Rate My Professor Elizabeth Hartland

Professor Elizabeth Hartland is a Professor in the Hudson Institute - Department of Molecular and Translational Science within Monash University's Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. She serves as Director and CEO of the Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Head of the Department of Molecular and Translational Science. Hartland obtained her B.Sc. (Hons) majoring in microbiology and biochemistry, Ph.D. in microbiology, and B.A. from the University of Melbourne, along with a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from Monash University. Her career trajectory includes a Royal Society/NHMRC Howard Florey Fellowship in the Department of Biochemistry at Imperial College London, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer positions at Monash University, an inaugural Australian Research Council Future Fellowship at the University of Melbourne, where she headed the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and served as Deputy Director of the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.

Hartland's research centers on the pathogenesis of infections caused by Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, with emphasis on mechanisms of immune evasion, bacterial colonization, and cell intrinsic immunity to intracellular pathogens such as Legionella and Burkholderia, as well as translocated effectors from intestinal pathogens like E. coli, Shigella, and Salmonella. She has authored key publications including 'A type III effector antagonizes death receptor signalling during bacterial gut infection' (Nature, 2013), 'Comparative analyses of Legionella species identifies genetic features of strains causing Legionnaires’ Disease' (Genome Biology, 2014), 'SNARE molecular mimicry by a Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm effector' (Cellular Microbiology, 2015), and 'EspL is a bacterial cysteine protease effector that cleaves RHIM proteins to block necroptosis and inflammation' (Nature Microbiology, 2017). She has supervised 19 PhD students to completion, several of whom secured NHMRC Early Career Fellowships or ARC Future Fellowships. Her accolades include Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2024 for services to medical research in microbiology, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2024), NHMRC Investigator Leadership 2 Grant (2020-2024), ARC Future Fellowship (2009-2013), and the 2022 Distinguished Award from the Australian Society for Microbiology. Hartland currently serves as President of the Australian Association of Medical Research Institutes and Member of the NHMRC Council.