Kevin Fenix

Dr Kevin Fenix

Research Fellow

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

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


Dr Kevin Fenix, PhD is a research fellow located at the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research the research arm of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. As part of the Upper GI and ENT Surgery Departments, his current research utilises both patient samples and clinically relevant in vitro and in vivo models to find new treatment modalities for infections and cancer. Dr Fenix has successfully supervised Honours, Master and PhD students to completion and is a recipient of multiple competitive research grants to support his research.

My research interests include Cancer Immunotherapy, Cancer Biology, Immunobiology and Host/Microbe Interactions. This aligns with my affiliation with the Upper GI and ENT Surgery Departments at the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research. Currently, I am identifying treatment modalities for Colorectal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer and Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Projects related to this work are available for HDR, Honours and Third Year Students. Potential students can apply for competitive scholarships for Honours, Masters and PhD (Top-Up) offered by the Basil Hetzel Institute.

Current projects include:

  • Identifying distinct tumour-infiltrating immune cells with prognostic capacity for cancer metastasis and patient survival.
  • Developing T cell-based therapies for cancer.
  • Understanding and exploiting the tumour microbiome to develop new cancer treatments.
  • Deciphering how the host-microbe interactions influence chronic rhinosinusitis. 
  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2018 - ongoing Postdoctoral Research Fellow The University of Adelaide
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2024 Fellowship Cancer Council SA Mid-Career Research Fellowship Cancer Council SA Australia -
    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

Dr Kevin Fenix is a recipient of multiple competitive research funding awards (>$2million) from Cancer Council SA, Tour de Cure, Cure Cancer Australia, the Ray and Shirl Norman Trust, and The Hospital Research Foundation Group.

A selection of competitive funding awards are listed below:

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
    2024 Principal Supervisor The development of more effective next-generation cytokine-induced killer cell therapies for the improved treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Elham Shokati
    2023 Principal Supervisor Target the tumour microbiome to improve head & neck cancer treatment outcomes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Lee Mai
    2023 Co-Supervisor Repurposing the anti-anginal drug perhexiline for the treatment of cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Fangmeinuo Wu
    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
    2022 Co-Supervisor The role of various Staphylococcus species in eliciting inflammation in Chronic rhinosinusitis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sintayehu Ambachew Wondemagegn
    2021 Co-Supervisor The Interplay Between Tumour-associated Microbiota, Tertiary Lymphoid Organ Development and Oral Cancer Carcinogenesis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Kenny Ker Li Yeo
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Perhexiline as a Potential Treatment for Colorectal Cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Bimala Dhakal
    2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor INVESTIGATION OF CYTOKINE-INDUCED KILLER CELL THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF COLORECTAL CANCER LIVER METASTASIS 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