Nancy is an immunologist and bacteriologist with expertise in bacterial pathogenesis, vaccinology and T cell-mediated immunity. Her recent research highlight includes the discovery of a novel collection of T cell antigens in typhoid fever, with translational potential for better prevention, detection and management of the disease.

Nancy completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne with Dr Tom Brodnicki and Dr Odilia Wijburg in 2013. She spent her postdoc years under the mentorship of Prof Dick Strugnell at the University of Melbourne/Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, during which time she developed an interest in understanding the mechanism of cellular immunity that confers protection against clinically significant bacterial pathogens, especially Salmonella. Between 2016-2019, Nancy spent extended periods visiting and working with international collaborators at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine and the Oxford Vaccine Group and the University of Oxford, and the LIMES Institute at the University of Bonn. Her research programs have been funded by the Australian Research Council, and various UoM initiatives including commercialisation.

In August 2024, Nancy has been named the inaugural Ruth Bishop Research Fellow at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI). She now leads a research team investigating disease mechanisms of typhoid fever and other salmonellosis, with the hope to improve future vaccine design, surveillance and diagnostics.