Dr Jonathan Paul
Senior Research Fellow
School of Medicine and Public Health (Reproductive Medicine)
- Email:jonathan.paul@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4042 0348
Targeting better outcomes for mothers and babies
A leader in the field of reproductive medicine, Dr Jonathan Paul is internationally recognised for his work on targeting therapeutic nanoparticles to the muscle cells of the uterus.
The Delivery Suite
Dr Jonathan Paul is a Senior Research Fellow within a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Newcastle’s Mothers and Babies Research Program (MBRP). Based within the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), MBRP researchers work to determine the cause, and most effective therapeutic approach, to maternal, fetal, and neonatal health problems in humans.
As Leader of the Myometrial Research Group and the Reproductive Nanomedicine Program, Jonathan is applying his expertise to a new mode of medication delivery to the uterus, which has the potential to radically decrease risks related to childbirth.
Jonathan’s revolutionary drug delivery vector has the capacity to target therapeutics specifically to the muscle cells of the pregnant uterus, which improves drug effectiveness while simultaneously improving patient safety. The revolutionary approach opens up new avenues for therapeutic intervention during pregnancy, potentially resulting in: halting preterm labour, inducing or accelerating non-productive labour, or stemming postpartum bleeding.
The unique system has garnered Jonathan much attention due to the potential to save countless lives before, during and after childbirth. In early 2015, Jonathan was awarded the President’s New Investigator Award by The Society for Reproductive Investigation at their 62nd Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
The Cell Express
Jonathan completed his PhD as a member of the Reproductive Science Group at the University of Newcastle, focusing on proteins expressed on the surface of ova and their relevance to sperm-ova interaction.
Jonathan then joined the Mothers and Babies team to undertake analyses of the gene expression and protein changes that occur during the transition of uterine muscle cells from a non-contractile to a contractile state. His skills in the lab have secured his involvement in many projects within the program.
The uterus is one of the organs in the body that is made of smooth muscle. Currently, medications administered to stimulate or relax the uterus have been designed for use in other areas of the body. As such, they can have off-target effects, limiting both the range of drugs that can be administered safely and the effectiveness of those chosen drugs.
Jonathan’s new system targets a particular protein, ensuring the medication is directed specifically to the uterus.
Nanoparticles on Target
Targeted lipid-based nanoparticles (tiny bubbles made from the same material as a cell membrane) deliver the medication by seeking out specific proteins. Jonathan explains:
“Our cells are surrounded by a membrane made of lipids. We use similar lipids to make tiny (nano-scale) spheres that encapsulate drugs and other therapies inside that sphere, then we target that sphere to the uterus.”
“What we have done is identified a particular protein that is expressed in high abundance on uterine muscle cells during pregnancy. We’ve then targeted the nanoparticles to that protein.”
This targeted delivery system has the following benefits: it increases the effectiveness of existing medication; and offers the possibility of utilising drugs previously considered unsafe due to effects on other organs and tissues.
Working in collaboration with the MBRP Director, Distinguished Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Jonathan has adapted uterine-targeted nanomedicines for the delivery of nucleic acids, which are a new class of therapeutics with almost limitless potential.
Addressing Unmet Needs
Complications related to childbirth create considerable short- and long-term strains on mother and baby, as well as the health care system. There are several stages of pregnancy and labour that present a danger, especially in less developed countries.
Preterm birth is the worldwide leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, accounting for ~75% of perinatal deaths and >50% of long-term infant disease. Prematurity affects ~15 million pregnancies annually, leading to an estimated 1 million deaths per year. Babies who survive being born preterm are at increased risk of short- and long-term morbidities. Short-term morbidities include breathing disorders, brain bleeding, bowel tissue death and heart defects, while long-term morbidities include cerebral palsy (responsible for >50% of cases), mental retardation, diabetes, cardiovascular, renal and eye disease, asthma, cancer, depression, autism, anxiety, and more.
If a pregnancy approaches 42 weeks a caesarean section will be performed to counter the increased risk of intrauterine death. This resource-intensive procedure may discourage the mother from giving birth naturally in future deliveries. In less developed countries, a c-section may not be an option.
If the uterus fails to contract following delivery, post-partum haemorrhage may result. In less developed countries, where there is limited or no access to medicines such as oxytocin (which promotes contractions and the restriction of blood vessels), excessive blood loss can result in death.
Using the targeted drug delivery system, nanoparticles could be filled with medication aimed at maximising uterine contraction, thus restricting the body’s ability to lose blood. When a pregnancy has continued past 42 weeks, the nanoparticles could be loaded with medication aimed at stimulating or increasing contractility. If preterm labour has begun, the nanoparticles would be loaded with medication to halt contractions.
Progressing to Term
Jonathan has achieved great success developing the delivery system using uterine tissue biopsied from pregnant giving birth via caesarean section, as well as in preclinical (mouse) models of preterm birth.
A major cause of preterm labour in women is inflammation. Accordingly, inflammation is being simulated to test how effectively the targeted delivery system can work to halt contractions when preterm labour occurs due to inflammation.
Progesterone withdrawal is another leading cause of preterm labour, as it is essential to the maintenance of a pregnancy. Further research will be undertaken using a mouse model to measure the efficacy of the targeted delivery system in the event of withdrawal of progesterone.
“Initially, we commenced by delivering tocolytics, which are drugs that block the contractile machinery of the uterine smooth muscle cells. This works great, but now we are also delivering nucleic acid therapies that are designed to reprogram the smooth muscle cells to a relaxed state,” says Jonathan.
Assuming the success of the mouse model trials, the next step would be to test the efficacy of the system using a primate model. Jonathan hopes to eventually work in collaboration with the University of Washington’s Infant Primate Research Laboratory within their Centre on Human Development and Disability.
Small but Versatile
It is already clear that the drug delivery vector could be adapted to target cells in other areas of the body.
“You could target any number of tissues, provided each tissue has a specific marker. In this case, we have used it to target the uterus, but it certainly has a much broader scope than that,” Jonathan explains.
“If you have a cancer, for instance, that expresses a particular protein in high abundance relative to any other tissues or organs, then you could target drug-loaded nanoparticles to the cancer cells.”
Whether the targeted nanoparticles are stopping preterm labour or attacking cancer cells, this new system has the potential to save countless lives and revolutionise the way therapeutics are delivered.
Targeting better outcomes for mothers and babies
A leader in the field of reproductive medicine, Doctor Jonathan Paul is internationally recognised for his work on targeting therapeutic nanoparticles to the muscle cells of the uterus.
Career Summary
Biography
Dr Jonathan W. Paul (PhD, BBiotech (Hons. 1)) is Co-Director of the Mothers and Babies Research Program (MBRP), based within the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI). As MBRP Co-Director, Dr Paul oversees the strategic objectives, research directions, and governance of the MBRP.
In addition to Co-Directing broader MBRP operations, Dr Paul leads the Myometrial Research Group and the Reproductive Nanomedicine Program within the MBRP. His research has the overarching goal of ensuring all babies are born at the ideal time and weight to help ensure a healthy start to life. In particular, Dr Paul’s research focuses on advancing our understanding of the mechanisms that trigger the onset of spontaneous premature uterine contractions, leading to preterm birth, and on the development of novel intervention strategies for preventing spontaneous preterm birth. To that end, Dr Paul has been awarded major grants from the NHMRC and NSW Ministry of Health supporting the development of nanoparticle-based strategies for achieving uterine-targeted delivery of therapeutics, including contraction-blocking drugs, regulators of inflammatory signalling, and nucleic acid therapeutics.
Dr Paul’s research has attracted >$5M in funding. He is Chief Investigator A on 3 concurrent major research grants, including a 2023–2025 NHMRC Ideas grant ($538,020), a 2022–2024 NHMRC Ideas grant ($732,334), and a 2021 – 2023 NSW Health Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant ($375,278). Dr Paul is also co-CI on a major 2023–2027 Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) Philanthropy grant ($1,125,000) and a 2021–2024 NSW Health Gene and Cell Therapy PhD Scholarship ($80,000; Principal Supervisor), totalling $2.85M in current major funding.
Dr Paul has translated this funding into significant scientific advances and international patents that have been recognised by the international scientific community for their potential to lead to improved preterm birth prevention therapies.
Dr Paul’s research is internationally recognised. He has been an Invited Speaker for The International Preterm Birth Therapeutics Symposium 2023 (Brisbane), The Perinatal Society for Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) 2023 (Melbourne), The International Conference on Emerging Advanced Nanomaterials 2022 (Newcastle), The Society for Reproductive Investigation 2021 (Boston), The International Conference on Emerging Advanced Nanomaterials 2020 (Newcastle), The Society for Reproductive Investigation 2020 (Vancouver), the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2019 (Las Vegas), the Mercy Perinatal Australian Reproduction Update 2018 (Melbourne), the Australian Society for Medical Research 2018 (Newcastle), and the Society for Reproductive Biology 2017 (Perth).
Qualifications
- PhD (Biological Science), University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Biotechnology, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours), University of Newcastle
Keywords
- labour
- myometrium
- nanomedicine
- pregnancy
- preterm birth
- proteomics
- reproductive medicine
- smooth muscle contraction
- targeted drug delivery
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
320599 | Medical biochemistry and metabolomics not elsewhere classified | 40 |
321599 | Reproductive medicine not elsewhere classified | 60 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Senior Research Fellow | University of Newcastle School of Medicine and Public Health Australia |
Awards
Award
Year | Award |
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2015 |
The Presidential New Investigator Award Society of Reproductive Investigation |
2001 |
Don Angus Memorial Award The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Science and IT |
Patents
Number | Title | Patent Family | Registered | Approved |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO 2014186843 A1 |
Targeted delivery of drugs to the myometrium A mechanism for achieving the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to the pregnant uterus, whether for the enhancement of uterine contractions or for the inhibition of uterine contractions. |
Standard | 23/5/2014 | 2014 |
Prestigious works / other achievements
Year Commenced | Year Finished | Prestigious work / other achievement | Role |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | 2015 | HMRI Thru The Lens: A Culture for Success Hunter Medical Research Institute | Artist |
2015 | 2015 | Video Publication: The Heart is Like an Orchestra, the Uterus is Like a Soccer Crowd Online | Designer |
2014 | 2014 | ABC OPEN: Snapped at Work abc.net.au | Artist |
2014 | 2014 | HMRI Through the Video Lens: Come Science With Me Hunter Medical Research Institute | Creator |
2013 | 2013 | HMRI Thru The Lens: Cloning at HMRI Hunter Medical Research Institute | Artist |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Chapter (4 outputs)
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2020 |
Phung J, Paul J, Smith R, 'Maintenance of Pregnancy and Parturition', Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Endocrinology, Elsevier., Philadelphia, PA, USA 169-187 (2020) [B1]
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2018 |
Ilicic M, Paul JW, 'Methods and model systems used to study pregnant human uterine smooth muscle', Muscle Cell and Tissue, InTechOpen, London, UK 309-335 (2018) [B1]
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2013 |
Smith R, Paul J, Chan C, Keelan J, 'The role of the primate placenta in term and preterm parturition', The Placenta: Development, Function and Diseases, Nova Science, Hauppaugue, NY 335-346 (2013) [B1]
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2012 |
Schjenken JE, Tolosa Gonzalez JM, Paul JW, Clifton VL, Smith R, 'Mechanisms of maternal immune tolerance during pregnancy', Recent Advances in Research on the Human Placenta, InTech, Rijeka, Croatia 211-242 (2012) [B1]
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Show 1 more chapter |
Journal article (46 outputs)
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2024 |
Paul M, Barreda AP, Gregson A, Kahl R, King M, Hussein WM, et al., 'Regulation of 20a-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Expression in Term Pregnant Human Myometrium Ex Vivo.', Reprod Sci, 31 150-161 (2024) [C1]
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2023 |
Paul M, Paul JW, Hinwood M, Hood RJ, Martin K, Abdolhoseini M, et al., 'Clopidogrel Administration Impairs Post-Stroke Learning and Memory Recovery in Mice', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 11706-11706 [C1]
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2023 |
Hossain MR, Tolosa JM, Young RC, Smith R, Paul JW, 'Assessing the Potency of the Novel Tocolytics 2-APB, Glycyl-H-1152, and HC-067047 in Pregnant Human Myometrium.', Reprod Sci, 30 203-220 (2023) [C1]
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2023 |
Paul M, Zakar T, Phung J, Gregson A, Barreda AP, Butler TA, et al., '20a-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Expression in the Human Myometrium at Term and Preterm Birth: Relationships to Fetal Sex and Maternal Body Mass Index.', Reprod Sci, 30 2512-2523 (2023) [C1]
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2023 |
Phung J, Wang C, Reeders J, Zakar T, Paul JW, Tyagi S, et al., 'Preterm labor with and without chorioamnionitis is associated with activation of myometrial inflammatory networks: a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, 228 (2023) [C1]
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2022 |
Dudley JS, Paul JW, Teh V, Mackenzie TE, Butler TA, Tolosa JM, et al., 'Seahorse brood pouch morphology and control of male parturition in Hippocampus abdominalis', Placenta, 127 88-94 (2022) [C1] Introduction: Syngnathids (seahorses, pipefishes and seadragons) are among the few vertebrates that display male pregnancy. During seahorse pregnancy, males incubate developing em... [more] Introduction: Syngnathids (seahorses, pipefishes and seadragons) are among the few vertebrates that display male pregnancy. During seahorse pregnancy, males incubate developing embryos embedded in a placenta within a fleshy brood pouch, before expelling fully developed neonates at parturition. The mechanisms underpinning seahorse parturition are poorly understood. Methods: We examined the morphology of the brood pouch using microcomputed tomography and histological techniques, in combination with physiological assays, to examine how male pot-bellied seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis) control labour. In female-pregnant vertebrates, nonapeptide hormones (such as vasopressin- and oxytocin-like hormones) produce contractions of gestational smooth muscle to produce labour. Results: Histological analysis of the seahorse brood pouch reveals only scattered small smooth muscle bundles in the brood pouch, and in-vitro application of isotocin (a teleost nonapeptide hormone) to the brood pouch do not produce measurable muscle contractions. Micro-computed tomography shows differences in size and orientation of the anal fin assembly between male and female pot-bellied seahorses, and histological analysis reveals large skeletal muscle bundles attached to the anal fin bones at the male brood pouch opening. Discussion: We conclude that seahorse parturition may be facilitated by contraction of these muscles, which, in combination with body movements, serves to gape open the pouch and expel the neonates. Future biomechanical studies are needed to test this hypothesis.
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2022 |
Phung J, Wang CA, Reeders J, Chan EC, Riveros C, Zakar T, et al., 'Preterm labor is a distinct process from term labor following computational analysis of human myometrium', American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 226 106.e1-106.e16 (2022) [C1] Background: The onset of the term human parturition involves myometrial gene expression changes to transform the uterus from a quiescent to a contractile phenotype. It is uncertai... [more] Background: The onset of the term human parturition involves myometrial gene expression changes to transform the uterus from a quiescent to a contractile phenotype. It is uncertain whether the same changes occur in the uterus during preterm labor. Objective: This study aimed to compare the myometrial gene expression between term and preterm labor and to determine whether the presence of acute clinical chorioamnionitis or twin gestation affects these signatures. Study Design: Myometrial specimens were collected during cesarean delivery from the following 7 different groups of patients: term not in labor (n=31), term labor (n=13), preterm not in labor (n=21), preterm labor with acute clinical chorioamnionitis (n=6), preterm labor with no acute clinical chorioamnionitis (n=9), twin preterm not in labor (n=8), and twin preterm labor with no acute clinical chorioamnionitis (n=5). RNA was extracted, reverse transcribed and quantitative polymerase chain reactions were performed on 44 candidate genes (with evidence for differential expression in human term labor) using the Fluidigm platform. Computational analysis was performed using 2-class unpaired Wilcoxon tests and principal component analysis. Results: Computational analysis revealed that gene expression in the preterm myometrium, irrespective of whether in labor or not in labor, clustered tightly and is clearly different from the term labor and term not-in-labor groups. This was true for both singleton and twin pregnancies. Principal component analysis showed that 57% of the variation was explained by 3 principal components. These 44 genes interact in themes of prostaglandin activity and inflammatory signaling known to be important during term labor, but are not a full representation of the myometrium transcriptional activity. Conclusion: The myometrial contractions associated with preterm labor are associated with a pattern of gene expression that is distinct from term labor. Therefore, preterm labor may be initiated by a different myometrial process or processes outside the myometrium.
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2022 |
Heslop B, Bailey K, Stojanovski E, Paul J, Drew A, 'Anthropological Prosociality via Sub-Group Level Selection', Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 56 180-205 (2022) [C1] A perennial challenge of evolutionary psychology is explaining prosocial traits such as a preference for fairness rather than inequality, compassion towards suffering, and an inst... [more] A perennial challenge of evolutionary psychology is explaining prosocial traits such as a preference for fairness rather than inequality, compassion towards suffering, and an instinctive ability to coordinate within small teams. Considering recent fossil evidence¿and a novel logical test, we deem present explanations insufficiently explanatory of the divergence of hominins. In answering this question, we focus on the divergence of hominins from the last common ancestor (LCA) shared with Pan. We consider recent fossil discoveries that indicate the LCA was bipedal, which reduces the cogency of this explanation for hominin development. We also review evolutionary theory that claims to explain how hominins developed into modern humans, however it is found that no mechanism differentiates hominins from other primates. Either the mechanism was available to the last common ancestor (LCA) (with P. troglodytes as its proxy), or because early hominins had insufficient cognition to utilise the mechanism. A novel mechanism, sub-group level selection (sGLS) is hypothesised by triangulating two pieces of data rarely considered by evolutionary biologists. These are behavioural dimorphism of Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos) that remain identifiable in modern humans, and the social behaviour of primate troops in a savannah ecology. We then contend that sGLS supplied an exponential effect which was available to LCA who left the forest, but was not sufficiently available to any other primates. In conclusion, while¿only indirectly supported by various¿evidence,¿sGLS is found to be¿singularly and persuasively explanatory¿of human's unique evolutionary story.
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2021 |
Ilicic M, Zakar T, Gregson A, Hussein WM, Smith R, Paul JW, 'Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors: Providing New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues for Unlocking Human Birth', REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES, 29 3134-3146 (2021) [C1]
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2021 |
Coler BS, Shynlova O, Boros-Rausch A, Lye S, McCartney S, Leimert KB, et al., 'Landscape of Preterm Birth Therapeutics and a Path Forward', JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE, 10 (2021) [C1]
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2020 |
Paul JW, Kemsley JO, Butler TA, Tolosa JM, Thompson MB, Smith R, Whittington CM, 'A comparison of uterine contractile responsiveness to arginine vasopressin in oviparous and viviparous lizards', Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology, 190 49-62 (2020) [C1] Nonapeptides and their receptors regulate a diverse range of physiological processes. We assessed the contractile responsiveness of uteri from the squamate viviparous-oviparous sp... [more] Nonapeptides and their receptors regulate a diverse range of physiological processes. We assessed the contractile responsiveness of uteri from the squamate viviparous-oviparous species pair, Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii and Lampropholis guichenoti, as well as the bimodally reproductive species, Saiphos equalis, to arginine vasopressin (AVP). We assessed the resulting uterine contractility as a function of pregnancy status, species and parity mode. We also measured mRNA abundance for the nonapeptide receptor, oxytocin receptor (oxtr), in uteri from P. entrecasteauxii and L. guichenoti and compared expression across pregnancy status and parity mode. We found that pregnant uteri exhibited a significantly greater contractile response to AVP than non-pregnant uteri in all three lizard species studied. Cross-species comparisons revealed that uteri from viviparous P. entrecasteauxii were significantly more responsive to AVP than uteri from oviparous L. guichenoti during both pregnant and non-pregnant states. Conversely, for non-pregnant S. equalis, uteri from viviparous individuals were significantly less responsive to AVP than uteri from oviparous individuals, while during pregnancy, there was no difference in AVP contractile responsiveness. There was no difference in expression of oxtr between L. guichenoti and P. entrecasteauxii, or between pregnant and non-pregnant individuals within each species. We found no significant correlation between oxtr expression and AVP contractile responsiveness. These findings indicate that there are differences in nonapeptide signalling across parity mode and suggest that in these lizards, labour may be triggered either by an increase in plasma nonapeptide concentration, or by an increase in expression of a different nonapeptide receptor from the vasopressin-like receptor family.
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2020 |
Smith R, Paul JW, Tolosa JM, 'Sharpey-Schafer Lecture 2019: From retroviruses to human birth', Experimental Physiology, 105 555-561 (2020) [C1] New Findings: What is the topic of this review? The timing of birth is an important determinant of future health and well-being. This review examines the role of endogenous retrov... [more] New Findings: What is the topic of this review? The timing of birth is an important determinant of future health and well-being. This review examines the role of endogenous retroviruses as upstream regulators of key biological functions of the placenta, including cell-cell fusion, modulation of the maternal immune system, and the production of key pregnancy hormones. What advances does it highlight? Endogenous retroviruses are an obligate requirement for successful human reproduction. The products of retroviral elements, incorporated into the germline millions of years ago, have been co-opted to serve vital biological roles within the placenta that ultimately dictate the length of human pregnancy and therefore well-being trajectories. Abstract: Gestational length at the time of birth is an important determinant of future health and well-being, yet the physiological regulation of the onset of labour in humans remains obscure. The evolution of egg formation and internal fertilisation in amniotes required a mechanism to suppress the contractile activity of the oviduct that is provided by progesterone. Delivery of the egg is then associated with the withdrawal of progesterone and a return of contractile activity to the reproductive tract. In mammals, the process of pregnancy is complicated further by the need to protect the fetus from potential attack by the maternal immune system. There is increasing evidence that retroviruses incorporated into the mammalian germline in the evolutionary past play a key role in suppressing the maternal immune reaction to the developing conceptus, organising the development of the placenta and perhaps, in humans, modulating the action of progesterone, determining gestational length and the onset of labour. It seems that the presence of an endogenous retrovirus is an obligate requirement for human reproduction.
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2020 |
Butler TA, Paul JW, Smith R, 'Non-conventional signalling in human myometrium by conventional pathways: looking back for a synergistic future', Current Opinion in Physiology, 13 145-154 (2020) [C1] The mechanisms that bring about the onset of labor in humans remain poorly understood. Previous research has extensively explored signalling pathways that maintain myometrial rela... [more] The mechanisms that bring about the onset of labor in humans remain poorly understood. Previous research has extensively explored signalling pathways that maintain myometrial relaxation and identified roles for key molecules, including cyclic nucleotides, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and progesterone. However, these conventional pro-relaxation signalling pathways have fallen out of favor to inflammatory signalling, which is now widely regarded as an instigator of myometrial transformation toward a contractile phenotype and initiator of labor. This article revisits the complex inter-play of conventional pro-relaxation signalling, and explores the concept that progesterone, cAMP, glucocorticoids, and possibly gasotransmitters, work in synergy to constitute a uterine brake that suspends the intrinsic contractility of the myometrium, thus enabling retention of the conceptus and the progression of pregnancy. As term approaches, this uterine brake of relaxatory signalling is ultimately withdrawn, thus permitting restoration of myometrial contractility and culminating in the initiation of labor.
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2020 |
Zakar T, Paul JW, 'Fetal Membrane Epigenetics', FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY, 11 (2020) [C1]
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2020 |
Ilicic M, Zakar T, Paul J, 'The Regulation of Uterine Function During Parturition: An Update and Recent Advances', Reproductive Sciences, 27 3-28 (2020) [C1]
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2020 |
Rowe CW, Dill T, Griffin N, Jobling P, Faulkner S, Paul JW, et al., 'Innervation of papillary thyroid cancer and its association with extra-thyroidal invasion', Scientific Reports, 10 (2020) [C1]
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2019 |
Rowe CW, Faulkner S, Paul JW, Tolosa JM, Gedye C, Bendinelli C, et al., 'The precursor for nerve growth factor (proNGF) is not a serum or biopsy-rinse biomarker for thyroid cancer diagnosis.', BMC endocrine disorders, 19 128 (2019) [C1]
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2019 |
Rowe CW, Dill T, Faulkner S, Gedye C, Paul JW, Tolosa JM, et al., 'The precursor for nerve growth factor (ProNGF) in thyroid cancer lymph node metastases: Correlation with primary tumour and pathological variables', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20 1-13 (2019) [C1]
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2019 |
Ilicic M, Zakar T, Paul JW, 'Epigenetic regulation of progesterone receptors and the onset of labour', Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 31 1035-1048 (2019) [C1] Progesterone plays a crucial role in maintaining pregnancy by promoting myometrial quiescence. The withdrawal of progesterone action signals the end of pregnancy and, in most mamm... [more] Progesterone plays a crucial role in maintaining pregnancy by promoting myometrial quiescence. The withdrawal of progesterone action signals the end of pregnancy and, in most mammalian species, this is achieved by a rapid fall in progesterone concentrations. However, in humans circulating progesterone concentrations remain high up to and during labour. Efforts to understand this phenomenon led to the 'functional progesterone withdrawal' hypothesis, whereby the pro-gestation actions of progesterone are withdrawn, despite circulating concentrations remaining elevated. The exact mechanism of functional progesterone withdrawal is still unclear and in recent years has been the focus of intense research. Emerging evidence now indicates that epigenetic regulation of progesterone receptor isoform expression may be the crucial mechanism by which functional progesterone withdrawal is achieved, effectively precipitating human labour despite high concentrations of circulating progesterone. This review examines current evidence that epigenetic mechanisms play a role in determining whether the pro-gestation or pro-contractile isoform of the progesterone receptor is expressed in the pregnant human uterus. We explore the mechanism by which these epigenetic modifications are achieved and, importantly, how these underlying epigenetic mechanisms are influenced by known regulators of uterine physiology, such as prostaglandins and oestrogens, in order to phenotypically transform the pregnant uterus and initiate labour.
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2019 |
Butler T, Paul J, Chan E-C, Smith R, Tolosa Gonzalez JM, 'Misleading Westerns: Common Quantification Mistakes in Western Blot Densitometry and Proposed Corrective Measures', BioMed Research International, 2019 (2019) [C1]
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2018 |
Paul JW, Smith R, 'Preventing Preterm Birth: New Approaches to Labour Therapeutics using Nanoparticles', BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, 52 48-59 (2018) [C1]
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2018 |
Heslop B, Drew A, Stojanovski E, Bailey K, Paul JW, 'Collaboration Vouchers: A Policy to Increase Population Wellbeing', Societies, 8 (2018) [C1]
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2018 |
Heslop B, Bailey K, Paul JW, Stojanovski E, 'The PILAR Model as a Measure of Peer Ratings of Collaboration Viability in Small Groups', Social Sciences, 7 1-14 (2018) [C1]
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2018 |
Heslop B, Paul J, Stojanovski E, Bailey K, 'Organisational Psychology and Appreciative Inquiry: Unifying the Empirical and the Mystical', AI Practitioner, 20 69-90 (2018) [C1]
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2018 |
Heslop B, Stojanovski E, Paul JW, Bailey K, 'PILAR: A Model of Collaboration to Encapsulate Social Psychology', Review of General Psychology, 22 321-333 (2018) [C1]
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2018 |
Heslop B, Stojanovski E, Iverson S, Paul JW, Bailey K, 'Respondent disengagement from a peer assessment instrument measuring Collaboration Viability', Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, 22 95-106 (2018) [C1]
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2017 |
Ilicic M, Butler T, Zakar T, Paul JW, 'The expression of genes involved in myometrial contractility changes during ex situ culture of pregnant human uterine smooth muscle tissue', Journal of Smooth Muscle Research, 53 73-89 (2017) [C1] Background: Ex situ a nalyses of human myometrial t issue h as b een u sed t o i nvestigate t he r egulation of uterine quiescence and transition to a contractile phenotype. Follo... [more] Background: Ex situ a nalyses of human myometrial t issue h as b een u sed t o i nvestigate t he r egulation of uterine quiescence and transition to a contractile phenotype. Following concerns about the validity of cultured primary cells, we examined whether myometrial tissue undergoes culture-induced changes ex situ that may affect the validity of in vitro models. Objectives: To determine whether human myometrial tissue undergoes culture-induced changes ex situ in Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and Oxytocin receptor (OXTR) expression. Additionally, to determine whether culture conditions approaching the in vivo environment influence the expression of these key genes. Methods: Term non-laboring human myometrial tissues were cultured in the presence of specific treatments, including; serum supplementation, progesterone and estrogen, cAMP, PMA, stretch or NF-¿B inhibitors. ESR1, PTGS2 and OXTR mRNA abundance after 48 h culture was determined using quantitative RT-PCR. Results: Myometrial tissue in culture exhibited culture-induced up-regulation of ESR1 and PTGS2 and down-regulation of OXTR mRNA expression. Progesterone prevented culture-induced increase in ESR1 expression. Estrogen further up-regulated PTGS2 expression. Stretch had no direct effect, but blocked the effects of progesterone and estrogen on ESR1 and PTGS2 expression. cAMP had no effect whereas PMA further up-regulated PTGS2 expression and prevented decline of OXTR expression. Conclusion: Human myometrial tissue in culture undergoes culture-induced gene expression changes consistent with transition toward a laboring phenotype. Changes in ESR1, PTGS2 and OXTR expression could not be controlled simultaneously. Until optimal culture conditions are determined, results of in vitro experiments with myometrial tissues should be interpreted with caution.
|
Nova | |||||||||
2017 |
Rowe CW, Paul JW, Gedye C, Tolosa JM, Bendinelli C, McGrath S, Smith R, 'Targeting the TSH receptor in thyroid cancer', Endocrine-Related Cancer, 24 R191-R202 (2017) [C1] Recent advances in the arena of theranostics have necessitated a re-examining of previously established fields. The existing paradigm of therapeutic thyroid-stimulating hormone re... [more] Recent advances in the arena of theranostics have necessitated a re-examining of previously established fields. The existing paradigm of therapeutic thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) targeting in the post-surgical management of differentiated thyroid cancer using levothyroxine and recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is well understood. However, in an era of personalized medicine, and with an increasing awareness of the risk profile of longstanding pharmacological hyperthyroidism, it is imperative clinicians understand the molecular basis and magnitude of benefit for individual patients. Furthermore, TSHR has been recently re-conceived as a selective target for residual metastatic thyroid cancer, with pilot data demonstrating effective targeting of nanoparticles to thyroid cancers using this receptor as a target. This review examines the evidence for TSHR signaling as an oncogenic pathway and assesses the evidence for ongoing TSHR expression in thyroid cancer metastases. Priorities for further research are highlighted.
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2017 |
Ilicic M, Zakar T, Paul JW, 'Modulation of Progesterone Receptor Isoform Expression in Pregnant Human Myometrium', BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, 2017 (2017) [C1]
|
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2017 |
Paul JW, Hua S, Ilicic M, Tolosa JM, Butler T, Robertson S, Smith R, 'Drug delivery to the human and mouse uterus using immunoliposomes targeted to the oxytocin receptor', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, 216 (2017) [C1]
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2017 |
Heslop B, Stojanovski E, Paul J, Bailey K, 'Are We Collaborating Yet? Employee Assessment of Peer s Perceptions', International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 7 175-175 [C1]
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2017 |
Heidari Kani M, Chan EC, Young RC, Butler T, Smith R, Paul JW, '3D Cell Culturing and Possibilities for Myometrial Tissue Engineering', Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 45 1746-1757 (2017) [C1] Research insights into uterine function and the mechanisms of labour have been hindered by the lack of suitable animal and cellular models. The use of traditional culturing method... [more] Research insights into uterine function and the mechanisms of labour have been hindered by the lack of suitable animal and cellular models. The use of traditional culturing methods limits the exploration of complex uterine functions, such as cell interactions, connectivity and contractile behaviour, as it fails to mimic the three-dimensional (3D) nature of uterine cell interactions in vivo. Animal models are an option, however, use of these models is constrained by ethical considerations as well as translational limitations to humans. Evidence indicates that these limitations can be overcome by using 3D culture systems, or 3D Bioprinters, to model the in vivo cytological architecture of the tissue in an in vitro environment. 3D cultured or 3D printed cells can be used to form an artificial tissue. This artificial tissue can not only be used as an appropriate model in which to study cellular function and organisation, but could also be used for regenerative medicine purposes including organ or tissue transplantation, organ donation and obstetric care. The current review describes recent developments in cell culture that can facilitate the development of myometrial 3D structures and tissue engineering applications.
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2017 |
Paul JW, ilicic M, zakar T, smith R, 'Expression of KCNH2 (hERG1) and KCNE2 Correlates With Expression of Key Myometrial Genes in Term Pregnant Human Myometrium', Journal of Human Endocrinology, 2 (2017) [C1]
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2016 |
Heslop B, Bailey K, Paul JW, Drew AJ, Smith R, 'Collaboration Guidelines to Transform Culture', Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies, 3 1-25 (2016) [C1]
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2015 |
Smith R, Imtiaz M, Banney D, Paul JW, Young RC, 'Why the heart is like an orchestra and the uterus is like a soccer crowd', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, 213 181-185 (2015) [C1]
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2015 |
Banney D, Young R, Paul JW, Imtiaz M, Smith R, 'A hypothesis for self-organization and symmetry reduction in the synchronization of organ-level contractions in the human uterus during labor', Symmetry, 7 1981-1988 (2015) [C1] We present a hypothesis for a mechanism involving self-organization of small functional units that leads to organ-level synchronization of uterine contractions in human labor. Thi... [more] We present a hypothesis for a mechanism involving self-organization of small functional units that leads to organ-level synchronization of uterine contractions in human labor. This view is in contrast to the long-held presumption that the synchronized behavior of the uterus is subject to well-defined internal organization (as is found in the heart) that exists prior to the onset of labor. The contractile units of the uterus are myocytes, which contract in response to both mechanical stretch and electrical stimulation. Throughout pregnancy progesterone maintains quiescence by suppression of "contraction-associated proteins" (CAPs). At the end of pregnancy a functional withdrawal of progesterone and an increasingly estrogenic environment leads to an increase in the production of CAPs. One CAP of particular importance is connexin 43, which creates gap junctions between the myocytes that cause them to become electrically coupled. The electrical connectivity between myocytes, combined with an increase in intrauterine pressure at the end of pregnancy shifts the uterus towards an increasingly unstable critical point, characterized by irregular, uncoordinated contractions. We propose that synchronous, coordinated contractions emerge from this critical point through a process of self-organization, and that the search for a uterine pacemaker has been unfruitful for the sole reason that it is non-existent.
|
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2014 |
Parkington HC, Stevenson J, Tonta MA, Paul J, Butler T, Maiti K, et al., 'Diminished hERG K Human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channels determine cardiac action potential and contraction duration. Human uterine contractions are underpinned by an action pot... [more] Human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channels determine cardiac action potential and contraction duration. Human uterine contractions are underpinned by an action potential that also possesses an initial spike followed by prolonged depolarization. Here we show that hERG channel proteins (a-conducting and ßinhibitory subunits) and hERG currents exist in isolated patch-clamped human myometrial cells. We show that hERG channel activity suppresses contraction amplitude and duration before labour, thereby facilitating quiescence. During established labour, expression of ß-inhibitory protein is markedly enhanced, resulting in reduced hERG activity that is associated with an increased duration of uterine action potentials and contractions. Thus, changes in hERG channel activity contribute to electrophysiological mechanisms that produce contractions during labour. We also demonstrate that this system fails in women with elevated BMI, who have enhanced hERG activity as a result of low ß-inhibitory protein expression, which likely contributes to the weak contractions and poor labour outcomes observed in many obese women necessitating caesarean delivery. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.
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2013 |
Butler T, Paul J, Europe-Finner N, Smith R, Chan E-C, 'Role of serine-threonine phosphoprotein phosphatases in smooth muscle contractility', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY, 304 C485-C504 (2013) [C1]
|
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2012 |
Smith R, Paul JW, Maiti K, Tolosa Gonzalez JM, Madsen GM, 'Recent advances in understanding the endocrinology of human birth', Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, 23 516-523 (2012) [C1]
|
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2012 |
Hure AJ, Collins CE, Giles WB, Paul JW, Smith R, 'Greater maternal weight gain during pregnancy predicts a large but lean fetal phenotype: A prospective cohort study', Maternal and Child Health Journal, 16 1374-1384 (2012) [C1]
|
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2012 |
Welsh TN, Paul JW, Palliser HK, Tabatabaeehatambakhsh SH, Hirst JJ, Mesiano S, Zakar T, '15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase expression and localization in guinea pig gestational tissues during late pregnancy and parturition', Reproductive Sciences, 19 1099-1109 (2012) [C1]
|
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2011 |
Paul JW, Maiti K, Read MA, Hure AJ, Smith JI, Chan EC, Smith R, 'Phasic phosphorylation of caldesmon and ERK 1/2 during contractions in human myometrium', PLoS ONE, 6 1-7 (2011) [C1]
|
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2011 |
Maiti K, Paul JW, Read MA, Chan EC, Riley SC, Nahar P, Smith R, 'G-1-activated membrane estrogen receptors mediate increased contractility of the human myometrium', Endocrinology, 152 2448-2455 (2011) [C1]
|
Nova | |||||||||
2005 |
Nixon B, Paul JW, Spiller CM, Attwell-Heap AG, Ashman LK, Aitken RJ, 'Evidence for the involvement of PECAM-1 in a receptor mediated signal-transduction pathway regulating capacitation-associated tyrosine phosphorylation in human spermatozoa', Journal of Cell Science, 118 4865-4877 (2005) [C1]
|
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Show 43 more journal articles |
Conference (41 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||
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2023 |
Paredes Barreda A, Paul M, Zakar T, Amy G, Hussein W, Walker F, et al., 'Pro-Relaxation of Myometrial Phosphodiesterase Expression by Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors', Brisbane (2023)
|
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2023 |
Paul M, Zakar T, Phung J, Gregson A, Paredes Barreda A, Butler T, et al., '20alpha-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Expression in the Human Myometrium at Term and Preterm Birth: Relationship to Fetal Sex and Maternal Body Mass Index', Brisbane (2023)
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2023 |
Paul M, Paul JW, Hinwood M, Martin K, Hood R, Johnson S, et al., 'Clopidogrel inhibition of microglial chemotaxis impairs cognitive recovery post-stroke', Brisbane (2023)
|
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2015 |
Paul J, Hua S, Smith R, 'A Targeted Drug Delivery System for the Uterus', REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES (2015) [E3]
|
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2012 |
Parkington HC, Paul JW, Tonta MA, Chan EC, Sheehan PJ, Brennecke SP, et al., 'Human labour is associated with decreased myometrial ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) potassium channels that modulate contractility', Proceedings of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Fetal and Neonatal Physiological Society, Zeist, The Netherlands (2012) [E3]
|
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2012 |
Welsh TN, Paul JW, Palliser HK, Hirst JJ, Mesiano S, Zakar T, 'PGDH expression decreases at term before labor onset in guinea pig fetal membranes', Reproductive Sciences, San Diego, CA (2012) [E3]
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2011 |
Hure AJ, Collins CE, Giles WB, Paul JW, Smith R, 'A large but lean fetal phenotype is associated with greater maternal weight gain during pregnancy', Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, Adelaide (2011) [E3]
|
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2011 |
Paul JW, Maiti K, Read MA, Hure AJ, Smith JI, Chan EC, Smith R, 'Studying laboring myometrium misses phosphorylation changes associated with contraction', Reproductive Sciences, Miami Beach (2011) [E3]
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2010 |
Maiti K, Paul JW, Read MA, Chan EC, Smith R, 'Human labor Is associated with internalization and oligomerization of the membrane estrogen receptor, GPR30', Reproductive Sciences, Orlando, Florida (2010) [E3]
|
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2010 |
Maiti K, Paul JW, Chan EC, Smith R, 'GPR30, the novel membrane estrogen receptor, stimulates contractility of myometrium by increasing expression of h-caldesmon', The Endocrine Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting Meeting Proceedings and Abstract Book, Sydney (2010) [E3]
|
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2010 |
Paul JW, Maiti K, Read MA, Smith R, 'Caldesmon phosphorylation and phasic regulation of ERK 1/2 during contractions in human myometrium', The Endocrine Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting Proceedings and Abstract Book, Sydney (2010) [E3]
|
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2009 |
Maiti K, Paul JW, Read MA, Chan EC, Smith R, 'Demonstration that activation of the cell surface estrogen receptor GPR30 causes phosphorylation of HSP27 and MAPK p42/44 in term human myometrial tissue and explants', Reproductive Sciences, Glasgow, Scotland (2009) [E3]
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2009 |
Paul JW, Read MA, Smith R, 'Phosphorylation events associated with myometrial awakening and the development of contractile force in humans', Reproductive Sciences, Glasgow, Scotland (2009) [E3]
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2008 |
Maiti K, Paul JW, Read MA, Chan EC, Smith R, 'Presence of the novel membrane estrogen receptor G-Protein coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) a membrane estrogen receptor in human pregnant myometrium and its biochemical characterization', 51st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Endocrine Society of Australia and Society of Reproductive Biology: Meeting Proceedings and Abstract Book, Melbourne, VIC (2008) [E3]
|
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2008 |
Paul JW, Read MA, Chan EC, Smith R, 'Phospho-proteomic determination of contraction associated proteins in the human uterus', 51st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Endocrine Society of Australia and Society of Reproductive Biology: Meeting Proceedings and Abstract Book, Melbourne, VIC (2008) [E3]
|
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2006 |
Paul JW, Aitken RJ, McLaughlin EA, 'Oolemmal Proteomics: Characterisation of Glycophosphatidylinositol Anchored Proteins Involved in Murine Fertilisation', Book of Abstracts, Lorne, Victoria, Australia (2006) [E3]
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2006 |
Nixon B, Paul JW, Spiller CM, Attwell-Heap AG, Aitken RJ, 'Evidence for the Involvement of Pecam-1 in a Reception Mediated Signal-Transduction Pathway regulating Capacitation-Associated Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Human Spermatozoa', Book of Abstracts, Lorne, Victoria, Australia (2006) [E3]
|
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2004 |
Paul JW, McLaughlin EA, Aitken RJ, 'Oolemmal Proteomics: Identification of the Oocyte Cell Surface Protein Complexes Involved in Sperm-egg Interaction', Reproduction, Fertility and Development, Sydney (2004) [E3]
|
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2003 |
Nixon B, Paul JW, Aitken RJ, 'Wheat germ agglutinin induced tyrosine phosphorylation of human spermatozoa', 28th Annual Lorne Conference on Protein Structure & Function, Lorne, Victoria (2003) [E3]
|
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2003 |
Nixon B, Attwell-Heap AG, Paul JW, Aitken RJ, 'Wheat Germ Agglutinin Induced Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Human Spermatozoa', Reproduction, Fertility and Development, Melbourne (2003) [E3]
|
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Show 38 more conferences |
Report (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 |
Paul JW, Hua S, Ilicic M, Tolosa JM, Butler T, Robertson S, Smith R, 'Applying nanopharmacology to obstetrics: A novel targeted drug delivery system for the uterus', Atlas of Science, 1 (2017)
|
Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 31 |
---|---|
Total funding | $4,411,691 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20234 grants / $1,673,185
Is placental aging the key to understanding, predicting and preventing stillbirths?$1,125,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
---|---|
Project Team | Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Doctor Jonathan Paul, Laureate Professor Roger Smith |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2027 |
GNo | G2300697 |
Type Of Funding | C3300 – Aust Philanthropy |
Category | 3300 |
UON | Y |
Targeting Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) Proteins for Preventing Preterm Birth$538,020
Funding body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
Funding body | NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul, Conjoint Professor Tamas Zakar, Doctor Carlos Riveros, Dr Mary Norris, Doctor Mary Norris, Mr Jason Phung |
Scheme | Ideas Grants |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2025 |
GNo | G2200411 |
Type Of Funding | C1100 - Aust Competitive - NHMRC |
Category | 1100 |
UON | Y |
Combo Precellys Evolution and Cryolys Evolution with extra 7mL capacity rotor$5,175
Funding body: University of Newcastle
Funding body | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Equipment Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2023 |
GNo | G2301083 |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | Y |
Preventing Preterm Birth: Elucidating the contraction-blocking effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors on global gene expression$4,990
Funding body: University of Newcastle
Funding body | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul, Miss Anna Paredes Barreda, Conjoint Professor Tamas Zakar |
Scheme | Pilot Funding Scheme |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2023 |
GNo | G2300451 |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | Y |
20221 grants / $742,094
Targeted Delivery of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics for Preventing Preterm Birth$742,094
Funding body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
Funding body | NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul, Dr Waleed Hussein, Sonika Tyagi, Conjoint Professor Tamas Zakar |
Scheme | Ideas Grants |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2022 |
Funding Finish | 2024 |
GNo | G2100572 |
Type Of Funding | C1100 - Aust Competitive - NHMRC |
Category | 1100 |
UON | Y |
20212 grants / $393,460
Targeted Delivery of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics for Preventing Preterm Birth$375,278
Funding body: NSW Ministry of Health
Funding body | NSW Ministry of Health |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Early-Mid Career Research Grant – Gene and Cell Therapy |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2023 |
GNo | G2100349 |
Type Of Funding | C2400 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Other |
Category | 2400 |
UON | Y |
Development of Precision Medicine Tools for Improved Management of Preterm Birth Risks$18,182
Funding body: John Hunter Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Jonathan Paul, Craig Pennell, Bronwyn Andrew, Jason Phung |
Scheme | John Hunter Charitable Trust Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
20203 grants / $332,162
Development of Nanoliposome Targeting Technology$240,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
---|---|
Project Team | Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | G2000802 |
Type Of Funding | C3300 – Aust Philanthropy |
Category | 3300 |
UON | Y |
Targeted Delivery of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics for Preventing Preterm Birth$80,000
Funding body: NSW Ministry of Health
Funding body | NSW Ministry of Health |
---|---|
Project Team | Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Doctor Jonathan Paul, Doctor Jorge Tolosa Gonzalez, Miss Madeline King |
Scheme | Gene and Cell Therapy PhD Program |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2024 |
GNo | G2000120 |
Type Of Funding | C2300 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Own Purpose |
Category | 2300 |
UON | Y |
Assessment of Myometrial Transcriptome Changes Associated with Preterm Birth$12,162
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Jonathan Paul, Felicity Park, Craig Pennell, Bronwyn Andrew, Jason Phung |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
20195 grants / $575,264
Uterine-Targeted Delivery of Dual Action Therapy for Preventing Preterm Birth$475,009
Funding body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
Funding body | NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul, Conjoint Professor Tamas Zakar, Dr Waleed Hussein |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | G1800369 |
Type Of Funding | C1100 - Aust Competitive - NHMRC |
Category | 1100 |
UON | Y |
The Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 6 Flex Real-Time PCR System$53,672
Funding body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
Funding body | NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) |
---|---|
Project Team | Professor Kirsty Pringle, Professor Simon Keely, Doctor Hannah Palliser, Doctor Jonathan Paul, Doctor Marina Paul, Doctor Lucy Murtha |
Scheme | Equipment Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | G1900306 |
Type Of Funding | Scheme excluded from IGS |
Category | EXCL |
UON | Y |
Olympus BX53-P Polarising Microscope$16,951
Funding body: Universityof Newcastle Faulty of Health and Medicine
Funding body | Universityof Newcastle Faulty of Health and Medicine |
---|---|
Project Team | Lucy Murtha, Michael Schuliga, Marina Ilicic, Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Equipment Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Nikon DS-Qi2 Monochrome Camera Microscope Upgrade Package $15,675
Funding body: Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Jonathan Paul, Trent Butler, Marina Ilicic, Jorge Tolosa, Kaushik Maiti, Kirsty Pringle, Julia Shaw, Hannah Palliser, Rohan Walker, Kirsten Coupland, Lucy Murtha, Mark Bigland, Andrew Boyle |
Scheme | Equipment grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
IncuSafe MCO-5M Automatic Air Jacket Multigas Incubator$13,957
Funding body: Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Jacinta Martin, Sarah Delforce, Kirsty Pringle, Saije Morosin, Sonia Tamanna, Alyssa Lochrin, Celine Lees, Jason Phung, Trent Butler Jonathan Paul, Bridie Goggins, Rebecca Hood, Marina Ilicic |
Scheme | Equipment grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20182 grants / $21,267
Preventing Placental Aging and Stillbirth in a Pre-Clinical Model$17,307
Funding body: John Hunter Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Jonathan Paul, Bronwyn Andrew |
Scheme | Charitable trust grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2018 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
HMRI Imaging Centre Pilot Grant round: A Targeted Drug Delivery System for the Uterus - MRI Characterisation of Nanoliposome Biodistribution$3,960
Funding body: Newcastle Innovation
Funding body | Newcastle Innovation |
---|---|
Project Team | Jonathan Paul, Susan Hua, Roger Smith |
Scheme | Chancellor’s Award for Research Innovation |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2018 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20174 grants / $404,380
Establishment of a Targeted Nanoparticle Development Facility at the Hunter Medical Research Institute$328,280
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
---|---|
Project Team | Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | G1701486 |
Type Of Funding | C3200 – Aust Not-for Profit |
Category | 3200 |
UON | Y |
UON 2017 Researcher Equipment Grant $46,100
Funding body: University of Newcastle
Funding body | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Researcher Equipment Grants |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | G1701158 |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | Y |
A Targeted Drug Delivery System for the Uterus: Characterisation for Clinical Translation$20,000
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr. Jonathan W. Paul, Dr. Susan Hua, Dr. Bronwyn Andrew |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
Understanding the myometrial transition at term and preterm labour to guide tocolysis$10,000
Funding body: Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Funding body | Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Jason Phung, Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Doctor Eng-Cheng Chan, Doctor Jonathan Paul, Conjoint Professor Tamas Zakar |
Scheme | NSW Regional Committee Training Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | G1701454 |
Type Of Funding | C3300 – Aust Philanthropy |
Category | 3300 |
UON | Y |
20161 grants / $21,745
Developing a Post-term Pregnancy Model to Study Placental Aging and Stillbirth$21,745
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul, Dr Bronwyn Andrew |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2016 |
Funding Finish | 2016 |
GNo | G1600377 |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - State |
Category | 2OPS |
UON | Y |
20154 grants / $140,847
A safer way of treating premature labour and post-partum hemorrhage$65,625
Funding body: Seattle Children's Hospital Research Foundation
Funding body | Seattle Children's Hospital Research Foundation |
---|---|
Project Team | Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Associate Professor Susan Hua, Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2015 |
Funding Finish | 2015 |
GNo | G1501339 |
Type Of Funding | Grant - Aust Non Government |
Category | 3AFG |
UON | Y |
Achieving Targeted Delivery of Drugs to Uterine Muscle in Women for the Prevention of Preterm Labour$48,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul, Associate Professor Susan Hua, Laureate Professor Roger Smith |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2015 |
Funding Finish | 2016 |
GNo | G1401504 |
Type Of Funding | Grant - Aust Non Government |
Category | 3AFG |
UON | Y |
Developing a System for Targeting Drugs to Ovarian Cancer$25,222
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul, Doctor Geoffrey Otton, Doctor John Bailey |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2015 |
Funding Finish | 2015 |
GNo | G1501110 |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - State |
Category | 2OPS |
UON | Y |
Society of Reproductive Investigation (SRI) 62nd Annual Scientific Meeting, San Francisco USA, 25-28 March 2015$2,000
Funding body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine
Funding body | University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Travel Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2015 |
Funding Finish | 2016 |
GNo | G1500525 |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | Y |
20121 grants / $34,454
Targeting the ether-a-go-go potassium channel as a treatment for post-partum heamorrhage$34,454
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Andrew Carlin, Doctor Jonathan Paul |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2012 |
Funding Finish | 2012 |
GNo | G1200956 |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - State |
Category | 2OPS |
UON | Y |
20111 grants / $25,000
Role of the potassium channel hERG in regulating the onset of labor in humans$25,000
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2011 |
Funding Finish | 2011 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - State |
Category | 2OPS |
UON | N |
20101 grants / $23,025
Identification of protein modifications associated with myometrial activation during the onset of labour$23,025
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2010 |
Funding Finish | 2010 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - State |
Category | 2OPS |
UON | N |
20091 grants / $15,208
Apoptosis in pregnant human myometrium and its role in labour$15,208
Funding body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust
Funding body | John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Kaushik Maiti, Doctor Jonathan Paul, Doctor Pravin Nahar |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2009 |
Funding Finish | 2009 |
GNo | G0189933 |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - State |
Category | 2OPS |
UON | Y |
20081 grants / $9,600
LED fluorescence illuminators and filter set (525nm + 575DF20) for LAS3000 image analysis system$9,600
Funding body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
Funding body | NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) |
---|---|
Project Team | Laureate Professor Roger Smith, Professor Ian Symonds, Conjoint Associate Professor Andrew Bisits, Conjoint Professor Tamas Zakar, Doctor John Fitter, Doctor Eng-Cheng Chan, Conjoint Associate Professor Rick Nicholson, Dr GIAVANNA Angeli, Doctor Kaushik Maiti, Doctor Jonathan Paul, Professor Jon Hirst, Doctor Hannah Palliser, Professor Eugenie Lumbers |
Scheme | Equipment Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2008 |
Funding Finish | 2008 |
GNo | G0188543 |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - Commonwealth |
Category | 2OPC |
UON | Y |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | PhD | Illustrating the Role of Iron in the Development of Complex Life | PhD (Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2023 | PhD | Synthesis and Functionalization of Bimodal Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Ovarian Cancer Treatment | PhD (Reproductive Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2023 | PhD | Communicating the Role of Molybdenum in Complex Life | PhD (Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2022 | PhD | A Targeted Drug Delivery Strategy for Ovarian Cancer | PhD (Reproductive Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2022 | PhD | Uterine-Targeted Delivery of Dual Action Therapy for Preventing Preterm Birth | PhD (Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2021 | PhD | Targeted Delivery of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics for Preventing Preterm Birth | PhD (Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2017 | PhD | Pathways to Uterine Activation at Labour | PhD (Reproductive Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | PhD | Preventing Preterm Birth: Next Generation Tocolytic Strategies for Inhibiting Pregnant Human Myometrial Contractility | PhD (Reproductive Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2021 | PhD | A Consilience Model of Group Dynamics | PhD (Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2020 | PhD | The Precursor for Nerve Growth Factor and Innervation in Thyroid Cancer | PhD (Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2018 | PhD | Epigenetic Regulation of Progesterone Receptor Isoforms in Human Parturition | PhD (Reproductive Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2018 | PhD | Exploring Novel Application of Tissue Engineering Strategies to Human Myometrium | PhD (Reproductive Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2017 | Honours | Triggers of Amniote Labour | Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney | Co-Supervisor |
2017 | PhD | Elucidating the Role of Myosin Phosphatase in the Contractility of Myometrial Smooth Muscle | PhD (Reproductive Medicine), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
News
News • 15 Dec 2022
Spinal cord pain to PTSD: $5.2m in NHMRC grants to target pressing medical conditions
Both the body and the mind will be a key focus for innovative researchers from the University of Newcastle, who were successful in the latest round of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grants.
News • 8 Sep 2021
New study delivers answers about preterm labour
A team of researchers has discovered the process of labour during preterm birth is different from that of full-term birth.
News • 2 Sep 2016
Nanotech revolution for pregnancy drugs
A revolutionary method of delivering drugs specifically to the uterus, using antibody-coated nanoparticles, has been pioneered by researchers from the University of Newcastle (UON) and Hunter Medical Research Institute.
Dr Jonathan Paul
Position
Senior Research Fellow
Mothers and Babies Research Center
School of Medicine and Public Health
College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing
Focus area
Reproductive Medicine
Contact Details
jonathan.paul@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | (02) 4042 0348 |
Fax | (02) 4042 0045 |
Office
Room | Level 3, East |
---|---|
Building | HMRI, John Hunter Hospital Campus |
Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |