The Fungal Pathogenesis & Drug Discovery Group investigates how fungal pathogens, such as Cryptococcus neoformans, cause disease, with a focus on discovering new antifungal drug targets. We explore critical metabolic pathways and virulence mechanisms to develop novel therapies for life-threatening fungal infections. Collaborations with international and Australian institutions support our translational research efforts, which bridge molecular biology, genetics, and drug discovery to tackle the global health challenge of invasive fungal diseases.
ORCID: 0000-0003-4207-4115
Recent Achievements
- Discovery of Key Virulence Mechanisms
Initiated successful collaborations with University College London and the Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology that led to the identification of the fungal inositol phosphate synthesis pathway and fungal strategies to achieve phosphate balance that are central to virulence, paving the way for targeted antifungal therapies. - Collaborative Drug Discovery Advances
Initiated successful collaborations with Sydney Analytical, Monash University, University of North Carolina, and University of Freiburg leading to a provisional patent for novel antifungal inhibitors. Another drug target discovery made by our group and leading to a second provisional patent, has inspired collaboration with the University of San Franscico to better understand the drug target. - Publication in High-Impact Journals
Published key findings on fungal kinase activity, stress response and phosphate acquisition strategies that impact virulence, contributing significantly to the field of fungal pathogenesis and laying a foundation for antifungal drug development.
Recent publications

. Dysregulating PHO Signaling via the CDK Machinery Differentially Impacts Energy Metabolism, Calcineurin Signaling, and Virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans.

IP7-SPX domain interaction controls fungal virulence by stabilizing phosphate signaling machinery.

Calcium Binding Protein Ncs1 Is Calcineurin Regulated in Cryptococcus neoformans and Essential for Cell Division and Virulence.

Arg1 from Cryptococcus neoformans and Fungal Virulence. mBio, 2024
June 2024

RTA1 in Cryptococcus neoformans and Fungal Protein Secretion, Pathogens, 2022

TNP Analogues Inhibiting Virulence Kinase Arg1 Biomolecules, 2022

Inositol Polyphosphate-Protein Interactions in Pathogenicity Cellular Microbiology, 2021

Metabolic Inflexibility in Cryptococcus neoformans Pathogens, 2020
Group Members
Name | Role |
Associate Professor Julie Djordjevic | Group Leader, Senior Researcher |
Desmarini Desmarini | Postdoctoral Fellow, Drug Discovery Research |
Pooja Sethiya | Postdoctoral Research Scientist |