Merilyn Hibma

Merilyn Hibma is a New Zealand viral immunologist, and is a full professor at the University of Otago, specialising in immune regulation by viruses, especially human papillomavirus, the causative agent of cervical cancer.

Academic career

Hibma completed Master of Science in microbiology at Otago, followed by a PhD titled Humoral immunity in farmed deer also at Otago in 1989. Hibma completed her postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, working with Lionel Crawford at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund laboratory. Hibma was awarded a Health Research Council Repatriation Fellowship, which allowed her to return to take up a faculty position in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Otago. '''

Hibma's research focuses on immune regulation by viruses, and she has a particular interest in human papillomavirus, the causative agent of cervical cancer. Hibma works on understanding the biology of human papillomavirus, as well as the development of new immunotherapeutics.

Selected works