Neuroscience

The Neuroscience and Neural Repair Group is a collaboration between four School of Medicine Investigators: Dr James Vickers (Discipline of Pathology), Dr Inn Chuah (Discipline of Anatomy and Physiology), Dr Adrian West (Discipline of Biochemistry) and Dr Lisa Foa. The objective of the group is to understand the molecular processes by which neurons grow, and to be able to encourage the repair of neurons following traumatic injury (eg spinal cord lesions) or during the onset of disease such as Alzheimer's Disease.
At present, the Group consists of the three investigators above, Mrs Julie Harris, Mr Graeme McCormack, Ms Marion Quilty, Mr Steve Weston, Mr Roger Chung, Ms Emma Woodhall, Ms Adele Vincent, Mr Abraham Passmore, and Mr Justin Dittmann. We also have strong links to Dr Derek Choi-Lundberg, (Discipline of Anatomy and Physiology).
Our research profile includes the following projects:
The ability of olfactory ensheathing cells to promote repair in the damaged spinal cord
Development of a neural growth agent, metallothionein-III and its effect in a tissue culture model of brain injury
Responses of neurons to damage in a tissue culture model
We currently have funding from NH&MRC and MAIB, and our work is based in the laboratories of the three principle investigators.