Educated in Papua New Guinea and Australia, Crabb received a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Melbourne in the Department of Microbiology. In 1992, he completed his PhD in virology with Michael J. Studdert at the School of Veterinary Science also at the University of Melbourne.[2] His PhD project, which explored proteins of equine herpes, led to a diagnostic test which could distinguish horses infected by the lethal equine herpes virus-1 and the less damaging equine herpes virus-4.[3] He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Alan Cowman before starting his independent laboratory at the University of Melbourne.[2]
Scientific career
Research focus
Crabb's main research focus is on the identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention in malaria and the development of a malaria vaccine. More broadly, his interests mirror the mission of the Burnet Institute - to improve the health of poor and vulnerable communities through research, education and public health.
In 2009, Crabb and his research team identified the export protein translocon in malaria. This discovery was published in Nature and solved the mystery of how proteins with an export motif are trafficked out of the infected parasite and into the cytosol of the red blood cellhost. This finding has broad impact in biology and also has considerable importance as a major new drug target in malaria.[4]
Together with his principal collaborator Alan Cowman, Crabb is also well known for his development of molecular genetic systems in human malaria, having described the first gene knockout in the causative agent Plasmodium falciparum in a paper published in the journal Cell.[5]
Professor Crabb is a prominent and trusted public communicator on COVID-19. He has led research strategies to support responses in Melbourne and internationally; especially in the areas of diagnostic test and vaccine development, epidemiology and modelling, and through community-based approaches to improve uptake of interventions.
Although a molecular scientist by training, Crabb's interests include addressing technical and non-technical barriers to maternal, newborn and child health in the developing world. In recent years, under the banner of Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies,[10] he has established a major research field site in East New Britain in Papua New Guinea, principally to identify the underlying drivers (including malaria) of low birth weight and stunted growth in relatively calorie-rich, yet resource-poor settings.[11][12]
Under Crabb's leadership, Burnet Institute has continued to focus on improving the health of vulnerable populations through strategic, infrastructure and policy initiatives, especially embedding research as a key pillar of the institute's international development activities. In addition, during Crabb's tenure as director and CEO Burnet has:
expanded its infrastructure with the completion of the Alfred Centre Stage 2 doubling the capacity of Burnet's laboratory facilities and floor space
restructured with a programmatic focus on issues of maternal, child [15] and adolescent health, disease elimination,[16] health security,[17] and behaviours and health risks [18]
focused attention on addressing issues of gender equity, and embracing and encouraging diversity within the workplace
developed commercial activities in Australia and in China (360Biolabs [19] and Nanjing BioPoint Diagnostic Technologies) supporting the institute's long-term sustainability
Special appointments
As President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) from 2012 to October 2014,[20][21] Crabb was a leading advocate for high level policy reform and played critical roles in transformative government policy and funding initiatives, including the generation of the $20b Medical Research Future Fund.[22]
He is a Member of the PATH/Malaria Vaccine Initiative and Vaccine Science Portfolio Advisory Council (VSPAC), USA,[23] and was Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Inaugural Malaria World Congress [24] in Melbourne, Australia, in 2018. He holds honorary professorial appointments at Monash University and Melbourne University in Australia.[25] Other special appointments include:
Member, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) [26]
Chair, Molecular and cell biology, and human genetics sectional committee, Australian Academy of Science [27]
Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to medical science as a prominent researcher of infectious diseases, particularly malaria, and their impact on population health in developing nations, as an advocate, mentor and administrator, and through fostering medical research nationally and internationally, 2015 [42]
