Kevin Fenix

Dr Kevin Fenix

Ext-Funded Research Fellow (A)

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr Kevin Fenix is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow working on finding new treatments and prognostics for bowel and head and neck cancer patients. He has an immunology background completing his PhD in 2017.

Located at the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research with direct links to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, my research utilizes both patient samples and clinically relevant in vitro and in vivo models for translational immunology research related to cancer. As part of the Surgical Science Research Group and ENT Surgery Research Group, I have access to patient samples from gastrointestinal and head and neck cancers.

My research focuses on:

  • Identifying distinct tumour-infiltrating immune cells with prognostic capacity for cancer metastasis and patient survival.
  • Characterizing novel tumour-infiltrating immune cell subsets by advanced proteomic and transcriptomic approaches.
  • Understanding how immune cells shape tumour progression.
  • Developing T cell-based therapies for cancer.
  • Understanding and exploiting the tumour microbiome to develop new cancer treatments.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2018 - ongoing THRF Early Career Postdoctoral Research Fellow The University of Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2018 Fellowship The Hospital Research Foundation Early Career Fellowship The Hospital Research Foundation Australia
    2017 Award Dean’s Commendation for Thesis Excellence The University of Adelaide Australia
    2012 Scholarship Australian Postgraduate Award The University of Adelaide Australia
    2010 Research Award Derrick Rowley Prize for Honours in Microbiology and Immunology The University of Adelaide Australia

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    Filipino; Pilipino Can read, write, speak and understand spoken

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2017 University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    2010 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bsc (Hons)
    2009 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bsc (Biomedical Science)

  • Research Interests
    Cancer Cell Biology Cellular Immunology Immunological and Bioassay Methods Tumour Immunology Cancer Biology and Clinical Oncology Immunology and Infection

 

Competitive Research Grants
Year Title Investigators Amount
2020
Pre-clinical assessment of a patient-derived cellular immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer.
 Fenix K. $50,000
2019 Construction of the South Australian Liver Tissue-Biobank (SALT) for discovery and development of prognostic biomarkers of colorectal cancer liver metastasis. (Beat Cancer SA and The Hospital Research Foundation) Maddern G., Fenix K. $200,000
2019 Purchase of a fluorescent and bright-field automated cell counter. (Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Research Infrastructure Funding Award and The Basil-Hetzel Institute Research Equipment Award) Maddern G., Fenix K., Wormald P., Grubor-Bauk B. $22,703
2018 Study of bioactivity of Hengshan Astragalus Shiitake as biological response modifiers in cancer therapy ( Flinders University Innovation Patnership Seed Grant and Shanxi Yulongxiang agricultural development Co., Ltd) Ma L., Fenix K., Hauben E., Liang Q. $100,000
2018
Identification of a Diagnostic Marker for Assessment and Management of Psoriasis. ( New Adventures Fund UniSA and The Hospital Research Foundation  )
Grubor-Bauk B., Wijesundara D., Fenix K., Kopecki Z.
 $28,619
2018 Using Tissue-Resident T cells to develop new prognostics and treatments against bowel cancer. ( The Hospital Research Foundation Early Career Fellowship)  Fenix K. $240,000

 

Travel Awards
Year Source Conference Amount
2019 Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Lorne Cancer Conference (2019) $1000
2017 Australasian Society for Immunology 46th Annual Scientific Meeting of Australasian Society for Immunology (Brisbane, Australia) $1400
2016 International Congress of Immunology International Congress of Immunology 2016 (Melbourne, Australia) $1000
2014 School of Molecular and Biomedical Science and Australasian Society for Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting of Australasian Society for Immunology (Wollongong, Australia) $1500

 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2022 Co-Supervisor Over-expression of SFRP5 in hepatocytes: a novel treatment strategy for colorectal cancer liver metastases Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Runhao Li
    2021 Co-Supervisor Perhexiline as a Potential Treatment for Colorectal Cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Bimala Dhakal
    2021 Co-Supervisor The Interplay Between Tumour-associated Microbiota, Tertiary Lymphoid Organ Development and Oral Cancer Carcinogenesis Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Mr Kenny Ker Li Yeo
    2020 Co-Supervisor Investigating Cytokine Induced Killer Cell Therapy in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastatic Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Man Ying Li

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2019 - ongoing Member BHI IBC Biosafety Committee BHI Australia
    2018 - ongoing Member Basil-Hetzel Institute Management Committee Basil-Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Adelaide Immunology Retreat Organzing Committee Australasian Soceity for Immunology Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Day of Immunology (Adelaide) Organizing Committee Australsian Society for Immunology Australia

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2018 - ongoing Member Australasian Cytometry Society Australia
    2018 - ongoing Member Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group Australia
    2018 - ongoing Member Cancer Voices SA Australia
    2013 - ongoing Member Australasian Society for Immunology Australia

  • Community Engagement
    Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
    2018 - ongoing Invited Speaker for The Longest Table Events Public Community Engagement The Hospital Research Foundation Australia
    2018 - ongoing Science Alive! Booth Volunteer (BHI) Public Community Engagement Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research Australia
    2018 - ongoing Newsletter Article in The Hospital Research Foundation Public Community Engagement The Hospital Research Foundation
    2018 - ongoing Radio Interview for Coast FM Public Community Engagement The Hospital Research Foundation Australia
    2018 - ongoing Invited Speaker for the Day of Immunology BHI Lab Tour Public Community Engagement Australasian Society for Immunology Australia

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2018 - ongoing Editor Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology The University of Adelaide Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles