Michelle Giles

Research Overview

Professor Michelle Giles is an infectious diseases specialist and physician-scientist with unique expertise in infections in pregnancy. She has an appointment in the Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne and in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University. Her clinical infectious diseases practice is at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Alfred Health and Monash Health, Melbourne. Her clinical work focuses on infections in pregnancy and blood borne viruses, particularly HIV and hepatitis B. She also has extensive experience in adult immunisation focusing on maternal immunisation and immunisation in special risk groups.

Her current research program spans basic science with a focus on the non-specific effects of maternal immunisation in pregnancy. Professor Giles has been on the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce Pregnancy and Perinatal Care Panel since its inception, is Deputy Chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), Co-lead of the ATAGI COVID-19 Working Group, and has had  a number of roles in an advisory capacity to the WHO including most recently being appointed to the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Group B Streptococcus Vaccine Development (TAG-GBS) and the WHO Monkeypox Clinical Guideline Development Group.

Staff

  • Nadia Hale (Research support officer)
  • Eliza Podbury (Research support officer)
  • Ruby Drummond (Research Midwife)
  • Lisa Le Bec (Research Midwife)
  • Alice Lewin (Research Midwife)
  • Dr Naomi Whyler (PhD candidate)
  • Dr Rachael Purcell (PhD candidate)

Collaborators

  • Prof Tobias Kollmann (Dalhousie University)
  • Dr Mary-Ann Davey (Monash University)

Funding

  • MRFF- Maternal Health and First 2000 Days, Early Childhood and Exercise and Nutrition
  • Norman Beischer Foundation
  • Gilead

Research Publications

  1. Giles ML, Way SS, Marchant A, Aghaepour N, James T, Schaltz-Buchholzer F et al. Maternal Vaccination to Prevent Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: An Underutilized Molecular Immunological Intervention? Journal of Molecular Biology. 2023 Jul 1;435(13):168097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168097
  2. Gunatilaka A, Rolnik DL, Giles ML. Protective effect of maternal immunization on birth outcomes: A data linkage study. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2023 Jul;162(1):51-57. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.14774
  3. Mantel C, Cherian T, Ko M, Malvolti S, Mason E, Giles M et al. Stakeholder Perceptions About Group B Streptococcus Disease and Potential for Maternal Vaccination in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2022 Jan 15;74(1):S80-S87. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab794
  4. Abu-Raya B, Madhi SA, Omer SB, Amirthalingam G, Giles ML, Flanagan KL et al. Global Perspectives on Immunization Against SARS-CoV-2 During Pregnancy and Priorities for Future Research: An International Consensus Paper From the World Association of Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021 Dec 23;12. 808064. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.808064
  5. Giles ML, Gunatilaka A, Palmer K, Sharma K, Roach V. Alignment of national COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant and lactating women. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2021 Oct 1;99(10):739-746. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.21.286644
  6. Giles ML, Davey M-A, Wallace EM. Associations Between Maternal Immunisation and Reduced Rates of Preterm Birth and Stillbirth: A Population Based Retrospective Cohort Study. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021 Sep 7;12. 704254. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.704254
  7. Palmer KR, Tanner M, Davies-Tuck M, Rindt A, Papacostas K, Giles ML et al. Widespread implementation of a low-cost telehealth service in the delivery of antenatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time-series analysis. The Lancet. 2021 Jul 3;398(10294):41-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00668-1
  8. Giles ML, Davey MA, Wallace EM. Chronic hepatitis B infection and the risk of gestational diabetes: a cross-sectional study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2020 Aug 1;127(9):1147-1152. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.16217

Research Projects

For project inquiries, contact our research group head.


Faculty Research Themes

Infection and Immunology

School Research Themes


Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact Professor Michelle Giles

Department / Centre

Infectious Diseases

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