Rate My Professor Jemma Mayall

Dr. Jemma Mayall is a Lecturer in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy within the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She is also a researcher in the Immune Health Program at the Hunter Medical Research Institute, with her office located in Room HMRI3413 at the John Hunter Hospital site. Mayall holds a Doctor of Philosophy, Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Honours), and Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, all from the University of Newcastle. Her research investigates the role of innate immune responses in infections of the respiratory and reproductive tracts to determine how these responses can be manipulated to prevent and treat associated diseases. This encompasses infections of the female reproductive tract leading to chronic conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility, exemplified by asymptomatic Chlamydia infections causing prolonged inflammatory responses mediated by the innate immune system. In the respiratory tract, infections like influenza induce inflammatory responses in the lung, with severe cases resulting in cytokine storms. Her work identifies novel mechanisms of inflammatory diseases in both tracts, focusing on newly discovered innate immune factors and signaling pathways to boost protective responses and reduce infection and inflammation. Fields of research include innate immunity (50%), cellular immunology (30%), and infectious diseases (20%). She contributes to projects such as advanced lung function tests for early detection of respiratory diseases in coal mine workers, including Forced Oscillation Technique, Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide testing, and breath analysis biomarkers.