A/ProfIain Duggin

A/Prof Duggin's early research focused on microbial chromosome replication and the cell cycle. He contributed to the understanding of bacterial and archaeal chromosome replication (particularly termination), and developed methods for archaeal cell cycle synchronization and ways of using genomic technology to establish an understanding of how chromosomes replicate and segregate for cell division. Since ~2008, A/Prof Duggin has led the development of research and model systems for archaeal cell biology, through which he has made breakthrough discoveries, including identifying the molecular basis for cell division and shapeshifting in the model archaeon Haloferax volcanii, through the function an dynamic behaviour of cytoskeletal proteins.

A/Prof Duggin's research leadership has also led to a substantial area of research focus in AIMI, where he has developed infection models and improved our understanding of the physiology and survival of the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) bacteria that cause invasive urinary tract infection (UTI). During these infections, the bacteria undergo remarkable morphological shapeshifting, leading to amplification of the infection cycle. UTIs represent a major and serious infection world wide that is worsening rapidly due to extensive antimicrobial resistance (AMR). His research aims to understand molecular and cellular mechanisms linked to UTI pathogenesis and utilize this knowledge to develop and evaluate new vaccines as potential treatments for preventing UTI. A/Prof Duggin is also using molecular biology and nanotechnology to develop and improve the delivery of vaccines in agricultural and medical sectors.