Dr Emily Bryan
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences
Biography
My PhD was conferred from QUTs Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation in 2018, on the role of Chlamydia infections in male infertility. I am currently a post-doctoral/early career researcher at QUTs Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, where I apply foundational knowledge gained during my PhD to novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for preventing male chlamydial infertility. I work to characterise the immunological mechanism for vaccine-mediated protection of sperm health and male fertility. In addition, my foundational male chlamydial research led to receipt of funding in 2019 and 2020 to establish my own research investigating (i) human Chlamydia and gonorrhoea infections impacting seminal quality, inflammatory infiltration, and sperm health and (ii) the need to include semen testing in addition to urine, which is the current standard, to improve diagnostic and treatment outcomes for male reproductive tract infections. On each of these topics, I work closely with Professor Ken Beagley and Dr Alison Carey.Personal details
Positions
- Adjunct Lecturer
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences
Keywords
Reproductive immunology, Spermatogenesis, Male infertility, Chlamydia, Sexually transmitted infections, Immunology, Vaccines
Research field
Medical biochemistry and metabolomics, Medical microbiology
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2020
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy (Queensland University of Technology)
Professional memberships and associations
Australia and New Zealand Society for Immunology, Australian Society for Reproductive Biology, International Society for the Immunology of Reproduction
Teaching
I supervise(d) and mentored undergraduate Work Integrated Learning students (x7), Vacation Research Experience students (x5), Honours students (x3), a Master of Philosophy Student, and PhD students (x3). I have been part of the Biomedical Sciences teaching team since 2012 and have taught units relating to cell and molecular biology, immunology, infectious diseases, medical/clinical microbiology, and physiology.
Experience
I advocate for STEM in schools and in the community by participation in the Queensland Office of the Chief Scientists’ Wonder of Science program and ASI’s Day of Immunology, which focus on engaging local, rural, and underprivileged areas in current science topics/science topics important to the community being visited, presented to them by professional scientists who are experts in their fields. I present on topics including infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, reproductive health, and vaccination at events organised around National Science Week.
Publications
- Bryan, E., Barrero, R., Cheung, E., Tickner, J., Trim, L., Richard, D., McLaughlin, E., Beagley, K. & Carey, A. (2021). DNA damage contributes to transcriptional and immunological dysregulation of testicular cells during Chlamydia infection. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 86(1), 1–12. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/210990
- Hickey, D., Mulvey, P., Bryan, E., Trim, L. & Beagley, K. (2020). Regulation of mucosal immunity in the genital tract: Balancing reproduction and protective immunity. In H. Kiyono & D. Pascual (Eds.), Mucosal Vaccines: Innovation for Preventing Infectious Diseases (pp. 255–297). Elsevier. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/204919
- Bryan, E., Redgrove, K., Mooney, A., Mihalas, B., Sutherland, J., Carey, A., Armitage, C., Trim, L., Kollipara, A., Mulvey, P., Palframan, E., Trollope, G., Bogoevski, K., McLachlan, R., McLaughlin, E. & Beagley, K. (2020). Chronic testicular Chlamydia muridarum infection impairs mouse fertility and offspring development. Biology of Reproduction, 102(4), 888–901. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/196980
- Bryan, E., Kim, J., Beagley, K. & Carey, A. (2020). Testicular inflammation and infertility: Could chlamydial infections be contributing? American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 84(3). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/204915
- Bryan, E., McLachlan, R., Rombauts, L., Katz, D., Yazdani, A., Bogoevski, K., Chang, C., Giles, M., Carey, A., Armitage, C., Trim, L., McLaughlin, E. & Beagley, K. (2019). Detection of chlamydia infection within human testicular biopsies. Human Reproduction, 34(10), 1891–1898. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/196982
- Bryan, E., Kollipara, A., Trim, L., Armitage, C., Carey, A., Mihalas, B., Redgrove, K., Mclaughlin, E. & Beagley, K. (2019). Hematogenous dissemination of Chlamydia muridarum from the urethra in macrophages causes testicular infection and sperm DNA damage. Biology of Reproduction, 101(4), 748–759. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/202675
- Knox, C., Bryan, E., Pasco, R., Rodgers, K., Sweeney, E., Dickinson, H., Polglase, G., Tolcos, M., Walker, D. & Moss, T. (2013). Mid-gestation intra-amniotic infection with Ureaplasma parvum is resolved within spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) by term delivery: but caused chronic infection of fetal lungs and placentae [Conference Abstract]. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 49, 91–92. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/59680
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Emily, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).