Patricia received her PhD in 2014 from the University of Melbourne where she investigated the mechanisms underlying the Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-associated drug hypersensitivity reaction abacavir hypersensitivity syndrome in the laboratory of Prof James McCluskey. These studies provided the first molecular level demonstration of a small molecule drug interacting with the HLA and caused a paradigm shift in the fields of antigen processing & presentation and drug hypersensitivity (Nature 2012). On completion of her PhD, she moved to the laboratory of Prof Tony Purcell at Monash University where she has continued to investigate HLA-associated disease, utilising a combination of mass spectrometry and functional immunology.  Her current research focuses on the interplay between genetic factors (HLA polymorphisms, antigen processing machinery) and environmental factors (therapeutic drugs, infection) in peptide presentation by the HLA molecules. Key projects include investigation of T cell mediated drug hypersensitivity and influenza immunity.