Maryam Roudbary

Dr. Maryam Roudbary is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Westmead Clinical School, part of the Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney. She joined the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID) in 2023 as a researcher affiliated with the University of Sydney and employed by NSW Health and Research Network as a Senior Researcher in Mycology. Previously, she served as an Associate Professor at Iran University of Medical Sciences (2015–2022), leading research projects and supervising Master’s and PhD students in medical mycology and fungal infections.

Her PhD in Medical Mycology focused on antifungal resistance mechanisms and new therapeutic strategies. Current research priorities include developing novel antifungal agents against drug-resistant fungi, understanding resistance mechanisms, and addressing challenges outlined in the WHO’s 2022 Fungal Priority Pathogen List. She is an editor for several mycology journals and co-authored The Book of Fungal Pathogens (2022).

Roudbary’s work spans epidemiological studies, clinical sampling, and collaborations in One Health AMR initiatives. She leads projects on fungal diversity exploration (e.g., Vietnam citizen science initiatives) and evaluates natural compounds (e.g., thymus extracts, nanoparticles) for antifungal efficacy. Recent grants include a 2025 project on antifungal peptide-based therapeutics.

Her research emphasizes biofilm formation in filamentous fungi, Candida species pathogenesis, and fungal co-infections in immunocompromised patients, including those with severe COVID-19. Key findings include the prevalence of azole-resistant Candida species in Iran and the role of gene expression (e.g., CDR1, HWP1) in drug resistance.

Roudbary’s contributions include over 100 peer-reviewed articles, grants focusing on antifungal innovation, and active roles in international mycology networks. She bridges clinical and research domains through translational studies targeting critical fungal health challenges.