Dr Linda Howland

Biography

Dr Linda Howland (nee Berry) was appointed a Research Associate position at The University of Newcastle in 2011, as part of the Microbiology, Asthma and Airways Research Group (MAARG). This research has identified potential novel preventative and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obstructive airway diseases and respiratory infections. Subsequent to this position at the University, Dr Howland was a post-doctoral fellow at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, in Melbourne Australia. The research further developed oncolytic virotherapy to address the role of host immune activation. Use of novel immunomodulatory agents (anti-41BB mAb) enhanced the anti-tumour responses producing improved therapeutic outcomes. Dr Howland's return to Newcastle in 2011 was to embark on a collaboration with Prof. Phil Hansbro at the University, investigating a novel cigarette smoke-induced COPD model, with the potential to explore novel immunomodulatory therapies and future research into smoking induced lung cancer.

Dr Linda Howland began her research career here at the University of Newcastle, graduating from Bach. Biomedical Science and Pharmacy in 2001. She has since made numerous novel observations of how immune responses can be modulated to suit the needs of the disease model. Initially her work involved the development of novel vaccines for Chlamydial infections of the reproductive tract, which has received 63 citations to date and has gone on to form the basis of numerous subsequent research projects that investigate the pathogenesis and development of preventions/treatments of Chlamydia infections by both Prof. Hansbro and Prof Ken Beagley (now at QUT), that are still being funded by the NHMRC today (total of >5 grants). Dr Howland then undertook a PhD investigating the use of oncolytic viruses as highly novel anti-cancer agents in a unique commercial environment as part of Viralytic.Pty.Ltd team, headed by A/Prof Darren Shafren at the University of Newcastle. Her work contributed to their sustained high level of commercial success by providing a pre-clinical portfolio for the treatment of prostate cancer. She was awarded the University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Award for Excellence for the Faculty of Biomedical Science and Pharmacy in 2009. Dr Howland has produced 6 publications (4 in ERA=A) and a book chapter, 5 as first author (have impact factor ~4, all ERA=A) in prestigious immunology (Infect Immun), vaccine (Vaccine), immunotherapy (Tissue Antigens, Expert Op Biol Ther) and cancer (Prostate) journals. Thus, Dr Howland has a diverse range of expertise in the areas of Immunology, Microbiology, Virology, and Oncology. The quality of her work is evidenced by frequent and increasing invitations to present her work and by several awards.

In addition to her research commitments, Dr Howland is also a committee member of the the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) - PULSE fundraising group, whose soul purposes is to raise the much needed funding to support and encourage further outstanding research from researchers working in the Hunter Region.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Newcastle, 2009
• Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Hons), University of Newcastle, 2002
• Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, University of Newcastle, 2001

Research

Research keywords

• Immunology
• Immunotherapy
• Infectious Diseases
• Inflammation
• Oncology (Cancer)
• Prostate/Breast Cancer
• Respiratory Disease
• Virology
• Virotherapy

Research expertise

Modulation of Immune Responses to restore health. Focus areas include: Modulating responses to immune mediated pathology (respiratory/genital tract), vaccine development (infectious diseases), immunotherapy for cancer, virotherapy for cancer. Expertise in T-cell culturing, virus propagation, and in vivo models of cancer/infectious disease/respiratory disease.

Languages

• English

Fields of Research

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Oncology