Principal investigator
Summary of research
Our aim is to characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal
damage occurring acutely during stroke, and chronically in Parkinson's disease.
We focus on the role of excitotoxicity, calcium overload and oxidative stress.
The overall objective is to find new therapeutic strategies for these two
neurological disorders, based on improved understanding of pathophysiology of
affected neurons.
Fellows and Research Technicians
- Dr Peter Freestone (Research Fellow)
- Dr Kenny Chung (Research Fellow)
- Mr James McKearney (Research Technician)
Graduate students
- Rashi Karunashinghe (PhD student)
- Andrew Yee (PhD student)
- Nishani Dayaratne (PhD student)
Current research projects
- The involvement of oxidative stress and TRP channels in pathophysiology of
dopaminergic neurons of the Substantia Nigra.
- Effects of L-DOPA and dopamine on nigral dopaminergic neurons.
- Effects of neurotoxins and oxidative stress on noradrenergic neurons in the
Locus Coeruleus.
- The role of ‘Spreading Depression’ in ischemic damage of nigral dopaminergic
neurons.
- The role of endocanabinoids in the function of nigral dopaminergic neurons.
Research collaborations
National
- Prof . M. During, A/Prof. D. Young, and A/Prof. M. Kalev (Dept. Mol.
Medicine, Univ. of Auckland)
- Dr J. Reynolds (Dept. Anatomy, Univ. of Otago )
International
- Prof. N. Mercuri, Dr E. Guatteo and Dr N.
Berretta (IRCCS, Univ. of Rome, Italy )
- Prof. G. Funk (Univ. of Alberta, Canada )
- Prof. J. Phillips (Macquarie Univ., Australia)
Facilities / technology platform
- Electrophysiology (patch-clamping, intracellular recording with sharp
microelectrodes, extracellular recording)
- Live cell imaging
- Neuroanatomical techniques
- Single cell labeling with fluorescent markers
- Monitoring of ROS production and of mitochondrial membrane potential
- Microfluorometry (calcium imaging in neurons with fura-2 in brain slices)
- Measurement of stress-induced cell swelling (tissue impedance and intrinsic
optical signals)
- Immunocytochemistry and Western blotting
- Pharmacological studies of receptor/channel function
- Organotypic slice cultures (hippocampus and midbrain)
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