Laboratory for Genetic Epidemiology


http://www.genepi.org.au

Marion Macnish

Marion Macnish

Marion worked as a Veterinary Nurse for 10 years before embarking on a career in science. She completed a BSc in Medical Science with Honours at Curtin University of Technology in 1994. Her honours research was based on the identification of antigens of the parasite Strongyloides species and the development of a diagnostic enzyme-linked immunoassay under the supervision of Dr Norman Gare and Runi Mendez. Marion took up a position at Murdoch University as a Professional Officer for a health promotion project conducted in the Kimberley region for 2 years before commencing a PhD on the molecular epidemiology of the parasitic tapeworm Hymenolepis nana under the supervision of Prof Andrew Thompson and Dr Una Ryan in the Division of Health Sciences at Murdoch. Following completion of her thesis Marion undertook ‘commercial in confidence’ post doctoral research with Prof Thompson and Dr Wayne Greene working towards the development of a vaccine to control the ubiquitous dog and cat flea in companion animals. A change of direction occurred in 2005 and Marion became a Senior Project Officer with the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease (Perth node) where she honed her project management skills. Currently Marion is the Manager of the WA DNA Bank, a position made possible with an NHMRC Enabling Grant in 2005.

Qualifications

1994BSc (Hons, first class) - Medical Science, Curtin University of Technology, Australia
2001PhD - Murdoch University, Australia
Thesis Title: "Characterisation of community-derived Hymenolepis infections in Australia"

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journals

  1. Macnish MG, Ryan UM, Behnke JM, Thomson RCA. Detection of the rodent tapeworm Rodentolepis (= Hymenolepis) microstoma in humans. A new zoonosis?. International Journal for Parasitology (2003) 33; 1079-1085
  2. Macnish MG, Morgan-Ryan UM, Monis, PT, Behnke JM, Thompson RCA. A molecular phylogeny of nuclear and mitochondrial sequences in Hymenolepis nana (Cestoda) supports the existence of a cryptic species. Parasitology (2002) 125; 567-575
  3. Macnish MG, Morgan UM, Behnke JM, Thompson RCA. Failure to infect laboratory rodent hosts with human isolates of Rodentolepis (= Hymenolepis nana ) Journal of Helminthology (2002) 76; 37-43
  4. Reynoldson JA, Behnke JM, Pallant LJ, Macnish MG, Gilbert F, Giles S, Spargo RJ, Thompson RCA (1997) Failure of pyrantel in treatment of human hookworm infections (Ancylostoma duodenale) in the Kimberley region of north west Australia. Acta Tropica 68(3); 301-312

Published Conference Abstracts

  1. Macnish M, "Western Australian DNA Bank". The 3rd Australian Health & Medical Research Congress, 26 November - 1 December 2006, Melbourne, Victoria, p393 
  2. Macnish MG, Morgan UM, Monis PT, Behnke JM, Thompson RCA. Molecular Epidemiology of Infections with the Tapeworm Hymenolepis nana in Tropical Regions of Western Australia.(Invited Speaker) 10th International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA), August 4-9 2002, Vancouver, Canada, p37
  3. Macnish MG, Morgan UM, Behnke JM, Thompson. Evidence for the zoonotic transmission of the rodent tapeworm Hymenolepis microstoma to humans? Combined Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. and New Zealand Society for Parasitology Annual Scientific Meetings, September 25-29 2000, Wellington, NZ. p54
  4. Macnish MG, Morgan UM, Monis PT, Behnke JM, Thompson RCA. Genetic characterisation of three DNA loci of Hymenolepis nana, Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Annual Scientific Meeting, September 26-30 1999, Yeppoon, Queensland. p26
  5. Macnish MG, Morgan UM, Thompson RCA. Is Hymenolepis nana zoonotic? Australasian College of Tropical Medicine and Fremantle Tropical Medicine Group symposium "Drug resistant infections in the tropics", October 2-3 1998, Fremantle Hospital. p30
  6. Thompson RCA, Reynoldson JA, Edwards M, Hopkins R, Pallant L, Macnish M. Problems of parasite control in endemic regions. Australasian College of Tropical Medicine and Fremantle Tropical Medicine Group symposium "Drug resistant infections in the tropics", October 2-3 1998, Fremantle Hospital. p28
  7. Macnish MG, Morgan UM, Thompson RCA. Molecular characterisation of Hymenolepis nana in Aboriginal communities in north west Australia. American Society of Parasitologiest 73rd Annual Meeting, August 16-20 1998, Kona, Hawaii. p44
  8. Thompson RCA, Reynoldson JA, Macnish MG, Edwards ME, Pallant LJ, Hopkins RM. Gastro-intestinal parasites of medical significance in Aboriginal communities in Northern Western Australia – a combined approach to their control. PASEAN, The Australian Society for Parasitology Annual Scientific Meeting, 1996, Bali, Indonesia.
  9. Thompson RCA, Reynoldson JA, Macnish MG, Edwards ME, Pallant LJ, Hopkins RM. A novel, self sustaining health promotion program for the control of gastro-intestinal parasites in Aboriginal communities. Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases Inc. Annual scientific meeting, 1996 Broome.

Research Supervision

2004Brooke Longville (Honours) "Molecular cloning of novel members of a flea gene family using PCR with degenerate oligonucleotide primers" (co-supervisor)
2003Katie Simcock (Honours) "Genetic variation in flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) populations on dogs" (principle supervisor)
2002Pippa Kay (Independent Study Contract) "Characterisation of Flea genes encoding possible vaccine candidates" (co-supervisor)
2001Ryan Jefferies (Honours) "PCR-based diagnosis of canine Babesiosis" (short term co-supervisor)
2001Patrick Drury (Honours) "Characterisation of canine flea allergens by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis" (co-supervisor)

Project Management Experience

2006Management of AB-CRC Consultancy for the restoration of veterinary services in Iraq: "Focused technical training program in epidemiology" sponsored by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
2005-2006Knowledge broker for AB-CRC funded projects - facilitator of two way knowledge exchange
2005Management of the AB-CRC collaborative project: "Online library of images for veterinary education and research (OLIVERTM)" with the University of Sydney