Reena Ghildyal is currently Research Leader of the Biomedical Research Cluster within Faculty of Science and Technology. The research focus of the Cluster is to understand the basic mechanistic drivers of chronic inflammatory disease in order to develop novel therapeutics. Previous positions held by Reena include Head of School, Science and Deputy Director Health Research Institute.

Reena obtained her PhD in Life Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India; a premier Indian research university. This was followed by postdoctoral fellowships at the State Department of Agriculture, and Macfarlane Burnet Institute in Melbourne, Australia. 

In 2004 Reena was invited to establish a respiratory virology research group as part of a new Chinese Government initiative within Fudan University, Shanghai. On her return to Australia in 2007, she has continued her association with Fudan University and has been instrumental in establishing several bilateral research collaborations between Chinese and Australian scientists.

Reena moved to University of Canberra in 2010 where she is currently Professor in Microbiology and Director, Centre for Research in Therapeutic Solutions.

The focus of Reena's research is molecular pathogenesis of respiratory viruses with special reference to asthma exacerbations. Current projects include the validation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidates in vitro and in vivo; elucidating the role of cytoskeleton in RSV assembly, investigating the role of rhinovirus (HRV) proteases in disease.

Reena collaborates with research groups within Australia (Monash University, University of Queensland) and Internationally (University of South Florida, University of Georgia, Imperial College, Fudan University) and her research is funded by National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia-China Science Research Fund and Australia-India Science and Technology Research Fund.

Research interests

• Molecular pathogenesis of respiratory viruses
• Molecular basis of asthma
• Respiratory virus assembly