Rafael Tubelleza
About
Rafael Tubelleza is a Data Scientist at the Queensland Spatial Biology Centre (QSBC). After completing a Master of Bioinformatics from the University of Queensland (UQ), he joined the Genome Innovation Hub (GIH) as a Computational Biologist, where he developed computational methods and analysis pipelines for complex and novel datasets across genomics, spatial transcriptomics, and proteomics.
At QSBC, Rafael analyses high-dimensional spatial biology datasets and develops computational tools, AI models, and data infrastructure to support robust and scalable biomedical analysis. He is focused on applying machine learning, deep learning, and explainable AI within healthcare, with an emphasis on scalable and reproducible systems using modern MLOps practices. His interests also include emerging agentic AI approaches for complex analytical and decision-support workflows in clinical and translational research.
Qualifications
Master of Bioinformatics, University of Queensland
Bachelor of Science, University of Queensland
Featured Publications
Tubelleza R, Kilgallon A, Tan CW, Monkman J, Fraser JF, Kulasinghe A. PRISM: a Python package for interactive and integrated analysis of multiplexed tissue microarrays. NAR Genom Bioinform. 2025 Aug 21;7(3):lqaf114. doi: 10.1093/nargab/lqaf114. PMID: 40862245; PMCID: PMC12370624.
Kilgallon A, Tubelleza R, Kulasinghe A. Large-scale spatial profiling of the tumor microenvironment. Cell. 2026 Jan 22;189(2):343-344. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.12.028. PMID: 41576915.
Naei VY, Tubelleza R, Monkman J, Sadeghirad H, Donovan ML, Blick T, Wicher A, Bodbin S, Viratham A, Stad R, Basu S, Cooper C, Barnett C, O’Byrne K, Ladwa R, Warkiani ME, Hughes BGM, Kulasinghe A. Spatial interaction mapping of PD-1/PD-L1 in head and neck cancer reveals the role of macrophage-tumour barriers associated with immunotherapy response. J Transl Med. 2025 Feb 12;23(1):177. doi: 10.1186/s12967-025-06186-y. PMID: 39939997; PMCID: PMC11818323.
Monkman J, Kilgallon A, Lawler C, Tubelleza R, Aung TN, Warrell JH, Vathiotis I, Trontzas IP, Gavrielatou N, Nyein Chan NN, Czertok R, Bookstein S, O’Byrne K, Markovits E, Rimm DL, Kulasinghe A. Metabolic characterization of tumor-immune interactions by multiplexed immunofluorescence reveals spatial mechanisms of immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Nat Commun. 2026 Feb 3;17(1):837. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-68633-8. PMID: 41634004; PMCID: PMC12868679.
Berrell N, Kilgallon A, Donovan ML, Lawler C, Tan CW, Embaye KS, Tubelleza R, Monkman J, Fraser JF, O’Byrne K, Huang R, Kulasinghe A. Proximity and metabolic activity proxies in the tumor microenvironment as predictors of survival in high grade serous ovarian cancer. iScience. 2025 Sep 15;28(10):113572. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113572. PMID: 41079624; PMCID: PMC12514571.
Affiliations
July 2023- December 2024 – Genome Innovation Hub (The University of Queensland) -Computational Biologist
Jan 2024 – Current – Frazer Institute (The University of Queensland)
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