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Thursday May 15, 2025

Congratulations to Ailin Lepletier
2023 ASI Carer's Grant Recipient

We warmly congratulate
Ailin Lepletier
recipient of the 2023 ASI Carer's Grant

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Supporting primary carers to be able to attend ASI Branch Meetings and the ASI Annual Meeting

I am Ailin, a Research Fellow Grade 2 at the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, Griffith University. My research career has centered on understanding T cell development and function, particularly focusing on novel strategies to identify and target dysfunctional T cell responses during aging, cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmunity. With eight years of active research post-PhD, I have led and supervised various research projects and secured over $5 million in funding from Griffith University, Advance Queensland, and the Leducq Foundation. My contributions to the field of immunology are reflected in 35 publications in leading journals, including 15 where I am listed as either the first or senior author.

Since 2013, I have been dedicated to advancing the field of immunology in Australia, beginning with an international scholarship from the Brazilian Research Council to conduct my PhD research at Monash University. During my time at QIMR Berghofer (2015-2020), I focused on developing strategies to enhance the response of patients with metastatic melanoma to immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors. In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I embraced new challenges by joining Prof. Michael Good’s group at Griffith University. My work focuses on translating immunological insights from human subjects and preclinical models of group A streptococcal infection and COVID-19 into novel epitope-based vaccine technologies and clinical trial designs. Shortly after starting this role, I discovered I was expecting my first child, which led me to take six months of maternity leave in 2021 and return part-time until April 2022.

Balancing a full-time academic career with primary caregiving responsibilities has been challenging. The Career Advancement Award I received in 2021 was crucial in easing some of the burdens related to childcare costs and supporting my career reintegration. In 2023, I was honoured to receive the Carer Award from ASI, which enabled me to attend my first international conference since my maternity leave. This award covered travel expenses for my son and a primary carer (my mother), allowing me to fully engage in the conference while managing my parental duties. Additionally, the trip offered a valuable opportunity for family time, including a visit to the beautiful Auckland Zoo and exposure to traditional Māori culture. I am deeply grateful to ASI for this award and the invaluable opportunities it has provided to immunology researchers during challenging times.

Author: Ailin Lepletier

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ASI