Dr Daniel Laucirica
Acting Assistant Team Head, Phage Manufacturing Facility
daniel.laucirica@thekids.org.au
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-laucirica-884253166/Dr Daniel Laucirica is a translational researcher focused on developing bacteriophage therapies for drug-resistant infections. His work spans microbiology, virology, bioprocessing, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and clinical translation, with the goal of delivering safe and effective therapies for patients with limited treatment options. In Western Australia, he led the phage screening workflows that supported the state's first clinical delivery of bacteriophage therapy at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in 2024. He works as part of the Phage WA Manufacturing Facility, a collaboration between Cell & Tissue Therapies WA and The Kids Research Institute Australia, where he contributes to building local capability in advanced phage therapeutics, reducing reliance on interstate manufacturing, and supporting future clinical trials and translational research.
Daniel completed his PhD investigating host-microbe interactions in the airways of children with cystic fibrosis (CF). His research demonstrated that specific bacterial species drive airway inflammation and lung damage. He has expanded this work to examine the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of bacteriophage therapy for CF lung infections. His broader research portfolio includes studies of necrotising Streptococcus pyogenes infection, rotavirus host-glycan interactions, and rotavirus vaccine effectiveness in children. He published one of the first studies demonstrating that human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) reduce infectivity of human rotavirus, informing the development of HMO-supplemented infant formula. Through his research, Daniel advances the translation of innovative therapies from the laboratory to clinical practice.