Staff Profile
Dr Brett Graham
Senior Lecturer
School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
EditCareer Summary
Biography
I am an electrophysiologist and use both in vitro and in vivo preparations in my experiments. My in vivo work allows the study of nerve cell properties and responses to “natural” stimuli, only possible using an intact preparation (an approach I pioneered during my PhD). My in vitro work permits detailed study of synaptic and intrinsic membrane properties in nerve cells using spinal cord or brain slice preparations. My in vitro studies also allows single channel analysis of individual receptor properties. All this work has been undertaken in mice so I can take advantage of the availability of mutant and transgenic animals for analyzing the role of specific receptor types (e.g. I have studied glycine receptor function in the mutant mice Spastic, Spasmodic, and Oscillator) or the properties of specific nerve cell types (e.g. my more recent work characterizing green fluorescent protein-expressing nerve cells in the spinal cords of transgenic mice). Because of this broad expertise I was invited to join the teaching faculty of the Australian Course in Advance Neuroscience (ACAN) in 2011. ACAN is recognized as “the pre-eminent course in the Asia-Pacific region for young scientists who would like to become experts in cellular neurophysiology”. Similarly my research expertise and standing in pain research has recently been acknowledged with an invitation for me to organize a topical workshop for the 2012 International Association for the Study of Pain World Congress (held biennially). This prestigious meeting brings together over 6,000 of the world’s leading professionals in the field of pain research and treatment to discuss current progress and new perspectives on pain management.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle, 12/12/2006
- Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Hons), University of Newcastle, 14/11/2001
Research
Research keywords
- Neurophysiology
- Pain
- Spinal cord
- Synaptic transmission
Research expertise
My research expertise is based around electrophysiological techniques that range from real-time monitoring of conformational changes in cell membrane associated protiens (single channel recording) through to systems-level analysis of neuronal processing (in vivo recordings). I have pioneered the approach of making patch-clamp recordings in mouse spinal cord under in vivo conditions to analyse pain processing mechanisms in the whole animal. I also routinely make in vitro recordings for mouse spinal cord slices, alowing phamacological analyses of siganl processing in the dorsal horn.
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|
| 111600 | Medical Physiology | 55 |
| 110900 | Neurosciences | 35 |
| 170200 | Cognitive Science | 10 |
Memberships
Body relevant to professional practice.
- Member - Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS)
- Member - International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)
Appointments
Fellowship
National Health & Medical Research Council (Australia) | 01/01/2008 - 01/12/2011 |
Collaboration
Since establishing my laboratory at Newcastle I have developed research projects built around three research themes.
Theme 1: Targeted study of specific spinal nerve cell types involved in pain processing
Theme 2: Immune and nervous system interactions in painful inflammatory conditions
Theme 3: Drug-induced synaptic plasticity in the lateral hypothalamus
Each theme has attracted funding in its own right and I have established several local (Newcastle), national (Sydney, Adelaide), and international (Glasgow, Singapore) collaborations with researchers who have expertise in other, complimentary disciplines.
Administrative
Administrative expertise
My position is research-based.
Teaching
Teaching keywords
- Biomedical Science
- Neuroscience
Teaching expertise
I proide teaching into a number of coursees where the topics covered can be broadly grouped as relating to anatomy and physiology. I coordinate a course in Exercise Physiology and act as the sole lecturer in that course. Other areas of particular experitse include CNS function, synaptic transmission and pain.
EditPublications
No publications.
EditGrants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 21 |
|---|
| Total funding | $1,985,013 |
|---|
For project grants received where the lead institution is other than the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics.
- Indicates that the researcher may be seeking students for this project.
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
2013 (1 grants)
The role of presynaptic inhibition in neuropathic pain$466,044
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
2012 (2 grants)
Characterizing psychostimulant-induced synaptic plasticity in the hypothalamus$20,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
14th World Congress on Pain (International Association for the Study of Pain), Milan Italy, 26-31 August 2012$2,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Brett Graham |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $2,000 | 2012 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1200544 |
2011 (1 grants)
How do the immune and nervous systems interact in arthritis?$20,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
2010 (6 grants)
Spinal mechanism underlying arthritic joint pain$416,500
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Brett Graham |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $416,500 | 2010 | 2012 |
| GNo:G0190192 |
Laser microdissection microscopy system for cell and development biology$350,000
Funding Body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Conjoint Professor Keith Jones, Laureate Professor John Aitken, Associate Professor Brett Nixon, Doctor Shaun Roman, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Doctor Rick Thorne, Doctor Doug Smith, Associate Professor David McCurdy, Conjoint Professor Ray Rose, Professor Christopher Grof, Conjoint Professor Leonie Ashman, Professor Gordon Burns, Doctor Brett Graham, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Professor Roger Smith, Professor Paul Foster, Professor Trevor Day, Professor Robert Callister |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $350,000 | 2010 | 2010 |
| GNo:G0190369 |
Laser microdissection microscopy system for cell and development biology$215,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Conjoint Professor Keith Jones, Laureate Professor John Aitken, Associate Professor Brett Nixon, Doctor Shaun Roman, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Doctor Rick Thorne, Doctor Doug Smith, Associate Professor David McCurdy, Conjoint Professor Ray Rose, Professor Christopher Grof, Conjoint Professor Leonie Ashman, Professor Gordon Burns, Doctor Brett Graham, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Professor Roger Smith, Professor Paul Foster, Professor Trevor Day, Professor Robert Callister |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $215,000 | 2010 | 2010 |
| GNo:G1000874 |
ABI 7500 Real Time PCR System
$34,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Rick Thorne, Doctor Nikki Verrills, Doctor Murray Cairns, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Doctor Doug Smith, Professor Gordon Burns, Conjoint Professor Leonie Ashman, Conjoint Professor Keith Jones, Doctor Charles De Bock, Doctor Chris Dayas, Doctor Brett Graham, Doctor Martin Horan, Doctor Rebecca Lim, Doctor Severine Roselli, Doctor Larisa Bobrovskaya, Doctor Kathryn Skelding, Doctor Frederick Walker, Doctor Jude Weidenhofer, Associate Professor Philip Bolton, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Professor Robert Callister, Professor Trevor Day, Associate Professor Phillip Dickson, Professor Manohar Garg, Doctor Phil Jobling, Associate Professor Derek Laver, Associate Professor Eugene Nalivaiko, Professor John Rostas |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $34,000 | 2010 | 2010 |
| GNo:G1000055 |
Characterising the synaptic physiology of orexin neurons in response to cocaine: Implications for drug relapse$21,303
Funding Body: Hunter Children`s Research Foundation
13th World Congress on Pain, Montreal, Canada, 29 August - 2 September 2010$2,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Brett Graham |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $2,000 | 2010 | 2011 |
| GNo:G1000533 |
2009 (4 grants)
Neurometer CPT/C$28,435
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
Leica VT1200S - Fully automated vibrating blade microtome$16,209
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Robert Callister, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Conjoint Professor Keith Jones, Associate Professor Jon Hirst, Doctor Brett Graham, Associate Professor Philip Bolton, Doctor Phil Jobling, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Doctor Angela McPherson, Doctor Rebecca Lim, Doctor Ramatis De Oliveira, Mr Matthew Walsh |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $16,209 | 2009 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0189842 |
Spinal mechanisms of chronic pain in arthritis$15,000
Funding Body: Arthritis Australia
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Brett Graham |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Grant-In-Aid | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $15,000 | 2009 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0189342 |
New Staff Grant 2009$5,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Brett Graham |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| New Staff Grant | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $5,000 | 2009 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0189912 |
2008 (2 grants)
Mechanisms underlying vestibular cortical representation$279,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Brett Graham |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Early Career Fellowships | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $279,000 | 2008 | 2011 |
| GNo:G0188073 |
Leica VT2100S Vibrating Microtome$20,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Professor Robert Callister, Professor Dirk Van Helden, Associate Professor Philip Bolton, Doctor Rebecca Lim, Doctor Brett Graham, Dr Marcus Howlett, Doctor Angela McPherson, Doctor Mohammad Imtiaz, Doctor Ramatis De Oliveira, Mr Wayne Anderson, Mr Matthew Walsh |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $20,000 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0188540 |
2007 (4 grants)
High speed/sensitivity CCD camera$30,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team |
|---|
| Professor Dirk Van Helden, Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Professor Gordon Burns, Doctor Rick Thorne, Dr Marcus Howlett, Doctor Mohammad Imtiaz, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Professor Robert Callister, Doctor Brett Graham, Associate Professor Derek Laver, Associate Professor Liz Milward, Doctor John Holdsworth |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Equipment Grant | Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $30,000 | 2007 | 2007 |
| GNo:G0188196 |
Identifying new spinal cord targets for pain management$14,252
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| HMRI Brain and Mental Health Research Program | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $14,252 | 2007 | 2007 |
| GNo:17793493 |
Identifying new spinal cord targets for pain management.$14,252
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Developing a rodent model to study neck pain$7,678
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
2005 (1 grants)
Attend the Society for Neurosciences 35th Annual Meeting in Washington DC USA 12 to 16 November 2005 & visit labs of Prof Maria Fitzgerald & Dr Troy Margrie University College London UK$8,340
Funding Body: NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research
| Project Team |
|---|
| Doctor Brett Graham |
| Scheme | Role |
|---|
| Spinal Cord Injury & Other Neurological Conditions Travel Scholarships | Chief Investigator |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
|---|
| $8,340 | 2005 | 2005 |
| GNo:G0185447 |
EditResearch Supervision
| Number of current supervisions | 4 |
|---|
| Total current UoN PhD EFTSL | 1.83 |
|---|
For supervisions undertaken at an institution other that the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics, and the institution name is listed below the program name.
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Proposed
Completion | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|
| 2013 | 2017 | PhD (Human Physiology) | Principal Supervisor | Understanding the Role of the Lateral Hypothalamus in Neuropathic Pain |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Anatomy) | Co-Supervisor | Spinal Cord Signalling in a Mouse Model of IBD |
| 2010 | 2014 | PhD (Anatomy) | Co-Supervisor | Understanding Drug-Induced Changes to the Lateral Hypothalamic Orexin Circuitry |
| 2010 | 2014 | PhD (Anatomy) | Principal Supervisor | Intrinsic and Synaptic Properties of Propriospinal Neurons |
Past Supervision
| Year | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|
| 2012 | M Philosophy (Anatomy) | Co-Supervisor | The Effect of Neck Muscle Inflammation on Neuronal Excitability in the Dorsal Horn of the Spinal Cord |
