Daniel Fernandez Ruiz

Daniel Fernandez Ruiz is a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), and the UNSW RNA Institute. He specializes in cellular immunology and vaccine development, with a particular focus on T cell-based approaches to combat infectious diseases like malaria.

Dr. Fernandez Ruiz completed his educational journey at the University of Oviedo in Spain, earning dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology (2001) and Biochemistry (2003). He then pursued his PhD in Immunology at the University of Bonn, Germany, which he completed in 2008. Following an extended post-doctoral stint at the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, he relocated to UNSW in 2023 to establish his own laboratory.

His research program centers on fundamental T cell biology and immunity to infectious diseases, with a strong emphasis on developing experimental T cell-based vaccines. Dr. Fernandez Ruiz has made significant contributions to our understanding of tissue-resident memory T cells, particularly in the liver, and how these cells can be harnessed for protection against malaria. His work has led to the development of innovative vaccine strategies including the 'Prime and Trap' approach, second-generation glycolipid vaccines, and mRNA-based vaccines against malaria. He has also contributed to the development of a COVID-19 vaccine through collaboration with the Torresi lab at the Doherty Institute.

Analysis of Dr. Fernandez Ruiz's publication record reveals a consistent focus on T cell immunity to malaria, with particular emphasis on liver-resident memory T cells. His work spans multiple disciplines including cellular immunology, parasitology, and vaccine development, with a clear progression from fundamental discoveries about T cell biology to practical vaccine applications. Recent publications show increasing focus on mRNA-based vaccine platforms and novel adjuvant formulations.

• NHMRC Project grant, GP1139486, 2018-21, $1,196,853 (Chief Investigator A)
• ARC Discovery Grant, DP220103545, 2022-2025, $770,000 (Chief Investigator B)
• CASS Science & Medicine grant, 2020, $58,000 (sole Chief Investigator)
• School of Biomedical Sciences EMCRA Collaborative Award, University of Melbourne, 2022, $20,000 (co-Chief Investigator)
• Research Grant Support Scheme, University of Melbourne, 2023, $37,474 (sole Chief Investigator)

Dr. Fernandez Ruiz leads a research laboratory focused on advancing our understanding of T cell immunity and translating these findings into novel vaccine approaches. His team has developed critical scientific resources for malaria immunology research, including Plasmodium-specific T cell receptor transgenic mouse lines (PbT-I and PbT-II), which have enabled important contributions to both basic immunology and malaria immunity research. His laboratory employs a range of techniques from cellular immunology to molecular biology and collaborates with researchers across Australia and internationally to address challenging problems in infectious disease immunity.