2D. HIV&AIDS Abstract Session: Discovery & translational science: Comorbidities in HIV and HTLV
Tracks
| Monday, September 14, 2026 |
| 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM |
| Element |
Details
This session explores the complex landscape of comorbidities in chronic HIV and HTLV infection, highlighting the pathogenic mechanisms that drive disease and showcasing emerging tools and technologies that are transforming our ability to understand, detect and predict comorbid conditions.
The expected learning outcomes for the session are to:
- Appreciate how persistent viral reservoirs shape long-term health outcomes in people living with HIV and HTLV.
- Discover how cutting-edge technologies and biomarkers are advancing the detection and prediction of comorbidities in people with HIV.
Speaker
Professor Melissa Churchill
Laboratory Head, Neuroinfections Laboratory
RMIT University, Melbourne
Persistence of HIV reservoirs in the brain
11:45 AM - 12:10 PMBiography
Melissa Churchill is a Professor of Neurovirology at RMIT University, Australia. Her work utilises novel techniques to define the size, nature, regulation, and impact of the HIV reservoir in the brain. She has 100+ publications including in leading journals and is a Board Member of the International Society for Neurovirology.
Prof. Damian Purcell
Professor Of Virology
Doherty Institue, University Of Melbourne
Dr Morgane Brunton-O'Sullivan
Postdoctoral Researcher
Burnet Institute
A cellular senescence phenotype is associated with frailty in men with HIV.
12:22 PM - 12:34 PMBiography
Dr. Morgane Brunton-O'Sullivan is a postdoctoral researcher at Burnet Institute in the Infection, Inflammation and Innate Immunity group. Her current work focuses on understanding the underlying biological mechanisms of inflammation-driven comorbidities in HIV to improve health outcomes and wellbeing.
Mr. Jiajun Sun
PhD student
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
AI-assisted detection of anal precancerous lesions to improve screening in people living with HIV
12:34 PM - 12:46 PMBiography
Dr. Reshi Suthakaran is a general surgical registrar and has been selected for the Melbourne Academic Centre for Health MACH Track program as part of his PhD.
Mr.Jiajun Sun is a final-year PhD candidate who aims at using artificial intelligence augmented tools to bridge the gaps in clinical practice.
Dr Ashley Hirons
Post-doctoral Researcher
Doherty Institute, University Of Melbourne
HTLV-1c infection and pulmonary disease is defined by chronic T-cell activation and high expression of TIM-3
12:46 PM - 12:58 PMBiography
Ashley Hirons is a post-doctoral researcher in the lab of Prof Damian Purcell at the Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne. Her research involves investigating the viral genome and expression, and host immune response, to better understand HTLV-1 pathogenesis and develop therapeutic strategies to reduce disease burden.
Session Chair
Thomas Angelovich
Senior Lecturer
RMIT University, Melbourne
Gabriel Duette
Senior Research Fellow
The Westmead Institute for Medical Research
