Profile
Dr Sarra Jamieson currently heads a research group within the Genetics and Health Laboratory investigating the genetic and epigenetic determinants underlying common childhood diseases. Specifically the research of her group focuses on the genetic susceptibility of children to recurrent episodes of acute otitis media (or ear infections). Dr Jamieson initiated the Family Study of Otitis Media in Western Australian Children which is currently generating a resource containing salivary DNA and environmental data from 1000 children diagnosed with OM and their parents (i.e. trios). This collection represents a unique resource within Australia that will allow investigation of susceptibility genes initially via candidate gene analysis and ultimately via a genome-wide association study. The group also has an interest in how exposures in utero (i.e. to infection and endocrine disrupting chemicals) contribute to the disruption of epigenetic modifications at important developmental genes consequently leading to disease (i.e. congenital toxoplasmosis and hypospadias respectively).  To investigate this further Dr Jamieson, in collaboration with Dr Natasha Nassar at the University of Sydney, coordinates the Understanding Hypospadias Study. This study is currently collecting blood and tissue samples from boys diagnosed with hypospadias and boys undergoing elective circumcision. Comparison of these samples will help to determine if and how epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the development of this disorder.

 

 

Publications
•    Lees MP, Fuller SJ, McLeod R, Boulter NR, Miller CM, Zakrzewski AM, Mui EJ, Witola WH, Coyne JJ, Hargrave AC, Jamieson SE, Blackwell JM, Wiley JS, and Smith NC (2009) P2X7 receptor-mediated killing of an intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, by human and murine macrophages. Journal of Immunology, submitted.
•    Jamieson SE*, Peixoto-Rangel AL*, de Roubaix LA, Hargrave AC, Boulter NR, Miller EN, Fuller SJ, Wiley JS, Mui EJ, Castellucci L, Boyer K, Guerra Peixe R, Kirisits MJ, de Souza Elias L, Coyne JJ, Correa-Oliveira R, Sautter M, Smith NC, Lees MP, Swisher CN, Heydemann P, Noble AG, Patel D, Bardo D, Burrowes D, McLone D, Roizen N, Withers S, Bahia-Oliveira LMG*, McLeod R* and Blackwell JM*  (2009) Evidence for association between purinergic receptor P2X7 (P2RX7) and congenital toxoplasmosis in North America and acquired toxoplasmosis in Brazil. Genes and Immunity, in press. * equal contributions.    
•    Peixoto-Rangel AL, Miller EN, Castellucci L, Jamieson SE, Guerra Peixe R , de Souza Elias L, Correa-Oliveira R, Blackwell JM* and Bahia-Oliveira LMG* (2009) Candidate gene analysis of ocular toxoplasmosis in Brazil: evidence for a role for toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, in press.                
•    Jiang HR, Gilchrist DS, Popoff JF, Jamieson SE, Truscott M, White JK and Blackwell JM (2009) Influence of Slc11a1 (formerly Nramp1) on DSS-induced colitis in mice. Journal of Leukocyte Biology 85(4):703-10.
•    Jamieson SE, de Roubaix LA, Cortina-Borja M, Tan HK, Mui EJ, Cordell HJ, Kirisits MJ, et al. (2008) Genetic and epigenetic factors at COL2A1 and ABCA4 influence clinical outcome in congenital toxoplasmosis. PLoS ONE 3:e2285.     
•    Jamieson SE*, Miller EN*, Peacock CS, Fakiola M, Wilson ME, Bales-Holst A, Shaw MA, Silveira F, Shaw JJ, Jeronimo SM, Blackwell JM (2007) Genome-wide scan for visceral leishmaniasis susceptibility genes in Brazil. Genes and Immunity 8:84-90 (* equal contribution).
•    Jeronimo SM, Holst AK, Jamieson SE, Francis R, Martins DR, Bezerra FL, Ettinger NA, Nascimento ET, Monteiro GR, Lacerda HG, Miller EN, Cordell HJ, Duggal P, Beaty TH, Blackwell JM, Wilson ME (2007) Genes at human chromosome 5q31.1 regulate delayed-type hypersensitivity responses associated with Leishmania chagasi infection. Genes and Immunity 8:539-551.                    
•    Johnson CM, Traherne JA, Jamieson SE, Tremelling M, Bingham S, Parkes M, Blackwell JM and Trowsdale J (2007) Analysis of the BTNL2 truncating splice site mutation in tuberculosis, leprosy and Crohn's disease. Tissue Antigens 69:236-241.
•    Miller EN, Fadl M, Mohamed HS, Elzein A, Jamieson SE, Cordell HJ, Peacock CS, Fakiola M, Raju M, Khalil EA, Elhassan A, Musa AM, Ibrahim ME, Blackwell JM (2007) Y chromosome lineage- and village-specific genes on chromosomes 1p22 and 6q27 control visceral leishmaniasis in Sudan. PLoS Genet 3:e71.
•    Castellucci L, Menezes E, Oliveira J, Magalhaes A, Guimaraes LH, Lessa M, Ribeiro S, Reale J, Noronha EF, Wilson ME, Duggal P, Beaty TH, Jeronimo S, Jamieson SE, Bales A, Blackwell JM, de Jesus AR, Carvalho EM (2006) IL6 -174 G/C promoter polymorphism influences susceptibility to mucosal but not localized cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. J Infect Dis 194:519-527.                
•    Wheeler E, Miller EN, Peacock CS, Donaldson IJ, Shaw MA, Jamieson SE, Blackwell JM, Cordell HJ (2006) Genome-wide scan for loci influencing quantitative immune response traits in the Belem family study: comparison of methods and summary of results. Annals of Human Genetics 70:78-97.               
•    Jamieson SE, White JK, Howson JM, Pask R, Smith AN, Brayne C, Evans JG, Xuereb J, Cairns NJ, Rubinsztein DC, Blackwell JM (2005) Candidate gene association study of solute carrier family 11a members 1 (SLC11A1) and 2 (SLC11A2) genes in Alzheimer's disease. Neuroscience Letters 374:124-128.    
•    Dubaniewicz A, Jamieson SE, Dubaniewicz-Wybieralska M, Fakiola M, Miller EN, Blackwell JM (2005) Association between SLC11A1 (formerly NRAMP1) and the risk of sarcoidosis in Poland. Eur J Hum Genet 13:829-834.                    
•    Hoal EG, Lewis LA, Jamieson SE, Tanzer F, Rossouw M, Victor T, Hillerman R, Beyers N, Blackwell JM, Van Helden PD (2004) SLC11A1 (NRAMP1) but not SLC11A2 (NRAMP2) polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis in a high-incidence community in South Africa. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 8:1464-1471.
•    Jamieson SE, Miller EN, Black GF, Peacock CS, Cordell HJ, Howson JM, Shaw MA, Burgner D, Xu W, Lins-Lainson Z, Shaw JJ, Ramos F, Silveira F, Blackwell JM (2004) Evidence for a cluster of genes on chromosome 17q11-q21 controlling susceptibility to tuberculosis and leprosy in Brazilians. Genes and Immunity 5:46-57.
•    Miller EN, Jamieson SE, Joberty C, Fakiola M, Hudson D, Peacock CS, Cordell HJ, Shaw MA, Lins-Lainson Z, Shaw JJ, Ramos F, Silveira F, Blackwell JM (2004) Genome-wide scans for leprosy and tuberculosis susceptibility genes in Brazilians. Genes and Immunity 5:63-67.
•    Chinnery PF, Johnson MA, Walls TJ, Gibson GJ, Fawcett PR, Jamieson SE, Fulthorpe JJ, Cullen M, Hudgson P, Bushby KM (2001) A novel autosomal dominant distal myopathy with early respiratory failure: clinico-pathologic characteristics and exclusion of linkage to candidate genetic loci. Annals of Neurology 49:443-452.

Review Articles
•    Jamieson SE, Cordell HJ, Petersen E, McLeod R, Gilbert RE and Blackwell JM (2009) Host genetic and epigenetic factors in toxoplasmosis. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, 104(2):162-9.
•    Blackwell JM, Fakiola M, Ibrahim ME, Jamieson SE, Jeronimo SB, Miller EN, Mishra A, Mohamed HS, Peacock CS, Raju M, Sundar S, Wilson ME (2009) Genetics and visceral leishmaniasis: of mice and man. Parasite Immunol. 31(5):254-66.
•    Blackwell JM, Jamieson SE and Burgner D (2009) HLA and infectious diseases. Clin Microbiol Rev, 22(2):370-85.
•    Burgner D, Jamieson SE, Blackwell JM (2006) Genetic susceptibility to infectious diseases: big is beautiful, but will bigger be even better? Lancet Infect Dis 6:653-663.

Book Chapters
•    Jamieson SE and Peacock CS (2007) Genomics and infectious diseases: susceptibility, resistance, response, and anti-microbial therapy. In: Genomics and Clinical Medicine (ed. Dhavendra Kumar); Oxford University Press.