Background

Dr. Andy Poumbourios is co-Head of the Viral Entry and Vaccines research group at Burnet Institute and the lead of the SARS-CoV-2 stream of the Burnet Vaccine Initiative. His career has followed an interest in the therapeutic and immunogenic potential of viral envelope proteins that mediate cellular entry.

With a focus on understanding how the Spike proteins of HIV-1, human T cell leukemia virus and hepatitis C virus perform their functions and how this relates to their structures, Andy has applied this knowledge to the development of Burnet hepatitis C vaccine, publishing and patenting its development over the last decade. This knowledge has now facilitated the discovery of the Burnet vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2, which in turn brought about the formation of the Burnet Vaccine Initiative.

Andy has won multiple NHMRC grants and holds granted patents.