Mohammed Alsharifi

Dr Mohammed Alsharifi

Senior Lecturer

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

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


Dr Alsharifi studied Biomedical Science at Monash University. After graduating with First Class Honours, he moved to the Australian National University to take up a PhD scholarship at The John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR). During his PhD, he investigated with Prof Arno Müllbacher, Prof Robert Blanden, and Dr Mario Lobigs the immunobiology of an alphavirus infection. Based on his PhD research, he published many papers describing some important concepts related to type-I interferon responses following an acute primary viral infection and the increased risk to a more sever secondary viral and/or bacterial infection. Following the completion of his PhD, he remained at the JCSMR as postdoctoral fellow to investigated with Prof Müllbacher the use of γ-irradiated influenza preparations as a universal flu vaccine candidate, funded by the NHMRC. This work resulted in multiple patents and the establishment of a biotech company (Gamma Vaccine Pty Ltd). In 2008, he was awarded the Hanson Fellowship to established an independent research group and to continue his research into the universal Flu vaccine and also the possibility of producing other vaccines using similar technique. In 2010, he relocated his group to the School of Biological Science/ The University of Adelaide and in collaboration with James Paton attracted funding from ARC and NHMRC to develop a single vaccine for influenza and pneumonia with “Gamma Vaccines Pty Ltd” as the Commercial Partner Organisation. This work resulted in patentable IP surrounding a novel pneumococcal whole cell vaccine and the formation of "GPN Vaccines Pty Ltd". In addition, he had been invited by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a technical expert to take part in IAEA’s coordinated research program to investigate the use of gamma-ray inactivation of pathogens for vaccine purposes.
Many of Dr Alsharifi's work has been published in high ranked peer-reviewed scientific journals and his flu vaccine research has been featured in the Catalyst program on ABC (http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2613604.htm), and in many newspaper articles such as (http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,,25625291-5018662,00.html) and (http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25406694-5006301,00.html).

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2016 - ongoing Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2015 Visiting Professor Management and Science University
    2012 - 2016 Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2010 - 2012 Research Fellow University of Adelaide
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    Arabic -
    English -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2005 Australian National University Australia Ph.D
    2004 Australian National University Australia Certificate (with merit) in graduate teaching
    2001 Monash University Australia Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours, Class I)
  • Postgraduate Training

    Date Title Institution Country
    2008 - 2010 RRC Research Fellow SA Health Australia
    2005 - 2007 Postdoctoral fellow Australian National University Australia
  • Research Interests

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Principal Supervisor A combination vaccine targeting Newcastle Disease Virus and Influenza A virus for poultry Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Yimin Chuah
    2023 Co-Supervisor Development of a novel whole-inactivated Streptococcal vaccine Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Ms Rachel Chin
    2023 Co-Supervisor Developing a novel cross-protective, inactivated vaccine against non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Carla Ruth Gallasch
    2023 Principal Supervisor Immune responses induced by inactivated vaccines Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Mariana Couto Moniz
    2023 Principal Supervisor Assessing the Oncolytic Activity of Inactivated Vaccines Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Amal Hazem Mohammed Nour Afify Moh Mostafa
    2020 Principal Supervisor Vaccine Development against Respiratory Pathogens Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Chloe Gates
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2018 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Humoral responses induced by an enzymatically active, whole-cell killed pneumococcal vaccine Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Zoe Laan
    2017 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Sterility and Immunogenicity of Gamma Irradiated Respiratory Viruses Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Eve Victoria Singleton
    2016 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Enhancement of pathogen-specific immunity following co-administration of whole inactivated respiratory vaccines Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Shannon Christa David
    2014 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Chikungunya Virus: Evidence for Global Policy, Practice and Research in Disease Management, Surveillance and Mosquito Control Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Zhili Chen
    2013 - 2017 Co-Supervisor The role of chemokine receptors CCR2 and CXCR5 in CD8 positive T cell biology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Kevin Aaron Fenix
    2012 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Development of a Novel Co-vaccination Approach for Pneumococcal and Influenza Infections Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Rachelle Babb
    2012 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Pre-existing strain specific neutralising antibodies abrogates the induction of interferon type I and cytotoxic T cell responses to subsequent homotypic influenza A virus challenge Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Jennifer Chan
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2012 - ongoing Editor PLoS One - -
  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Phone: 83134632
  • Email: mohammed.alsharifi@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134362
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Molecular Life Sciences, floor 5
  • Org Unit: Molecular and Biomedical Science

Connect With Me
External Profiles