Position

Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute
University of Melbourne
VIC 3010 AUSTRALIA

Tel: 61-3-8344 2227
http://www.biochemistry.unimelb.edu.au/research/res_tilley.html

Research interests

Our laboratory employs a range of quantitative imaging techniques to study molecular aspects of host-parasite interactions and to probe the functions of a range of parasite proteins. The major areas of the research are:
1. Virulence protein trafficking and cellular architecture in malaria parasite-infected erythrocytes;
2. Gametocyte structure and function;
3. Development of novel antimalarial drugs.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons.) University of Melbourne 1978
PhD (Biochemistry) University of Sydney 1984

Ten Most Significant Publications

1. Tilley, L., Thulborn, K.R. and Sawyer, W.H. (1979) An assessment of the fluidity gradient of the lipid bilayer as determined by a set of n-(9-anthroyloxy) fatty acids (n:2,6,9,12,16). Journal of Biological Chemistry, 254, 2592-2594.

2. Tilley, L., Cribier, S., Roelofsen, B., Op den Kamp, J.A.F. and van Deenen, L.M.M. (1986) ATP-dependent translocation of amino phospholipids across the human erythrocyte membrane. FEBS Letters, 194, 21-27.

3. Knowles, D.W., Tilley, L., Mohandas, N. and Chasis, J.A. (1997) Erythrocyte membrane vesiculation: Model for the molecular mechanism of protein sorting. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 94, 12969-12974 (SCI: 10.452)

4. Wickham, M., Rug, M., Klonis, N., Tilley, L., Cowman, A.F. (2001) Trafficking and assembly of the cytoadherence complex in P. falciparum-infected human erythrocytes. EMBO Journal 20: 5636-5649

5. Knuepfer, E., Rug, M., Klonis, N., Tilley, L. and Cowman, A.F. (2005) Trafficking of the major virulence factor to the surface of transfected P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Blood 105:4078-87.

6. Spycher, C., Rug, M., Klonis, N., Cowman, A.F., Beck, H.-P. and Tilley, L. (2006) Genesis of and trafficking to the Maurer's cleft secretory compartment of malaria parasite-infected erythrocytes. Molecular and Cellular Biology 6:4074-85.

7. Maier, A.G., Cooke, B.M., Cowman, A.C. and Tilley, L. (2009) Malaria parasite proteins that remodel the host erythrocyte. Nature Reviews Microbiology 7, 341-354.

8. Klonis, N., Crespo, M., Abu-Bakar, N., Bottova, I., Kenny, S., Rosenthal, P. and Tilley, L. (2011) Artemisinin action against Plasmodium falciparum requires hemoglobin uptake and digestion.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 108 (28), 11405–11410

9. Macrae, J.I., Dixon, M.W.A., Dearnley, M.K., Chua, H.H., Chambers, J.M., Kenny, S., Bottova, I., Tilley, L. McConville. M. (2013) Mitochondrial metabolism of sexual and asexual blood stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. BMC Biology 11(1):67.

10. Klonis, N., Xie, S.C., McCaw, J., Crespo, M., Zaloumis, S., Simpson, J., and Tilley, L. (2013) Altered temporal response of malaria parasites determines differential sensitivity to artemisinin. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110, 5157-62

Currently Held Grants

2006-2013: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-Ray Science. 2013: Prof L. Tilley, Director, A/Prof H Quiney, Deputy Director.

2009-2013: National Health and Medical Research Council. Novel fluorescent probes of cellular microenvironments to study the mechanism of action of endoperoxide antimalarials. Prof. L. Tilley and Dr N. Klonis.

2011-2015: DP110100624. Australian Research Council. Prof Leann Tilley and Dr Matthew W Dixon. Probing sexual transformation of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, using novel imaging modalities.

2013: LE130100090. ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities. Prof Geoffrey I McFadden, Prof Leann Tilley, Prof Tony Bacic, Dr Eric Hanssen, Prof Paul A Gleeson, Prof Dougal G McCulloch, Dr Madhu Bhaskaran, Prof James R Friend, Prof David R Thorburn, Dr Jacob Baum. Three-dimensional cryo electron microscopy facility.

2013: LE130100192. Dr Grant A Van Riessen, Prof Andrew G Peele, Prof Leann Tilley, Prof Keith A Nugent, Dr David J Vine, Dr Bruce C Cowie. A fast soft x-ray detector system for advanced biological and materials imaging.