Amy Bleakley

Research assistant / PhD student

Qualifications:

Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Plymouth, UK, 2015

Location:

Darwin - Royal Darwin Hospital

Biography:

Amy is a biomedical scientist in the Child Health Division. Her research involves investigation of the microbiological and immunological processes underlying the development of ear and lung infections in children and aims to understand how early-life immune development contributes to an increased risk of respiratory infection. She is currently leading the laboratory component of a randomised control trial evaluating the use of perinatal vitamin D supplementation (D-Kids) as a preventative strategy against early childhood respiratory infections.

She is also undertaking a PhD nested within the D-Kids trial. Her PhD will characterise neonatal immune responses to common paediatric respiratory pathogens with a focus on the immunomodulatory role of vitamin D supplementation.

In addition to her PhD research, she continues part-time employment within the Child Health Division Laboratory team.