Fabienne Mackay is a French Australian

research Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...

immunologist and institutional leader within the Australian medical research, education and innovation sectors. She is the Director and

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of the

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (QIMR Berghofer) is an Australian medical research institute located in , Brisbane, in the state of Queensland. QIMR was established in 1945 by the Government of Queensland through the enactment of ...

(

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

) since 2020, after being the inaugural Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

(

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Parkville campus) during the preceding five years. She is also an Honorary Professor at the Faculties of Medicine of the

University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...

and the

. Her work has attracted public attention for its contribution to the pathophysiological understanding and treatment of

lupus Lupus, technically known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. Symptoms vary among people and may be mild to severe. Comm ...

and other autoimmune diseases. Mackay has been notably awarded, achieving international reputation for her widely cited research describing

B-cell activating factor B-cell activating factor (BAFF) also known as tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 13B and CD257 among other names, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''TNFSF13B'' gene. BAFF is also known as B Lymphocyte Stimulator (BLyS) an ...

(BAFF) and other

cytokine Cytokines are a broad and loose category of small proteins (~5–25 kDa) important in cell signaling. Cytokines are peptides and cannot cross the lipid bilayer of cells to enter the cytoplasm. Cytokines have been shown to be involved in autocrin ...

s of the

TNF receptor superfamily The tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) is a protein superfamily of cytokine receptors characterized by the ability to bind tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) via an extracellular cysteine-rich domain. With the exception of nerve growth ...

, and their roles in B cell physiology,

autoimmunity In immunology, autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other normal body constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an "autoimmune disease". ...

and

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

. She is an elected Fellow of the

Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences is an academy to promote health and medical sciences in Australia. It was established in June 2014. It cites "The Academy will serve the three purposes identified as of high priority in the 20 ...

Biography

Mackay was born in Maine et Loire in 1965. She was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease at 17, this event may have sparked her interest in medical research.

Education

Mackay's formal education proceeded mostly in France. She completed high school (''Baccalauréat D'') at ''Lycée de jeunes filles de Moulins'' (1983). Between 1984 and 1986 she pursued the ''PCEM-1'' program at

Clermont-Ferrand Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat (dialect), Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population ...

Medical School, graduating in Biological Technology at the ''Institut Universitaire de Technologie Clermont-Ferrand'', and in Biological Engineering at the '' Université de Clermont II''. She obtained a doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in

Immunology Immunology is a branch of medicineImmunology for Medical Students, Roderick Nairn, Matthew Helbert, Mosby, 2007 and biology that covers the medical study of immune systems in humans, animals, plants and sapient species. In such we can see there ...

and

Cell Biology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living and ...

Louis Pasteur University Louis Pasteur University (''Université Louis-Pasteur''), also known as Strasbourg I or ULP was a large university in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. As of 15 January 2007, there were 18,847 students enrolled at the university, including around 3 ...

(

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

) in 1994 under the direction of Diane J. Mathis.

Career

Mackay started her professional career as a scientist at the

Basel Institute for Immunology The Basel Institute for Immunology (BII) was founded in 1969 as a basic research institute in immunology located at 487 Grenzacherstrasse, Basel, Switzerland on the Rhine River down the street from the main Hoffmann-La Roche campus near the Swiss-G ...

, (Switzerland, 1989-1991). She spent the following three years as a PhD Student at

Hoffman La Roche F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, commonly known as Roche, is a Swiss multinational corporation, multinational healthcare company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Its holding company, Roche Holding AG, has ...

(Basel) and the Faculty of Medicine,

(

). From 1994 to 2000 she worked as a scientist and project leader at Biogen Idec Inc. (Cambridge, MA, USA). From 2001 to 2006 she was a Research Fellow ascribed to the Arthritis and Inflammation Research Program, at the

Garvan Institute of Medical Research The Garvan Institute of Medical Research is an Australian biomedical research institute located in , Sydney, New South Wales. Founded in 1963 by the Sisters of Charity as a research department of St Vincent's Hospital, it is now one of Australi ...

(Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia). From 2006 to 2008 she was the Director of the Autoimmunity Research Unit at the Garvan Institute. Between 2009 and 2015 she worked at Monash University, (Melbourne), occupying positions as Head and Chair of the Department of Immunology, and Deputy Head of its Central Clinical School. From 2015 to 2020 she worked at the School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne, firstly as Head of the Department of Pathology (until 2017), then as Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences, Parkville Campus. She is currently the Director and CEO of the

, and an Honorary Professor at the Faculties of Medicine at the University of Queensland, and the University of Melbourne. Her discovery of

(BAFF) and its role in the pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases provided foundations for the development of

belimumab Belimumab, sold under the brand name Benlysta, is a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits B-cell activating factor (BAFF), also known as B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS). It is approved in the United States, Canada, and the European Union to treat ...

( TM Benlysta, an anti-BAFF monoclonal antibody), a milestone therapy approved in 2011 for the treatment

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Lupus, technically known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. Symptoms vary among people and may be mild to severe. Comm ...

. Some of her research papers rank among the most cited in the field, and have been highlighted for their importance by the respective journal editors in various opportunities. Her laboratory has deserved extensive funding by sponsoring bodies such as the

National Health and Medical Research Council The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is the main statutory authority of the Australian Government responsible for medical research. It was the eighth largest research funding body in the world in 2016, and NHMRC-funded rese ...

of Australia. She is known to advocate for the recognition of women scientist efforts and accomplishments, her professional profile is featured in Women in STEMM Australia. A ''Fabienne Mackay Grant Award'' to promote gender equality was established in 2021 to benefit women independent researchers in the School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne.

Works

Papers

Mackay has published over 200 papers in peer-reviewed journals, which have been cited over 30 thousand times. Some of her most cited papers are: * Mackay, F.; Woodcock, S. A.; Lawton, P.; Ambrose, C.; Baetscher, M.; Schneider, P.; Tschopp, J.; Browning, J. L. (1999). "Mice transgenic for BAFF develop lymphocytic disorders along with autoimmune manifestations". ''The Journal of Experimental Medicine''. 190 (11): 1697–1710. doi:10.1084/jem.190.11.1697.

PMID PubMed is a free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. The United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health maintain the ...

10587360 * Schneider, P.; MacKay, F.; Steiner, V.; Hofmann, K.; Bodmer, J. L.; Holler, N.; Ambrose, C.; Lawton, P.; Bixler, S.; Acha-Orbea, H.; Valmori, D. (1999). "BAFF, a novel ligand of the tumor necrosis factor family, stimulates B cell growth". ''The Journal of Experimental Medicine''. 189 (11): 1747–1756. doi:10.1084/jem.189.11.1747.

10359578 *Groom, Joanna; Kalled, Susan L.; Cutler, Anne H.; Olson, Carl; Woodcock, Stephen A.; Schneider, Pascal; Tschopp, Jurg; Cachero, Teresa G.; Batten, Marcel; Wheway, Julie; Mauri, Davide (2002). "Association of BAFF/BLyS overexpression and altered B cell differentiation with Sjögren's syndrome". ''The Journal of Clinical Investigation''. 109 (1): 59–68. doi:10.1172/JCI14121.

11781351 * Mackay, Fabienne; Schneider, Pascal; Rennert, Paul; Browning, Jeffrey (2003). "BAFF AND APRIL: a tutorial on B cell survival". ''Annual Review of Immunology''. 21: 231–264. doi:10.1146/annurev.immunol.21.120601.141152.

12427767 * Maslowski, Kendle M.; Vieira, Angelica T.; Ng, Aylwin; Kranich, Jan; Sierro, Frederic; Yu, Di; Schilter, Heidi C.; Rolph, Michael S.; Mackay, Fabienne; Artis, David; Xavier, Ramnik J. (2009). "Regulation of inflammatory responses by gut microbiota and chemoattractant receptor GPR43". ''Nature''. 461 (7268): 1282–1286. doi:10.1038/nature08530.

19865172

Book chapters

* Angehrn P, Banner D, Braun T, d'Arcy A, Gehr G, Gentz R, Mackay F, E.J. Schlaeger, H.J. Schoenfeld, H. Loetscher and W. Lesslauer. 1993. Two distinct TNF receptors in health and disease. In ''Tumor Necrosis Factor:molecular and cellular biology and clinical relevance,'' Fiers W., Buurman W.(eds) Karger, Basel, pages 33–39, . * Mackay F, Sierro F, Grey S, Gordon T. 2005. The BAFF/APRIL system: an important player in systemic rheumatic diseases. In ''B Cell Trophic Factors and B Cell Antagonism in Autoimmune Disease,'' Stohl, W., editor, Curr. Dir. Autoimm.'','' 8:243-265, . * Tangye SL, Mackay F. 2005. B cells and Autoimmunity, in ''The Autoimmune Diseases'' , edited by Noel Rose and Ian Reay Mackay, 4th ed, pages 139-156, , . * Mackay F, Gommerman J. 2015. The role of lymphotoxin and the BAFF/APRIL system in B-lymphocytes. In ''Molecular Biology of B cells''. Eds. Tasuku Honjō, Michael Reth, A. Radbruch, Frederick W. Alt, Elsevier. 2nd Edition. 251-276, .

Opinion

Mackay's public opinion on diverse subjects including autoimmune diseases and women in science can be found online.

Patents

Mackay is an inventor to nearly a hundred assigned patents, many of them related to discoveries on BAFF receptors and their pharmacological modulation

Membership

Mackay is an Editorial Board member of many medical scientific journals including

Science (journal) ''Science'', also widely referred to as ''Science Magazine'', is the peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and one of the world's top academic journals. It was first published in 1880, ...

,''''

European Journal of Immunology The ''European Journal of Immunology'' is an academic journal of the European Federation of Immunological Societies covering basic immunology research, with a primary focus on antigen processing, cellular immune response, immunity to infection, I ...

, Current Research in Immunology, Antibodies, and the Journal of Inflammation. She is also a corporate Board Member at Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners and ENA Respiratory Among learned and technical bodies, she is a Council Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, a Member of the Medical Advisory Board for the Gairdner Foundation (Canada), an Award committee member of the International Cytokine & Interferon Society, a Member of the Queensland Genomics Executive Working Group, and a Member of the QIMR Berghofer Council.

Awards

Notable accolades conferred on Mackay include the

Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters Corporation ( ) is a Canadian multinational media conglomerate. The company was founded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where it is headquartered at the Bay Adelaide Centre. Thomson Reuters was created by the Thomson Corpora ...

Australia Citation and Innovation Award (2012), the Trophy for exceptional contribution in education and research as a French expatriate, by the

French Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs () is the ministry of the Government of France that handles France's foreign relations. Since 1855, its headquarters have been located at 37 Quai d'Orsay, close to the National Assembly. The term Quai ...

(2014), her election as a Fellow of the

(2016), the Martin Lackmann Award for Translational Research given by the Cell Signaling and its Therapeutic Implications CSTI program,

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

(2017), and the Vincent Fairfax Fellowship (2018-2019).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackay, Fabienne Living people 1965 births French immunologists Australian immunologists 21st-century French inventors Academic staff of the University of Melbourne Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences