Professor Morand's is a physician-scientist whose key interests are clinical outcome measurement and biological profiling in SLE, and the actions of glucocorticoid induced proteins on the immune system.
His group has pioneered the development of treat-to-target outcome measures in SLE, via the AsiaPacific Lupus Collaboration, which has over 1800 patients under study.
Biomarker studies in SLE are also a major interest, with 000s of samples linked to longitudinal clinical data archived in the Australian Lupus Registry & Biobank, headquartered at Monash.
His lab discovered the role in rheumatic disease of multiple important glucocorticoid-regulated proteins. Most recently his group defined the role of GILZ in RA, Th17 pathways, B cell activation, and lupus, and are working on exploiting its actions to develop a safe glucocorticoid mimic. His lab also works on innate immunity including the actions of the unique pro-inflammatory protein, MIF.