Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Professor Menno van Zelm heads the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Laboratory in the Department of Immunology and Pathology at the Alfred Research Alliance (ARA) precinct.
Menno van Zelm performed his PhD studies at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on "B cell development and primary antibody deficiencies" under supervision of Jacques van Dongen and Mirjam van der Burg. These studies resulted in new insights on stepwise human B cell differentiation in bone marrow, and on homeostatic and antigen-induced B cell proliferation with the newly developed KREC assay. Furthermore, Menno described the first antibody-deficient patients with CD19 gene defects. Between 2005 and 2007, he spent 18 months in the laboratory of Kees Murre at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) on the structural organization of the Ig heavy chain locus in developing B cells.
In 2008, Prof van Zelm returned to Rotterdam for postdoctoral studies on CD19-complex deficiencies and he identified the first CD81 deficiency. From 2009, he headed a research group in the Erasmus MC (since 2013 as Associate Professor and since 2022 as Full Professor), and works on the regulation of Ig repertoire formation in precursor-B-cell development and the generation of memory B cells and plasma cells. Most studies involve human material to allow direct translation to patient care. Current disease models include antibody deficiencies, vacination for viral infections (COVID19, influenza) and IgE-mediated allergies. He moved to Monash University in 2015.
Prof van Zelm has received multiple personal grants since 2009, including a Veni Fellowship from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). In 2010, he received the Heineken Young Scientists Award from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (KNAW).
Prof van Zelm is an academic editor for the international journals PLoS One, Frontiers in Immunology, and Immunotherapy Advances. He is chair of the IUIS Nomenclature committee and incoming president of the Human Cell Differentiation Molecules (HCDM) organisation that assigns new CD nomenclature and currently evaluates expression patterns of previously assigned CD markers in the CDMaps project.
Related Links:
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology laboratory www.med.monash.edu.au/immunology/research/vanzelm-lab.html
- Bibliography (Pubmed) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Van+Zelm+M
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):
External positions
Honorary, Erasmus MC (Erasmus University Medical Center)
1 Aug 2015
Research area keywords
- B cell
- adaptive immunity
- immunological memory
- primary immunodeficiencies
- persistent virus
- Immune System
- Immune System Disorders
- Immunogenetics
- Immunology
- Immunopathology
- Immunophysiology
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Parallels of defective immunity in the elderly and primary immunodeficient patients
Edwards, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), van Zelm, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Kotagiri, P. (Associate Investigator (AI))
Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
1/04/25 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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RAG1_trial
Edwards, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & van Zelm, M. (Chief Investigator (CI))
15/02/24 → 15/02/29
Project: Research
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Quantification of antibody levels to SARS-CoV-2 in immunoglobulin replacement therapy products, and their capacity to augment immunity in immunodeficient patients.
Edwards, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), van Zelm, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ojaimi, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bosco, J. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), O'Hehir, R. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Drummer, H. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Hogarth, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Daly, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Murphy, J. (Associate Investigator (AI))
Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia
1/10/22 → 30/11/25
Project: Research
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PROPHECY: Profiling immune RespOnses in Paediatric and High risk populations to SARS-CoV-2
McMahon, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), van Zelm, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Khoury, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Drummer, H. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mulley, W. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Holland, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Woolley, I. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ojaimi, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Rogers, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hoi, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Trauer, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sparrow, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Licciardi, P. V. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Giles, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Curtis, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Crawford, N. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Leech, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Westall, G. (Associate Investigator (AI)), O'Hehir, R. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Jones, A. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Morand, E. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bosco, J. J. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Turner, S. (Associate Investigator (AI))
Monash University, Alfred Health, Monash Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Burnet Institute (Australia), Spleen Australia, National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) Incorporated, Musculoskeletal Australia , Safer Care Victoria (SCV)
1/06/22 → 30/05/26
Project: Research
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Establishing a Jeffrey Modell Center in Melbourne, Australia.
van Zelm, M. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Choo, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bosco, J. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Slade, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bryant, V. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ojaimi, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Barnes, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Holdsworth, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Gowdie, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Douglass, J. A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Unglik, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Richards, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Smart, J. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mehr, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Akikusa, J. D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Allen, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cole, T. S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Taranto, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Stirling, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cameron, P. U. (Chief Investigator (CI)), O'Hehir, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Gugasyan, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Masters, S. L. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Moghaddas, F. (Chief Investigator (CI))
19/10/17 → 30/06/26
Project: Research
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A potential role for monoallelic expression in penetrance of autosomal dominant inborn errors of immunity
Edwards, E. S. J. & van Zelm, M. C., Apr 2025, In: Immunology and Cell Biology. 103, 4, p. 333-336 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
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Expansion of phenotypically modified type 2 memory B cells after allergen immunotherapy
von Borstel, A., Reinwald, S., Aui, P. M., McKenzie, C. I., Varese, N., Hogarth, P. M., Hew, M., O'Hehir, R. E. & van Zelm, M. C., Mar 2025, In: Allergy. 80, 3, p. 867-869 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Accurate determination of house dust mite sensitization in asthma and allergic rhinitis through cytometric detection of Der p 1 and Der p 2 binding on basophils (CytoBas)
Hsin, L., Varese, N., Aui, P. M., Wines, B. D., von Borstel, A., Mascarell, L., Hogarth, P. M., Hew, M., O'Hehir, R. E. & van Zelm, M. C., May 2024, In: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 153, 5, p. 1282-1291 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
An Overview of the Strategies to Boost SARS-CoV-2-Specific Immunity in People with Inborn Errors of Immunity
Chang-Rabley, E., van Zelm, M. C., Ricotta, E. E. & Edwards, E. S. J., Jun 2024, In: Vaccines. 12, 6, 32 p., 675.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
A recent patent in allergy & immunology: Biomarkers on allergen-specific memory B cells to predict allergen immunotherapy outcome
van Zelm, M. C., O'Hehir, R. E. & McKenzie, C. I., Aug 2024, In: Allergy. 79, 8, p. 2295-2297 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
Open Access
Press/Media
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Multi-institutional consortium attracts $6.3 million MRFF grant to profile COVID-19 vaccine responses in our most vulnerable patient populations across the lifespan.
Khoury, G., van Zelm, M., Drummer, H., Rogers, B. & McMahon, J.
1/09/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Profile/Interview