Rate My Professor James Ussher

Ussher's research focuses on infection and immunity, particularly mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and their role in antibacterial immunity and immunopathology of bacterial infections, including harnessing these cells to prevent or treat infections. He has contributed to several fundamental discoveries in MAIT cell biology. He employs molecular epidemiology to study antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacteriaceae and transmission pathways, alongside developing diagnostics, vaccines, and infection control measures. His group developed a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assay on the Panther Fusion for high-throughput testing, cultured and characterized SARS-CoV-2 with genome sequencing, and collaborated on novel diagnostics. Key publications include Ussher et al., "CD161++ CD8+ T cells, including the MAIT cell subset, are specifically activated by IL-12+IL-18 in a TCR-independent manner" (European Journal of Immunology, 2014); Cosgrove et al., "Early and nonreversible decrease of CD161++/MAIT cells in HIV infection" (Blood, 2013); Sheppard et al., "Recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 6 efficiently transduces primary human melanocytes" (PLoS ONE, 2013); Locke et al., "Transduction of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells by recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors" (Tissue Engineering Part C: Methods, 2011); and Ussher and Taylor, "Optimized transduction of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells by recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 6" (Human Gene Therapy, 2010). Funding includes Health Research Council, Maurice Wilkins Centre, and University of Otago Research Grant. He teaches MICR 223 Infection and Immunity and MICR 332 Health Microbiology.