Allison Abendroth

Professor Allison Abendroth is a faculty member at the University of Sydney, affiliated with the Central Clinical School and the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology. She holds the academic rank of Professor and leads the VZV Research Laboratory, the only lab in Australia dedicated to studying Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) immunobiology and pathogenesis. Her research focuses on herpesvirus immune evasion mechanisms, particularly VZV and cytomegalovirus (CMV), with a focus on antigen presentation, neuronal infection, and host-pathogen interactions.

Abendroth completed her B.Sc (Hons) and PhD at the University of Adelaide/IMVS as a Dawes Scholar, followed by postdoctoral work at Stanford University under Prof. Ann Arvin. She has held roles as Sesqui Lecturer in Immunology and Honours Coordinator, while teaching senior immunology courses. Her work spans viral modulation of MHC molecules, cytokine regulation, and immune cell dysfunction.

Key research interests include VZV’s impact on MR1 antigen presentation, MAIT cell suppression, and mechanisms of herpesvirus-induced apoptosis inhibition. She has contributed to studies on CMV latency in stem cell transplant recipients and the role of cytokines in viral reactivation. Her team uses models of neuronal infection and human ganglia studies to understand VZV neuropathogenesis.

Abendroth has secured grants from NHMRC and other bodies for projects on viral immune evasion, latency, and host responses. The VZV Research Lab develops models for studying herpesvirus infection in neurons and immune cells, aiming to identify therapeutic targets for VZV-related diseases like herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia.