Prof. Dr. Geoffrey Pietersz

Prof. Dr. Geoffrey Pietersz

Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Prof. Pietersz is a Professor and Principal Research Fellow at the Baker Institute Melbourne, Australia. He obtained his BSc (Hons) and PhD at the University of Melbourne in synthetic organic chemistry in the area of natural products. With a keen interest in working at the interface of biology and organic chemistry he did his postdoctoral work at the Research Centre for cancer and Transplantation (RCCT) at the Melbourne University on drug, toxin, isotope-monoclonal antibody conjugates. During this period he developed many novel immunoconjugates of a number of anti-cancer drugs.

In 1991 the RCCT became the Austin Research Institute affiliated with the Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg. Prof. Pietersz developed a vaccine delivery system based on bio-conjugation of tumour associated antigen, mucin 1 to the mannose carbohydrate, mannan which targets antigen presenting cells. Successful efficacy studies in animal models led to several clinical trials in cancer and eventually licensing the IP to Prima Biomed Ltd and Ascend Biopharma Ltd. The antigen-mannan conjugates were also able to prime mucosal and systemic responses when administered via the intranasal route and demonstrated for influenza, RSV and rotavirus. Professor Pietersz also designed several small chemical entities using structure-based design that inhibit immune complexes binding to the FcγRIIa receptor for inflammation.

In 2006 the Austin Research Institute merged with the Burnet Institute and he was appointed the Head of the Bio-organic & Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory until 2016 and now a Honourary Research Fellow. His current research is still focussed on applying bio-conjugation strategies to solve biological problems in inflammation, drug delivery and vaccine delivery and application in translational research. He has 176 peer-reviewed publications and many granted patents in the areas of cancer, inflammation and infectious diseases. He is the Chief Technology officer at Ascend Biopharma Ltd and on the scientific advisory board of Avipep Pty Ltd. Prof. Pietersz holds professorial appointments at Melbourne University, Monash University and Victoria University.

Updated 7 August 2023