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Dr Clara Young

Conjoint Lecturer
Medicine & Health
School of Clinical Medicine

Dr. Clara Young is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. A former UNSW Scientia PhD Scholar, Clara completed her doctoral research under the supervision of Prof. Robert Brink, Prof. Chris Goodnow and Dr. Daniel Suan. Her thesis, which investigated B cell dysregulation in mouse models and humans with virus-induced autoimmune disease, was recognised with both the Garvan Institute Award for Best Thesis and the UNSW Dean’s Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis (2022).

Building on this foundation, her current work focuses on advancing B cell biology through novel in vitro assays designed to probe low-affinity interactions. She is also developing innovative methods to identify autoantigen-specific B cells and plasma cells in the blood and tissues of patients living with autoimmune disease.

Students passionate about studying how B cells function are encouraged to reach out to c.young@garvan.org.au to explore available Honours projects.

 
E-mail
c.young@garvan.org.au
Location
Garvan Institute of Medical Research 384 Victoria Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Young C; Singh M; Jackson KJL; Field MA; Peters TJ; Angioletti-Uberti S; Frenkel D; Ravishankar S; Gupta M; Wang JJ; Agapiou D; Faulks ML; Al-Eryani G; Luciani F; Gordon TP; Reed JH; Danta M; Carr A; Kelleher AD; Dore GJ; Matthews G; Brink R; Bull RA; Suan D; Goodnow CC, 2025, 'A triad of somatic mutagenesis converges in self-reactive B cells to cause a virus-induced autoimmune disease', Immunity, 58, pp. 412 - 430.e10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2024.12.011
    Journal articles | 2022
    Young C; Lau AWY; Burnett DL, 2022, 'B cells in the balance: Offsetting self-reactivity avoidance with protection against foreign', Frontiers in Immunology, 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.951385
    Journal articles | 2021
    Sundling C; Lau AWY; Bourne K; Young C; Laurianto C; Hermes JR; Menzies RJ; Butt D; Kräutler NJ; Zahra D; Suan D; Brink R, 2021, 'Positive selection of IgG+ over IgM+ B cells in the germinal center reaction', Immunity, 54, pp. 988 - 1001.e5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2021.03.013
    Journal articles | 2021
    Young C; Brink R, 2021, 'The unique biology of germinal center B cells', Immunity, 54, pp. 1652 - 1664, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2021.07.015
    Journal articles | 2020
    Young C; Brink R, 2020, 'Germinal centers and autoantibodies', Immunology and Cell Biology, 98, pp. 480 - 489, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/imcb.12321
    Journal articles | 2018
    Moran I; Nguyen A; Khoo WH; Butt D; Bourne K; Young C; Hermes JR; Biro M; Gracie G; Ma CS; Munier CML; Luciani F; Zaunders J; Parker A; Kelleher AD; Tangye SG; Croucher PI; Brink R; Read MN; Phan TG, 2018, 'Memory B cells are reactivated in subcapsular proliferative foci of lymph nodes', Nature Communications, 9, pp. 3372, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05772-7
    Journal articles | 2017
    Suan D; Kräutler NJ; Maag JLV; Butt D; Bourne K; Hermes JR; Avery DT; Young C; Statham A; Elliott M; Dinger ME; Basten A; Tangye SG; Brink R, 2017, 'CCR6 Defines Memory B Cell Precursors in Mouse and Human Germinal Centers, Revealing Light-Zone Location and Predominant Low Antigen Affinity', Immunity, 47, pp. 1142 - 1153.e4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2017.11.022
    Journal articles | 2016
    Sabouri Z; Perotti S; Spierings E; Humburg P; Yabas M; Bergmann H; Horikawa K; Roots C; Lambe S; Young C; Andrews TD; Field M; Enders A; Reed JH; Goodnow CC, 2016, 'IgD attenuates the IgM-induced anergy response in transitional and mature B cells', Nature Communications, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13381
  • Preprints | 2024
    Young C; Singh M; Jackson KJL; Field MA; Peters TJ; Angioletti-Uberti S; Frenkel D; Ravishankar S; Gupta M; Wang JJ; Agapiou D; Faulks ML; Al-Eryani G; Luciani F; Gordon TP; Reed JH; Danta M; Carr A; Kelleher AD; Dore GJ; Matthews G; Brink R; Bull RA; Suan D; Goodnow CC, 2024, Self-reactive B cells traverse a perfect storm of somatic mutagenesis to cause a virus-induced autoimmune disease, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.07.574561
    Preprints | 2021
    Boast B; Helian K; Andrews D; Li X; Cho V; Closa A; Sutton H; Reed J; Bergmann H; Roots C; Yabas M; Barthel N; Omari S; Young C; Miosge L; Eyras E; Nutt S; Hein N; Hannan K; Cockburn I; Goodnow C; Enders A, 2021, Dysregulation of PAX5 causes uncommitted B cell development and tumorigenesis in mice, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.29.428877

B cell biology

Autoimmune disease

Germinal centres

Plasma cells