Primary research interest

Signalling molecules in macrophages and tumour cells

About me

I was an MRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Leicester, UK 1980-3, and a postdoctoral fellow at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund laboratories, London 1983-6. After a 6 month EMBO Fellowship to the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Berne, Switzerland, in 1986 I was appointed Lecturer in Biochemistry at the Royal College Surgeons (Univ. London). In 1990 I was appointed Group Leader at Yamanouchi Research Institute, Oxford. In 2002 I joined The University of Queensland as Senior Lecturer, and promoted to Associate Professor in 2006. From 2000-8 I was Deputy CEO of the CRC for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases (CRC-CID).

Research focus and collaborations

My interests lie in the cell and molecular biology of phagocyte function. Phagocytes such as macrophages play a central role in both the innate and acquired immune response. Furthermore aberrant activation of these cells can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases. My interests are in identifying and functionally characterising novel macrophage genes that are associated with inflammation, and in intracellular signalling pathways in macrophages. I am particularly interested in the family of molecules known as tyrosine phosphatases and their role in regulating macrophage function. Current research projects include the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of monocyte function by the phosphatase CD148; the role of furin-like molecules in Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection (with Prof Paul Young); the functional characterisation of macrophage genes upregulated by acute and chronic inflammatory stimuli (with Dr. Matt Sweet); cell and structural biology of macrophage signaling proteins (with Profs Bostjan Kobe and Jenny Martin and Dr. Matt Sweet); the use of yeast expression as a biological screen for signalling molecule inhibitors.

International collaborations

  • Profs Chris Buckley and Steve Watson (University of Birmingham, UK)
  • Prof Simon Lovestone and Dr. Richard Killick (Kings College London)

Funded projects

  • NHMRC Project Grant 2012-2015
    P.Young, S.Kellie
    Activation of the Respiratory Syncytial virus fusion protein
    Total value of grant: $562,350
  • CRC for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. 2003-2008
    D. Hume, S. Kellie, I. Cassady, M. Sweet.
    Total value of grant: $7.4M
  • UQ Node Funding. ($1.6M to S. Kellie as director of the Target validation program)
    CRC for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases 2005-8
    50% salary as Deputy CEO
    Total value of grant: $238,000
  • Queensland Cancer Fund  2006-7
    DEP-1 as a tumour suppressor in breast cancer
    S. Kellie and M. A. Brown
    Total value of grant: $170,000
  • UQ and NHMRC Major Equipment and Infrastructure 2008
    M Brown, B Carroll, J Rothnagel, S Kellie,  R Smith. $247, 950. A high-throughput facility for the identification and analysis of gene regulatory elements and factors
    Total value of grant: $247,950
  • ARC Discovery Project 2007-2011
    Macrophage proteins, structure, function and e-science
    J Martin, B Kobe, J Hunter, S Kellie
    Total value of grant: $1,076,850
  • UQ and NHMRC Major Equipment and Infrastructure 2011
    Cell culture facilities for studying host-pathogen interactions and immune function
    K Stacey, MA Schembri, MJ Walker, AG Mcewan, AA Khromykh, PR Young, RA Hall, JA Fraser, JM Hill, I Toth, SA Beatson, M Brown, J Rothnagel, S Kellie
    Total value of grant: $198,168
  • NHMRC Project Grant 2012-2014
    Activation of the respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein
    P. Young and S. Kellie
    Total value of grant: $565,000

Teaching interests

I coordinate the third-year Immunology course, and teach immunology to first-year medical students. I also coordinate the second year cell biology course. In addition I teach biochemistry to first year veterinary students and to second-year dental students.

Achievements and awards 

  • 1977-80 UNiversity of St Andrews PhD Scholarship
  • 1980-3. Medical Research Council (UK) Fellowship
  • 1983-6. Imperial Cancer Research Fund (UK)Fellowship
  • 1986. EMBO Short-term Fellowship
  • 2004-8. Deputy CEO of the CRC for Chronic Inflammatory Doseases
  • I am SCMB Postgraduate Research Coordinator for  Microbiology

Featured publications