Matt Payne

Dr. Matt Payne is a Principal Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the UWA Medical School and the School of Molecular Sciences. He holds a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Queensland (2007) and is a Fellow of the Australian Society for Microbiology (FASM). His primary research focuses on perinatal microbiology, specifically the role of microbes in preterm birth, sepsis diagnostics, and microbial biomarker development.

Key roles include leading the Clinical Perinatal Research Laboratories and chairing the West Coast Microbiome Network since 2021. He has secured over $12 million in grants, including NHMRC and Wellcome Trust funding, and currently leads projects like the Preterm Birth Prevention Study and the ONE Project for rapid sepsis diagnostics.

Research interests span preterm birth prediction via vaginal microbiology, development of antimicrobial treatments, and sepsis diagnostics. His work also addresses First Nations health disparities in pregnancy outcomes and the impact of environmental heat on maternal health. Collaborations include institutions like Menzies School of Health Research and Murdoch University.

Notable awards include the Stan Perron People Fellowship (2024) and recognition as an NHMRC grant reviewer. His teams include prominent researchers such as Professors John Newnham and Andrew Currie, alongside PhD candidates addressing critical health challenges like Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and unexplained infertility.