Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Jeremy completed his PhD in microbiology at The University of Queensland in 2011 as part of the Advanced Water Management Center. He then moved to San Diego, USA to complete a postdoctoral position working under the tutelage of Prof. Forest Rohwer at San Diego State University. While there he studied the interactions of bacteriophage with mucosal surfaces that provided a non-host-derived immunity.
Jeremy moved to Monash in 2016 to establish his independent laboratory in Bacteriophage Biology. In 2020, Jeremy joined the Monash Centre to Impact AMR, established to reverse the evolution of AMR using non-drug solutions. Jeremy is a member of the community empowerment initiative, to help raise awareness of AMR.
Research interests
Our lab studies bacteriophage – viruses that infect bacteria – and specifically investigates the tri-partite symbioses formed between bacteriophage, their bacterial hosts and eukaryotic cells and surfaces.
Bacteriophage (or phage for short) are the most abundant and diverse microbe found in the body. Phages control and manipulate bacterial populations, prevent infection and disease and have important roles in regulating the microbiome and body that have not yet been fully elucidated.
A major study system in our lab is the mucosal surface – a microbe-rich, protective barrier that covers the covers the active epithelium of the body, including the gut, lung and urinary tract among other locales. The Bacteriophage Adherence to Mucus (BAM) model describes a novel phage-based immune system, whereby phages adhering to mucus reduce bacterial colonization of these surfaces, protecting them from infection and disease.
We are an experimental biology lab and utilise a range of cross-disciplinary techniques to investigate fundamental and mechanistic bacteriophage biology.
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):
Research area keywords
- Bacteriophage
- microbiome
- mucosal surface
- cross-disciplinary
- superbugs
- AMR
- phage therapy
- Antibiotic resistance
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Investigating fundamental phage biology to improve the clinical translation of phage therapy
1/01/24 → 31/12/28
Project: Research
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Aerosol Infection Research: Better mOdels to Reduce iNdoor Exposure (AIRBORNE)
Subbarao, K. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Geard, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Buising, K. L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Irving, L. B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Baz, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Schofield, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Monty, J. P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Joosten, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McGain, F. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sullivan, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Marshall, C. L. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Landry, S. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Barr, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Kainer, M. (Associate Investigator (AI))
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)
1/01/22 → 30/05/25
Project: Research
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Phage production for sequencing service
Barr, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
1/03/24 → 29/03/24
Project: Research
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Effectiveness of UVGI in comparison to HEPA filtration at eliminating virus laden aerosol
Joosten, S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Landry, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Barr, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Subedi, D. (Chief Investigator (CI))
8/03/23 → 30/06/23
Project: Research
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Bacteriophage defends murine gut from Escherichia coli invasion via mucosal adherence
Wu, J., Fu, K., Hou, C., Wang, Y., Ji, C., Xue, F., Ren, J., Dai, J., Barr, J. J. & Tang, F., Dec 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 1, 17 p., 4764.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access6 Citations (Scopus) -
Phage resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae and bidirectional effects impacting antibiotic susceptibility
Nang, S. C., Lu, J., Yu, H. H., Wickremasinghe, H., Azad, M. A. K., Han, M., Zhao, J., Rao, G., Bergen, P. J., Velkov, T., Sherry, N., McCarthy, D. T., Aslam, S., Schooley, R. T., Howden, B. P., Barr, J. J., Zhu, Y. & Li, J., Jun 2024, In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 30, 6, p. 787-794 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
7 Citations (Scopus) -
Rational Design of Frontline Institutional Phage Cocktail for the Treatment of Nosocomial Enterobacter cloacae Complex Infections
Subedi, D., Gordillo Altamirano, F., Deehan, R., Perera, A., Patwa, R., Kostoulias, X., Korneev, D. V., Blakeway, L. V., Macesic, N., Peleg, A. Y. & Barr, J. J., 3 Jul 2024, 36 p. bioRxiv.Research output: Other contribution › Research
Open Access -
Universal scaling of the diffusivity of dendrimers in a semidilute solution of linear polymers
Mariya, S., Barr, J. J., Sunthar, P. & Prakash, J. R., 7 Feb 2024, In: Soft Matter. 20, 5, p. 993-1008 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
4 Citations (Scopus) -
A Mammalian Cell's Guide on How to Process a Bacteriophage
Kan, L. & Barr, J. J., 29 Sept 2023, In: Annual Review of Virology. 10, 1, p. 183-198 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access12 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Faculty Of Science Awards: Research Excellence by an Early Career Researcher
Barr, Jeremy (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence by an Early Career Researchers (STEM)
Barr, Jeremy (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Viruses of Microbes
Jeremy Barr (Session chair)
2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Jeremy Barr on phage journey through the body & dynamics of immunity: March 14, 2022
Jeremy Barr (Contributor)
2022Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
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Richard Alm
Jeremy Barr (Host)
2022 → …Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Hosting an academic or industry visitor
Press/Media
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Which Mask Is The Most Effective In Protecting You Against COVID-19?
19/05/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Scientists discover new phage therapy combination to combat antibiotic-resistance
Jeremy Barr, Fernando Gordillo Altamirano & Anton Peleg
9/05/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Using bacteriophages to bring back antimicrobials sensitivity in Acinetobacter baumannii with Dr. Jeremy Barr
22/03/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts
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Superbugs have an arsenal of defences – but we've found a new way around them
12/01/21 → 28/01/21
5 items of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Our growing resistance to antibiotics may be an ongoing health threat
14/01/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature