A/Prof Payne is a highly experienced perinatal molecular microbiologist. He was awarded his PhD from the University of Queensland in 2007 and was admitted to the Australian Society for Microbiology as a Fellow (FASM) in 2015, formally recognising his expertise in perinatal microbiology. He is a Principal Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia, where he leads the Clinical Perinatal Research Laboratories within the Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

A/Prof Payne’s work focuses on the role of microbes in negative pregnancy outcomes, as well their role in early life health and disease among infants. He is particularly interested in the development of new diagnostic methods based on microbial biomarkers, coupled with appropriate use of antimicrobials and probiotics to reduce the burden of disease. 

To date, A/Prof. Payne has been awarded over $12 million AUD in peer-reviewed, competitive grant funding as a chief investigator, including NHMRC, FHRI and Wellcome Trust grants. Most recently, he was awarded a Stan Perron People Fellowship that will allow him to continue and expand upon his current research program over the next five years. 

A/Prof. Payne is actively involved in the local and national scientific community: He has been chair of the West Coast Microbiome Network since 2021, is the Obstetrics and Gynaecology representative on the UWA Medical School Research Committee and has held a position on NHMRC Ideas Grant Review Panels every year since 2022.

Prediction and prevention of preterm birth using vaginal microbiology

My major research program focuses on ways to predict preterm birth using microbial biomarkers and subsequent ways to prevent this using antimicrobial treatments. Key components of this program include a large NHMRC-funded randomised clinical trial (CIC - The Preterm Birth Prevention Study) that was completed in late 2024; a Future Health Research Innovation (FHRI) Innovation Seed Fund (CIA) project examining mucosal inflammation and host and microbial protein signatures in mid-pregnancy vaginal swabs from preterm and term pregnancies (PhD candidate, Miss Jenna Wilson); an NHMRC-funded First Nations vaginal microbial biomarker pregnancy cohort study (CIA) currently recruiting in Geraldton, Darwin, Katherine and Gove; a first-of-its-kind study called ‘It Takes Two to Tango”, which will examine the potential role of the male partner genital microbiome in preterm birth; and a study examining heat exposure during pregnancy, its impact on the vaginal microbiome, and preterm birth (The Extreme Heat and Pregnancy Complications [EHPC] Study).

Research team:

Preterm Birth Prevention Study - Professor John Newnham (UWA), Professor Jeff Keelan (UWA), Professor Dorota Doherty (UWA), Dr Michael Gannon (SJOG), Dr Sangeeta Malla-Bhat (EMHS), Dr Jega Rao (NMHS), Mrs Narisha Pendal (UWA), Mrs Melanie Mosey (UWA), Mrs Liz Nathan (UWA), Miss Danika Hope (UWA), Mr James Humphries (UWA).

Vaginal mucosal inflammation and protein signatures in term and preterm pregnancies - Professor John Newnham (UWA), Professor Jeff Keelan (UWA), Professor Dorota Doherty (UWA), Miss Danika Hope (UWA), Dr Lindi Masson (Burnet), Miss Jenna Wilson (PhD candidate, Burnet/UoM).

Prediction of preterm birth in First Nations women using vaginal microbiology – Dr Kiarna Brown (Menzies), Dr Holger Unger (Menzies), Dr Jane Thorn (NT Health), Mrs Jess Murray (Menzies), Mrs Marisa Smiler-Cairns (Menzies), Mrs Jessie Armstrong (Menzies), Dr Aggie Kujawa (NT Health), Mrs Kirsty Kirkby (NT Health), Mrs Marjorie Middleton (NT Health), Mrs Maggie Peel (GRAMS), Mrs Rhonda Bradley (GRAMS), Mrs Sarah Haskell (GRAMS), Dr Martin Lee (UWA), Miss Siri Anderson (Medical Student, UWA), Miss Danika Hope (UWA).

It Takes Two to Tango Study – Mrs Narisha Pendal (UWA), Miss Danika Hope (UWA).

Extreme Heat and Pregnancy Complications Study – A/Prof. Caitlyn Wyrwoll (UWA), A/Prof. Scott White (UWA), Professor Silvana Gaudieri (UWA), Dr Holger Unger (Menzies), Mrs Narisha Pendal (UWA), Miss Danika Hope (UWA).

Rapid diagnostic methods for early detection of sepsis

Outside of the preterm birth space, my research focuses heavily on new ways to rapidly diagnose bacterial sepsis in infants and adults. Key components of this research include an NHMRC-funded cohort study called the ONE project (CIB), which aims to develop novel molecular sepsis diagnostics; a sub-study within ONE focusing on the prevalence of polymicrobial sepsis in Western Australia and the associated diagnostic challenges (PhD candidate, Miss Mariam Doualeh); and a FHRI Innovation Seed Fund (CIA) project which aims to improve the commercial utility of the molecular diagnostic method developed as part of ONE.

Research team:

The ONE Project Study – Professor Andrew Currie (Murdoch), Dr Ed Litton (SMHS/UWA), Dr Ed Raby (Pathwest), Professor Tobias Strunk (CAHS/UWA), Dr Chris Mullally (The Kids Institute/Murdoch), Mrs Eva Mowe (Murdoch), Mrs Jenny Mountain (The Kids Institute).

Polymicrobial sepsis in Western Australia - Professor Andrew Currie (Murdoch), Miss Mariam Doualeh (PhD candidate, Murdoch), Dr Ed Litton (SMHS/UWA), Dr Ed Raby (Pathwest), Professor Tobias Strunk (CAHS/UWA), Dr Chris Mullally (The Kids Institute/Murdoch).

Commercialisation of a rapid molecular diagnostic for early detection of sepsis - Professor Andrew Currie (Murdoch), Dr Ed Litton (SMHS/UWA), Dr Ed Raby (Pathwest), Professor Tobias Strunk (CAHS/UWA), Dr Chris Mullally (The Kids Institute/Murdoch), Dr Soraya Leedham (UWA).

Broader womens’ and perinatal health research

In additional to my preterm birth and sepsis research, I currently lead additional projects investigating the impact of reproductive hormones, the menstrual cycle and lifestyle factors on the vaginal microbiome (The MICYCLE Study - PhD candidate, Miss Kristina Magoutas); the impact of the maternal microbiome and perinatal and early life exposures on development of the infant gut microbiome (The Infant Gut Study); the potential role of bacteria in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (PhD candidate, Mrs Melanie Andrew); and in the fertility space I have recently embarked on a phase two clinical trial called the RESETTER Study that will examine whether combined male and female treatment for the presence of specific Genital Mycoplasmas can resolve unexplained infertility. I am also involved in research into the role of the human milk microbiome in early life health via strong collaborations with Professor Donna Geddes human lactation group.

Research team:

The MICYCLE Study – Miss Kristina Magoutas (PhD candidate, UWA), A/Prof. Demelza Ireland (UWA), Dr Samantha Dawson (Deakin), Professor Felica Jacka (Deakin)

The Infant Gut Study – Dr Sangeeta Malla-Bhat (EMHS), Dr Lisa Stinson (UWA), Mrs Melanie Mosey (UWA), Miss Danika Hope (UWA)

Microbial and immunological biomarkers of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – Mrs Melanie Andrew (PhD candidate, UWA), A/Prof. Demelza Ireland (UWA), Professor Mark Nicol (UWA), Dr Jodi White (Pathwest), Dr Adrian Charles (CAHS), Mrs Sharon O’ Brien (CAHS), Professor Andrew Currie (Murdoch), Dr Archita Mishra (University of Sydney)

The RESETTER Study – Professor Roger Hart (UWA/City Fertility), Dr Melanie Walls (UWA/Concept Fertility), Miss Kristina Magoutas (UWA), Mrs Catherine Slogrove (Amelia Bio), Dr Nada Millen (Amelia Bio)

1. Preterm Birth Prevention Study clinical trial: A randomised clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of using a new microbial DNA diagnostic test called the GLU test to predict which women are at high risk of preterm birth, and subsequently treating these women with a specific antibiotic and probiotic treatment regimen to try and prevent preterm birth.
2. Prediction of preterm birth using metaproteomics: A sub-study within the Preterm Birth Prevention Study that is using untargeted metaproteomics to identify unique host and microbial protein signatures in vaginal samples from women who delivered preterm infants to identify biomarkers for predicting preterm birth risk as well as providing insight into the mechanisms that cause preterm birth.
3. Prediction of preterm birth in First Nations women: A cohort study involving the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (Geraldton), Menzies School of Health Research (Darwin), Gove District Hospital (Gove), Miwatj Aboriginal Health Corporation (East Arnhem Land), Danila Dilba Health Service (Darwin) and Katherine District Hospital (Katherine) to assess the role of the vaginal microbiome in preterm birth among First Nations women and identify suitable biomarkers for risk prediction.
4. Prediction of preterm birth prior to conception – The PREDICTOR Study: A cohort study involving women currently trying to become pregnant, to assess the relationship between reproductive hormone levels and the vaginal microbiome throughout the menstrual cycle, and whether it is possible to identify specific vaginal microbial biomarkers at the time of conception that are predictive of subsequent preterm birth risk.
5. It takes two to tango - A study examining the potential role of the male partner genital tract microbiome in preterm birth. 
6. The ONE Study - A project aiming to develop new rapid molecular diagnostics for early detection of adult and neonatal sepsis.
7. The vaginal microbiome and the menstrual cycle – The MICYCLE Study: A cohort study involving reproductive aged women, not using hormonal contraception to understand the relationship between reproductive hormones and the vaginal microbiome during the menstrual cycle and the interplay between these and lifestyle factors including diet, stress, mood, exercise and sex. PhD project.
8. The Infant Gut Study: A cohort study that is assessing the extent to which the mother contributes to the development of the infant microbiome during the first two years of life and the impact of external factors such as breastfeeding and antibiotic use.    
9. The Extreme Heat and Pregnancy Complications Study: A cohort study assessing the impact of environmental heat exposure during pregnancy on the vaginal microbiome and negative pregnancy outcomes, specifically preterm birth.
10. The role of body position on respiratory bacterial load: Potential implications for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – A study documenting the impact of sleep position on nasal bacterial load in adults (as a proxy for children) while in health and while impacted by a respiratory viral illness.
11. Uncovering the microbial and immunological origins of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Towards the development of predictive biomarkers: A study that is documenting the potential role of the respiratory and gut microbiomes and the host immunological response in SIDS. PhD project.
12. Vaginal hygiene practices and how they impact the vaginal microbiome – The INTIMATE Study: A cohort study documenting the relationship between common vaginal hygiene practices among reproductive aged women and the vaginal microbiome.
13. The RESETTER Study: A clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of treating asymptomatic infections caused by genital Mycoplasmas in couples diagnosed with unexplained infertility.
14. The seminal microbiome: A cohort study documenting the seminal microbiome in men undergoing fertility assessment and assessing relationships between this and diet on semen parameters.
15. Rapid detection of sepsis: A study aimed at commercialising a new combined rapid culture and molecular assay for early detection of sepsis using novel qPCR technology.