Rate My Professor Warren McBurney

Dr Warren McBurney is a Professional Practice Fellow and Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology within the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Otago. He holds a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc), Master of Science (MSc), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), all from the University of Otago. Appointed to his current position in 2008, McBurney has established a strong teaching presence, convening MELS403 Clinical Virology and lecturing in MELS306 Medical Microbiology and MICR223 Infection and Immunity. These courses cover topics such as the spread of infectious diseases, principles of antimicrobial therapy, medical microbiology, and infection and immunity mechanisms. His expertise areas include infections and sepsis. In 2018, he received the Distinguished Teaching Fellow/Professional Practice Fellow award from the School of Biomedical Sciences in recognition of his contributions to teaching.

McBurney's research specializations focus on medical microbiology, microbial pathogenesis, and vaccine delivery systems. His work explores colloidal antigen delivery systems, immunostimulatory saponins, chitosan nanoparticles and hydrogels, lipid sustained release implants, immune stimulating complexes, biodegradable implants, and analysis of colonic microbiota. Earlier in his career at the University of Otago's School of Pharmacy, he published extensively on immunostimulatory formulations for vaccines. Key publications include Greatrex, B. W. et al. (2015) 'Synthesis, formulation, and adjuvanticity of monodesmosidic saponins with oleanolic acid, hederagenin and gypsogenin aglycones, and some C-28 ester derivatives' in ChemistryOpen; Rizwan, S. B. et al. (2013) 'Cubosomes containing the adjuvants imiquimod and monophosphoryl lipid A stimulate robust cellular and humoral immune responses' in Journal of Controlled Release; Gordon, S. et al. (2008) 'Comparison of chitosan nanoparticles and chitosan hydrogels for vaccine delivery' in Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology; and additional papers on immunostimulatory lipid implants containing Quil-A and DC-cholesterol (2008), in vivo activity of cationic immune stimulating complexes (2008), and PCR/DGGE analysis of the colonic microbiota (2006). With 407 citations across 12 publications on ResearchGate, his research has advanced understanding in immunology and pharmaceutical delivery for vaccines.