Dr Kevin Fenix
Ext-Funded Research Fellow (A)
Adelaide Medical School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - 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 infections and cancer.
Available projects for HDR, Honours and Third Year Students include:
- Identifying distinct tumour-infiltrating immune cells with prognostic capacity for cancer metastasis and patient survival.
- Characterising 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.
- Deciphering how the host-microbe interactions influence chronic rhinosinusitis.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2018 - ongoing 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
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Journals
Year Citation 2023 Dhakal, B., Li, C. M. Y., Ramezanpour, M., Houtak, G., Li, R., Bouras, G., . . . Fenix, K. (2023). Proteomic characterisation of perhexiline treatment on THP-1 M1 macrophage differentiation. Frontiers in Immunology, 14, 13 pages.
Scopus1 Europe PMC12023 Dhakal, B., Tomita, Y., Drew, P., Price, T., Maddern, G., Smith, E., & Fenix, K. (2023). Perhexiline: Old Drug, New Tricks? A Summary of Its Anti-Cancer Effects. Molecules, 28(8), 3624.
2023 Li, C. M. Y., Tomita, Y., Dhakal, B., Li, R., Li, J., Drew, P., . . . Fenix, K. A. (2023). Use of cytokine-induced killer cell therapy in patients with colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, 11(4), e006764.
2023 Shaghayegh, G., Cooksley, C., Bouras, G., Nepal, R., Houtak, G., Panchatcharam, B. S., . . . Vreugde, S. (2023). Staphylococcus aureus biofilm properties and chronic rhinosinusitis severity scores correlate positively with total CD4+ T-cell frequencies and inversely with its Th1, Th17 and regulatory cell frequencies.. Immunology, 1-14.
2022 Dhakal, B., Li, C. M. Y., Li, R., Yeo, K., Wright, J. A., Gieniec, K. A., . . . Fenix, K. (2022). The Antianginal Drug Perhexiline Displays Cytotoxicity against Colorectal Cancer Cells In Vitro: A Potential for Drug Repurposing. Cancers, 14(4), 16 pages.
Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC22022 Ramezanpour, M., Bolt, H., Hon, K., Shaghayegh, G., Rastin, H., Fenix, K. A., . . . Vreugde, S. (2022). Characterization of human nasal organoids from chronic rhinosinusitis patients. Biology Open, 11(8), 8 pages.
Scopus1 WoS12021 Tyllis, T. S., Fenix, K. A., Norton, T. S., Kara, E. E., McKenzie, D. R., David, S. C., . . . Comerford, I. (2021). CXCR5⁺CD8⁺ T cells shape antibody responses In Vivo following protein immunisation and peripheral viral infection. Frontiers in Immunology, 12, 626199-1-626199-14.
Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC52021 Balakrishnan, B., Liang, Q., Fenix, K., Tamang, B., Hauben, E., Ma, L., & Zhang, W. (2021). Combining the anticancer and immunomodulatory effects of astragalus and shiitake as an integrated therapeutic approach. Nutrients, 13(8), 16 pages.
Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC32020 Whyte, C. E., Osman, M., Kara, E. E., Abbott, C., Foeng, J., McKenzie, D. R., . . . McColl, S. R. (2020). ACKR4 restrains antitumor immunity by regulating CCL21. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 217(6), 1-S4.
Scopus14 WoS12 Europe PMC112020 Goggin, R., Bennett, C., Ramezanpour, M., Hu, H., Fenix, K., Bassiouni, A., . . . Vreugde, S. (2020). Association between viral infection and increased mucosal eosinophils and CD8<sup>+</sup>CD103<sup>+</sup> T cells in chronic rhinosinusitis. International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, 10(8), 978-980.
2020 Fenix, K., Wijesundara, D. K., Cowin, A. J., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Kopecki, Z. (2020). Immunological Memory in Imiquimod-Induced Murine Model of Psoriasiform Dermatitis.. Int J Mol Sci, 21(19), 13 pages.
Scopus14 WoS11 Europe PMC62018 Kara, E. E., Bastow, C. R., McKenzie, D. R., Whyte, C. E., Fenix, K. A., Babb, R., . . . McColl, S. R. (2018). Atypical chemokine receptor 4 shapes activated B cell fate. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 215(3), 801-813.
Scopus15 WoS16 Europe PMC72017 McKenzie, D., Kara, E., Bastow, C., Tyllis, T., Fenix, K., Gregor, C., . . . McColl, S. (2017). IL-17-producing γδ T cells switch migratory patterns between resting and activated states. Nature Communications, 8(1), 15632-1-15632-13.
Scopus78 WoS74 Europe PMC552016 Leong, Y., Chen, Y., Ong, H., Wu, D., Man, K., Deleage, C., . . . Yu, D. (2016). CXCR5⁺ follicular cytotoxic T cells control viral infection in B cell follicles. Nature Immunology, 17(10), 1187-1196.
Scopus305 WoS291 Europe PMC2482015 Kara, E., McKenzie, D., Bastow, C., Gregor, C., Fenix, K., Ogunniyi, A., . . . McColl, S. (2015). CCR2 defines in vivo development and homing of IL-23-driven GM-CSF-producing Th17 cells. Nature Communications, 6(1), 8644-1-8644-1 7.
Scopus97 WoS93 Europe PMC702014 Kara, E., Comerford, I., Fenix, K., Bastow, C., Gregor, C., McKenzie, D., & McColl, S. (2014). Tailored immune responses: novel effector helper T cell subsets in protective immunity. PLoS Pathogens, 10(2), 1003905-1-1003905-15.
Scopus61 WoS53 Europe PMC412013 Kara, E., Comerford, I., Bastow, C., Fenix, K., Litchfield, W., Handel, T., & McColl, S. (2013). Distinct chemokine receptor axes regulate Th9 cell trafficking to allergic and autoimmune inflammatory sites. Journal of Immunology, 191(3), 1110-1117.
Scopus45 WoS44 Europe PMC322010 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.
Scopus89 WoS86 Europe PMC65- Krishnan, S. T., Rudd, D., Rahmani, R., Antunez, E. E., Minhas, R. S., Kirana, C., . . . Voelcker, N. H. (n.d.). Nanostructured Silicon Enabled HR-MS for the Label-Free Detection of Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer Plasma Small Extracellular Vesicles. Journal of Nanotheranostics, 3(4), 189-202.
- Ying Li, C. M., Tomita, Y., Dhakal, B., Li, R., Li, J., Drew, P., . . . Fenix, K. (n.d.). Use of cytokine-induced killer cell therapy in colorectal cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2017 Gregor, C. E., Kara, E. E., Fenix, K. A., McKenzie, D. R., Comerford, I., & McColl, S. R. (2017). Effector T helper cell recruitment to inflammatory sites via CCR2. In SWISS MEDICAL WEEKLY Vol. 147 (pp. 64S). E M H SWISS MEDICAL PUBLISHERS LTD.
A selection of competitive funding awards are listed below:
| Year | Title | Investigators | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 |
Pre-clinical assessment of a patient-derived cellular immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer.
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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 )
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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 |
| 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 |
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2023 Co-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 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 -
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
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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
