The Univeristy of Melbourne The Royal Melbourne Hopspital

A joint venture between The University of Melbourne and The Royal Melbourne Hospital


Abdou has completed his PhD in molecular microbiology at Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. He continued his training in bacterial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, first at CNRS in Marseille, France, then at Imperial College London. His work has been recognised and supported by numerous competitive grants and international fellowships. He has been the recipient of the Lavoisier Fellowship in France from the French Foreign Affairs Office, the Marie-Sklodowska Curie Global Fellowship to continue his research between the Doherty Institute and the LSHTM (London, UK), the Doherty Collaborative grant, the Doherty Agility award, and the CASS foundation grant. He is currently CIA on a NHMRC ideas grant (2023-2026).

  • Publications
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    Research Groups
    • Howden Group

      Research from Professor Ben Howden’s group uses genomics, molecular biology, epidemiology and clinical studies to address a broad range of issues related to invasive bacterial diseases in humans, especially those caused by staphylococci, enterococci and other antimicrobial-resistant species. Additionally, working closely with scientists in the MDU PHL, they investigate the epidemiology, evolution and spread of bacterial pathogens of public health significance such as Neisseria gonorrhoea, Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella and Salmonella spp., Legionella spp., and carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria.


      Lab Team

      Howden Group

      • Director Of Microbiological Diagnostic Unit (MDU) Public Health Laboratory
      • Deputy Director, Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory
      • Adrianna Turner
        Research Assistant
      • Alexandra-Maria Blejusca
        Research Assistant
      • Ashleigh Hayes
        Research Assistant
      • Dr Calum Walsh
        Research Fellow
      • Dr Celeste Donato
        Research Fellow
      • Dr Chris Connor
        Research Fellow
      • NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow
      • Diane Daniel
        AMR Research Scientist
      • Eddie Chan
        PhD student
      • Emily Sotheran
        PhD student
      • Research Fellow
      • Senior Project Officer
      • Jake Soley
        PhD student
      • Dr Jean Lee
        Research Fellow
      • Dr Jessica Webb
        Research Fellow
      • Jia Qi Beh
        PhD student
      • Joseph Napier
        Masters student
      • Karolina Mercoulia
        PhD student
      • Katie Cronin
        PhD student
      • Lamali Sadeesh Kumar
        PhD student
      • Lejla Kartal
        PhD student
      • Dr Lisa Ioannidis
        Centre for Pathogen Genomics Coordinator
      • Dr Louise Judd
        CPG/DAMG Senior Genomics Scientist
      • Lucy Li
        Research Assistant
      • Maria Duarte Aguilera
        AMR Research Technical Assistant
      • Dr Marielle Babinear
        CPG / DAMG
      • Marwa Alhotali
        PhD student
      • Senior Research Fellow
      • Mona Taouk
        PhD student
      • Munazzah Maqbool
        PhD student
      • Neta Petersiel
        PhD student
      • Nick Lim
        PhD student
      • Dr Patiyan Andersson
        Research Fellow
      • Dr Paul Kinsella
        PhD student
      • Rachel Cass
        AMR Research Technical Assistant
      • Research Fellow
      • Dr Ryan Wick
        Research Fellow
      • Samriddhi Thakur
        PhD student
      • Dr Sarah Baines
        Research Fellow
      • Sher Maine Tan
        PhD student
      • Clinician Researcher and Infectious Diseases Physician
      • Taylor Harshegyi
        CPG / DAMG
      • Thinley Dorji
        PhD student
      • Warasinee Mujchariyakul
        PhD student
    • Stinear Group

      Tim Stinear’s group’s research addresses priorities across four connected themes that including hospital superbugs, pathogenic mycobacteria, natural product discovery and public health genomics that aim to understand and contain the spread of bacteria causing serious human disease. 


      Lab Team

      Stinear Group

      • Laboratory Head and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium ulcerans
      • Postdoctoral Researcher
      • Senior Researcher
      • Infectious Diseases Physician | Medical Education Consultant | PhD Candidate
      • Research Fellow
      • Jessica Porter
        Research Assistant
      • Kirstie Mangas
        PhD Candidate
      • Andrew Buultjens
        PhD Candidate