Professor Allan Cripps - Griffith University

Site Degrees

Professor Allan Cripps, Pro Vice Chancellor (Health)

B Science (Hons), PhD, FAIMS, FASM, AFACHSE

Pro Vice Chancellor (Griffith Health)

Biography

Professor Cripps has had almost 30 years experience in the Health and Pharmaceutical Industries before becoming a full-time academic in 1995. The focus of his research has been in the field of mucosal immunology. Early in his career, he undertook studies directed at defining aspects of the host-parasite relationship at mucosal surfaces and the mechanisms by which antibody is delivered to mucosal sites such as the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract. Since that time he has become recognised both nationally and internationally as a leader in this field.

Professor Cripps’ contributions include:

the most comprehensive longitudinal study conducted on the development of mucosal immunity in infants and children,
studies of mucosal immunocompetence in athletes,
development of diagnostic procedures for mucosal infections,
immune mechanisms of the respiratory tract and middle ear,
mucosal vaccination strategies for bacterial infections of the lung and middle ear and
the identification of novel protein vaccine candidates for bacterial infections of the lung and middle ear.

What sets this research profile apart is the comprehensive and holistic approach that has been undertaken. Research into the most basic aspects of mucosal immune induction is streamed alongside relevant animal models and applied human research.

Professor Cripps has published with his colleagues, over 245 peer reviewed scientific papers, presented at numerous national and international scientific and medical conferences and has been the recipient of a large number of competitive government and industry research grants. He is co-inventor on a number of international patents in the fields of diagnostic technology and vaccine protein antigens for respiratory infections.

Professor Cripps has been highly influential in national and international forums. He has successfully brought major international conferences to Australia: the 9th Congress of Mucosal Immunology which was attended by more than 1,000 delegates; the 5th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases [ISPPD5], co-chair attended by over 600 delegates from 64 countries. A major outcome of the ISPPD5 was the Alice Springs Declaration (a call for global action against childhood pneumonia) and a consensus paper for animal models to test new vaccine candidates against respiratory infections. Professor Cripps has served on the International Advisory Board for the World Congresses on Vaccines, Immunization and Immunotherapy since 1999. He is an International advisor to Symposia on Advances in Otitis Media. Professor Cripps is a member of a number of scientific committees and advisory boards related to health and vaccine research. He is a member of the ISPPD Advisory Board and chairs the Australia 21 working party for the development of a Global Action Plan for the prevention of pneumonia in children. He is a member of the Board of Research Australia and is Chair of Research Australia University Roundtable.

His major research interests are: mucosal immunology, vaccines, mucosal vaccine delivery platforms such the direct targeting of mucosal associated lymphoid tissue through innate receptors, infections of mucosal surfaces such as the respiratory tract and middle ear, mechanisms of immunity against mucosal pathogens, the development of mucosal immunity in infants and children and the modulation of mucosal immunity by environmental factors and interventions such as probiotics and acupuncture.

Research expertise

Mucosal Immunology
Vaccines
Infections of the respiratory tract and middle ear
Development of mucosal immunity in infants and children

Responsibilities

Executive level leadership and management of the Health Group
Strategic planning for the Group
High level external representation of the University and Group nationally and internationally

Organisational Units reporting to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Griffith Health)

Publications

WEST, N. P., PYNE, D. B., PEAKE, J. M. & CRIPPS, A. W. (2009d) Probiotics, immunity and exercise: a review. Exerc Immunol Rev, 15, 107-26.

THOMAS, L. D., CRIPPS, A. W. & KYD, J. M. (2009c) Immune response mechanisms against Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated with mucosal immunization with protein antigens in a rat model of acute lung infection. Vaccine, 27, 3324-30.

KRISHNAMURTHY, A., MCGRATH, J., CRIPPS, A. W. & KYD, J. M. (2009b) The incidence of Streptococcus pneumoniae otitis media is affected by the polymicrobial environment particularly Moraxella catarrhalis in a mouse nasal colonisation model. Microbes Infect, 11, 545-53.

CAO, S., CRIPPS, A., WEI, M.Q. New strategies for cancer gene therapy: progresses and opportunities. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2009a; (Epub ahead of print) 37:108-114.

MASSA, H. M., CRIPPS, A. W. & LEHMANN, D. (2009) Otitis media: viruses, bacteria, biofilms and vaccines. Med J Aust, 191, S44-9.

KYD, J. M. & CRIPPS, A. W. (2008e) Functional differences between M cells and enterocytes in sampling luminal antigens. Vaccine, 26, 6221-4.

CRIPPS, A. W. (2008d) Mucosal immunization for bacterial respiratory infections. Hum Vaccin, 4, 396-9.

LEHMANN, D. , ARUMUGASWAMY, A., ELSBURY, D., FINUCANE, J., STOKES, A., MONCK, R., JEFFRIES-STOKES, C., MCAULLAY, D., COATES, H., STANLEY, F.J., for the Kalgoorlie Otitis Media Research Project Team (including CRIPPS, A.W.). The Kalgoorlie Otitis Media Research Project: rationale, methods, population characteristics and ethical considerations. Paed Perinat Epidemiol 2008c;22:60-71.

EASTON, D. M., MAIER, E., BENZ, R., FOXWELL, A. R., CRIPPS, A. W. & KYD, J. M. (2008b) Moraxella catarrhalis M35 is a general porin that is important for growth under nutrient-limiting conditions and in the nasopharynges of mice. J Bacteriol, 190, 7994-8002.

WEST, N. P., PYNE, D. B., KYD, J. M., RENSHAW, G. M., FRICKER, P. A. & CRIPPS, A. W. (2008a) The effect of exercise on innate mucosal immunity. Br J Sports Med, 44, 227-31.

CRIPPS, A. W., SUTTON, P., BEAGLEY, K., ROBERTSON, S. & DUNKLEY, M. (2008) Mucosal immunology down under: Special Interest Group in Mucosal Immunology workshop, Australasian Society for Immunology, Sydney, Australia, 2 December 2007. Immunol Cell Biol, 86, 557-61.

TYRER, P. C., RUTH FOXWELL, A., KYD, J. M., OTCZYK, D. C. & CRIPPS, A. W. (2007e) Receptor mediated targeting of M-cells. Vaccine, 25, 3204-9.

WEBB, D. C., OTCZYK, D. C. & CRIPPS, A. W. (2007d) Investigation of the potential of a 48 kDa protein as a vaccine candidate for infection against nontypable Haemophilus influenzae. Vaccine, 25, 4012-9.

RIEDMANN, E. M., KYD, J. M., CRIPPS, A. W. & LUBITZ, W. (2007c) Bacterial ghosts as adjuvant particles. Expert Rev Vaccines, 6, 241-53.

CRIPPS, A. W. & KYD, J. M. (2007b) Comparison of mucosal and parenteral immunisation in two animal models of pneumococcal infection: otitis media and acute pneumonia. Vaccine, 25, 2471-7.

FOXWELL, A. R., CRIPPS, A. W. & KYD, J. M. (2007a) Optimization of oral immunization through receptor-mediated targeting of M cells. Hum Vaccin, 3, 220-3.

CRIPPS, A. W., LEACH, A. J., LEHMANN, D. & BENGER, N. (2007) Fifth International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases, Alice Springs, Central Australia, 2-6 April 2006. Vaccine, 25, 2361-5.

CRIPPS, A. W., PEEK, K., DUNKLEY, M., VENTO, K., MARJASON, J. K., MCINTYRE, M. E., SIZER, P., CROFT, D. & SEDLAK-WEINSTEIN, L. (2006f) Safety and immunogenicity of an oral inactivated whole-cell pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine administered to healthy human subjects. Infect Immun, 74, 968-74.

CRIPPS, A. W., LEACH, A. J. & LEHMANN, D. (2006e) Pneumococcal vaccination in developing countries. Lancet, 368, 644.

RYTKONEN, J., VALKONEN, K. H., VIRTANEN, V., FOXWELL, R. A., KYD, J. M., CRIPPS, A. W. & KARTTUNEN, T. J. (2006d) Enterocyte and M-cell transport of native and heat-denatured bovine beta-lactoglobulin: significance of heat denaturation. J Agric Food Chem, 54, 1500-7.

CRIPPS, A. W. & OTCZYK, D. C. (2006c) Prospects for a vaccine against otitis media. Expert Rev Vaccines, 5, 517-34.

TYRER, P., FOXWELL, A. R., CRIPPS, A. W., APICELLA, M. A. & KYD, J. M. (2006b) Microbial pattern recognition receptors mediate M-cell uptake of a gram-negative bacterium. Infect Immun, 74, 625-31.

WEST, N. P., PYNE, D. B., RENSHAW, G. & CRIPPS, A. W. (2006a) Antimicrobial peptides and proteins, exercise and innate mucosal immunity. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol, 48, 293-304.

FOXWELL, A. R., CRIPPS, A. W. & DEAR, K. B. (2006) Haemophilus influenzae oral whole cell vaccination for preventing acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, CD001958.

CRIPPS, A. W., OTCZYK, D. C. & KYD, J. M. (2005c) Bacterial otitis media: a vaccine preventable disease? Vaccine, 23, 2304-10.

EASTON, D. M., SMITH, A., GALLEGO, S. G., FOXWELL, A. R., CRIPPS, A. W. & KYD, J. M. (2005b) Characterization of a novel porin protein from Moraxella catarrhalis and identification of an immunodominant surface loop. J Bacteriol, 187, 6528-35.

JOMAA, M., KYD, J. M. & CRIPPS, A. W. (2005a) Mucosal immunisation with novel Streptococcus pneumoniae protein antigens enhances bacterial clearance in an acute mouse lung infection model. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol, 44, 59-67.

SEDLAK-WEINSTEIN, E., CRIPPS, A. W., KYD, J. M. & FOXWELL, A. R. (2005) Pseudomonas aeruginosa: the potential to immunise against infection. Expert Opin Biol Ther, 5, 967-82.

Grants awarded

CRIPPS AW, WEST NP, PYNE D, FRICKER P. Probiotics, upper respiratory tract illness and immunity during a six month winter training period in community athletes: Danisco Ltd, 2010-2011. $826,936.

CRIPPS AW, GILLIS D, WEINSTEIN S. Targeting of M cells to enhance oral immunisation: QHPSS – Study, Education and Research Trust Fund, 2009-2010: $69,890.

CRIPPS AW, MCDONALD J, SMITH P, GOLIANU B. Acupuncture and mucosal immunity in the upper respiratory tract. NHMRC 536563. 2009 - 2011:$365,650.

CRIPPS AW, WEST NP, PYNE D, FRICKER P. Probiotic supplementation, illness and immunity in athletes, Probiomics Ltd/Chr Hansen A/S, 2008-2009: $174,516.

CRIPPS AW, WEST NP, PYNE D, FRICKER P. Probiotic supplementation, illness and immunity in athletes, Australian Institute of Sport – General and Collaborative Funding, 2008-2009: $9,000.

CRIPPS AW, WEST NP, PYNE D, FRICKER P, TOPPING D, CLARKE J, LOCKETT T, MCSWEENEY C, CONLON M, GLEESON M, BURKE L. Butyrylated starch supplementation, gut health and immunity in athletes, Australian Institute of Sport/Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation. 2008-2010: $88,000.

CRIPPS AW, NISSEN M, SLOOTS T, PERRY C. Microbial pathogenesis of otitis media. Financial Market Foundation for Children. 2008-2009 $69,000.