Dr Mark Bunting

Grant-Funded Researcher (B)

SAIGENCI

College of Health

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


Dr. Mark Bunting is a post-doctoral researcher in the Hormone Dependent Cancers Laboratory at the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI). The lab is directed by Prof. Christopher Sweeney.Dr. Mark Bunting completed his Ph.D. in Immunology at the University of Adelaide in 2012. He then joined the lab of Prof. Geoff Hill at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia studying the role of mucosal associated invariant T cells (MAIT) and natural killer cells in graft-versus-host disease and leukemia preclinical models. He then undertook a second post-doctoral position in the lab of Assistant Prof. Shawn Demehri at the Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA. Here he researched the role of natural killer cells in solid organ transplantation and skin cancer preclinical models. In 2019 he moved back to Adelaide and joined the Genome Editing Laboratory to explore the use of CRISPR/Cas9 for genome editing.Dr. Bunting's current research at SAiGENCI in the lab of Prof. Christopher Sweeney is focused on expanding our understanding of breast cancer pathogenesis, driven by hyper-activation of NF-kB and loss of tristetraprolin, TTP. Dysregulation of NF-kB and TTP can result in the advancement of aggressive tumours that acquire therapy resistance. The lab is also developing NF-kB-specific inhibitors, to be used in combination with current standard-of-care therapies, that are undergoing preclinical testing using in vitro and in vivo models to determine if these block tumour-promoting pathways and represent a new treatment option for patients with breast cancer.

My research is focused on expanding our understanding of how aggressive types of breast cancer develop and the ways in which these tumours can become resistant to clinical therapies. A key protein involved in these processes is called Nuclear Factor-kappa B. It is commonly overactive in breast tumours, which can be the result of reduced levels of a second protein, tristetraprolin, that normally restrains the activity of Nuclear Factor-kappa B. When Nuclear Factor-kappa B levels go unchecked in the tumour it enhances the ability of the cancer cells to divide and their ability to overcome treatments designed to stop the cancer. We are studying why the balance of Nuclear Factor-kappa B and tristetraprolin becomes disrupted specifically in breast cancer and not healthy breast tissue. The lab is also developing a new drug to block the activity of Nuclear Factor-kappa B and are studying how it can prevent tumour-promoting features within breast cancer cells. Our ultimate goal is to help those patients where existing targeted therapies are not effective or stop being effective over time so that the quality of life and survival of these individuals are improved.

Date Institution name Country Title
2008 - 2012 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy (Immunology)
2007 - 2007 University of Adelaide Australia B.Sc. (Honours)
2004 - 2006 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science)

Year Citation
2024 Bunting, M. D., Godahewa, G. I., McPherson, N. O., Robertson, L. J., Gierus, L., Piltz, S. G., . . . Thomas, P. Q. (2024). Investigating the potential of X chromosome shredding for mouse genetic biocontrol.. Sci Rep, 14(1), 13466.
DOI Europe PMC1
2023 Gierus, L., Birand, A., Bunting, M. D., Godahewa, G. I., Piltz, S. G., Oh, K. P., . . . Thomas, P. Q. (2023). Leveraging a natural murine meiotic drive to suppress invasive populations (vol 119, e2213308119, 2022). PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 120(2), 2 pages.
DOI
2022 Bunting, M. D., Vyas, M., Requesens, M., Langenbucher, A., Schiferle, E. B., Manguso, R. T., . . . Demehri, S. (2022). Extracellular matrix proteins regulate NK cell function in peripheral tissues.. Sci Adv, 8(11), eabk3327.
DOI Scopus41 Europe PMC33
2022 Bunting, M. D., Pfitzner, C., Gierus, L., White, M., Piltz, S., & Thomas, P. Q. (2022). Generation of Gene Drive Mice for Invasive Pest Population Suppression.. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2495, 203-230.
DOI Scopus6 Europe PMC5
2022 Gierus, L., Birand, A., Bunting, M. D., Godahewa, G. I., Piltz, S. G., Oh, K. P., . . . Thomas, P. Q. (2022). Leveraging a natural murine meiotic drive to suppress invasive populations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 119(46), 1-11.
DOI Scopus26 WoS24 Europe PMC17
2021 Bastow, C. R., Bunting, M. D., Kara, E. E., McKenzie, D. R., Caon, A., Devi, S., . . . Comerford, I. (2021). Scavenging of soluble and immobilized CCL21 by ACKR4 regulates peripheral dendritic cell emigration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 118(17), e2025763118-1-e2025763118-9.
DOI Scopus31 WoS29 Europe PMC28
2018 Varelias, A., Bunting, M. D., Ormerod, K. L., Koyama, M., Olver, S. D., Straube, J., . . . Hill, G. R. (2018). Recipient mucosal-associated invariant T cells control GVHD within the colon. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 128(5), 1919-1936.
DOI Scopus93 Europe PMC85
2017 Varelias, A., Ormerod, K. L., Bunting, M. D., Koyama, M., Gartlan, K. H., Kuns, R. D., . . . Hill, G. R. (2017). Acute graft-versus-host disease is regulated by an IL-17–sensitive microbiome. Blood, 129(15), 2172-2185.
DOI Scopus62 Europe PMC58
2017 Bunting, M. D., Varelias, A., Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes, F., Schuster, I. S., Lineburg, K. E., Kuns, R. D., . . . Hill, G. R. (2017). GVHD prevents NK-cell-dependent leukemia and virus-specific innate immunity. Blood, 129(5), 630-642.
DOI Scopus31 Europe PMC25
2015 Gartlan, K., Markey, K., Varelias, A., Bunting, M., Koyama, M., Kuns, R., . . . Hill, G. (2015). Tc17 cells are a proinflammatory, plastic lineage of pathogenic CD8⁺ T cells that induce GVHD without antileukemic effects. Blood, 126(13), 1609-1620.
DOI Scopus101 WoS99 Europe PMC94
2015 Koyama, M., Cheong, M., Markey, K., Gartlan, K., Kuns, R., Locke, K., . . . Hill, G. (2015). Donor colonic CD103⁺ dendritic cells determine the severity of acute graft-versus-host disease. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 212(8), 1303-1321.
DOI Scopus88 WoS85 Europe PMC85
2014 Bunting, M., Comerford, I., Kara, E., Korner, H., & McColl, S. (2014). CCR6 supports migration and differentiation of a subset of DN1 early thymocyte progenitors but is not required for thymic nTreg development. Immunology and Cell Biology, 92(6), 489-498.
DOI Scopus10 WoS7 Europe PMC9
2013 Comerford, I., Harata-Lee, Y., Bunting, M., Gregor, C., Kara, E., & McColl, S. (2013). A myriad of functions and complex regulation of the CCR7/CCL19/CCL21 chemokine axis in the adaptive immune system. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 24(3), 269-283.
DOI Scopus235 WoS230 Europe PMC219
2013 Bunting, M., Comerford, I., Seach, N., Hammett, M., Asquith, D., Korner, H., . . . McColl, S. (2013). CCX-CKR deficiency alters thymic stroma impairing thymocyte development and promoting autoimmunity. Blood, 121(1), 118-128.
DOI Scopus38 WoS34 Europe PMC30
2011 Bunting, M., Comerford, I., & McColl, S. (2011). Finding their niche: Chemokines directing cell migration in the thymus. Immunology and Cell Biology, 89(2), 185-196.
DOI Scopus54 WoS48 Europe PMC45
2011 Haylock-Jacobs, S., Comerford, I., Bunting, M., Kara, E., Townley, S., Klingler-Hoffmann, M., . . . McColl, S. (2011). PI3Kδ drives the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by inhibiting effector T cell apoptosis and promoting Th17 differentiation. Journal of Autoimmunity, 36(3-4), 278-287.
DOI Scopus75 WoS74 Europe PMC63
2010 Comerford, I., Nibbs, R., Litchfield, W., Bunting, M., Harata-Lee, Y., Haylock-Jacobs, S., . . . McColl, S. (2010). The atypical chemokine receptor CCX-CKR scavenges homeostatic chemokines in circulation and tissues and suppresses Th17 responses. Blood, 116(20), 4130-4140.
DOI Scopus68 WoS64 Europe PMC62
2010 Comerford, I., Bunting, M., Fenix, K., Haylock-Jacobs, S., Litchfield, W., Harata-Lee, Y., . . . McColl, S. (2010). An immune paradox: how can the same chemokine axis regulate both immune tolerance and activation? CCR6/CCL20: a chemokine axis balancing immunological tolerance and inflammation in autoimmune disease. Bioessays, 32(12), 1067-1076.
DOI Scopus102 WoS100 Europe PMC90

Year Citation
2012 Comerford, I., Bunting, M. D., & McColl, S. R. (2012). CCX-CKR deficiency alters thymic stroma impairing thymocyte development and promoting autoimmunity. Poster session presented at the meeting of IMMUNOLOGY. Glasgow, SCOTLAND: WILEY-BLACKWELL.

2023 - FHMS Early Grant Development Award.

2024-2025 - Tour de Cure Pioneering Research Grant.

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor To identify biomarkers of patient response to CAR-T cell therapy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ryan U Theen Chin
2025 Principal Supervisor Advancing treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer through NF-kB inhibition Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Huimin Shao
2025 Principal Supervisor Investigating the role of the extracellular matrix protein complex FRAS1/FREM2 on the metastatic progression of breast and prostate cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Christina Jos .

Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
2025 - 2025 Principal Supervisor Advancing treatment for therapy-resistant hormone receptor positive breast cancer through NF-kappa B inhibition The University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Amy Denton
2024 - 2025 Principal Supervisor Investigating the role of the extracellular matrix proteins FRAS1 and FREM2 on the metastatic progression of breast and prostate cancer. The University of Adelaide - Master Full Time Christina Jos

Date Role Committee Institution Country
2023 - ongoing Member Institutional Biosafety Committee The University of Adelaide Australia

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