Professor Denise Jackson

Research interests

Research in the Thrombosis and Vascular Diseases Research team aims to understand the cellular mechanisms of how blood clots are formed and what leads to stabilisation of blood clots. The research of Associate Professor Jackson and her team ranges from work on the cellular, molecular, physiological and biochemical aspects of thrombosis, to small animal models of in vivo thrombus formation and ischaemic stroke. In addition, research of this team examines the importance of cell surface receptors known as immunoreceptors in infection and immunity, with a particular emphasis on bacterial pathogens.

Research objectives

• To study mechanisms that regulate platelet thrombus formation in mouse models.
• To study immunoreceptors in the immune system in our established models.
• Develop a new understanding on how immunoreceptors recognise and process bacterial pathogens to regulate immunity.
• To gain knowledge on the importance of tetraspanins and immunoreceptors in regulating blood clots.
• To study mechanisms of signaling and compartmentalisation in platelet responsiveness.
• To obtain crystal structures of immunoreceptors and use this information to design drugs.

Educational development work

• Course coordinator of MEDS1142 Medical informatics, BUSM3220 Medical laboratory quality systems and accreditation and ONPS2153 Medical informatics and laboratory management.
• Principal supervisor of research students: 12 Honours, 3 Masters and 4 PhD.
• Self assessment in Haematology programmes (AIMS).

Prof. Jackson's responsibilities include:

• Member of Program Advisory Committee for Laboratory Medicine
• Foster innovation in teaching and learning and improve teaching quality.
• Implement "Program Experience Portfolio".
• Maintain IBMS and AIMS accreditation of Lab Medicine courses.
• Investigate and develop new postgraduate degrees.
• Restructure programs to give students more flexibility.
• Maintain liaison, collaboration and engagement with industry.
• Investigate off-shore opportunities and develop business cases.

Teaching responsibilities

• Course coordinator of MEDS1142 Medical informatics, BUSM3220 Medical laboratory quality systems and accreditation and ONPS2153 Medical informatics and laboratory management.
• Principal supervisor of research students: Honours, Masters and PhD.

• B. App. Sc. (MLS), RMIT, 1982
• FAIMS, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists, 1989
• PhD, Monash University, 1994

Member of professional associations

• Australian Institute of Medical Scientists
• Haematology Society of Australia
• American Society of Hematology
• American Society of Cell Biology
• Australian Vascular Biology Society
• Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• National Association of Research Fellows
• Australian Society of Immunology
• Member of the International Advisory Board for the XXth Congress of ISTH
• Brain Foundation
• ISTH

Professional and community involvement

• Reviewed project grant applications for the following funding bodies and organisations:
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • National Heart Foundation
  • Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide. S.A.
  • Fellowship Reviews, Monash University, Vic.
  • Wellcome Trust, UK.
  • National Science Foundation, USA.
• NATA reviewer of Haematology / Immunohaematology laboratories
• Scientific Reviewer for the following journals:
  • Australian Institute of Medical Science Journal
  • Nature
  • Blood
  • Thrombosis and Haemostasis
  • Journal of Immunology
  • Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry
  • Journal of Leukocyte Biology
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • Cell Death and Differentiation
  • American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology