Dr Melinda Dean is a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She joined UniSC in December 2019 and is based at the Moreton Bay campus. Melinda is a biomedical scientist with expertise in the fields of innate immunology, inflammation, blood transfusion and erythrocyte structure and function. Her research is focused at the interface of immunology and haematology and she is passionate about advancing our knowledge and understanding in these fields in order to improve the quality and safety of blood products and improving transfusion outcomes. Melinda also has a particular interest in innate immune protein and pattern recognition molecule mannose binding lectin.
Melinda is an advocate for science, education and research in Australia. She is dedicated to providing the highest level of education and training to the next generation of scientists. She is an active member of professional societies including the Australian Society of Medical Research, Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion, the International Society of Blood Transfusion, Women in Technology (WiT) and Professionals Australia. Melinda has received a number of awards including Professionals Australia Science in Parliament Scholarship (2019) and Women in Science and Engineering professional development scholarship (2018). She holds honorary appointments at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Queensland University of Technology and the Critical Care Research Group at the Prince Charles Hospital. Melinda enjoys mentoring and supervising undergraduate and post graduate students and is interested in developing new research collaborations domestically and abroad.
Professional Memberships
- Australian Society of Medical Research
- Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion
- International Society of Blood Transfusion
- American Society of Hematology
- American Association of Immunologists
- Women in Technology
Awards/Fellowships
- 2019: Science in Parliament Scholarship, Professionals Australia
- 2019: Laboratory Travel Grant, American Association of Immunologists
- 2018: Women in Science and Engineering Professional Development Scholarship, Professionals Australia
- 2018: Best Poster Presentation (Immunopathology), Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) update; Sydney 2018
Potential Research Projects for HDR & Honours Students
- Understanding the role of platelet protein HMGB1 in transfusion-related immune modulation.
- Characterisation of transfusion-induced immune modulation with underlying viral infection.
- Investigating the relationship between pre-existing inflammation, blood component transfusion and immune paralysis.
- Development of new and Improved red cell products.
Research areas
- innate immunolgy
- inflammation
- transfusion-related immune modulation
- red blood cells
- mannose binding lectin
Dr Dean's specialist areas of knowledge include innate immunology, inflammation, blood transfusion and biomarker discovery.