Stella Liong

Dr Liong is a mid-career postdoctoral research fellow (PhD 2013 with two career disruptions) with research expertise in respiratory viral infections, cardiovascular disease, immunology, and reproductive sciences. In 2018, she was awarded the prestigious RMIT Vice-Chancellor Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. Her research interests are on respiratory viral infections such as influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and how these viruses cause respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological complications in vulnerable populations using preclinical models. She also has an extensive research background investigating polyphenols, which have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and their effects on pregnancy complications using clinical samples and preclinical models.

Her research has identified a new understanding on the pathophysiology of influenza infection during pregnancy and how it leads to both maternal and foetal complications. Her research has shown that immunity during pregnancy is not suppressed but rather can become overactivated by viral infections resulting in severe systemic inflammation which is a major driver of maternal and foetal complications. She has identified that influenza infection in pregnancy causes maternal cardiovascular dysfunction comprising of vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction which leads to impaired blood flow to the placenta and foetal growth restriction.

She has received $2.93M in research support, including an NHMRC Ideas Grant as CIB on influenza and pregnancy compliations ($1.3M). She has also received fellowship support from University of Melbourne (Early Career Researcher Grant), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Glyn White Fellowship), Australian Endocrinology Society (ESA Postdoctoral Award) and the Harold Mitchell Foundation (Postdoctoral Travel Fellowship).

Invited talks: Australian Influenza Symposium, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (2021); The GOSS seminar series, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne (2022); keynote speaker at the ASCEPT joint Drug Discovery and Respiratory & Inflammation SIG virtual symposium (2020); Visiting Researcher Seminar Series, UniSA (2023); International Federation of Placenta Associations workshop IV (2015)

Podcasts: Got Guts podcast series, American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology.

Awards: Rising Stars Award, CHA Medical Research Symposium (best oral award, 2016); Emerging Investigator Award, Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) (best oral award, 2015); SRI-Pardi President's Distinguished Scientist Award, 62nd Annual Meeting Society of Reproductive Investigation (2015).