Research output per year
Research output per year
Dr, BSc James Cook, PhD Qld
The University of Western Australia (M550), 35 Stirling Highway,
6009 Perth
Australia
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)
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Furfaro, L. (Creator), Chang, B. (Creator), Kahler, C. (Creator) & Payne, M. (Creator), Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2 Oct 2019
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223256, https://pubmlst.org/sagalactiae/ and 3 more links, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223256.s001, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223256.s002, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223256.s003 (show fewer)
Dataset
Payne, M. (Investigator 01)
Stan Perron Charitable Foundation
1/01/25 → 1/01/30
Project: Research
Payne, M. (Investigator 01), Nicol, M. (Investigator 02), Currie, A. (Investigator 03), Mishra, A. (Investigator 04), Doherty, D. (Investigator 05), White, J. (Investigator 06), Ireland, D. (Investigator 07), Charles, A. (Investigator 08) & Andrew, M. (Investigator 09)
3/06/24 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
Payne, M. (Investigator 01), Currie, A. (Investigator 02), Mullally, C. (Investigator 03), Raby, E. (Investigator 04), Strunk, T. (Investigator 05), Litton, E. (Investigator 06) & Mokany, E. (Investigator 07)
Department of Health (Western Australia)
1/06/24 → 10/12/26
Project: Research
Payne, M. (Investigator 01), Andrew, M. (Investigator 02) & Ireland, D. (Investigator 03)
1/02/24 → 1/02/28
Project: Research
Wyrwoll, C. (Investigator 01), Mathew, S. (Investigator 02), Kelty, E. (Investigator 03), Mengersen, K. (Investigator 04), Pillow, J. (Investigator 05), Payne, M. (Investigator 06), Phillips, C. (Investigator 07), Kearney, M. (Investigator 08), Matthews, V. (Investigator 09), Farrant, B. (Investigator 10), Maloney, S. (Investigator 11), Unger, H. (Investigator 12), White, S. (Investigator 13), Gaudieri, S. (Investigator 14), Larcombe, A. (Investigator 15), Gorman, S. (Investigator 16), Le Souef, P. (Investigator 17) & Shepherd, C. (Investigator 18)
1/02/24 → 31/01/29
Project: Research