Barry Slobedman

Professor Barry Slobedman is a Professor of Virology at the University of Sydney, affiliated with the School of Medical Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. He serves as the Theme Leader for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation. His research focuses on herpesvirus pathogenesis, particularly human cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV), and Varicella Zoster virus (VZV), investigating viral immune evasion strategies and mechanisms of disease. He coordinates undergraduate and postgraduate courses in medical virology.

• Education: BSc (Hons) and PhD in Virology from University of Adelaide; postdoctoral training at Stanford University Medical Center.

Research interests include viral manipulation of host immune responses, latency/reactivation dynamics, and translational applications in immunocompromised patients. Key areas: CMV pathogenesis in stem cell transplant recipients, VZV neuropathogenesis, and MAIT cell suppression by herpesviruses.

Publications span 20+ years, emphasizing immune evasion mechanisms, viral protein functions, and clinical implications of herpesvirus infections. His work bridges basic science and clinical outcomes, with recent focus on cytokine/chemokine profiles during CMV reactivation and MR1 antigen presentation suppression.

• Grants received: NHMRC Project Grants (2023, 2021, 2019) and equipment grants for advanced molecular profiling tools.

Labs and teams: Herpesvirus Pathogenesis Research Group at Charles Perkins Centre, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams on viral immunology and host-pathogen interactions.