Dr Tracey Hinton

Biography

Tracey has an excellent track record in interacting across disciplines with research experience spanning from virology, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology through to polymer chemistry and nanotechnology. She has amassed a publication record in a wide ranging suite of high impact international journals including Biomaterials, J. of Virology and J. Cell Science. Demonstrating her ability to engage and interact with scientists across diverse fields and target research questions in an innovative and collaborative manner.Tracey Hinton was awarded her PhD in Molecular Virology in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Melbourne, Australia in 2002. The project was designed to investigate the novel protein translation initiation mechanism of Equine Rhinitis virus A (ERAV) and to develop a full-length infective clone. The results derived from investigating the translation initiation mechanism resulted in the ability to design a live-attenuated vaccine.She then undertook a Wellcome Trust Post-doctoral Fellowship at the University of Sussex, UK from 2002-2005. The project was designed to understand the regulation of translation at the early mRNA binding step in mammalian cells and how errors in this can lead to cancer.After this she returned to Australia to become a Post-doctoral Fellow at CSIRO AAHL on development of vaccines for agriculturally important viruses including Chicken Anaemia Virus and Marek’s Disease Virus from 2006-2008.In 2009 Tracey became the lead molecular cell biologist and virologist within a large multidisciplinary project at CSIRO utilizing patented polymer chemistry technology to generate biostable and biodegradable functional polymer delivery systems for siRNA therapeutic use. With a wide range of biomedical applications, the focus is on the use of such technology to treat a range of zoonotic diseases including avian influenza to attract the activity and investment of large Pharmaceutical companies. The project involves collaboration between polymer and organic chemists, and biologists with Tracey as the key scientist that links all disciplines. Her role is to design and implement an extensive range of assays required for testing these materials through in vitro to in vivo applications, the results of which lead to improved polymer designs.

Research Interest

Mechanism of Equine Rhinitis virus A (ERAV) and to develop a full-length infective clone