Staff Profile
Dr Jay Horvat
Lecturer
School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
EditCareer Summary
Biography
I completed my PhD in the lab of A/Prof Phil Hansbro in December 2008 and a played a major role in establishing a research programme that focuses on the link between chlamydial respiratory infection and asthma.
I showed for the first time using mouse models that chlamydial infections in early life, but not adulthood, result in permanent damage to lung tissue and adverse changes in immune responses. These infection-induced alterations result in worsened mucus production and deteriorated lung function during allergic airways disease in adulthood. These findings suggest that early life chlamydial lung infections may predispose individuals to worsened asthma in later life.
I have also shown that an ongoing, but not cleared infection during allergic airways disease in adults, results in the induction of a neutrophilic inflammatory response that resembles neutrophilic asthma in humans. These findings suggest that chlamydial lung infection may induce immune responses in asthmatics that have similarities to responses in neutrophilic asthma. These observations have important implications to clinical disease. Neutrophilic asthmatics have proven difficult to treat as they are relatively resistant to steroid treatment, which is the mainstay of asthma therapy. Elucidation of the mechanisms behind the infection-induced pathophysiological changes that I have observed may inform the development of more effective infection-specific treatments for infection-induced neutrophilic asthma in humans.
In addition to continuing on with my work with chlamydial infection, I am also investigating the association between a number of other common respiratory infections (both bacterial & viral) and the development and exacerbation of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
My overarching aim is to develop superior therapies for infection-induced disease.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle, 18/12/2008
- Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Hons), University of Newcastle, 15/12/2003
Research
Research keywords
- Immunology
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Pharmacology
Research expertise
Focus area: Immunology and Microbiology
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|
| 110700 | Immunology | 70 |
| 060599 | Microbiology Not Elsewhere Classified | 15 |
| 111499 | Paediatrics And Reproductive Medicine Not Elsewhere Classified | 15 |
EditPublications
No publications.
EditGrants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 15 |
|---|
| Total funding | $577,567 |
|---|
For project grants received where the lead institution is other than the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics.
- Indicates that the researcher may be seeking students for this project.
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
2013 (4 grants)
Elucidating the mechanisms of infection-induced, steroid-resistant asthma$336,057
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $336,057 | 2013 | 2015 |
| GNo:G1200073 |
Leica TP 1020 Automatic Tissue Processor for histology applications$35,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Pradeep Tanwar, Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Professor Xu Dong Zhang, Professor Robert Callister, Associate Professor Phillip Dickson, Professor Hubert Hondermarck, Doctor Jean-Marie Sontag, Professor Dirk Van Helden, Doctor Doug Smith, Doctor Phil Jobling, Associate Professor Estelle Sontag, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Doctor Susan Hua, Doctor Janet Holt, Doctor Jay Horvat, Associate Professor Liz Milward, Professor Adam McCluskey, Associate Professor Brett Nixon, Doctor Rebecca Lim, Associate Professor Alan Brichta |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $35,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1201185 |
DP73 Digital colour and monochrome camera + cellSens software + Xcite120 fluorescence lamp illuminator$20,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Paul Foster, Doctor Alan Hsu, Professor Phil Hansbro, Professor Joerg Mattes, Doctor Katie Baines, Associate Professor Jodie Simpson, Professor Rakesh Kumar, Doctor Nicole Hansbro, Doctor Steven Maltby, Doctor Ming Yang, Doctor Gerard Kaiko, Doctor Jay Horvat, Doctor Simon Keely, Mr Andrew Jarnicki, Doctor Michael Fricker |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $20,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1201186 |
Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand ASM, Darwin Convention Centre, 22 - 27 March 2013$1,885
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $1,885 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1300883 |
2012 (3 grants)
SpectraMax M5e Multi-Mode Microplate Reader$50,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Paul Foster, Professor Phil Hansbro, Professor Joerg Mattes, Professor Rakesh Kumar, Doctor Nicole Hansbro, Doctor Ming Yang, Doctor Jay Horvat, Doctor Simon Keely, Mr Andrew Jarnicki, Doctor Linda Howland, Doctor Kelly Asquith |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $50,000 | 2012 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1100975 |
Elucidating the mechanisms of steroid-resistant asthma$15,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra, 31 March - 4 April 2012$1,500
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $1,500 | 2012 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1200427 |
2011 (3 grants)
SCIREQ FlexiVentFX system + FlexiVentFX extension$45,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Phil Hansbro, Professor Paul Foster, Professor Joerg Mattes, Doctor Simon Keely, Doctor Jay Horvat, Doctor Nicole Hansbro, Doctor Ming Yang, Doctor Catherine Ptaschinski, Doctor Kelly Asquith, Doctor Gough Au, Conjoint Associate Professor Peter Wark, Laureate Professor John Aitken, Conjoint Professor Keith Jones, Professor Roger Smith, Professor Judith Black, Professor Rakesh Kumar, Professor Paul Hertzog |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $45,000 | 2011 | 2011 |
| GNo:G1100037 |
Antioxidant therapies for suppressing infection-induced asthma in children$15,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand ASM 2011, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, Perth WA, 2-4 April 2011$1,625
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $1,625 | 2011 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1100399 |
2010 (1 grants)
Improved Treatment Strategies for Infection-Induced Neutrophilic Asthma$25,000
Funding Body: Asthma Foundation of New South Wales
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Research Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $25,000 | 2010 | 2010 |
| GNo:G0900078 |
2009 (3 grants)
Immunisation against chlamydia-associated asthma$20,000
Funding Body: Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research Foundation Ltd
PULSE Education Prize$4,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| PULSE Education Prize | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $4,000 | 2009 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0189892 |
American Association of Immunologists and American Thoracic Society, Seattle USA, 8-21 May 2009$2,500
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $2,500 | 2009 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0190127 |
2004 (1 grants)
Modulation of asthma by chlamydial infection at different ages$5,000
Funding Body: Asthma Foundation of New South Wales
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Jay Horvat, Professor Phil Hansbro, Conjoint Professor Kenneth Beagley |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| PhD Scholarships | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $5,000 | 2004 | 2004 |
| GNo:G0183717 |
EditResearch Supervision
| Number of current supervisions | 13 |
|---|
| Total current UoN Masters EFTSL | 0.2 |
|---|
| Total current UoN PhD EFTSL | 2.75 |
|---|
For supervisions undertaken at an institution other that the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics, and the institution name is listed below the program name.
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Proposed
Completion | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|
| 2013 | 2015 | M Philosophy (Immun & Microbi) | Co-Supervisor | Role of Innate Immune Cells in the Pathogenesis of COPD |
| 2013 | 2017 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Principal Supervisor | Investigating the Mechanisms of Infection-Induced, Steroid-Resistant Asthma |
| 2013 | 2017 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Characterisation of Novel Molecular Cell Signalling Pathways that Regulate Host Immune Defence in Infection-Induced Allergic Airway Disease |
| 2013 | 2017 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Improved Prevention or Treatment Strategies for Steroid-Resistant Asthma |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Identifying the Mechanisms of Lung Inflammation Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Mechanisms of Predisposition to Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | The Role of Interferon Epsilon in Protection Against Chlamydial Reproductive Tract Infections |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Hypoxia Mediated IL-12 Signalling in Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | The Roles of Fibulin-1 in Airway Remodelling in Lung Diseases |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Immunoregulatory Therapies for Inflammatory Diseases |
| 2010 | 2015 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Indentification of New Therapeutics in COPD/ Emphysema |
| 2008 | 2012 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Chlamydia and Asthma |
| 2007 | 2011 | PhD (Immunology & Microbiol) | Co-Supervisor | Identification of Early Life Signs Induced in Response to Infection that Predispose to Allergic Airways Disease in Later Life |
