Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine (CCREM)


http://www.ccrem.org.au

Assistant Professor Shelley Stone

Shelley Stone

Phone: +61 8 9224 0352
Alternate Phone: +61 8 9224 0356
Email: shelley.stone@uwa.edu.au

Assistant Professor Shelley Stone was awarded her PhD (Distinction) from the University of Western Australia (UWA) in 2004 for her work investigating the immunopathogenesis of Immune Restoration Disease in HIV patients receiving antiretroviral therapy under the supervision of Prof Martyn French and A/Prof Patricia Price. After two years postdoctoral experience at the Center for AIDS Research at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, she returned to Australia to join the Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine, changing her research focus from HIV to immunological mechanisms of critical illness, specifically severe life-threatening allergy and immunotherapy.

Her current projects include:

Emergency Department Anaphylaxis (EDA) Study - including defining the clinical spectrum of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions), biochemical mediators and responses to treatment. This involves analysing samples collected from patients presenting to the ED with acute anaphyalxis for potential markers of mast cell degranulation and immune system activation (cytokines, leukotrienes etc). This work is currently being expanded to include identification of potential genetic risk factors for severe anaphylaxis.

Venom Allergy Studies - including identification of specific allergens within Australian ant species that trigger severe allergic responses and analysis of samples from a clinical trial of Jack Jumper Ant Venom Immunotherapy (assessing changes in venom-specific immunoglobulins and cytokine production during the time course of immunotherapy and correlation with clinical endpoints).

Envenoming and Antivenom Studies - including the Australian Snakebite Project (ASP) and the Redback Antivenom Evaluation (RAVE). These projects will investigate the nature of anaphylaxis to Australian and Sri Lankan snake and spider venom and responses to the specific antivenoms used to treat these reactions.

Qualifications

1999BSc (Hons, first class) - University of Western Australia, Australia
2004PhD (Distinction) - University of Western Australia, Australia
Thesis Title: "Immune reconstitution and immune restoration disease in human immunodeficiency virus infected individuals receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy"

Research Interests

  • Immune mechanisms of allergy and immunotherapy.
  • Genetics of anaphylaxis.
  • Immune mechanisms of critical illness.

Scientific Involvement

  • Australasian Society for Immunology - Member 1999-2004, 2007 onwards.

Major Grants Awarded

2010Raine Medical Research Foundation Priming Grant. Molecular mechanisms of human anaphylaxis: Role of Interleukin-10. $90,000. Stone SF.
2010Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation (Research Grant). Tools for investigating the mechanisms of severe allergic reactions: Culturing mast cells from human peripheral blood progenitor cells. $13,900. Stone SF.
2008Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation (Infrastructure Grant). Establishing a Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine. 2009: $126,412, 2010: $66,072. Brown SGA, Stone SF, Arendts G, Fatovich DM.
2008University of Western Australia Research Grant. Development of assays to monitor changes in IgE-facilitated mast cell degranulation and antigen presentation during immunotherapy for severe venom allergy. $29,600. Stone SF.
2008Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation Grant. Developing a standardised venom extract from WA bull ants for therapeutic use. $14,490. Stone SF, Aulfrey S, Brown SGA.
2007UWA Infrastructure Fund. Multi-label plate reader for cellular and molecular research. $22,200. Brown SGA, Stone SF, Trinder D, Allan JE.

Top Publications

  1. Stone SF, Cotterell C, Isbister GK, Holdgate A, Brown SGA. 2009. Elevated serum cytokines during human anaphylaxis: Identification of potential mediators of acute allergic reactions. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In press. [NCBI PubMed Entry] [IF 9.77]
  2. Stone SF, Price P, Brochier J, French MA. 2001. Plasma bioavailable interleukin-6 is elevated in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients who experience herpesvirus-associated immune restoration disease after start of highly active antiretroviral therapy. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 184(8):1073-7. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  3. Stone SF, Price P, Keane NM, Murray RJ, French MA. 2002. Levels of IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor are increased in HIV patients with a history of immune restoration disease after HAART. HIV Medicine 3(1):21-7. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  4. Stone SF, Price P, Tay-Kearney M, French MA. 2002. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Retinitis Immune Restoration Disease occurs during Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy-induced restoration of CMV-specific immune responses within a predominant Th2 cytokine environment. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 185(12):1813-7. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  5. Stone SF, Lee S, Keane NM, Price P, French MA. 2002. Association of increased Hepatitic C Virus (HCV)-specific IgG and soluble CD26 dipeptidyl peptodase IV enzyme activity with hepatotoxicity after highly active antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus/HCV-co-infected patients. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 186(10):1498-502. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  6. Stone SF, Price P, French MA. 2004. Immune Restoration Disease: A consequence of dysregulated immune responses after HAART. Current HIV Research 2(3):235-42. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  7. Stone SF, Price P, French MA. 2005. Dysregulation of CD28 and CTLA-4 expression by CD4+ T-cells from previously immunodeficient HIV patients on long-term effective HAART. HIV Medicine 6(4):278-83. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  8. Stone SF, Price P, Khan N, Moss PA, French MA. 2005. HIV patients with nadir CD4+ T-cell counts <50/µl have high frequencies of CD8+ T-cells specific for Immediate Early Protein-1 of cytomegalovirus after fours years on HAART. AIDS 19(6):555-62. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  9. Stone SF, Price P, French MA. 2006. Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific CD8+ T-cells in individuals with HIV infection: correlation with protection from CMV disease. The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 57(4):585-8. [NCBI PubMed Entry]