Dene Littler

Dene Littler is a Research Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Monash University, where he conducts cutting-edge research at the intersection of structural biology, immunology, and infectious diseases. His work significantly contributes to understanding immune responses in malaria, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2, particularly focusing on antigen presentation and T-cell epitope recognition.

His research interests span Structural Biology, Immunology, Malaria, Viral Immunology, Computational Biology, and Antigen Processing. He employs advanced techniques in structural analysis and bioinformatics to investigate molecular mechanisms in pathogen-host interactions. A major focus is on the PTEX-dependent protein export system in Plasmodium falciparum and the immunopeptidome of viral antigens.

The recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward integrating machine learning with immunological data, particularly in predicting CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes using contrastive and transfer learning models. These interdisciplinary studies are published in high-impact journals such as Nature Communications and Nature Machine Intelligence, reflecting the significance and innovation of his research.

Dene Littler collaborates extensively with leading immunologists including James Rossjohn, Anthony Purcell, Katherine Kedzierska, and Nicole Mifsud. These collaborations span structural immunology, viral immunity, and systems biology, enhancing the translational potential of his work. Although no formal students or awards are listed, his role as a key contributor in multiple high-impact studies underscores his scientific influence.

He is actively involved in research with ongoing outputs through 2025, indicating sustained productivity and engagement in major projects related to global health challenges, including those aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals on health and well-being.