Prof Lopez is a medical researcher in the field of tumour immunology with a particular emphasis in clinical translation. Following his medical training, he focused on the study of cellular immune responses in the context of immunotherapy. He trained in three major European centres: the Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie in Tübingen, Germany, the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Lausanne, Switzerland and the Institut de Biochemie, Université de Lausanne. During this period he led the clinical evaluation of a synthetic malaria vaccine candidate. Since returning to Australia, Prof Lopez filled a niche in the field of dendritic cell (DC) function in patients with cancer (16 publications). His research disclosed key defects in the function of DC in breast cancer, a key element immunotherapy protocols. The research contribution on apoptosis of DC in breast cancer was published in a “highly accessed” article of Breast Cancer Research and commented on in a praising article in the same issue.

Pinzon-Charry, T. Woodberry, V. Kienzle, V. McPhun, G. Minigo, D. A. Lampah, E. Kenangalem, C. Engwerda, J. A. López, N. M. Anstey and M. F. Good. (2013). “Apoptosis and Dysfunction of Blood Dendritic Cells in Patients with falciparum and vivax Malaria”. J. Exp. Med. 1635-1646. [IF=13.853; ERA=A+] C. E. Smart, B. J. Morrison, J. M. Saunus, A. C. Vargas, P. Keith, L. Reid, L. Wockner, M. A. Amiri, D. Sarkar, P. T. Simpson, C, Clarke, C. W. Schmidt, B. A. Reynolds, S. R. Lakhani and J. A. López. (2013). “In vitro analysis of breast cancer cell line tumourspheres and primary human breast epithelia mammospheres demonstrates inter- and intrasphere heterogeneity”. PLoS One. 8(6): e64388. [IF=4.092; ERA=A] F. Al-Ejeh, C.E. Smart, B.J. Morrison, G. Chenevix-Trench, J.A. López, S.R. Lakhani, M.B. Brown, and K.K. Khanna (2011). “Breast cancer stem cells: treatment resistance and therapeutic opportunities”. Carcinogenesis. 32(5):650-8. [IF=5.702; ERA=A] B. J. Morrison, M. L. Hastie, Y. S. Grewal, Zara Bruce, C. W. Schmidt, B. A. Reynolds, J. J. Gorman and J. A. López. (2012). “Proteomic comparison of MCF-7 tumoursphere and monolayer Cultures”. PLoS One. 7(12): e52692. [IF=4.092; ERA=A] T. Woodberrry, G. Minigo, K. A. Piera, F.H. Amante, A. Pinzon-Charry, M. F. Good, J. A. López, C. R. Engwerda, J. S. McCarthy and N. M. Anstey. (2012). “Low level Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage infection causes dendritic cell apoptosis and dysfunction in healthy volunteers”. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 206(3):333-40 [IF=6.410; ERA=A] L.P. Deleyrolle, G. Ericksson, B.J. Morrison, J.A. López, K. Burrage, P. Burrage, A. Vescovi, R.L. Rietze and B.A. Reynolds. (2011). “Determination of Somatic and Cancer Stem Cell Self-Renewing Symmetric Division Rate Using Sphere Assays”. PLoS One. 6(1): e15844. [IF=4.092; ERA=A] S. Hayes, T. Di Sipio, S. Rye, J. A. López, C. Saunders, C. Pyke, J. Bashford, D. Battistutta and B. Newman. (2011). “Prevalence and prognostic significance of secondary lymphedema following breast cancer”. Lymphatic Research and Biology. 9(3): 135-141. [ERA=C]