Professor Stephanie Yerkovich

AusBREATHE CRE Manager

Qualifications:

PhD, University of Western Australia, 2003; MBioStats, The University of Queensland, 2015; Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Western Australia, 1995

Location:

Brisbane – Centre for Children’s Health Research

Biography:

Professor Stephanie Yerkovich is the manager for the Australian Bronchiectasis Centre of Research Excellence especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children (AusBREATHE). She is a scientist and statistician and combines these skills to improve child health outcomes through laboratory-based research.

Stephanie manages the AusBREATHE CRE which brings together collaborators from across Australia and aims to prevent, improve diagnosis and knowledge, and the better management of bronchiectasis in children. She has previously established the laboratory-based research programs and has overseen the day to day running for two active laboratories. Her work has described inflammatory markers and host defence systems in paediatric and adult respiratory disease, and post-lung transplant, to better understand the role of immunity in the pathogenesis of disease. She is currently establishing a laboratory program in Brisbane to complement the clinical studies occurring within Menzies.

Her research includes multiple large, NHMRC and MRFF-funded multi-centre randomized controlled trials and observational studies where she provides statistical support. Stephanie has a passion for mentoring the next generation of scientist and supporting researchers in their data analysis across a broad range of studies.
 

Professor Stephanie Yerkovich
Email
Research Themes
  1. Vicendese D, Yerkovich S, Grimwood K, Valery PC, Byrnes CA, Morris PS, Dharmage SC, Chang AB. (2022) Long-term azithromycin in children with bronchiectasis unrelated to cystic fibrosis: treatment effects over time. Chest. S0012-3692(22)03684-4. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2022.08.2216. 
  2. McCallum GB, Fong SM, Grimwood K, Nathan AM, Byrnes CA, Ooi MH, Nachiappan N, Saari N, Morris PS, Yeo TW, Ware RS, Elogius BW, Oguoma VM, Yerkovich ST, de Bruyne J, Lawrence KA, Lee B, Upham JW, Torzillo PJ, Chang AB. (2022) Extended Versus Standard Antibiotic Course Duration in Children <5 Years of Age Hospitalized With Community-acquired Pneumonia in High-risk Settings: Four-week Outcomes of a Multicenter, Double-blind, Parallel, Superiority Randomized Controlled Trial. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 41(7):549-555. 
  3. Ruffles TJC, Goyal V, Marchant JM, Masters IB, Yerkovich S, Buntain H, Cook A, Schultz A, Upham JW, Champion A, Versteegh L, Chang AB. (2021) Duration of amoxicillin-clavulanate for protracted bacterial bronchitis in children (DACS): a multi-centre, double blind, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Respir Med. 10:1121-1129
  4. Mackintosh JA, Yerkovich ST, Tan ME, Samson L, Hopkins PMA, Chambers DC (2021) Airway Telomere Length in Lung Transplant Recipients.  Frontiers in Immunology 12:658062 
  5. Sladden TM, Yerkovich S, Wall D, Tan M, Hunt W, Hill J, Smith I, Hopkins P, Chambers DC. (2019) Endothelial Glycocalyx Shedding Occurs during Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion: A Pilot Study. J Transplant. 2019 Aug 25;2019:6748242.
  6. Marsh, R. L., Smith-Vaughan, H. C., Chen, A. C. H., Marchant, J. M., Yerkovich, S. T., Gibson, P. G., Pizzutto, S. J., Hodge, S., Upham, J. W. and Chang, A. B. (2019). Multiple Respiratory Microbiota Profiles Are Associated With Lower Airway Inflammation in Children With Protracted Bacterial Bronchitis. Chest 155(4): 778-786.
  7. Chambers, D. C., Enever, D., Lawrence, S., Sturm, M. J., Herrmann, R., Yerkovich, S., Musk, M. and Hopkins, P. M. (2017). Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy for Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction: Results of a First-in-Man Study. Stem Cells Transl Med 6(4): 1152-1157.
  8. Sinclair, K. A., Yerkovich, S. T., Chen, T., McQualter, J. L., Hopkins, P. M., Wells, C. A. and Chambers, D. C. (2016). Mesenchymal Stromal Cells are Readily Recoverable from Lung Tissue, but not the Alveolar Space, in Healthy Humans. Stem Cells 34(10): 2548-2558.
  9. Wurzel, D. F., Marchant, J. M., Yerkovich, S. T., Upham, J. W., Mackay, I. M., Masters, I. B. and Chang, A. B. (2014). Prospective characterization of protracted bacterial bronchitis in children. Chest 145(6): 1271-1278.
  10. Baines, K. J., Upham, J. W., Yerkovich, S. T., Chang, A. B., Marchant, J. M., Carroll, M., Simpson, J. L. and Gibson, P. G. (2014). Mediators of neutrophil function in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis. Chest 146(4): 1013-1020.