Iain Comerford

Dr Iain Comerford

Lecturer

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Comerford has made important contributions in the area of the molecular control of cell migration in models of human disease, including autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and also in cancer. These include dissecting the role of atypical chemokine receptors in cell migration during immune responses and revealing the role of specific chemokine receptors in the control of T cell migration to the CNS and to solid tumours. His current research focuses on identification of novel factors involved in T cell recruitment in vivo, with applications in infectious disease, autoimmunity and cancer. 

Dr Comerford holds Ideas grant funding from the NHMRC, and a project grant and senior research fellowship from Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia.

Dr Comerford currently delivers lectures and tutorials on Immunology to Science students at the University of Adelaide from second through to third year. 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor A combination vaccine targeting Newcastle Disease Virus and Influenza A virus for poultry Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Yimin Chuah
    2023 Principal Supervisor High dimensional chemokine receptor and cell trajectory profiling of single autoreactive T cells in EAE using CITE-Seq technology. Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Megan Rachel Monaghan
    2023 Co-Supervisor Improving trafficking of CAR-T cells into solid tumours Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Dylan James McPeake
    2023 Co-Supervisor Immune responses induced by inactivated vaccines Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Mariana Couto Moniz
    2023 Co-Supervisor Assessing the Oncolytic Activity of Inactivated Vaccines Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Amal Hazem Mohammed Nour Afify Moh Mostafa
    2022 Principal Supervisor Type 1 Regulatory T cells Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Emily Louise Freimayer
    2022 Principal Supervisor Investigating two novel transcription factors implicated in pathogenic Th17 regulation. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Caleb Wong Han
    2019 Co-Supervisor Investigate the Degenerative Features of the Cervical Facet Joints Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Miss Elaheh Rohani Rad
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Validation of novel CAR-T cell therapies against colorectal cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Elaheh Rohani Rad
    2020 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Modulation of BRAFV600E Signalling in Melanoma and Colorectal Cancer: Consequences for Tumour Immune Cell Infiltration Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Madeleine Louisa Massy-Westropp
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor The role of type I regulatory cells in regulating immune responses to influenza infection Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Caitlin Ashleigh Abbott
    2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor The Role of the Inflammatory Chemokine Receptor CCR2 in Immune Responses to Respiratory Viral Infection Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Todd Simon Norton
    2016 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Generation of a novel pan-cancer chemokine receptor-modified CAR-T cell therapy directed towards nfP2X7 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Jade Hui Yu Foeng
    2016 - 2020 Principal Supervisor DEPDC5 is a metabolic checkpoint regulator in the B cell AA-mTORC1 pathway Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jasmine Joy Wilson
    2014 - 2016 Co-Supervisor Trafficking of IL-17-Producing Gamma Delta T Cells During Homeostasis and Inflammation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Duncan Robert McKenzie
    2014 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Characterisation of human dental pulp stem cells in an animal model of multiple sclerosis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Kerrie Louise Foyle
    2014 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Novel Modes of Chemokine-Driven Leukocyte Migration Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Cameron Robert Bastow
    2013 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Chemokine-mediated control of immunity to tumours and infectious pathogens Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Carly Whyte
    2012 - 2017 Co-Supervisor The role of chemokine receptors CCR2 and CXCR5 in CD8 positive T cell biology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Kevin Aaron Fenix
    2012 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Novel modalities of T and B lymphocyte migration Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ervin Ender Kara
    2010 - 2010 Co-Supervisor The Role of Class IA PI3K? in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Sarah Haylock-Jacobs
    2008 - 2012 Co-Supervisor The Role of the Atypical Chemokine Receptor CCX-CKR in Thymocyte Development and its Influence on the Link Between Innate and Adaptive Immunity Through Regulation of Dendritic Cell Migration Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Mark Daniel Bunting
    2008 - 2012 Co-Supervisor The Role of the Atypical Chemokine Receptor CCX-CKR in Progression and Metastasis of Cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Yuka Harata-Lee
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2017 - ongoing Chair Australasian Society for Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting 2019 Australasian Society for Immunology Australia
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2016 - ongoing Council Australasian Society for Immunology Australia
  • Position: Lecturer
  • Phone: 83131127
  • Email: iain.comerford@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83137532
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Molecular Life Sciences, floor 5
  • Org Unit: Molecular and Biomedical Science

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External Profiles