Where are they now? Dr Jessica Metcalfe

Published

Monday, December 15, 2025 - 9:00 AM

What begins in a laboratory doesn’t always stay there. For Dr Jessica Metcalfe – one of the first CFAR PhD Scholarship recipients in 2013 – the path from fundamental research to patient care has been both unexpected and deeply rewarding.

Dr Metcalfe’s PhD, under Professor Susan Prescott at The University of Western Australia, investigated a critical question in allergy prevention: how do the earliest exposures to allergens shape whether infants develop egg allergy or tolerance?

Her research revealed that what mothers eat influences the allergen content of breastmilk and, crucially, how infants’ immune systems respond. She also discovered that inflammation markers specific to egg allergen can appear before babies even start eating solid foods, particularly in those with eczema. These findings helped illuminate the very early immune pathways that determine allergy outcomes.

“The CFAR Scholarship came at a really important time in my development as a researcher," she said. “It gave me the resources to strengthen my skills in study design, data analysis and scientific communication. But beyond technical skills, the scholarship provided something equally valuable: mentorship and connections to broader research networks that would shape my career trajectory.”

A different pathway

Since then, Dr Metcalfe has carved out a unique space in paediatric allergy research. Rather than following a traditional academic path, she joined the Perth Children's Hospital Immunology Department under Dr Michael O'Sullivan to help build a food allergy clinical research program focused on oral immunotherapy (OIT) and emerging food allergy treatments. Her appointment is shared across The Kids Research Institute and the Child and Adolescent Health Service, creating a strong bridge between clinical care and research.

What started with just one nurse and herself has grown into a multidisciplinary, externally funded research program. Now, as Senior Research Officer, Dr Metcalfe oversees a team delivering treatment trials, establishes long-term follow-up systems, and coordinates commercial trials that give families access to cutting-edge therapies.

“I'm particularly interested in how food-allergy treatments can be delivered safely in a public setting while giving families more choice in how they manage food allergy," she said. This question sits at the heart of her current work – making emerging therapies accessible, practical, and sustainable within Australia's public healthcare system.

The most rewarding aspect?

“Seeing our work translate into better outcomes and improved quality of life for children and their families,” Dr Metcalfe said.

With 28 publications and a Google Scholar H-index of 17, Dr Metcalfe’s contributions extend well beyond her own institution. Her work exemplifies the translational impact that CFAR's training and collaborative culture aim to foster.

"The opportunities that came through CFAR opened doors I didn't even know existed at the time," she said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the support and mentorship I’ve received along the way, particularly from Professor Prescott and Dr O’Sullivan. We’re fortunate in Australia to have a collaborative research community working together through CFAR, and I’ve benefited a great deal from being part of it.”

Learn more about the CFAR PhD Scholars and their projects.