Position

Director & CEO Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research & Public Health

Contact

Research interests

Special interest in infectious diseases, especially those caused by parasites and viruses. Investigating molecular, immunological and epidemiological aspects of the major cause of human malaria, the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum, one of the world's most important pathogens. Primary goal is developing a malaria vaccine and identifying new targets for therapeutic intervention.

Qualifications

BSc. Hons, PhD

Ten Most Significant Publications

1. Crabb BS, Cooke BM, Reeder JC, Waller RF, Caruana SR, Davern KM, Wickham ME, Brown GV, Coppel RL, Cowman AF. Targeted gene disruption shows that knobs enable malaria-infected red cells to cytoadhere under physiological shear stress. Cell. 1997;89:287-96
2. de Koning-Ward TF, Gilson, PR, Boddey JA, Rug M, Smith BJ, Papenfuss AT, Sanders PR, Lundie, RJ, Maier AG, Cowman AF, Crabb BS (2009) A novel protein export machine in malaria parasites. Nature 459:945-9.
3. O'Donnell RA, Saul A, Cowman AF, Crabb BS. Functional conservation of the malaria vaccine antigen MSP-1(19) across distantly related Plasmodium species. Nature Med. 2000;6:91-5.
4. O'Donnell RA, de Koning-Ward TF, Burt RA, Bockarie M, Reeder JC, Cowman AF, Crabb BS. Antibodies against merozoite surface protein (MSP)-1(19) are a major component of the invasion-inhibitory response in individuals immune to malaria. J Exp Med. 2001;193:1403-12.
5. Crabb, BS and Cowman, AF. Characterisation of promoters and stable transfection by homologous and non-homologous recombination in Plasmodium falciparum. PNAS 93: 7289-7294, 1996
6. Cowman AF, Crabb BS. Invasion of red blood cells by malaria parasites (review). Cell. 2006;124(4):755-66.
7. John, CC, O’Donnell, RA, Sumba, PO, Moormann, AM, de Koning-Ward, TF, King, CL, Kazura, JW and Crabb, BS (2004). Evidence that invasion-inhibitory antibodies specific for MSP-119 can play a protective role against blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum infection in individuals in a malaria endemic area of Africa. J Immunol 173:666-672. 
8. O’Donnell, RA, Freitas-Junior, LH, Preiser, PR, Williamson, DH, Duraisingh, M, McElwain, TF, Scherf, A, Cowman, AF and Crabb, BS (2002). A genetic screen for improved plasmid segregation reveals a role for Rep20 in the interaction of Plasmodium falciparum chromosomes. EMBO J 21: 1231-1239.
9. Sanders, PR, Gilson, PR, Cantin, GT, Greenbaum, DC, Nebl, T, Carucci, DJ, McConville, MJ, Schofield, L, Hodder, AN, Yates, JR 3rd and Crabb, BS. (2005). Distinct protein classes including novel merozoite surface antigens in raft-like membranes of Plasmodium falciparum. J Biol Chem 280:40169-76.
10. de Koning-Ward TF, O'Donnell RA, Drew DR, Thomson R, Speed TP, Crabb BS. A new rodent model to assess blood stage immunity to the Plasmodium falciparum antigen merozoite surface protein 1(19) reveals a protective role for invasion inhibitory antibodies. J Exp Med. 2003;198:869-75.

Current Grants

2011-16         NHMRC Program Grant (637406) - $12,735,000 over 5 years.  Interaction of malaria parasites with the host: disease, pathogenesis and control. CIA Professor Alan Cowman. Other investigators: BS Crabb, TP Speed, GI McFadden, L Schofield, JG Beeson

2014 – 17      NHMRC Project Grant (1068287) - $180,854/yr. The structural resolution of PTEX, the transporter of virulence proteins and malaria parasites. CIA BS Crabb. Other investigators: T Beddoe, T de Koning-Ward, P Gilson.