Staff Profile
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Career Summary
Biography
Dr Walker undertook a PhD with A/Prof Deborah Hodgson in the Psychobiology and Neuroimmunology Research Group in the University of Newcastle’s School of Psychology and completed this in 2006. Dr Walker then joined the laboratory of Professor Trevor Day, in the School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, as an NHMRC research officer where he began investigations into the brain mechanisms that underpin individual differences in vulnerability to psychological stress. In 2007 Dr Walker was awarded an NHMRC Biomedical (Peter Doherty) Postdoctoral Fellowship and in 2009 established the Affective Neuroscience and Neuroimmunology research group at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Over the past several years Dr Walker’s research has been focused on the role of glia in complex behaviour and mood disturbances. He has established himself as an emerging researcher leader in the field and is regularly invited to speak at national and international conferences, and called upon to review NHMRC grant applications and manuscripts.
Qualifications
- PhD, University of Newcastle, 31/01/2006
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours), University of Newcastle, 03/12/1999
Research
Research keywords
- Depression
- Microglia
- Neuroinflammation
- Neuron-Glia interactions
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Stress
Research expertise
The primary objective of our research group is to understand the neurobiological mechanisms through which psychological stress increases vulnerability to psychiatric illnesses such as depression. Our research makes uses of a large variety of techniques spanning from the analysis of individual genes of interest through to the behavioural level. Our research laboratories, situated at with the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, are ideally equipped with state of the art equipment to undertake these multi-level investigations.
Languages
- English
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 110900 | Neurosciences | 80 |
| 110300 | Clinical Sciences | 10 |
| 170199 | Psychology Not Elsewhere Classified | 10 |
Memberships
Conference Chair
- Member - Autonomic Neuroscience Workshop
Appointments
| Peter Doherty Biomedical Fellow National Health & Medical Research Council (Australia) | 01/01/2007 - 01/12/2010 |
| University of Newcastle Research Fellow University of Newcastle (Australia) | 01/01/2007 |
Awards
Research Award.
| 2005 | Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society (United States) Excellence in research |
|---|
Invitations
| The role of microglia in cognitive disturbance: a new frontier in the neurobiology of stress. University of Neewcastle, Australia (Invited Presenter) | 2012 |
Collaboration
Dr Murray Cairns (University of Newcastle): Genome wide profiling of stress induced changes within the brain
Professor Trevor Day (Deakin University): Neuroninflammatory modulation of mood state
Professor Michael Nilsson (University of Newcastle): Glial remodelling in stroke
Teaching
Teaching keywords
- Biomedical Statistics
- Learning and Memory
- Neuroscience
- Research Design and Methodology
Edit
- Indicates that the researcher may be seeking students for this project.Functional characterisation of schizophrenia-associated neurodevelopmental dysfunction of miR-137$25,000
Functional characterisation of schizophrenia-associated neurodevelopmental dysfunction of miR-137$25,000
Understanding the role of microglia in stress-induced changes in neuronal connectivity$20,000
Understanding the role of microglia in stress-induced changes in neuronal connectivity$20,000
microRNA and translation dynamics of synaptic plasticity$20,000
2011 Emerging Research Leaders Program$15,000
A new target for antidepressant treatment: microglia mediated neuroinflammation$346,980
2007 Research Fellowship$108,316
Establishing the effectiveness of anti-neuroinflammatory agents in the fight against depression$15,000
IMPLEN NanoPhotometer pearl$10,000
Annual Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society Meeting, Hilton Indian Lakes Resort, Chicago, Illnois, 7 - 12 June 2011$2,000
Targeting neuroinflammation to improve the efficacy of antidepressant drugs$50,000
ABI 7500 Real Time PCR System
$34,000
A novel approach to developing new treatments for anxiety: Identification of neural pathways underlying resistance and susceptibility to anxiety disorders.$25,000
2007 Research Fellowship Project grant $15,000
New treatments for depression: Identification of neural pathways underlying resistance and susceptibility to depression$274,000
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 16 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $1,005,296 |
For project grants received where the lead institution is other than the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics.
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
2013 (5 grants)
Functional characterisation of schizophrenia-associated neurodevelopmental dysfunction of miR-137$25,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Murray Cairns, Doctor Frederick Walker, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Ms Natalie Beveridge | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Near Miss | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $25,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1300801 | ||
Functional characterisation of schizophrenia-associated neurodevelopmental dysfunction of miR-137$25,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Murray Cairns, Doctor Frederick Walker, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Ms Natalie Beveridge | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Near Miss Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $25,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1300468 | ||
Understanding the role of microglia in stress-induced changes in neuronal connectivity$20,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Near Miss | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $20,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1300799 | ||
Understanding the role of microglia in stress-induced changes in neuronal connectivity$20,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Near Miss Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $20,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1300486 | ||
microRNA and translation dynamics of synaptic plasticity$20,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Murray Cairns, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Near Miss Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $20,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1300463 | ||
2012 (1 grants)
2011 Emerging Research Leaders Program$15,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Emerging Research Leaders Program | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $15,000 | 2012 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1200470 | ||
2011 (5 grants)
A new target for antidepressant treatment: microglia mediated neuroinflammation$346,980
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $346,980 | 2011 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1000245 | ||
2007 Research Fellowship$108,316
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Postdoctoral Research Fellowship | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $108,316 | 2011 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1000609 | ||
Establishing the effectiveness of anti-neuroinflammatory agents in the fight against depression$15,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker, Professor Trevor Day | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $15,000 | 2011 | 2011 |
| GNo:G1001007 | ||
IMPLEN NanoPhotometer pearl$10,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Murray Cairns, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Associate Professor Alan Brichta, Professor John Rostas, Emeritus Professor Patricia Michie, Conjoint Professor Keith Jones, Professor Ulli Schall, Associate Professor Phillip Dickson, Doctor Frederick Walker, Doctor Rick Thorne, Doctor Chris Dayas, Doctor Nikki Verrills, Doctor Janet Holt, Doctor Severine Roselli, Doctor Kathryn Skelding, Doctor Jude Weidenhofer, Associate Professor Liz Milward, Doctor Charles De Bock, Doctor Julie Merriman-Jones, Doctor Jing Qin Wu, Doctor Bing Liu, Mr Dan Johnstone, Ms Belinda Goldie, Ms Natalie Beveridge | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Equipment Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $10,000 | 2011 | 2011 |
| GNo:G1100030 | ||
Annual Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society Meeting, Hilton Indian Lakes Resort, Chicago, Illnois, 7 - 12 June 2011$2,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $2,000 | 2011 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1100430 | ||
2010 (2 grants)
Targeting neuroinflammation to improve the efficacy of antidepressant drugs$50,000
Funding Body: BellBerry Limited
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker, Dr Kathryn Buller, Associate Professor Paul Tooney | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Near Miss | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $50,000 | 2010 | 2012 |
| GNo:G0900219 | ||
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 | ||
2008 (2 grants)
A novel approach to developing new treatments for anxiety: Identification of neural pathways underlying resistance and susceptibility to anxiety disorders.$25,000
Funding Body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $25,000 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0188476 | ||
2007 Research Fellowship Project grant $15,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Research Fellowship | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $15,000 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0187128 | ||
2007 (1 grants)
New treatments for depression: Identification of neural pathways underlying resistance and susceptibility to depression$274,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Frederick Walker | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowships - Peter Doherty Biomedical Fellowship (Australia) | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $274,000 | 2007 | 2010 |
| GNo:G0186786 | ||
Edit
Research Supervision
| Number of current supervisions | 10 |
|---|---|
| Total current UoN PhD EFTSL | 3.25 |
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 (Anatomy) | Principal Supervisor | A Study of the Interaction Between Short and Long-Term Plasticity in Rat Somatosensory Cortex |
| 2013 | 2017 | PhD (Anatomy) | Principal Supervisor | Environmental Enrichment to Improve Outcome After Stroke - What are the Key Contributory Factors? |
| 2013 | 2017 | PhD (Anatomy) | Co-Supervisor | The Role of Orexin in Stress and Psychopathology |
| 2013 | 2016 | PhD (Anatomy) | Principal Supervisor | TBC |
| 2012 | 2016 | PhD (CommunityMed & ClinEpid) | Co-Supervisor | The Role of Autoantibodies in the Development of Depression |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Human Physiology) | Principal Supervisor | Investigating the Role of Microglia in Regulating Complex Behaviour |
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Medical Biochemistry) | Co-Supervisor | The Role of miRNA and Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing in Mediating the Mammalian Brains Response to Environmental Stress During Development and Ageing |
| 2008 | 2012 | PhD (Anatomy) | Principal Supervisor | The Impact of Stress on Glia: A Characterisation of the Chronic Stress-Induced Density and Morphological Alterations Observed in Astrocytes and Microglia |
| 2007 | 2008 | Honours Psychology University of Newcastle | Sole Supervisor | Individual differences in susceptibility to fear related pathology |
| 2007 | 2010 | PHD Medical Science University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor | Role of dopamine in the medial pre-frontal cortex |
Past Supervision
| Year | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | PhD (Anatomy) | Principal Supervisor | Neurobiological Alterations in the Rat Medial Prefrontal Cortex following Exposure to Chronic Psychological Stress |
Edit
Dr Frederick Walker
| Work Phone | (02) 4921 5012 |
|---|---|
| Fax | (02) 4921 5141 |
| Rohan.Walker@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Position | Research Fellow School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy Faculty of Health and Medicine |
| Focus Area | Anatomy |
| Office | MS413, Medical Sciences, Callaghan University Drive Callaghan NSW 2308 Australia |
| URL: | www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/rohan-walker |
