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Tessa is an SSMF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Bryceson group investigating NK cell homeostasis and plasmacytoid dendritic cell function using cases of primary immunodeficiency.

Tessa's interest in natural killer (NK) cells started during a bachelor's research internship at ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡. Upon returning to her home country of Australia she undertook her PhD in herpesvirology at the University of Sydney, initiating the first studies into varicella zoster virus evasion of NK cell activity. Intrigued by the life-threatening infections from herpesviruses suffered by NK cell deficient patients, she returned to ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ to pursue this line of research in the Bryceson group. In response to the demand of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tessa expanded her research profile to the antiviral type I IFN properties of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Tessa is currently supported by an SSMF Postdoctoral Fellowship to improve diagnostics of primary immunodeficiencies and advance our understanding of human NK cell and pDC homeostasis to harness their potential in health and disease.

During her postdoc and PhD, Tessa has been involved as a course lecturer, tutorial leader, and laboratory mentor at ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and the University of Sydney. Her teaching profile covers bachelor, master's, and ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ program courses on immunology, virology, and human biology.

Science communication
Tessa is an active science communicator in person and online on Twitter/X (@ScientistTess). In 2022 she was recognised as the Top Influencer at the meeting of The European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID2022) and was awarded free registration for the next society meeting. Tessa has also previously won the People's Choice Award (2018) for her Day of Immunology public engagement, presenting ‘NK cells: Ninjas of the immune system’. Since 2019 she has been involved in the Skype A Scientist program, skyping classrooms around the world to discuss science, as well as invitations to speak in person at several high school career and science events.