Dr Ahlenstiel completed her B.Adv.Sc (Hons) in 2000 at the University of Sydney and her PhD at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, USyd in 2004. Chantelle was awarded an NIH Visting Fellowship award to undertake postdoctoral training at the Vaccine Research Center, NIH. In 2009, she moved to the University of New South Wales in the Immunvirology & Pathogenesis Program at the Kirby Institute, where she studies RNA-directed epigenetic silencing of HIV-1 and SIV.
Senior Research Fellow
Dr Chantelle Ahlenstiel
- Bachelor of Advanced Science (Hons 1st class), USyd in 2000.
- PhD in Infectious Diseases, USyd in 2004.
- Postdoctoral fellowship at Vaccine Reserach Center, NIH from 2004-2009.
- Reserach Fellow in Immunovirology & Pathogenesis Program (IVPP) at the Kirby Institute, UNSW from 2009-current.
Publications
Journal articles
Wang TT; Hirons A; Doerflinger M; Morris KV; Ledger S; Purcell DFJ; Kelleher AD; Ahlenstiel CL, 2024, 'Current State of Therapeutics for HTLV-1', Viruses, 16, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v16101616
2024
Kitawi R; Ledger S; Kelleher AD; Ahlenstiel CL, 2024, 'Advances in HIV Gene Therapy', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052771
2024
Bowden-Reid E; Ledger S; Zhang Y; Di Giallonardo F; Aggarwal A; Stella AO; Akerman A; Milogiannakis V; Walker G; Rawlinson W; Turville S; Kelleher AD; Ahlenstiel C, 2023, 'Novel siRNA therapeutics demonstrate multi-variant efficacy against SARS-CoV-2', Antiviral Research, 217, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105677
2023
Afrasiabi A; Ahlenstiel C; Swaminathan S; Parnell GP, 2023, 'The interaction between Epstein–Barr virus and multiple sclerosis genetic risk loci: insights into disease pathogenesis and therapeutic opportunities', Clinical and Translational Immunology, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cti2.1454
2023
Speck P; Mackenzie J; Bull RA; Slobedman B; Drummer H; Fraser J; Herrero L; Helbig K; Londrigan S; Moseley G; Prow N; Hansman G; Edwards R; Ahlenstiel C; Abendroth A; Tscharke D; Hobson-Peters J; Kriiger-Loterio R; Parry R; Marsh G; Harding E; Jacques DA; Gartner MJ; Lee WS; McAuley J; Vaz P; Sainsbury F; Tate MD; Sinclair J; Imrie A; Rawlinson S; Harman A; Carr JM; Monson EA; Hibma M; Mahony TJ; Tu T; Center RJ; Shrestha LB; Hall R; Warner M; Ward V; Anderson DE; Eyre NS; Netzler NE; Peel AJ; Revill P; Beard M; Legione AR; Spencer AJ; Idris A; Forwood J; Sarker S; Purcell DFJ; Bartlett N; Deerain JM; Brew BJ; Asgari S; Farrell H; Khromykh A; Tuipulotu DE; Anderson D; Mese S; Tayyar Y; Edenborough K; Uddin JM; Hussain A; Daymond CJI; Agius J; Johnson KN; Shirmast P; Abedinzadeshahri M; MacDiarmid R; Ashley CL; Laws J; Furfaro LL; Burton TD; Johnson SMR; Telikani Z; Petrone M; Roby JA; Samer C; Suhrbier A; Van Der Kamp A; Cunningham A; Donato C; Mahar J; Black WD; Vasudevan S; Lenchine R; Spann K; Rawle DJ; Rudd P; Neil J; Kingston R; Newsome TP; Kim KW; Mak J; Lowry K; Bryant N, 2023, 'Statement in Support of: “Virology under the Microscope-a Call for Rational Discourse”', Journal of Virology, 97, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00451-23
2023
Speck P; MacKenzie J; Bull RA; Slobedman B; Drummer H; Fraser J; Herrero L; Helbig K; Londrigan S; Moseley G; Prow N; Hansman G; Edwards R; Ahlenstiel C; Abendroth A; Tscharke D; Hobson-Peter J; Kriiger-Loteri R; Parry R; Marsh G; Harding E; Jacques DA; Gartner MJ; Lee WS; McAuley J; Vaz P; Sainsbury F; Tate MD; Sinclair J; Imrie A; Rawlinson S; Harman A; Carr JM; Monson EA; Hibma M; Mahony TJ; Tu T; Center RJ; Shrestha LB; Hall R; Warner M; Ward V; Anderson DE; Eyre NS; Netzler NE; Peel AJ; Revill P; Beard M; Legione AR; Spencer AJ; Idris A; Forwood J; Sarker S; Purcell DFJ; Bartlett N; Deerain JM; Brew BJ; Asgari S; Farrell H; Khromykh A; Tuipulotu DE; Anderson D; Mese S; Tayyar Y; Edenborough K; Uddin JM; Hussain A; Daymond CJI; Agius J; Johnson KN; Shirmast P; Abedinzadeshahri M; MacDiarmid R; Ashley CL; Laws J; Furfaro LL; Burton TD; Johnson SMR; Telikani Z; Petrone M; Roby JA; Samer C; Suhrbier A; Van Der Kamp A; Cunningham A; Donato C; Mahar J; Black WD; Vasudevan S; Lenchine R; Spann K; Rawle DJ; Rudd P; Neil J; Kingston R; Newsome TP; Kim KW; Mak J; Lowry K; Bryant N, 2023, 'Statement in Support of: "Virology under the Microscope - a Call for Rational Discourse"', mSphere, 8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/msphere.00165-23
2023
Speck P; Mackenzie J; Bull RA; Slobedman B; Drummer H; Fraser J; Herrero L; Helbig K; Londrigan S; Moseley G; Prow N; Hansman G; Edwards R; Ahlenstiel C; Abendroth A; Tscharke D; Hobson-Peters J; Kriiger-Loterio R; Parry R; Marsh G; Harding E; Jacques DA; Gartner MJ; Lee WS; McAuley J; Vaz P; Sainsbury F; Tate MD; Sinclair J; Imrie A; Rawlinson S; Harman A; Carr JM; Monson EA; Hibma M; Mahony TJ; Tu T; Center RJ; Shrestha LB; Hall R; Warner M; Ward V; Anderson DE; Eyre NS; Netzler NE; Peel AJ; Revill P; Beard M; Legione AR; Spencer AJ; Idris A; Forwood J; Sarker S; Purcell DFJ; Bartlett N; Deerain JM; Brew BJ; Asgari S; Farrell H; Khromykh A; Tuipulotu DE; Anderson D; Mese S; Tayyar Y; Edenborough K; Uddin JM; Hussain A; Daymond CJI; Agius J; Johnson KN; Shirmast P; Abedinzadeshahri M; MacDiarmid R; Ashley CL; Laws J; Furfaro LL; Burton TD; Johnson SMR; Telikani Z; Petrone M; Roby JA; Samer C; Suhrbier A; Van Der Kamp A; Cunningham A; Donato C; Mahar J; Black WD; Vasudevan S; Lenchine R; Spann K; Rawle DJ; Rudd P; Neil J; Kingston R; Newsome TP; Kim KW; Mak J; Lowry K; Bryant N, 2023, 'Statement in Support of: “Virology under the Microscope—a Call for Rational Discourse”', mBio, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/mbio.00815-23
2023
Hewavisenti RV; Arena J; Ahlenstiel CL; Sasson SC, 2023, 'Human papillomavirus in the setting of immunodeficiency: Pathogenesis and the emergence of next-generation therapies to reduce the high associated cancer risk', Frontiers in Immunology, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1112513
2023
Zhang Y; Almazi JG; Ong HX; Johansen MD; Ledger S; Traini D; Hansbro PM; Kelleher AD; Ahlenstiel CL, 2022, 'Nanoparticle Delivery Platforms for RNAi Therapeutics Targeting COVID-19 Disease in the Respiratory Tract', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms23052408
2022
Agbosu EE; Ledger S; Kelleher AD; Wen J; Ahlenstiel CL, 2022, 'Targeted Nanocarrier Delivery of RNA Therapeutics to Control HIV Infection', Pharmaceutics, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14071352
2022
Amodio A; Cassani M; Mummolo L; Cortez-Jugo C; Bhangu SK; Symons J; Ahlenstiel CL; Forte G; Ricci F; Kelleher AD; Lewin SR; Cavalieri F; Caruso F, 2022, 'Nanoscale probing and imaging of HIV-1 RNA in cells with a chimeric LNA-DNA sensor', Nanoscale, 14, pp. 3049 - 3061, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d1nr08418f
2022
Ahlenstiel CL; Symonds G; Kent SJ; Kelleher AD, 2020, 'Block and Lock HIV Cure Strategies to Control the Latent Reservoir', Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2020.00424
2020
Kelleher AD; Cortez-Jugo C; Cavalieri F; Qu Y; Glanville AR; Caruso F; Symonds G; Ahlenstiel CL, 2020, 'RNAi therapeutics: an antiviral strategy for human infections', Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 54, pp. 121 - 129, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.coph.2020.09.011
2020
Read SA; Obeid S; Ahlenstiel C; Ahlenstiel G, 2019, 'The Role of Zinc in Antiviral Immunity', Advances in Nutrition, 10, pp. 696 - 710, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmz013
2019
Ahlenstiel CL; Turville SG, 2019, 'Delivery of gene therapy to resting immune cells for an HIV cure', Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS, 14, pp. 129 - 136, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/COH.0000000000000531
2019
Méndez C; Ledger S; Petoumenos K; Ahlenstiel C; Kelleher AD, 2018, 'RNA-induced epigenetic silencing inhibits HIV-1 reactivation from latency', Retrovirology, 15, pp. 67, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12977-018-0451-0
2018
Tsukamoto T; Kariya R; Marks K; Hattori S; Ahlenstiel C; Symonds G; Okada S; Kelleher AD, 2018, 'Erratum: Transcriptional gene silencing limits CXCR4-associated depletion of bone marrow CD34R cells in HIV-1 infection (AIDS (2018) (2018) 32 (1737–1747) DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001882)', AIDS, 32, pp. 2857 - 2858, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.aids.0000547984.16868.93
2018
Tsukamoto T, 2018, 'Transcriptional gene silencing limits CXCR4-associated depletion of bone marrow CD34(+) cells in HIV-1 infection', AIDS, 32, pp. 1737 - 1747, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0000000000001882
2018
Read SA; O'Connor KS; Suppiah V; Ahlenstiel CLE; Obeid S; Cook KM; Cunningham A; Douglas MW; Hogg PJ; Booth D; George J; Ahlenstiel G, 2017, 'Zinc is a potent and specific inhibitor of IFN-λ3 signalling', Nature Communications, 8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15245
2017
Klemm V; Mitchell J; Cortez-Jugo C; Cavalieri F; Symonds G; Caruso F; Kelleher AD; Ahlenstiel C, 2016, 'Achieving HIV-1 control through RNA-directed gene regulation', Genes, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/genes7120119
2016
McAllery SA; Ahlenstiel CL; Suzuki K; Symonds GP; Kelleher AD; Turville SG, 2016, 'The feasibility of incorporating Vpx into lentiviral gene therapy vectors', Molecular Therapy Methods and Clinical Development, 3, pp. 16066, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mtm.2016.66
2016
Ahlenstiel CL; Suzuki K; Marks K; Symonds GP; Kelleher AD, 2015, 'Controlling HIV-1: Non-coding RNA gene therapy approaches to a functional cure', Frontiers in Immunology, 6, pp. 474, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2015.00474
2015
Suzuki K; Ahlenstiel C; Marks K; Kelleher AD, 2015, 'Promoter targeting RNAs: Unexpected contributors to the control of HIV-1 transcription', Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 4, pp. e222, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mtna.2014.67
2015
Méndez C; Ahlenstiel CL; Kelleher AD, 2015, 'Post-transcriptional gene silencing, transcriptional gene silencing and human immunodeficiency virus.', World Journal of Virology, 4, pp. 219 - 244, http://dx.doi.org/10.5501/wjv.v4.i3.219
2015
Ahlenstiel C; Mendez C; Lim STH; Marks K; Turville S; Cooper DA; Kelleher AD; Suzuki K, 2015, 'Novel RNA duplex locks HIV-1 in a latent state via chromatin-mediated transcriptional silencing', Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 4, pp. e261, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mtna.2015.31
2015
Suzuki K; Hattori S; Marks K; Ahlenstiel C; Maeda Y; Ishida T; Millington M; Boyd M; Symonds G; Cooper DA; Okada S; Kelleher AD, 2013, 'Promoter Targeting shRNA Suppresses HIV-1 Infection In vivo Through Transcriptional Gene Silencing', Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 2, pp. e137, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mtna.2013.64
2013
Swaminathan S; Suzuki K; Seddiki N; Kaplan W; Cowley MJ; Hood CL; Clancy JL; Murray DD; Mendez Ortega C; Gelgor L; Anderson B; Roth N; Cooper DA; Kelleher AD, 2012, 'Differential regulation of the Let-7 family of microRNAs in CD4+ T cells alters IL-10 expression.', Journal of Immunology, 188, pp. 6238 - 6246, http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1101196
2012
Ahlenstiel C; Lim HGW; Cooper DA; Ishida T; Kelleher AD; Suzuki K, 2012, 'Direct evidence of nuclear Argonaute distribution during transcriptional silencing links the actin cytoskeleton to nuclear RNAi machinary in human cells', Nucleic Acids Research, 40, pp. 1579 - 1595, http://nar.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/4/1579
2012
Suzuki K; Yamagishi M; Ahlenstiel C; Swaminathan S; Marks K; Murray D; McCartney EM; Beard MR; Alexander M; Purcell DFJ; Cooper DA; Watanabe T; Kelleher AD, 2011, 'Transcriptional gene silencing of HIV-1 through promoter targeted RNA is highly specific', RNA Biology, 8, pp. 1035 - 1046, http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/rnabiology/SuzukiRNA8-6.pdf
2011
Suzuki K; Ishida T; Yamagishi M; Ahlenstiel C; Swaminathan S; Marks K; Murray D; McCartney EM; Beard MR; Alexander M; Purcell DF; Cooper DA; Watanabe T; Kelleher AD, 2011, 'Transcriptional gene silencing of HIV-1 through promoter targeted RNA is highly specific.', RNA biology, 8, pp. 1035 - 1046
2011
Hood CL; Abraham J; Boyington JC; Leung K; Kwong PD; Nabel GJ, 2010, 'Biochemical and structural characterization of cathepsin L-processed Ebola virus glycoprotein: Implications for viral entry and immunogenicity', Journal of Virology, 84, pp. 2972 - 2982, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JVI.02151-09
2010
Swaminathan S; Hood CL; Suzuki K; Kelleher AD, 2010, 'RNA duplexes in transcriptional regulation', Biomolecular Concepts, 1, pp. 285 - 296, http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/bmc.2010.021
2010
Kong WP; Hood C; Yang ZY; Wei CJ; Xu L; García-Sastre A; Tumpey TM; Nabel GJ, 2006, 'Protective immunity to lethal challenge of the 1918 pandemic influenza virus by vaccination', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103, pp. 15987 - 15991, http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0607564103
2006
Hood C; Cunningham AL; Slobedman B; Arvin AM; Sommer MH; Kinchington PR; Abendroth A, 2006, 'Varicella-Zoster virus ORF63 inhibits apoptosis of primary human neurons', Journal of Virology, 80, pp. 1025 - 1031, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JVI.80.2.1025-1031.2006
2006
Hood C; Cunningham AL; Slobedman B; Boadle RA; Abendroth A, 2003, 'Varicella-Zoster Virus-Infected Human Sensory Neurons Are Resistant to Apoptosis, yet Human Foreskin Fibroblasts Are Susceptible: Evidence for a Cell-Type-Specific Apoptotic Response', Journal of Virology, 77, pp. 12852 - 12864, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JVI.77.23.12852-12864.2003
2003
Conference Abstracts
Czuba-Wojnilowicz E; Klemm V; Cortez-Jugo C; Turville S; Aggarwal A; Caruso F; Kelleher AD; Ahlenstiel CL, 2023, 'Layer-by-Layer Particles Deliver Epigenetic Silencing siRNA to HIV-1 Latent Reservoir Cell Types', in Molecular Pharmaceutics, Vol. 20, pp. 2039 - 2052, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c01030
2023
Ahlenstiel C; Klemm V; Ledger S; Allison C; Symonds G; Pellegrini M; Kelleher A, 2021, 'RNA-directed gene therapy protects CD4+T cells during HIV challenge and delays virus rebound post-ART in humanized mice', in JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY, JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD, Vol. 24, pp. 10 - 10, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000713652900022&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
2021
Klemm V; Czuba-Wojnilowicz EI; Cortez-Jugo C; Turville SG; Caruso F; Kelleher AD; Ahlenstiel CL, 2020, 'Delivering Epigenetic Silencing Sirna to the Nucleus of Hiv-1 Infected Primary Activated Cd4+T-Cells via Nanoparticle System', in MOLECULAR THERAPY, CELL PRESS, ELECTR NETWORK, Vol. 28, pp. 468 - 469, presented at 23rd Annual Meeting of the American-Society-for-Gene-and-Cell-Therapy, ELECTR NETWORK, 12 May 2020 - 15 May 2020, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000530089302176&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
2020
Suzuki K; Ahlenstiel C; Marks K; Cooper DA; Kelleher A, 2015, 'RNA TARGETING PROMOTER REGION INHIBITS ACTIVATION OF LATENTLY INFECTED HIV-1', in JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Univ Melbourne, Univ Coll, Parkville, Vol. 17, pp. 185 - 185, presented at 9th Biennial Meeting of the Australasian-Gene-and-Cell-Therapy-Society (AGCTS), AUSTRALIA, Univ Melbourne, Univ Coll, Parkville, 29 April 2015 - 01 May 2015, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000362592700020&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
2015
Conference Papers
Ahlenstiel C; Ledger S; Allison C; Klemm V; Symonds G; Pellegrini M; Kelleher AD, 2020, 'RNA-DIRECTED EPIGENETIC SILENCING PROTECTS HUMANISED MICE DURING HIV CHALLENGE', in SEXUAL HEALTH, CSIRO PUBLISHING, pp. XXVII - XXVII, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000598625300036&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
2020
Suzuki K; Swaminathan S; Hood C; Cooper DA; Watanebe T; Kelleher AD, 2011, 'SEQUENCE SPECIFIC INDUCTION OF HIV-1 TRANSCRIPTIONAL GENE SILENCING TARGETING NF-kappa B SEQUENCES BY SIRNA WITHOUT ANY OFF-TARGET EFFECTS OF OTHER NF-kappa B DRIVEN GENES', in JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Univ Melbourne, Bio21 Inst, Parkville, pp. 425 - 425, presented at 7th Biennial Meeting of the Australasian-Gene-Therapy-Society, AUSTRALIA, Univ Melbourne, Bio21 Inst, Parkville, 04 May 2011 - 06 May 2011, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000297950900031&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
2011
Patents
Kelleher A; Ahlenstiel C; Symonds G; Suzuki K, 2020, Gene therapeutic for the treatment of HIV and uses thereof, Patent No. Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Italy patent no. 3294895, https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?II=0&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=20180321&CC=EP&NR=3294895A1&KC=A1
2020
Book Chapters
Ognenovska K; Klemm V; Ledger S; Turville S; Symonds G; Kelleher A; Ahlenstiel CL, 2018, 'Mechanisms for Controlling HIV-1 infection: a Gene Therapy Approach', in In Vivo and Ex Vivo Gene Therapy for Inherited and Non-Inherited Disorders, http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72962
2018
Preprints
Wong AKH; Mathivanan V; Di Giallonardo F; Ahlenstiel C; Turville SG, A Molecular Basis for the Increased Transmission of Ebolavirus in Recent Outbreaks, http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3507710
Grants
NHMRC Project Grant APP1128012.
Research activities
Investigates the components and mechanisms involved in RNA-directed transcriptional gene silencing, specifically short interfering RNA (siRNA) and short hairpin RNA (shRNA), to control SIV & HIV-1 virus replication.
Current projects in the lab involve;
- Live cell imaging techniques to capture in real time siRNA being trafficked into the nucleus of cells infected with HIV-1.
- Live cell imaging techniques to define the role of F-actin during transcriptioal gene silencing of HIV-1.
-Characterisation of transcriptional gene silencing in HIV-1 infected cells of CNS origin.
-In vivo experiments using a humanised mouse model of HIV-1 to confirm the protective effect of specific shRNA targeting HIV-1.
-Investigating the use of nanoparticles to deliver si/shRNA targeting HIV-1 in various cell types relevant to the HIV-1 latent reservoir.
Teaching & Supervision
Honours, Masters and PhD students.
Area of Expertise
HIV-1, gene therapy approaches