Rossjohn Laboratory

Understanding immune function and dysfunction.

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Professor Jamie Rossjohn

Professor Jamie Rossjohn FAA FAHMS FLSW FMedSci FRS

Prof. Jamie Rossjohn’s research is centred on an understanding immunity. He is currently a NHMRC Investigator L3 Fellow (2022-26) and previously an ARC Australian Laureate Fellow (2017-21), NHMRC Australia Fellow (2011-16) and ARC Federation Fellow (2007-11).  In 2022, Prof. Rossjohn was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society and Associate Member of EMBO.

Prof. Rossjohn is known for his contributions to the understanding the molecular basis underpinning immunity. He has used structural biology to explain pre-T- cell receptor (TCR) self-association in T-cell development, and how the TCR specifically recognises polymorphic Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules in the context of viral immunity and aberrant T- cell reactivity.

He has unearthed structural mechanisms of HLA polymorphism impacting on drug and food hypersensitivities, as well as Natural Killer cell receptor recognition. He has pioneered our molecular understanding of lipid-based immunity by T cells, revealing that it can differ fundamentally from peptide-mediated adaptive immunity.

Recently he has provided a structural basis of how vitamin B metabolites can be presented and recognised by the immune system, revealing a new class of antigen. Collectively, he has published > 522 papers and mentored numerous researchers towards obtaining higher degrees and nationally competitive fellowships.

Since 2017, he has developed scientific outreach activities that embrace those in the community that are disadvantaged; namely employing people in his laboratory with a disability through internships/scholarship programs; and together with legally-blind artist in residence, Dr Erica Tandori, is making science accessible to the blind and low vision community via Monash Sensory Science exhibitions.

What We Do

The laboratory is currently investigating two broad, yet interrelated areas addressing pivotal molecular interactions in immunity: Our program is inter-linked to create a complete systematic study, namely host recognition, responses developed by the pathogen, and drug design to modulate and/or counteract these events.

Here we aim to provide a fundamental advancement of knowledge of events that are central to innate and adaptive immunity. Understanding the structural and biophysical basis of MHC-restriction, TCR engagement, the structural correlates of T-cell signalling is significant; they represent central questions in the field of adaptive immunity. Moreover, investigating the structural basis of T-cell allorecognition, and T-cell mediated autoimmunity, will collectively provide clear insights into immune dysfunction. In addition, focusing on generic components of innate immunity is important, as the mechanisms underlying innate recognition, is simply unknown.

Our Highlights

Recent Fellowship and Award Success

  • Prof. Jamie Rossjohn, Highly-cited Researcher (2018-24), Ceppellini Award – EFI lifetime achievement (2024), elected Fellow of the Royal Society (2022), elected Associate Member of EMBO (2022), NHMRC Investigator Leadership 3 Fellowship (2022-26)
  • Dr Michael Rice, Monash FMNHS Early Career Postdoctoral Fellowship (2025)
  • Dr Wael Awad, Monash FMNHS Future Leader Postdoctoral Fellowship (2025), BDI research accelerator program (2023), ARC DECRA Fellow (2022-24),  Eppendorf Edman ECR Award (2022)
  • Dr Adam Shahine, NHMRC Investigator Emerging Leadership 1 Fellowship (2024-28), The Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Research – Early Career Researcher (2021), ARC DECRA Fellow (2021-23)
  • Dr Praveena Thirunavukkarasu, ARC DECRA Fellow (2023-25), Eppendorf EDMAN ECR award (2024)
  • Dr Ben Gully, Future Leader Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023)
  • Dr Jerome Le Nours, ARC Future fellow (2016-20)

Academia-Industry

Mentorship

Outreach

Our Current Projects

The academic research program within this laboratory is concerned with defining the key molecular interactions underlying receptor recognition events that are the primary determinants of innate and adaptive immunity. The laboratory’s research has provided an understanding of the basis of peptide, metabolite and lipid presentation, T-cell triggering, aberrant T-cell reactivity, monomorphic and polymorphic Natural Killer (NK) receptor recognition.

The team’s research on anti-viral immunity has provided an understanding of the factors that shape MHC-restriction (e.g. Immunity, 2003, 2016; Nature Immunol, 2005, 2007, 2015; Nature Rev Immunol 2018). Moreover, we have demonstrated how the preTCR, a receptor crucial for T-cell development, functions by autonomous dimerization (Nature, 2010). In relation to aberrant T-cell reactivity, our team has provided insight into alloreactivity (Immunity, 2009), Celiac Disease (Immunity, 2012; NSMB, 2014; Cell 2019) and HLA-linked drug hypersensitivities (Nature, 2012; NSMB 2014). Regarding innate and innate-like recognition, the team has shed light into how Natural Killer cell receptors interact with their cognate ligands (Nature 2011; J. Exp. Med. 2008, 2016; Nature Immunol 2013; NSMB 2017; Cell 2017; PNAS 2018).

Further, we have provided fundamental insight into how T cells recognise lipid-based antigens in the context of protective and aberrant immunity (Nature, 2007; Nature Immunol 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018; Nature Comms. 2016). Most recently, our team identified the long sought after ligand for MAIT cells, namely showing that MAIT cells are activated by metabolites of vitamin B (Nature 2012, 2014; Nat Commun 2012; Nat Immunol 2016, 2017, 2020). The industrial research program of the laboratory includes a close collaboration with Immutep, to enhance our understanding of T-cell signalling and the development of innovative biotechnology products.

Research Projects

Where there is smoke …. there is fire – Congrats to co-first author Wael

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Researchers discover how cigarette smoke impairs critical lung immune cells Cigarette smoking is widespread and deadly, yet our understanding of how cigarette smoke actually causes serious respiratory illnesses in incomplete, which has severely hampered the development of effective treatments. In the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM) Australian researchers reveal how multiple chemicals found in cigarette smoke and […]

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postdoc

Unlocking the potential to better target cancer with immunotherapy

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Monash University-led research is unlocking new ways for immunotherapy to better target cancer. Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionised treatment for patients, whereby the body’s own immune system is harnessed to destroy cancer cells. Typically, several molecules restrain the ability of T cells to target cancer cells and developing approaches to limit this restraining effect can lead […]

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Monash study unravels another piece of the puzzle in how cancer cells may be targeted by the immune system

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Effective immunity hinges on the ability to sense infection and cellular transformation. In humans, there is a specialised molecule on the surface of cells termed MR1. MR1 allows sensing of certain small molecule metabolites derived from cellular and microbial sources; however, the breadth of metabolite sensing is unclear. Published in PNAS, researchers at the Monash University Biomedicine […]

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Congrats Camilla on your co-1st author Cell paper

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Ancient gene offers new clue to disease susceptibility for First Nations people A world-first discovery has identified a previously unknown gene variant influencing first-line immune defences in First Nations people – who are at higher risk of severe respiratory viral diseases – and offers insights for improved disease prevention strategies. An international team of researchers, […]

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