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Research in Biomedical Sciences

Current research at the School of Biomedical Science is extremely diverse and dynamic. Academic staff within the School engage in research in a number of key areas:

Molecular Medicine
Neuroscience

Infection & Immunity
Pharmacy & Pharmacology

The School of Biomedical Sciences has a commitment to safe work practices, especially with the use of the large range of research facilities available for teaching and research purposes. There are also many different seminars regularly held within the school. See the following web pages for more information.

There are currently a vast number of biomedical-related projects underway within the School. Many of the school research staff are listed below along with their major research interests:

Neuroscience
Prof. Trevor Day	Neurobiology of stress, anxiety & depression
Prof. David Pow	The role of amino acids, and their homeostasis, in the central nervous system in health and disease. Neurochemistry and Brain Repair Laboratory
A/Prof Philip Bolton	How the nervous system processes and integrates sensory information to maintain homeostasis Laboratory for Neurophysiology & Spinal Studies
A/Prof Bob Callister	Synaptic transmission in sensory pathways: pain and balance disorders
A/Prof Derek Laver	Membrane transport and the mechanisms of ion channel function using biophysical methods
A/Prof Dirk van Helden	Cellular rhythms; pacemaking; calcium stores; smooth muscle; cardiac muscle; arrhythmias; inositol 1,4,5-trisphophate receptors; ryanodine receptors
A/Prof Anthony Quail	Study of integrated cardiovascular and respiratory control mechanisms at rest, during exercise, hypoxia and interactions with modern anaesthetics; control of the coronary circulation; control of the airway and bronchial circulation. Cardiopulmonary neuroscience laboratory.
Dr Alan Brichta	Cellular mechanisms in the vestibular system
Dr Robin Callister	Exercise and sport physiology; cardiovascular health, nutrition and physical activity; exercise and immunology Human Performance Laboratory
Dr Brett Graham	Spinal processing of pain signals. Mechanisms that govern neuronal excitability in the central nervous system
Dr Marcus Howlett	The role of Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Calcium stores in the generation of spontaneous and synchronised firing activity of cells from the locus coeruleus
Dr Phil Jobling	The structure and function of nerves which control our internal organs Autonomic Nervous System Laboratory
Dr Karen Kerr	Urogenital pharmacology with a focus on understanding mechanisms that contribute to uterine motility, urinary incontinence and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Effects of iron and iron-related genetic changes on heart function.
Dr Angela Kindig	Cellular mechanisms of the vestibular system. Mechanical properties of vestibular hair cells. Neural properties of the vestibular system.
Dr Carl Parsons	Cortical plasticity following peripheral injury, manipulating cortical plasticity with sensory training, neurophysiology underlying tinnitus
Dr Doug Smith	Neurobiology of Ageing
Dr Neil Spratt	Rigorous preclinical and clinical investigation of novel treatments and investigative modalities for stroke: Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone), hypothermia, thrombolytics, and imaging of the ischaemic penumbra. Systematic review and metaanalysis of existing preclinical data, in particular with regard to effects of environmental enrichment on recovery from stroke.
Infection and Immunity
Prof Ken Beagley	Chlamydia Research Group
Prof Caroline Blackwell	My research is on genetic, developmental and environmental factors affecting susuceptibility to infections. The models used are sudden unexpected death in infancy and stillbirths, ear infections, and meningococcal disease.
Prof Paul Foster	Molecular and cellular mechanisms that promote the development and progression of chronic respiratory diseases Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Prof Maree Gleeson	Susceptibility to infections in elite athletes and sudden infant death syndrome. The role of inflammation, diet and physical activity on immunity.
A/Prof Darren Shafren	Virology and Oncolytic Virotherapy
Dr Kelly Asquith	Cell signalling and allergic inflammation/asthma
Dr Gough Au	Virology and Oncolytic Virotherapy
Dr Kelly Cunningham	Chlamydia vaccine development Chlamydia Research Group
Dr Nicole Hansbro	Respiratory viral infections in the development and exacerbation of asthma The Asthma, Allergy and Inflammation Research Centre
Dr Phil Hansbro	Microbial infections & asthma
Dr Roberta Karpathy	Virology and Oncolytic Virotherapy
Dr Joerg Mattes	Small RNA molecules in the pathogenesis and for the treatment of asthma and other respiratory diseases
Dr Erin O'Neill	Treatments and vaccines to human Herpesvirus
Dr Susanne Johanson	Virology and Oncolytic Virotherapy
Dr Simon Phipps	Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and emphysema with an emphasis on the activation of innate immunity and the regulation of adaptive immunity by antigen-presenting cells
Dr Margaret Wade	Understanding how female sex hormones influence innate immune responses to Chlamydial genital tract infection Chlamydia Research Group
Molecular Medicine
Prof Leonie Ashman	Experimental Oncology Group
Prof Gordon F. Burns	Cancer Research Unit
Prof Peter Dunkley	Protein phosphorylation in neuronal and endocrine tissues
Prof Keith Jones	Meiosis in Mammalian Females
Prof John Rostas	Protein phosphorylation and and the control of synaptic function
Prof Rodney Scott	Genetic variation and its relationship to disease Medical Genetics Research Group
Prof Gillian Turner	Fragile X syndrome Identification of genes on the X chromosome associated with Developmental Disability GOLD Service (Genetics of Learning Disability)
A/Prof Alistair T.R. Sim	Protein Phosphatase Signaling in Disease
Dr Rosa Baleato	Experimental Oncology Group
Dr Larisa Bobrovskaya	Neurobiology of stress response - the role of protein phosphorylation and catecholamine synthesis in the brain and sympathetic nervous system. Link between stress, depression and cardiovascular disease.
Dr Nikola Bowden	Gene expression profiling of complex diseases
Dr Murray Cairns	Neurodevelopmental biology of schizophrenia. Genetic and epigenetic mechanism of gene regulation. Post-transcriptional gene silencing.
Dr Matthew Edwards	Syndromes, genes and environmental influences associated with cleft lip and palate
Dr Jenny Irwin	Proteomic analysis for disease biomarker discovery
Dr Kyu-Tae Kim	Cancer biology / Leukaemia
Dr Lisa Lincz	Genetic susceptibility to malignancy and disease The Hunter Haematology Research Group
Dr Julie Merriman-Jones	Factors affecting early embryo development. Determinants of egg quality with age.
Dr Liz Milward	Ageing related disorders including neurodegenerative diseases
Dr Severine Roselli	Role of Tetraspanin proteins in breast cancer initiation and progression. Role of Tetraspanin CD151 in kidney disease and in the maintenance of a selective kidney filter.
Dr Kathryn Skelding	Protein phosphorylation and the control of synaptic function.
Dr Nicole Verrills	Role of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in cancer development
Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Prof Shu Chuen Li	Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. Clinical Pharmacy & Quality Use of Medicine. Drug and health care policy.
Prof Eugenie Lumbers	Role of the prorenin/renin receptor angiotensin system in the female reproductive tract.
A/Prof Manohar Garg	Edible fats & oils, oxidative stress and antioxidant molecules and their effects on intermediary metabolism Nutraceuticals Research Group
A/Prof Jonathan Hirst	Neuroactive Steroids and Brain Injury.
Dr David Newby	Improving the uptake of evidence-based drug information and decision support. Quality use of medicines.
Dr Kirsty Pringle	Role of the Renin Angiotensin System during Pregnancy.
Dr Rohan Rasiah	Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism Pharmacy education
Dr Jenny Schneider	Pharmaceutical Analysis and Pharmaceutics Clinical research in palliative care Pharmacokinetics/toxicology/toxinology
Dr Paul Tooney	The Neurobiology and Genetics of Schizophrenia

Seminar Series
School of Biomedical Sciences Seminar (Previously Neuroscience Seminar) Cancer & Molecular Oncology Group (CMOG) Cardiovascular Research Programme - HMRI (CVRP) Vaccines, Immunity, Viruses & Asthma Research Program (VIVA) Special Seminars Seminar Series Archive

Faculty of Health

Research in Biomedical Sciences

Neuroscience

Infection and Immunity

Molecular Medicine

Pharmacy and Pharmacology

Seminar Series