Leann Tilley is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute,

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 ...

Education and awards

Leann Tilley was born in

Edenhope, Victoria Edenhope is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Wimmera Highway, 30 kilometres from the South Australian border, in the Shire of West Wimmera local government area. At the Edenhope had a population of 946. The township of Eden ...

, and attended Marian College in Ararat. Following a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry 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 ...

, she obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

. She completed postdoctoral fellowships at

Utrecht University Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...

in the Netherlands, the

College de France A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering v ...

in Paris, and the University of Melbourne, before joining

La Trobe University La Trobe University is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its main campus is located in the suburb of Bundoora. The university was established in 1964, becoming the third university in the state of Victoria an ...

. In 2011 she moved to the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Melbourne. Professor Tilley was awarded an Australian Research Council

Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship The Australian Laureate Fellowship is an Australian professorial research fellowship awarded by the Australian Research Council. Up to 17 fellows are chosen each year for five-year awards. Kathleen Fitzpatrick and Georgina Sweet fellowships In 201 ...

(2016-2020) to measure and model malaria parasites. This includes a role as an ambassador for women in science. Tilley's work has been recognised by the award of the title of Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor, University of Melbourne (2016), an Australian Research Council Australian Professorial Fellowship (2011-2015), the Bancroft-Mackerras Medal from the Australian Society for Parasitology and the

Beckman Coulter Beckman Coulter Inc. is a Danaher Corporation company that develops, manufactures, and markets products that simplify, automate and innovate complex biomedical testing. It operates in two industries: Diagnostics and Life Sciences. For more than ...

Discovery Award of the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Her team was awarded the 2016 Eureka Award for Infectious Diseases Research. She was awarded the Bob Robertson Award of the Australian Society for Biophysics in 2017.

Research

Tilley's research focuses on the use of molecular approaches and imaging techniques to study the malaria parasite and its interactions with its host in an effort to develop novel therapies. Her scientific contributions have been in four main areas: 1) Establishing Imaging Facilities and Technologies. For example, Tilley has pioneered the application of methods such as Super-Resolution Optical Microscopy to studies of the malaria parasite. 2) Antimalarial Drug Action. For example, Tilley investigates the molecular basis of the resistance that is currently emerging to the antimalarial drug, artemisinin, with a view to extending the use of a drug that saves millions of lives, 3) Studying the unusual trafficking path that brings ''P. falciparum'' virulence proteins to the host red blood cell surface, and 4) Determining the molecular basis of the amazing shape-changing properties of the sexual stage gametocyte. She served as Deputy Director (2005-2012) and Director (2013-2014) of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-ray Science (CXS).

References

External links

PROF Leann TILLEY - The University Of MelbourneAustralian Society for Parasitology PROF Leann TILLEY, School of Biomedical Science, The University Of Melbourne
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tilley, Leann University of Melbourne faculty University of Melbourne alumni University of Sydney alumni Utrecht University alumni La Trobe University faculty Australian parasitologists Malariologists Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Australian women scientists Australian women academics