Rowena Bull

Professor Rowena Bull is a distinguished research scientist specializing in immunovirology at the University of New South Wales, holding positions in both the School of Medical Sciences and the Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity. With a PhD obtained in 2008, she has established herself as an internationally recognized expert in RNA virus research, particularly in hepatitis C, SARS-CoV-2, dengue, and influenza viruses. As a tenured academic, she currently holds an NHMRC Investigator grant (2021-2025) focused on understanding immune responses to genomically diverse RNA viruses. Professor Bull serves in significant leadership roles as Treasurer of the Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology (ACHV) and President of the Australasian Society of Virology (AVS), and is a member of the Communicable Diseases Genomic Network (CDGN).

• School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales
• Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity
• Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology (ACHV) - Treasurer
• Australasian Society of Virology (AVS) - President
• Communicable Diseases Genomic Network (CDGN)

Professor Bull's research focuses on the intersection of viral immunology and virology, with particular emphasis on understanding how the immune system responds to RNA viruses. Her work has led to significant advancements in high-throughput next-generation sequencing tools for RNA viruses and host immune transcripts. A key area of her research involves investigating the mechanisms of protection from hepatitis C re-infection through long-lived, virus-specific memory B cells. Her recent work has expanded to include SARS-CoV-2 research, where she has contributed to understanding B cell responses to vaccination and infection. Professor Bull's research has strong translational implications, with her findings influencing WHO, CDC, and American Academy of Science policy documents, and she was commissioned by WHO to advise on HTLV-1 in 2019.

Professor Bull's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on viral immunology, particularly examining B cell and T cell responses to viral infections. Her work spans hepatitis C virus research, SARS-CoV-2 immunology, and broader virology topics including HIV and arboviruses. A consistent theme across her publications is the application of advanced genomic and immunological techniques to understand host-pathogen interactions. Her research group has made significant contributions to understanding viral evolution, immune escape mechanisms, and the development of protective immune responses following infection or vaccination.

• NHMRC Investigator Grant (2021-2025)
• Commissioned by WHO to advise on HTLV-1 (2019)
• Work cited in WHO, CDC, and American Academy of Science Policy documents

Professor Bull leads a multidisciplinary research team that has developed innovative high-throughput next-generation sequencing tools and flow cytometry-based methods for concurrent isolation and characterization of the entire transcriptome and antigen-receptor of virus-specific single B cells. Her work bridges basic virology, immunology, and clinical applications, with strong collaborations across multiple institutions. She has been instrumental in developing tools that provide unique insights into viral pathogenesis and immune responses, with particular emphasis on hepatitis C and SARS-CoV-2. Her research has direct policy implications, as evidenced by her work being cited in major international health organization documents and her direct consultation with the WHO.