Alison McDonnell

Alison McDonnell is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the UWA Medical School and the UWA Centre for Child Health Research, which collaborates with The Kids Research Institute Australia. She holds a PhD and bachelor's degree in science (BSc W.Aust.). Her research focuses on immunology and oncology, particularly immune checkpoint mechanisms, T-cell biology, and cancer immunotherapy.

Key projects include investigating chemotherapy-immunotherapy combinations, the impact of burns on cancer incidence, and immune control of dormant tumors. She has led or contributed to grants funded by organizations like the Cancer Council and Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Foundation.

Her recent articles explore biomarkers in chemoimmunotherapy, LAG-3 expressing T-cells, and burn injury effects on T-cells. Collaborations span immunology and oncology fields, with a focus on translating preclinical findings into clinical applications.