Makutiro Masavuli

Research Interests

Infectious Diseases Vaccinology

Dr Makutiro Masavuli

Grant-Funded Postdoctoral Research Fellow

School of Medicine

College of Health

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

Makutiro is a postdoctoral researcher currently working in the Viral Immunology Group developing safe and effective vaccines against Hepatitis C (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Zika virus and more recently against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Date Position Institution name
2019 - ongoing Postdoctoral Researcher The University of Adelaide

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
French Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
Swahili Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
2018 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia PhD

Year Citation
2025 Perkins, G. B., Tunbridge, M. J., Chai, C. S., Hope, C. M., Lip Yeow, A. E., Salehi, T., . . . Coates, P. T. (2025). mTOR Inhibitors and Vaccine Response in Kidney Transplant Recipients.. J Am Soc Nephrol, 36(11), 2213-2227.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2025 Garcia-Valtanen, P., Yeow, A. E. L., Mekonnen, Z. A., Whelan, D. M., Santos, R., Al-Delfi, Z., . . . Grubor-Bauk, B. (2025). Thermostable unit solid dose formulations for subcutaneous administration of DNA vaccines. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 36(3), 10 pages.
DOI
2023 Ryan, F. J., Norton, T. S., McCafferty, C., Blake, S. J., Stevens, N. E., James, J., . . . Lynn, D. J. (2023). A systems immunology study comparing innate and adaptive immune responses in adults to COVID-19 mRNA and adenovirus vectored vaccines.. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(3), 100971-1-100971-26.
DOI Scopus36 WoS36 Europe PMC35
2023 Williams, C. M. D., Noll, J. E., Bradey, A. L., Duggan, J., Wilczek, V. J., Masavuli, M. G., . . . Panagopoulos, V. (2023). Myeloperoxidase creates a permissive microenvironmental niche for the progression of multiple myeloma. British Journal of Haematology, 203(4), 614-624.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2023 Wijesundara, D. K., Yeow, A., McMillan, C. L. D., Choo, J. J. Y., Todorovic, A., Mekonnen, Z. A., . . . Muller, D. A. (2023). Superior efficacy of a skin-applied microprojection device for delivering a novel Zika DNA vaccine. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 34, 102056-1-102056-10.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2022 Ryan, F. J., Hope, C. M., Masavuli, M. G., Lynn, M. A., Mekonnen, Z. A., Yeow, A. E. L., . . . Lynn, D. J. (2022). Long-term perturbation of the peripheral immune system months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. BMC Medicine, 20(1), 26-1-26-23.
DOI Scopus206 WoS199 Europe PMC197
2022 Perkins, G. B., Tunbridge, M., Salehi, T., Chai, C. S., Kireta, S., Johnston, J., . . . Coates, P. T. (2022). Concurrent vaccination of kidney transplant recipients and close household cohabitants against COVID-19. Kidney International, 101(5), 1077-1080.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC10
2022 Garcia-Valtanen, P., Hope, C. M., Masavuli, M. G., Yeow, A. E. L., Balachandran, H., Mekonnen, Z. A., . . . Grubor-Bauk., B. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant escapes neutralising antibodies and T cell responses more efficiently than other variants in mild COVID-19 convalescents.. Cell Reports Medicine, 3(6), 100651-1-100651-17.
DOI Scopus34 WoS33 Europe PMC30
2022 Ryan, F., Norton, T., McCafferty, C., Blake, S., Stevens, N., James, J., . . . Lynn, D. (2022). A systems immunology study comparing innate and adaptive immune responses in adults to COVID-19 mRNA (BNT162b2/mRNA-1273) and adenovirus vectored vaccines (ChAdOx1-S) after the first, second and third doses.
DOI
2021 Garcia-Valtanen, P., Hope, C. M., Masavuli, M. G., Yeow, A. E. L., Balachandran, H., Mekonnen, Z. A., . . . Grubor-Bauk, B. (2021). COVID-19 convalescents exhibit deficient humoral and T cell responses to variant of concern Spike antigens at 12 month post-infection.
DOI
2020 Gummow, J., Masavuli, M., Mekonnen, Z. A., Li, Y., Wijesundara, D. K., Shrestha, A. C., . . . Grubor-Bauk, B. (2020). Safety profile of a multi-antigenic DNA vaccine against hepatitis C virus. Vaccines, 8(1), 1-15.
DOI Scopus11 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2020 Mekonnen, Z. A., Masavuli, M. G., Yu, W., Gummow, J., Whelan, D. M., Al-Delfi, Z., . . . Grubor-Bauk, B. (2020). Enhanced T cell responses induced by a necrotic dendritic cell vaccine, expressing HCV NS3. Front Microbiol, 11(559105), 1-13.
DOI Scopus8 WoS5 Europe PMC5
2019 Mekonnen, Z. A., Grubor-Bauk, B., Masavuli, M. G., Shrestha, A. C., Ranasinghe, C., Bull, R. A., . . . Wijesundara, D. K. (2019). Toward DNA-based T-cell mediated vaccines to target HIV-1 and hepatitis C virus: approaches to elicit localized immunity for protection. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 9(APR), 1-8.
DOI Scopus14 WoS10 Europe PMC9
2019 Shrestha, A. C., Wijesundara, D. K., Masavuli, M. G., Mekonnen, Z. A., Gowans, E. J., & Grubor-Bauk, B. (2019). Cytolytic perforin as an adjuvant to enhance the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. Vaccines, 7(2), 14 pages.
DOI Scopus12 WoS12 Europe PMC10
2019 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Underwood, A., Christiansen, D., Earnest-Silveira, L., Bull, R., . . . Grubor-Bauk, B. (2019). A hepatitis C virus DNA vaccine encoding a secreted, oligomerized form of envelope proteins is highly immunogenic and elicits neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated mice. Frontiers in immunology, 10(MAY), 1-19.
DOI Scopus34 WoS30 Europe PMC28
2019 Mekonnen, Z. A., Grubor-Bauk, B., English, K., Leung, P., Masavuli, M. G., Shrestha, A. C., . . . Wijesundara, D. K. (2019). Single-dose vaccination with a hepatotropic adeno-associated virus efficiently localizes T cell immunity in the liver with the potential to confer rapid protection against Hepatitis C virus. Journal of Virology, 93(19), e00202-19-1-e00202-19-19.
DOI Scopus17 WoS18 Europe PMC18
2019 Grubor-Bauk, B., Wijesundara, D. K., Masavuli, M., Abbink, P., Peterson, R. L., Prow, N. A., . . . Gowans, E. J. (2019). NS1 DNA vaccination protects against Zika infection through T cell-mediated immunity in immunocompetent mice.. Sci Adv, 5(12), eaax2388.
DOI Scopus65 WoS56 Europe PMC54
2017 Masavuli, M., Wijesundara, D., Torresi, J., Gowans, E., & Grubor-Bauk, B. (2017). Preclinical development and production of virus-like particles as vaccine candidates for hepatitis C. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8(DEC), 11 pages.
DOI Scopus41 WoS31 Europe PMC30

Year Citation
2017 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2017). Novel DNA vaccine formulations encoding secreted HCV-E1/E2 fused to the IMX313 oligomerisation domain are immunogenic in mice. Poster session presented at the meeting of 12th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology.
2017 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2017). Novel DNA vaccine formulations encoding secreted HCV-E1/E2 fused to the IMX313 oligomerisation domain are immunogenic in mice. Poster session presented at the meeting of Adelaide Immunology Retreat. Nuriootpa.
2017 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2017). Novel DNA vaccine formulations encoding secreted HCV-E1/E2 fused to the IMX313 oligomerisation domain are immunogenic in mice. Poster session presented at the meeting of Florey Postgraduate Research Conference.
2017 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2017). Enhancing the immunogenicity of HCV vaccines by fusing E1/E2 to the IMX313P multimerization technology. Poster session presented at the meeting of 24th International Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus and Related Viruses. Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA.
2017 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2017). Novel DNA vaccines encoding secreted HCV-E1/E2 fused to the IMX313 oligomerisation domain are immunogenic in mice. Poster session presented at the meeting of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) Research Day. Adeleide, Australia.
2017 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2017). Enhancing the immunogenicity of HCV vaccines by fusing E1/E2 to the IMX313P oligomerisation technology. Poster session presented at the meeting of 9th Australasian Virology Society Meeting.
2016 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2016). A novel DNA-based virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine against hepatitis C.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Florey Postgraduate Research Conference.
2016 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. W., Grubor-Bauk, B., & Gowans, E. J. (2016). A DNA-based virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine against the hepatitis C virus. Poster session presented at the meeting of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) Research Day. Adelaide.
2015 Masavuli, M. G., Grubor-Bauk, B. G., Wijesundara, D. K., & Gowans, E. J. (2015). A novel DNA-based virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine for hepatitis C virus. Poster session presented at the meeting of Florey Postgraduate Research Conference. AdelaIide.
2015 Masavuli, M. G., Wijesundara, D. K., grubor-bauk, B., & gowans, E. G. (2015). A novel DNA-based virus-like particle vaccine for hepatitis C virus. Poster session presented at the meeting of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) Research Day 2015. Adelaide.

Year Citation
2018 Masavuli, M. G. (2018). Novel DNA Vaccine Formulations Against
Hepatitis C Virus. (PhD Thesis).
2013 Masavuli, M. G. (2013). Characterisation of leukocytes from IL-5 transgenic mice during Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection.. (Undergraduate Dissertation).

Year Citation
2021 Ryan, F., Hope, C., Masavuli, M., Lynn, M., Mekonnen, Z., Lip Yeow, A. E., . . . Lynn, D. (2021). Long-term perturbation of the peripheral immune system months after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
DOI Europe PMC1

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2024 Co-Supervisor Harnessing the potential of mRNA vaccines against Hepatitis C Virus Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr John Henrik Johansson
2024 Co-Supervisor Harnessing the potential of mRNA vaccines against Hepatitis C Virus Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr John Henrik Johansson
2022 Co-Supervisor A Trivalent Vaccine for Clinically-Important Flaviviruses. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ryan Santos
2022 Co-Supervisor A Trivalent Vaccine for Clinically-Important Flaviviruses. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ryan Santos
2021 Co-Supervisor The development of 'next generation' DNA-based vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Zahraa Nima Saeed Al-Delfi
2021 Co-Supervisor The development of 'next generation' DNA-based vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Zahraa Nima Saeed Al-Delfi

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