Dr Emily Edwards is a dedicated Group Leader with a growing national and international reputation in Immunology with a focus on Primary Immunodeficiencies. Dr Edwards leads the Primary Immunodeficiency (PID) research group in the Allergy and Clinical Immunology laboratory (Dept of Immunology, STM, Monash University).

Dr Edwards completed her PhD in 2011 at Cardiff University UK, studying the impact of peptide modification on generation of antigen-specific CD8 T cell responses under the supervision of Linda Wooldridge and Andrew Sewell.

Post-PhD, Dr Edwards relocated to Australia to complete a series of post-doctoral training under Rajiv Khanna’s laboratory at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (2011-2014), Stuart Tangye’s Laboratory at the Garvan Institute (2014-2018) and Menno van Zelm’s laboratory at Monash University (2018 – present). In the past 10 years, notable highlights of her research include identification of key phenotypic and transcriptional attributes of CMV-specific CD4 T cells, a novel description of CD70-deficiency, and published insights into the mechanisms underlying disease in activated PI3Kδ disease, MAGT1-deficiency and CD27-deficiency.

Dr Edwards was recruited to Prof Menno van Zelm’s laboratory at Monash University in 2018, where Emily continues her research interest in identifying new genetic defects underlying immunodeficiency, autoimmunity and gastrointestinal disease in Predominantly Antibody Deficiency (PAD) the most prevalent symptomatic PID.

Dr Edwards has a total of 36 Publications (24 in last 5 years) with an overall H-index of 17, and total citations of 1827 (1299 since 2020), with an expected upward trajectory. Over the last 5 years (2020-2025) her overall Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWI) is 3.2. 

Dr Edwards is the 2022 recipient of the Grifols ASPIRE (Award for Scientific Progress in Immunodeficiency Research) Award which will enable her to develop and standardise functional testing protocols, and new bioinformatic analysis pipelines to facilitate research that will determine the functional and genetic defects causing PAD. The ultimate aim of this program is advance genetic diagnosis of PAD, thereby increasing patient access to personalised medicine which is urgently needed to reduce the incidence of irreversible organ damage and early death.

A strong focus of Dr Edwards's research is dissection of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of non-infectious diseases including autoimmunity, gastrointestinal and malignancy in IEI patients. The aim of which is to identify genetic and immunological biomarkers for the development of these hard-to-treat complications, which will enable more precise diagnosis and targeted treatment, hence subverting the early mortality and high morbidity rates associated with disease. Recent work focuses on dissecting how SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity is impacted in IEI patients, and how immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) impacts patient responses to infection.

Dr Edwards has mentored 8 PhD candidates and 3 honours students both domestically and internationally. She co-supervised 4 honours students, 1 who are currently undertaking their PhDs under her supervision, and a second that completed under her supervision in 2023. Additionally, she has co-supervised 3 third year research placement students.

Journal Editing/Peer-review

Dr Edwards is an Associate Editor for BMC Medicine and an invited peer reviewer for the following journals: Allergy, BMC Medicine, Cell Reports, Clinical and Translational Immunology, Immunology and Cell Biology, Immunology, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Journal of Clinical Immunology, Journal of Clinical Medicine, Viruses and Vaccine.

2022

• Speaker at AusPIPS Inc. online webinar on Functional Genomics for improved diagnosis and treatment of Primary Immunodeficiencies
• Expert interview World Primary Immunodeficiency Week Podcast episode 3: Research https://anchor.fm/wpiw/episodes/World-PI-Week-Talks-Episode-6---Research-e1h7eoc
• Short video interview describing my research in to predominantly antibody deficiency and why this research is urgently required: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMSwOsa7AeE
• Expert interviews regarding SARS-CoV-2-induced immunity, COVID-19 vaccination for immunocompromised patients and what opening up state borders means for these vulnerable patients. >15 interviews since June 2021 including for ABC Radio, ABC new channel, Canberra radio and inline sites including ABC news, SBS news, news GP and live science (UK).
• Short video interview to raise awareness of Primary Immunodeficiency as part of Rare Diseases Awareness Week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMSwOsa7AeE

2021

• The Conversation article “Why is a third COVID-19 vaccine dose important for people who are immunocompromised?
• Invited talk: CSL Townhall to explain what immunoglobulin is and why patients require immunoglobulin replacement therapy
• Invited interview for Einstein-ago-go to raise awareness of Primary Immunodeficiency during World Primary Immunodeficiency Week.
• Invited speaker for “20 Post Docs 20 Minutes” program on Einstein-a-go-go on Melbourne’s 3RRR.

2020

• Viral Immunity expert for piece in Caixin Newspaper, China (Published 10/03/2020).
• Viral Immunity expert for piece on ABC science online (Published 16/07/2020).
• Viral Immunity expert for piece on newsGP online (Published 14/07/2020).

2019

• Invited speaker as part of Primary Immunodeficiency Awareness on Einstein-a-go-go on Melbourne’s 3RRR.

2018

• Invited speaker on Primary Immunodeficiency and research in the field on Einstein-a-go-go Melbourne’s 3RRR.
• Marketing Co-ordinator for Northern Beaches Chorus (Not For Profit Organisation), Sydney, Australia.

2017

• Mentor for 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures Program run by the New York Academy of Science. (Online)

2013

• Marketing Co-ordinator for Brisbane City Sounds Chorus (Not For Profit Organisation), Brisbane, Australia.
• Guide for Laboratory Tours at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.

2011

• Demonstrator and Chaperone for Science in Health Open Days run by Cardiff University.

2009

• Selected Participant for Researchers in Residence Program run by the Wellcome Trust.

Dr Edwards is a lecturer for third year Human Pathology and the Masters in Translational Immunology at Monash University. She was also a Teaching Associate for undergraduate Immunology, Human Pathology  and Clinical Immunopathology units (also examiner) at Monash.