Gut motility requires enteric neurons, which are located in the gut wall. During development, enteric neurons arise from precursors in the brain that migrate into the intestine. Failure of enteric neuron precursors to migrate and differentiate normally results in pediatric motility disorders. The aim of this research is to identify the mechanisms controlling the development of enteric neurons so that therapies can be developed for pediatric motility disorders.
My research focuses on understanding pathobiological mechanisms in acute and chronic neurodegenerative conditions such as stroke and Parkinson’s disease which have large burdens on the community through health care costs and on families because of the lack of effective treatments. An improved understanding of how brain cells die and of how the most abundant brain cell, the astrocyte, can be engineered to be a resource for regenerative medicine offer promise for improved clinical management.
The amygdala is a part of the brain that processes and lays down emotional memories. Dysfunction in the amygdala is responsible for anxiety related disorders such post-traumatic stress disorder. I will study the neural circuits in the amygdala using innovative recordings and stimulation techniques. These studies will provide insight into the circuits that underpin anxiety related neurological disorders and provide targets for development of novel anxiolytic agents.
Regulation Of Leukocyte Recruitment In Inflammation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$686,656.00
Summary
In inflammatory diseases such as asthma, arthritis and atherosclerosis, white blood cells enter affected tissues causing inflammation and tissue destruction. This research will investigate the processes whereby white blood cells enter affected tissues, particularly how they exit the circulation, and migrate throughout tissues during inflammatory responses. An improved understanding of this process may identify new ways of interfering with the disease process in various inflammatory diseases.
Developmental Neurobiology Of Schizophrenia And Translation Into New Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$611,574.00
Summary
Our ultimate goal is to expand effective treatment options for people with schizophrenia particularly ones that can prevent schizophrenia from developing. The successful completion of this project will identify novel biological pathways by which schizophrenia develops and, importantly, will yield new molecular tools to personalise treatment of schizophrenia.
Understanding And Preventing Adverse Developmental Effects Of Perinatal Infection/inflammation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$621,458.00
Summary
Exposure of babies to infection or inflammation within the womb is common and is associated with preterm delivery and illness in newborns. The biggest problem for these babies is lung disease due to inflammation of the lungs before birth and/or in response to lung injury after birth. We are investigating how inflammation alters lung development, and working on developing a novel cell therapy to prevent life-threatening newborn lung disease.
We will apply genome-wide approaches to identify the gene networks that regulate the self-renewal and the differentiation of muscle stem cells and their fusion to muscle fibres. These studies will deliver the first characterisation of the molecules and pathways implicated in these processes, which are essential steps of muscle growth.
Disorders of sex development (DSDs) are surprisingly common, and often result in infertility, genital abnormalities, gender mis-assignment and long-term psychological trauma. This research combines expertise in human molecular genetics, mouse developmental biology and protein chemistry to identify genes important for sex determination and development of the gonads, and discover how they contribute to DSD, in order to improve clinical care to patients with DSD.
Developmental Programming: Mechanisms And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$705,501.00
Summary
Disturbances during pregnancy can impact on developmental processes and result in increased risk of disease in later life. This project will examine the impact of perturbations such as maternal stress or alcohol consumption on the development of the placenta and fetal kidney. By gaining an understanding of how these organs are affected by prenatal insults, we are likely to be able to develop more effective intervention strategies to ensure all babies receive a healthy start to life.
I am a developmental biologist studying how transcription factors regulate developmental processes. I have a particular interest in the MYST family of co-activators, their role in regulating self-renewal and lineage determination in stem cells, their role in oncogenesis and targeting these proteins to develop new cancer therapeutics.