CRC Member: Professor Antonio Ferrante

A leader of the Developmental and Genetic Immunology Theme and part of the Atopy and Vaccinology Program in the CRC, Professor Antonio Ferrante is the Director of Immunopathology, CYWHS at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Campus of the University of Adelaide.  Trained both in Adelaide and in the United Kingdom, Professor Ferrante has achieved multiple significant clinical and research milestones in the fields of immunology and pathology since the early 1980s, including the following:

•    Advancements in paediatric immunopathology in the laboratory diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency diseases by establishing micromethods to suit testing of babies immune function;
•    Advancements in methods for diagnosis, assessing risk and treatment of children infected with pathogenic free-living amoebae;
•    Characterisation of IgG antibody subclass deficiency in children;
•    Elucidation of key cytokine networks in immunity and inflammation, including work relating to the potential development of a malaria vaccine;
•    Synthesis of novel polyunsaturated fatty acid analogues with therapeutic benefits targeted at diabetes, cystic fibrosis and autoimmune diseases; and
•    Molecular diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency diseases.  

Recent attention in the general media includes the 2008 Channel 10 news stories “Newborn Marker for Allergy Risk” and “Fighting infection without getting sick”.

The calibre of Professor Ferrante’s research is reflected in his long-term attraction of peer-reviewed research funding, including from the NHMRC since 1986, The National Heart Foundation since 1991, the WCH Research Foundation since 1987, the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation since 1986 and other grants from the United Nations Development Program, World Bank/World Health Organisation (Geneva), the AntiCancer Foundation, the Pork Commonwealth Research Centre, the University of Adelaide, the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Foundation, the Australian Research Council, the Rebecca Cooper Foundation and the Ramacioti Foundation.  In addition, Professor Ferrante's research has attracted industry funding from Albright & Wilson, Peptide Technology, Genzyme, Sandoz Pty Ltd, Australian Emu Industry/RIRDC, COMET/RIRDC, Peplin Biotech, Technology Investment Company, New World Bio Pty Ltd and Lipotek Pty Ltd.  Professor Ferrante has a number of patents resulting from research granted in the USA and another 5 which have recently been submitted as PCT applications.

Professor Ferrante is/has been a member of the Australian Society for Immunology, American Society for Microbiology, Australian Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Australian Society for Microbiology, Australian Society for Parasitology, Royal College of Pathologists, Royal Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, International Society for Immunopharmacology and Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers of Australia.  In addition, he is a current or past member on journal editorial boards Immunology (1990-2000), Asian Journal of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Journal, Archivum Immunologiae & Therapiae Experimentalis and Clinical Science and Enzyme Inhibition Journal.  Professor Ferrante serves on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Research Subcommittee, is a member of the organising committee for the 2009 conference for the Australian Society for Immunology and Allergy, serves on the CYWHS Research Reference Committee, is a member of the NH&MRC project grant panel committee and is an affiliate member of the Centre for Human Nutritional Physiology, University of South Australia.  He has consulted on numerous R&D and commercial projects, and is currently involved in this capacity with Gerson-Leihmans Group of International Health Workers (New York) and New World Biosciences.  

Professor Ferrante is very active in a teaching capacity.  Over the course of his career thus far he has supervised over 30 science Honours students, 26 PhD students, numerous medical students in research projects and mentored more than 20 postdoctoral scientists as well as several international postgradute students. He has been involved in undergraduate and post graduate teaching and training in immunology, immunopathology, clinical immunology and biotechnology at the CYWHS, University of Adelaide and University of South Australia.  In addition, he has presented his research at over 300 national and international conferences and workshops, and has been involved in organising conferences and workshops relating to his fields of interest. 

Professor Ferrante's peer-reviewed publications number over 280, and can be found by searching MedLine under the author name 'Ferrante A'.  Recently published papers including the following:

• Mukaro V, Costabile M, Murphy KJ, Hii CS, Howe P and Ferrante A.  Leukocyte numbers and function in subjects eating n-3 enriched foods: selective depression of natural killer cell levels.  Arthritis Res. Therapy.  2008 May 14;10(3):R57. [Epub ahead of print]
• Melino M, Hii CS, McColl S and Ferrante A.  The Effect of the JNK Inhibitor, JIP Peptide, on Human T Lymphocyte Proliferation and Cytokine Production J. Immunol.  The Journal of Immunology, 2008, 181: 7300-7306
• Marantos C, Mukaro V, Ferrante JV, Hii CS, and Ferrante A.  Inhibition of the Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Stimulation of the Members of the MAPK Family in Human Monocytes/Macrophages by 4-Hydroxynonenal, a Product of Oxidized Omega-6 Fatty Acids.  American Journal of Pathology. 2008;173:1057-1066
• Tan J, Dwivedi PP, Anderson P, Nutchey BK, O’Loughlin P, Morris HA, May BK, Ferrante A and Hii CS.  Antineoplastic agents target the 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 24-hydroxylase messenger RNA for degradation: implications in anticancer activity.  Mol. Cancer. Ther.  2007; 6:3131-3138
• Hill AM, Worthley C, Murphy KJ, Buckley JD, Ferrante A and Howe PRC. 2007. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and regular exercise: differential effects of a combined intervention on neutrophil function. Brit. J. Nutr. 98:300-309
• Hii CS and Ferrante A.  Regulation of the NADPH oxidase activity and anti-microbial function of neutrophils by arachidonic acid.  Arch Immunol Ther Exp.  2007; 55:99-110.
• Moghaddami N, Irvine J, Gao X, Grover PK, Costabile M, Hii CS and Ferrante A.   Novel action of n-3 fatty acids: inhibition of arachidonic acids:  Inhibition of arachidonic acid-induced increase in TNF receptor expression on neutrophils and a role of proteases.   Arthr. Rheum.  2007; 56:799-808
• Ferrante A, Hii CS and Hume D.  Neutrophilic schizophrenia: breaching the barrier between innate and adaptive immunity.  Immunol. Cell. Biol.   2007; 85:265-6
• Prescott SL, Irvine J, Dunstan JA, Hi C, and Ferrante A Protein kinase-C zeta: a novel “protective” neonatal T cell marker that can be up-regulated by allergy prevention strategies. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007; 120:200-206 (selected for Editors note)