Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Dr James (Jim) Harris is an Immunologist/Cell Biologist running independent research into inflammation, autophagy, macrophage and dendritic cell biology, autoimmunity and host-pathogen interactions. He is a Senior Research Fellow in the Rheumatology Group, run by Professor Eric Morand and is focused on innate immune responses and inflammation in autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, lupus), systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma) and arthritis. He is also investigating the role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in inflammation and cell biology.
Dr Harris received a BSc (Hons) in Zoology from the University of Nottingham, UK and his PhD in Immunology (in fish) from the University of the West of England, UK. He has worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Animal Health, UK (on cows), Oxford University, UK (on human cells), University of New Mexico, USA (on mouse cells and bacteria) and Trinity College Dublin (on all sorts). He was also Programme Manager for the Immunology Research Centre (IRC) in Ireland, a €10 million Science Foundation Ireland-funded cluster of immunology research groups. He moved to Australia and Monash in 2013.
He has published >80 articles, with >16,000 citations (h index = 42). Jim currently serves as a Deputy Editor for Immunology & Cell Biology, is an Academic Editor for PeerJ, an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Immunology and is an Editorial Board Member for Arthritis Research & Therapy.
Research interests
Jim has an interest in innate immunity and more specifically the regulation of inflammation, particularly cytokine release by macrophages and dendritic cells. Recently, he has focused largely on the regulation of IL-1 family cytokines and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), demonstrating a specific role for MIF in the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome (Nat Commun 2018). Directly related to this, he also works on the roles of autophagy in immune cells, particularly myeloid cells. In this context, he has published studies on the role of cytokines in regulating autophagy (Immunity 2007) and on the regulation of cytokine release by autophagy (J Biol Chem 2011, J Immunol 2012, Autophagy 2016).
Along with his interest in the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of inflammation and immunity, the Rheumatology Group has a strong interest in translational and biomarker studies in diseases, including SLE, arthritis and scleroderma.
Community service
Scientists In Schools
Day of Immunology Organising committee (Melbourne) 2014
Monash teaching commitment
Department Convenor, MHTP, BMS3990 Research in Action
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Immunology, PhD, University of the West of England
… → 2000
Zoology, BSc (Hons), University of Nottingham
… → 1995
Research area keywords
- Arthritis
- Autophagy
- Dendritic Cell
- Immunity
- Inflammation
- Lupus
- Macrophage
- tuberculosis
- innate immunity
- scleroderma
- MIF
- Inflammasomes
- IL-1
Network
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Achieving benefit without harm: a next-generation glucocorticoid replacement
Jones, S., Morand, E., Nicholson, S. E., Russ, B., Vincent, F., Harris, J., Moore, G., Goldberg, R., Turner, S. & Rosenbluh, S.
1/01/22 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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Interleukin-1b biology: mechanisms of regulation, activation and secretion
Vince, J., Masters, S. L. & Harris, J.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/16 → 31/12/18
Project: Research
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A sprinkle of salt in the pressure cooker of innate immunity and inflammation
Sweet, M. J., Jones, S. A. & Harris, J., Jan 2021, In: Immunology and Cell Biology. 99, 1, p. 9-12 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
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GILZ Regulates the Expression of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Protects Against End-Organ Damage in a Model of Lupus
Nataraja, C., Dankers, W., Flynn, J., Lee, J. P. W., Zhu, W., Vincent, F. B., Gearing, L. J., Ooi, J., Pervin, M., Cristofaro, M. A., Sherlock, R., Hasnat, M. A., Harris, J., Morand, E. F. & Jones, S. A., 6 Apr 2021, In: Frontiers in Immunology. 12, 12 p., 652800.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)
Klionsky, D. J., Abdel-Aziz, A. K., Abdelfatah, S., Abdellatif, M., Abdoli, A., Abel, S., Abeliovich, H., Abildgaard, M. H., Abudu, Y. P., Acevedo-Arozena, A., Adamopoulos, I. E., Adeli, K., Adolph, T. E., Adornetto, A., Aflaki, E., Agam, G., Agarwal, A., Aggarwal, B. B., Agnello, M., Agostinis, P. & 230 others, , 2021, In: Autophagy. 17, 1, 381 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Other › peer-review
Open Access391 Citations (Scopus) -
Trailblazing women immunologists of Australia and New Zealand
Borger, J. G., Nguyen-Robertson, C. V. & Harris, J., Apr 2021, In: Immunology and Cell Biology. 99, 4, p. 338-343 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Assays for Measuring the Role of MIF in NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
Pinar, A. A. & Harris, J., 2020, Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor: Methods and Protocols. Harris, J. & Morand, E. F. (eds.). New York, NY: Humana Press, Vol. 2080. p. 159-172 14 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
Prizes
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Paper selected for the Best of Immunology & Cell Biology (ICB)/ Clinical and Translational Immunology (CTI) Workshop at the 2019 Australian & New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI) Annual Scientific Meeting
Vincent, Fabien (Recipient), Harris, James (Recipient), Morand, Eric (Recipient), Sahhar, Joanne (Recipient), Ngian, G. (Recipient), Kandane-Rathnayake, Rangi (Recipient), Lang, Tali (Recipient), Lin, E. (Recipient) & Mende, R. (Recipient), 11 Dec 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Immunology and Cell Biology (Journal)
James Harris (Associate editor)
2019 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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ComBio 2018
James Harris (Session chair)
2018Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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PeerJ (Journal)
James Harris (Associate editor)
2017 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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Arthritis Research and Therapy (Journal)
James Harris (Editorial board member)
2016 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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Immunology and Cell Biology (Journal)
James Harris (Associate editor)
2016 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility