Kimberley McLean

Dr. Kimberley McLean is a Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Adelaide, within the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. Her research focuses on bacterial pathogenesis, particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae and malaria parasites, investigating mechanisms of infection, metabolic adaptation, and host-pathogen interactions. She has contributed to studies on quorum sensing (luxS), vaccine development, and antibiotic resistance. Her work integrates molecular biology, genomics, and immunology to understand how pathogens adapt to host environments and evade immune responses.

Her research has explored topics like galactose metabolism regulation via GalR phosphorylation, differential tissue tropism of pneumococcal strains, and the development of novel antimalarial agents. She collaborates on projects funded by NHMRC and ARC grants, addressing global health challenges such as antibiotic resistance and vaccine efficacy.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with the Molecular and Biomedical Science research group at the University of Adelaide, contributing to interdisciplinary studies on infectious diseases.