Vasso Apostolopoulos

Professor of Immunology, Vice-Chancellors Distinguished Professorial Fellow, Head of Immunology and Translational Research, Victoria University

PhD 1995, University of Melbourne, and Austin Research Institute

Over 25 years experience in research in the area of vaccines and drugs for cancer and chronic diseases with translational focus. In addition, extensive clinical research background, translating research to clinical trials. Multidisciplinary research expertise, in the areas of, immunology, crystallography, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, crystallography, clinical research and drug development. Main focus is treating diseases with an immunological focus.

Areas of research include: cancer, type-1 diabetes, type-2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, mental health, drug addiction, infectious diseases including the recent SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19. With COVID-19 we are trying to understand disease progression, how the immune system responds to disease and are developing ways to overcome disease.

Professional Activities, Journals:
Regional Editor, Recent Patents Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery
Section Editor, Current Medicinal Chemistry
Section Editor, Medicinal Chemistry
Editor in Chief, Vaccines (section: Toxicology and Clinical trials; section: Clinical Immunology)
Associate Editor, Immunotherapy
Associate Editor, Frontiers in Immunology
Review Editor, Frontiers in Immunotherapies and Vaccines

Editorial Advisory Board of,
Cancers; Maturitas; Frontiers in Microbial Immunology; Expert Review of Vaccines; Medicinal Chemistry; Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica; Frontiers in Immunotherapies and Vaccines; Biomed Research International (Immunology subject area); Updates in Gynecology and Obstetrics

Guest Editor of,
Expert Review of Vaccines; Journal of Drug Delivery; Molecular Pharmaceutics; Current Pharmaceutical Design; Vaccines; Medicinal Chemistry; Cancers; Vaccines; Brain Sciences

Judging Panel for numerous national and international awards
Author of over 405 research publications and book chapters, and an inventor of 19 patents and 90 sub-patents

Experience

2020–present

Immunology Program Director, Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science
2014–present

Professor, Victoria University
2014–present

Head of Immunology and Translational Research, Victoria Univeristy
2021–2022

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Partnerships Vict, Victoria Univeristy
2020–2021

Associate Provost, Research Partnerships, Victoria Univeristy
2019–2020

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Partnerships, Victoria University
2018–2019

Mechanisms and Interventions in Health and Disease, Program Director, Institute for Health and Sport, VU
2018–2019

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Victoria University
2014–2017

Immunology Program Director, Centre for Chronic Disease, VU

Education

2000

Birkbeck College, University of London, Advanced Certificate in Protein Crystallography
1995

University of Melbourne, PhD

Professional Memberships

Australian Society for Immunology
The Society for Mental Health Research

Research Areas

Immunology (1107)
Cellular Immunology (110704)
Medical Physiology (1116)
Medicinal And Biomolecular Chemistry Not Elsewhere Classified (030499)
Proteins And Peptides (030406)
Molecular Medicine (030405)
Biologically Active Molecules (030401)
Applied Immunology (Incl. Antibody Engineering, Xenotransplantation And T Cell Therapies) (110702)
Autoimmunity (110703)

Honours

Salus Index Award; President of Greece Medal; Zeus Honor; Honorary Mayor of Amalias; Order of the Phoenix, Order of Commander; Chancellor’s Medal; Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence in RRT; Hellenic Distinction; Young Australian of the Year (VIC); Premiers Award Medical Resarch; Woman of the Year; Inducted Honour Roll of Women; Australia Day Ambassador; Young Tall Poppy Award; Channel10 HeraldSun Young Achiever Year; Greek Australian of Year; Bodossaki Foundation Academic Prize