Dr Messina is a Team Leader in the MCRI Infectious Diseases research group where she currently leads the immunology research program with a focus on the clinical and immunological off-target effects of vaccines. Dr Messina completed her PhD at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre investigating crosstalk in cytokine signalling pathways and the role of interferon signalling pathways in tumour immunosurveillance. Her previous research has also included investigating the role of cytokine response pathways in regulatory T cell development and function. Dr Messina co-supervises four PhD students, holds an Honorary Research Fellow appointment with the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Melbourne Children's Graduate Research Committee and MCRI animal ethics committee.