Dr Adi Idris
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences
Biography
Dr Adi Idris is a viral immunology and antiviral therapies expert focusing on developing novel therapeutic strategies to treat a range of viral diseases including, cancers and communicable diseases using gene editing and silencing technologies. He is an Australian Awards Endeavour Research Fellow (2018). In 2021, he developed the world’s first direct acting antiviral therapy for COVID-19. He has a PhD in Cell Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Queensland (2009).
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Personal details
Positions
- Lecturer in Virology
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences
Keywords
RNA interference, Virus, Nanoparticle, Gene therapy, CRISPR, Viral immunology, Drug delivery, Antivirals, Innate immunity, Oncogenic viruses
Research field
Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Microbiology, Nanotechnology
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD in Biochemistry and Cell Biology (University of Queensland)
Professional memberships and associations
Adjunct Research Fellow, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University
Adjuct Assistant Professor, Biomedical Research Centre, Northwest Minzu University, China
Teaching
LQB494 - Viruses and Viral Pathogenesis
LQB186 - Human Cell & Molecular Biology (Academic practical lead)
Experience
Research problem to solve
RNA biologics are now emerging as realistic and achievable clinically translatable treatment modalities for a range of human diseases. Importantly, respiratory viruses and viral cancers are amenable to gene therapy-based targeting. Despite the deployment of several vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 variants are emerging, and a direct acting therapeutic is of dire need. Similarly direct acting antivirals against other emerging respiratory viruses, influenza A (IAV), respiratory syncytia virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is needed. There is an urgent need to bring new antivirals for SARS-CoV-2, IAV RSV, and hMPV into the pharmaceutical market.
Research approach
We have been exploring the use of RNAi (RNAi) to directly target SARS-CoV-2 and RSV and show that RNAi is an effective approach to reducing, or even eliminating viral replication in animals. Notably, we have developed lipid nanoparticle (LNPs) that effectively delivers short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) via intravenous and intranasal routes to target SARS-CoV-2 and RSV infection in lungs. Efforts are now aimed at exploring this approach for hMPV.
Research significance
Our approach will not only result in the ushering in of an entirely new cost-effective and rapidly deployable RNA platform technology, but also could deliver the first in class RNA drugs suitable for any new RNA respiratory viruses of concern.
Publications
Research outputs by year
- Supramaniam, A., Tayyar, Y., Clarke, D., Kelly, G., Acharya, D., Morris, K., McMillan, N. & Idris, A. (2023). Prophylactic intranasal administration of lipid nanoparticle formulated siRNAs reduce SARS-CoV-2 and RSV lung infection. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, 56(3), 516–525. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/238956
- Ferreira, D., Idris, A. & McMillan, N. (2023). Analysis of a hit-and-run tumor model by HPV in oropharyngeal cancers. Journal of Medical Virology, 95(1). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237147
- McMillan, N., Morris, K. & Idris, A. (2022). RNAi to treat SARS-CoV-2-variant proofing the next generation of therapies. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 14(4). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237449
- Scott, T., Supramaniam, A., Idris, A., Cardoso, A., Shrivastava, S., Kelly, G., Grepo, N., Soemardy, C., Ray, R., McMillan, N. & Morris, K. (2022). Engineered extracellular vesicles directed to the spike protein inhibit SARS-CoV-2. Molecular Therapy - Methods and Clinical Development, 24, 355–366. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237189
- Ferreira, D., McMillan, N. & Idris, A. (2022). Genetic deletion of HPV E7 oncogene effectively regresses HPV driven oral squamous carcinoma tumour growth. Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, 155. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237192
- Idris, A., Davis, A., Supramaniam, A., Acharya, D., Kelly, G., Tayyar, Y., West, N., Zhang, P., McMillan, C., Soemardy, C., Ray, R., O'Meally, D., Scott, T., McMillan, N. & Morris, K. (2021). A SARS-CoV-2 targeted siRNA-nanoparticle therapy for COVID-19. Molecular Therapy, 29(7), 2219–2226. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237187
- Bortnik, V., Wu, M., Julcher, B., Salinas, A., Nikolic, I., Simpson, K., McMillan, N. & Idris, A. (2021). Loss of HPV type 16 E7 restores cGAS-STING responses in human papilloma virus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas cells. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, 54(4), 733–739. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237183
- Shaikh, M., Bortnik, V., McMillan, N. & Idris, A. (2019). cGAS-STING responses are dampened in high-risk HPV type 16 positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells. Microbial Pathogenesis, 132, 162–165. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237456
- Fahmi, M., Haris, A., Permana, A., Nor Wibowo, D., Purwanto, B., Nikmah, Y. & Idris, A. (2018). Bamboo leaf-based carbon dots for efficient tumor imaging and therapy. RSC Advances, 8(67), 38376–38383. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237164
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Adi, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Selected research projects
- Title
- Developing a Universal Direct Acting Antiviral Nasal Spray Against Multiple Respiratory Viruses
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 2027569
- Start year
- 2024
- Keywords
- Coronavirus; RNA interference; nanotechnology; respiratory syncytial virus; gene delivery
- Title
- Disassembled/Reassembled Extracellular Vesicles (DR-EVs) - A New Class of Nanoparticles for Disease Treatment
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 2027649
- Start year
- 2024
- Keywords
- nanotechnology; vaccination; messenger RNA (mRNA); RNA interference; gene therapy
Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.
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