Simone Richardson
Appointment
CIFAR Global Scholars 2026-2028
CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
About
Simone Richardson leads the Fc-Omics research team, which investigates how antibody Fc effector functions contribute to vaccine-mediated protection against infectious diseases. While much of vaccine research focuses on whether antibodies can neutralise a pathogen, Richardson’s work explores the broader functional capacity of antibodies, specifically how the Fc region recruits and activates immune effector cells to eliminate infected cells and clear infection. Using cutting-edge systems serology approaches, the team profiles the full landscape of antibody features to identify the immune signatures that predict protection. Richardson’s team applies this work across diseases that disproportionately burden African populations, including HIV, congenital cytomegalovirus, RSV, Klebsiella and COVID-19. Ultimately, Richardson aims to translate these insights into rational vaccine design strategies that drive more effective and durable immune responses.
Awards
- Silver Merit award, South African Medical Research Council, 2026
- P-rating awarded to young researchers (under 35) who demonstrate exceptional potential to become future international leaders in their fields, National Research Foundation, 2025
- Meiring Naudé Medal in recognition of Outstanding Early Career Contributions to Science, Royal Society of South Africa (2025)
- Matilde Krim Fellowship for Biomedical Research, Foundation for Aids Research (amfAR) (2024)
- Best Research prize, Faculty of Health Sciences University of the Witwatersrand (2023)
Relevant Publications
- Richardson SI, Madzorera VS, Spencer H, Manamela NP, van der Mescht M, Lambson B, Oosthuysen B, Ayres F, Molaudzi Z, Moyo-Gwete T, Mzindle N, Motlou T, Mendes A, Tegally H, Venter M, de Oliveira T, Ueckermann V, Rossouw TM, Boswell MT, Moore. PL. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 Omicron triggers cross-reactive neutralization and Fc effector functions in previously vaccinated, but not unvaccinated, individuals. Cell Host and Microbe, 30(6):880-886.e4
- Motsoeneng BM, Dhar N, Nunes MC, Krammer F, Madhi SA, Moore PL, Richardson SI. (2024). Hemagglutinin stalk-specific Fc-mediated functions are associated with protection against influenza-illness after seasonal influenza vaccination in pregnant women. J Infect Dis. May 14:jiae241. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiae241
- Richardson SI, Chung AW, Natarajan H, Mabvakure B, Mkhize NN, Garrett N, Abdool Karim S, Moore PL, Ackerman ME, Alter G, Morris L. (2018). HIV-specific Fc effector function early in infection predicts the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies. PLoS Pathog. Apr 9;14(4):e1006987. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006987.