterium-specific CD4+ T cell response can be mounted in the face of sAg induced immune hyperactivation.

• Leading experimental design, experimental execution, data analysis and academic writing, and have results published on Nature Communications as the co-first author (see PUBLICATIONS).

Generating a T-cell Based Influenza Vaccine that Provides Long-term Cross-strain Protection, 11/2022 - current

The Peter Doherty Institute, Supervised by A/Prof Linda Wakim

• Part I: Participated in a project that successfully tested a influenza vaccine candidate utilizing the biopolymer particle (BP) approach and resulted in a publication on Advanced Healthcare Materials (see PUBLICATIONS) showing intranasal delivery of BP-NP366/PA224 with adjuvant poly(I:C) induces protective influenza-specific lung tissue resident memory T cells (TRMs), and provides protection against influenza virus challenge.
• Part II: Currently carrying out a project testing a gel-based influenza vaccine candidate, aiming to demonstrate that our gel-based vaccine candidate results in sustaining antigen delivery to the upper respiratory tract and induces influenza-specific nasal TRMs that provide long-term protection for influenza infections, and to optimise the dosage regimen (i.e. dose and delivery route).