Honorary Research Fellow
PhD
A PhD graduate from of the University of Western Australia Microbiology Department (1974) Professor Thomas began investigating T-cells in immunological hypersensitivity at the Clinical Research Centre, London (1974-1979) and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne (1979-1983). Returning to Perth (1984) he focussed on understanding and developing immunotherapy for house dust mite allergy and asthma by defining and manipulating immune responses to allergens. He molecularly defined the major house dust mite allergens and pioneered the application of recombinant allergens. Ensuing studies of cat and mite allergens defined patterns of allergic sensitization and therapeutic formulations and the mitigation of allergy to complex allergens with single peptides. Since infections also appear important for allergic disease recent studies have explored adaptive immunity to infectious agents using defined recombinant antigens demonstrating several marked and consistent associations with responses to bacteria and enteric and respiratory viruses and additionally evidence for rhinovirus-C being a stealth virus.
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Publications
January 2019
Effects of Ser47-Point Mutation on Conformation Structure and Allergenicity of the Allergen of Der p 2, a Major House Dust Mite Allergen
The mutant Der p 2 had altered structure and reduced ability to stimulate pro-inflammatory responses and to bind IgE
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesAugust 2018WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature: Providing a common language
Aim was to standardize the names given to the antigens (allergens) that caused IgE-mediated allergies in humans
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesAugust 2018IgE and T-cell responses to house dust mite allergen components
Recent studies with synthetic peptides representing allergens and non-allergenic house dust mite proteins now offer new research avenues on HDM induced immune responses
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesMarch 2018T-cell responses against rhinovirus species A and C in asthmatic and healthy children
Infections by RV species A and C are the most common causes of exacerbations of asthma and a major cause of exacerbations of other respiratory disease.
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesSeptember 2017Broad perspectives of allergen specific immunotherapy
Allergen specific immunotherapy aims to subvert or divert immune responses to allergens to ones that do not cause immunological hypersensitivities.
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesApril 2017International consensus (ICON) on: Clinical consequences of mite hypersensitivity, a global problem
The objectives of this document are to highlight aspects of mite biology that are clinically relevant and to update the current knowledge on mite allergens
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesNovember 2016Immunodominant T-cell epitopes in the VP1 capsid protein of rhinovirus species A and C
Our results indicate a dissociation between the antibody and T-cell responses to rhinoviruses
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesOctober 2016The cat lipocalin Fel d 7 and its cross-reactivity with the dog lipocalin Can f 1
Fel d 7 is a common allergen in a Swedish cat-sensitized population that cross-reacts with Can f 1
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesSeptember 2016House Dust Mite Allergens: New Discoveries and Relevance to the Allergic Patient
Recent findings on house dust allergens and their contribution to knowledge that will significantly impact current and future allergy treatments are appraised
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJanuary 2016Effect of amino acid polymorphisms of house dust mite Der p 2 variants on allergic sensitization
Measures of allergic sensitization and therapeutic strategies could be optimized with knowledge of Der p 2 variants
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesDecember 2015GFP-complementation assay to detect functional CPP and protein delivery into living cells.
Efficient cargo uptake is essential for cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) therapeutics, which deliver widely diverse cargoes by exploiting natural cell...
Published researchAugust 2014Children with chronic suppurative lung disease have a reduced capacity to synthesize interferon-gamma in vitro in response to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae
The aim of this study was to identify features of innate, cell-mediated and humoral immunity that may increase susceptibility to respiratory infections in...
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesApril 2014Comparison of rhinovirus antibody titers in children with asthma exacerbations and species-specific rhinovirus infection
Asthma exacerbations are associated with human rhinovirus (HRV) infections, and more severe exacerbations are associated with HRV-C.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesApril 2014Update of the WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Database based on analysis of allergen sequences
This paper summarizes updates of allergen names approved at the meetings of the IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee in 2011 through 2013.
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesMarch 2014Allergen ligands in the initiation of allergic sensitization topical collection on allergens
Many important allergens are not covalently bound to lipid or carbohydrate, but have structures belonging to lipid, glycan and glycolipid-binding families.
Published researchAugust 2013Species-Specific and Cross-Reactive IgG1 Antibody Binding to Viral Capsid Protein 1 (VP1) Antigens of Human Rhinovirus Species A, B and C
Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are associated with upper and lower respiratory illnesses, including severe infections causing hospitalization in both children...
Published research Infectious Diseases Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJuly 2013Recombinant house dust mite allergens
House dust mites (HDM) are a globally important source of allergen responsible for the sensitization of more than 50% of allergic patients.
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJune 2013Protective anti-outer membrane protein immunity against Pasteurella pneumotropica infection of mice
The proteins examined were the homologues of the P4, P6, P26, and D15 proteins of Haemophilus influenzae.
Published research Immunisation Influenza Allergy & Infectious DiseasesFebruary 2013Innate affairs of allergens
Activation of receptors of the innate immune system is a critical step in the initiation of immune responses.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJanuary 2013Identification of Der p 23, a peritrophin-like protein, as a new major dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen
The house dust mite (HDM) Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is one of most important allergen sources and a major elicitor of allergic asthma.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJanuary 2013IgE and IgG binding patterns and T-cell recognition of fel d 1 and Non-Fel d 1 cat allergens
To compare IgE and IgG antibody binding and T-cell recognition of the major cat allergen Fel d 1 with other cat proteins with known IgE binding properties.
Asthma Published researchOctober 2012Quantitation of IgE Binding to the Chitinase and Chitinase-Like House Dust Mite Allergens
The prevalence of IgE binding to the group 15 and 18 house dust mite (HDM) allergens of the Dermatophagoides species...
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesAugust 2012House dust allergy and immunotherapy
HDM allergy is associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJuly 2012Reduced rhinovirus-specific antibodies are associated with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive
Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are often linked to respiratory infections.
Published research Infectious Diseases Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJuly 2012Hypoallergenic der p 1/Der p 2 combination vaccines for immunotherapy of house dust mite allergy
More than 50% of allergic patients have house dust mite (HDM) allergy.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesApril 2012Antibacterial antibody responses associated with the development of asthma in house dust mite-sensitised and non-sensitised children
We aimed to measure the antibody development to 2 bacteria in a birth cohort at high risk of allergic disease, and to assess which responses are asthma-linked.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious Diseases Human ImmunologyJanuary 2012Sensitizing and Th2 Adjuvant Activity of Cysteine Protease Allergens
Here, we report on a model that does not use Th2-skewing adjuvants and yet achieves sensitization solely via the nasal mucosa.
Asthma Published research Nutrition in Early Life Human Immunology Respiratory Environmental HealthJanuary 2012IgG Responses to Pneumococcal and Haemophilus Influenzae Protein Antigens Are Not Impaired in Children with a History of Recurrent Acute Otitis Media
Vaccines including conserved antigens from Streptococcus pneumoniae & nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae have the potential to reduce of otitis media.
Published research Ear Infections Infectious Diseases Allergy & Infectious Diseases Vaccine Trials GroupOctober 2011Molecular characterization of Der p 10: A diagnostic marker for broad sensitization in house dust mite allergy
Tropomyosins represent clinically relevant seafood allergens but the role of mite tropomyosin
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesOctober 2011Immunotherapy of allergic diseases by bacterial products
Allergic diseases are characterized by excessive immunoglobulin E (IgE) production, mast cell degranulation, tissue eosinophilia and mucus hypersecretion
Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJune 2011CD4 allergen tetramers
The introduction of class II tetramers for identifying antigen-binding CD41 cells has lagged behind the use of class I tetramers because of difficulties...
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesMay 2011Two newly identified cat allergens: The von Ebner gland protein Fel d 7 and the latherin-like protein Fel d 8
Characterization of the complete IgE binding spectrum of cat allergens is important for the development of improved diagnosis and effective immunotherapeutics.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesFebruary 2011Homology modeling and monoclonal antibody binding of the der f 7 dust mite allergen
The group 7 allergens are important allergenic specificities for mite-sensitive patients and may need to be incorporated into new diagnostic and therapeutic...
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJanuary 2011The advent of recombinant allergens and allergen cloning Authors:
When the allergen nomenclature system was adopted in 1986, allergens were identified by their behavior on electrophoresis and chromatography...
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesSeptember 2010Th2-associated immunity to bacteria in asthma in teenagers and susceptibility to asthma
Bacterial colonisation of the airways is associated with increased risk of childhood asthma
Asthma Published research Academic Biostatistics Allergy & Infectious Diseases Human Immunology Youth HealthJuly 2010House dust mite allergens in asthma and allergy
IgE antibodies in house dust mite (HDM) allergy follow a predictable pattern. Half are directed against two dominant allergens and the remainder largely against
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious DiseasesJanuary 2010Early aberrant antibody responses of aeroallergen sensitised people to subclinical bacterial infection
Early aberrant antibody responses, aeroallergen sensitised people, subclinical bacterial infection
Published research Allergy & Infectious Diseases Human ImmunologyMarch 2009Investigations into the role of ST2 in acute asthma in children
This study investigated the potential role of ST2 in children with acute asthma.
Asthma Published research Allergy & Infectious Diseases