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Dr Larisa Bobrovskaya

About

Qualifications

2000 - PhD in Medical Biochemistry, University of Newcastle

1988 - BSc (Honours)  in Medical Biochemistry, Moscow Medical University (USSR)

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Research

Research Interests

  • Neurobiology of stress response
  • Catecholamines, renin-angiotensin system and stress
  • Chronic stress, depression and cardiovascular disease
  • Neurodegeneration in depression and Parkinson’s disease

Refereed Journal Articles


Gordon S, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW.  Differential regulation of human tyrosine hydroxylase isoforms 1 and 2 in situ: isoform 2 is not phosphorylated at Ser35  Biochimica et Biophysica Acta- Molecular Cell Research (2009) (in press, accepted manuscript) IF=5.393
 
Franco J,  Posser T, Gordon S, Bobrovskaya L, Schneider J, Farina M, Dafre A, Dickson P, Dunkley P.  Expression of tyrosine hydroxylase increases the resistance of human neuroblastoma cells to oxidative insults. Toxicological Sciences (2009) (in press, accepted manuscript) IF= 4.420
 
Posser T, Franco J, Bobrovskaya L, Leal R, Dickson P, Dunkley P. Manganese induces sustained Ser40 phosphorylation and activation of tyrosine hydroxylase in PC12 cells. Journal of Neurochemistry 110(3):848-856 (2009)  IF=4.553.
 
Bobrovskaya L, Gelain D, Gilligan C, Dickson P, Dunkley PR.  PACAP stimulates the sustained phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase at serine 40. Cellular Signalling 19(6): 1141-9 (2007) IF=4.321.
 
Bobrovskaya L, Gilligan C, Bolster EK, Flaherty J., Dickson P., Dunkley PR. Sustained phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase at serine 40: a novel mechanism for maintenance of catecholamine synthesis. Journal of Neurochemistry 100 (2): 479-489 (2007) IF=4.553.
 
Lehmann IT, Bobrovskaya L, Gordon SL, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW. Differential regulation of the human tyrosine hydroxylase isoforms via hierarchical phosphorylation. Journal of Biological Chemistry 281 (26): 17644-17651 (2006) IF=5.575.
 
Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW. Phosphorylation of Ser19 increases both Ser40 phosphorylation and enzyme activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in intact cells. Journal of Neurochemistry 90 (4): 857-864 (2004) IF=4.553.
 
Dunkley PR, Bobrovskaya L, Graham ME, Von Nagy-Felsobuki EI, Dickson PW. Tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation: regulation and consequences. Journal of Neurochemistry 91 (5): 1025-1043 (2004) IF=4.553.
 
Ma FY, Grattan DR, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR, Bunn SJ. Angiotensin II regulates tyrosine hydroxylase activity and mRNA expression in rat mediobasal hypothalamic cultures: the role of specific protein kinases. Journal of Neurochemistry 90 (2): 431-441 (2004) IF=4.553.
 
Leal RB, Frizzo JK, Tramontina F, Fieuw-Makaroff S, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR, Gonçalves CA. S1009B protein stimulates calcineurin activity. Neuroreport 15 (2): 317-320 (2004) IF=2.333.
 
Leal RB, Cordova FM, Herd L, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR. Lead-stimulated p38(MAPK)-dependent Hsp27 phosphorylation. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 178 (1): 44-51 (2002) IF=4.185.
 
Bobrovskaya L, Odell A, Leal RB, Dunkley PR. Tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells: the role of MAPKs after angiotensin II stimulation. Journal of Neurochemistry 78 (3): 490-498 (2001) IF=4.553.
 
Cheah TB, Bobrovskaya L, Goncalves CA, Hall A, Elliot R, Lengyel I, Bunn SJ, Marley PD, Dunkley PR. Simultaneous measurement of tyrosine hydroxylase activity and phosphorylation in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 87 (2): 167-174 (1999) IF=2.372.
 
Bobrovskaya L, Cheah TB, Bunn SJ, Dunkley PR. Tyrosine hydroxylase in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells: Angiotensin II stimulated activity and phosphorylation of Ser19, Ser31, and Ser40. Journal of Neurochemistry 70 (6): 2565-2573 (1998) IF=4.553.

Conference Papers

Shehadeh J, Double KL, Murphy K, Bobrovskaya L, Haycock JW, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW and Halliday GM. Differential Distribution of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Isoforms in the Human Brain. XVIII WFN Congress on Parkinson's disease and Related disorders. Miami, USA, Dec 2009

L Bobrovskaya, H. Damanhuri, L.K. Ong, P.W. Dickson, P.R. Dunkley and A.K. Goodchild. The effect of glucoprivation on tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in adrenals of Sprague-Dawley rats. International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience meeting, Sydney, Sep 2009

Ong LK, Bobrovskaya L, Walker FR, Day TA, Dickson PW and Dunkley PR. The effect of social conflict on tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in catecholamine-producing cells from Sprague Dawley rats. International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience meeting, Sydney, Sep 2009

Ong LK, Maniam, Dunkley PR, Bobrovskaya L and Morris MJ. The effect of voluntary exercise and high fat diet on tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to early life stress. International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience meeting, Sydney, Sep 2009

Damanhuri H, Ong LK, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR and Goodchild AK. Activation of tyrosine hydroxylase in the A8, A9 and A10 cell groups following hypotension and glucoprivation in Sprague Dawley rat. International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience meeting, Sydney, Sep 2009

Gordon SL, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR and Dickson PW. Differential regulation of the two major isoforms of human tyrosine hydroxylase in situ. 22nd Biennial Meeting of ISN/APSN Joint meeting. Busan, Korea, Aug 2009

Ong LK, Bobrovskaya L, Walker FR, Day TA, Dickson PW and Dunkley PR. The effect of social conflict on tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in catecholamine-producing cells from Sprague Dawley rats. 22nd Biennial Meeting of ISN/APSN Joint meeting. Busan, Korea, Aug 2009

Bobrovskaya, L, Ong, L, Walker, FR, Day TA, Dickson, PW, Dunkley, PR. The effect of social conflict on tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation. Australian Neuroscience Society meeting, Canberra, Jan 2009

Gordon SL, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR and Dickson PW. Regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase and implications for dopamine biosynthesis, Dementia, Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease Meeting, Canberra, Jan 2009.

Posser T, Franco JL, Bobrovskaya L, Leal RB, Dickson PW, Dunkley PR. Sustained tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in PC12 cells exposed to manganese. Australian Neuroscience Society meeting, Hobart, 2008

Lonergan T, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley P, Dickson P, Pilowski PM, Goodchild A. Intracellular signaling pathways in catecholaminergic cells activated by glucoprivation.  Australian Neuroscience Society meeting, Hobart, 2008

Bobrovskaya L, Gelain D, Gilligan C, Flaherty J, Bolster E, Dickson PW, Dunkley PR. Nicotine and PACAP stimulate the sustained phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase at serine 40. IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, 12-17th  July , Melbourne, 2007

Lehmann IT, Bobrovskaya L, Gordon SL, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW. Human Tyrosine Hydroxylase Isoforms are Differentially Regulated by Hierarchical Phosphorylation. IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, 12-17th  July , Melbourne, 2007

Lehmann I, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW.  Differential regulation of the human tyrosine hydroxylase isoforms via hierarchical phosphorylation.  Proceedings of the Australian Neuroscience Society, Sydney, 2006

Dunkley PR, Bobrovskaya L, Gilligan C, Bolster E, Flaherty J, Dickson PW. Sustained phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase at serine 40 is inhibited by the antidepressant imipramine. Proceedings of the Australian Neuroscience Society, Sydney, 2006 

Lehmann I, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW. Regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase via hierachical phosphorylation. Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Chromaffin Cell Biology, Chile, 2006

Lehmann I, Bobrovskaya L, Dunkley PR, Dickson PW. Phosphorylation of Ser31 increases the activation of tyrosine hydroxylase via hierachical phosphorylation. ISN meeting, Innsbruck, Austria. Journal of Neurochemistry 94: 204, Suppl.2, 2005

Dunkley PR, Bobrovskaya L, Gilligan C, Soster E, Dickson PW. Sustained phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase at Ser40. ISN meeting, Innsbruck, Austria. Journal of Neurochemistry 94: 203, Suppl. 2, 2005

Bobrovskaya L, Gilligan C, Dickson PW, Dunkley PR. Sustained phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase: A novel mechanism of activation. Proceedings of the Australian Neuroscience Society, Perth, 2005

Grants and Funding

2010 - Project grant: The central neural pathway that controls the release of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla: is it impaired in hypertension? (HMRI)

2008-2009 - Brawn Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship ($144,000) (University of Newcastle)

2008 -  Pilot grant: Neurobiology of sustained phosphorylation ($18,800) (University of Newcastle)

Research Supervision



Dr Bobrovskaya has trained and supervised more than 15 students in total, including summer students, 3rd year project students, Honours and PhD students. At present she supervises two Honours, two PhD students and one 3rd year student.

Currently supervised projects are:

  1. Neurobiological and behavioural consequences of stress (PhD)
  2. Characterization of the molecular mechanisms responsible for differentiation of cultured retinal Müller cells into dopaminergic neurons (PhD)
  3. Tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation in response to footshock stress (Hon)
  4. Angiotensin modulation of catecholamine synthesis in response to chronic stress: a possible role in neurogenic heart disease (Hon)
  5. Analysis of the renin-angiotensin system in peripheral tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats (3rd year project)
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Teaching

Teaching Interests

  • Neuroscience, neuroendocrinology
  • Cellular signalling, protein phosphorylation
  • Nutrition and metabolism

Programs

  • Bachelor of Medicine
  • Bachelor of Biomed Sciences

Courses

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Other

Membership of Societies and Professional Bodies

Australian Neuroscience Society

Appointments



2009- Lecturer (University of Newcastle)

2008-2009 Brawn Memorial Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Newcastle)

2000-2007 Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Newcastle)

1996-1999 PhD student (University of Newcastle)

Awards and Prizes

2008- Brawn Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship

2001- Kellerman Award for Research Excellence

1996-1999 Australian Postgraduate Award

Related Research
Groups and Centres
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