Therapeutic targets

…that redirect its activity towards therapeutic targets. The award supports four years of doctoral research.

…treatment, with a focus on actionable therapeutic targets.

Anxiety disorders frequently accompanies aggression and their co-occurrence predicts worse functional impairment and poor prognosis. Nevertheless, the underlying neural mechanisms for co-occurring anxiety disorders and aggression remains elusive mostly due to the lack of appropriate animal models. Here, we designed a chronic coveted stress (CCS) male mouse model in which a pair of male mouse (owner) and a female mouse (partner) are physically separated from a peer conspecific male mouse (single) that poses a chronic emotional stress. After 7-day modeling, mice exposure to CCS exhibited anxiety

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. However, current treatments and diagnostic methods are ineffective in early detection and intervention. Recently, researchers have focused on the dysregulation of small non-protein-coding microRNA (miRNA) and the associated post-transcriptional gene alteration in AD. Biofluids, such as serum and cerebrospinal fluid, contain miRNAs that can be identified and quantified. The project aims to identify circulating miRNAs within serum and CSF, which can be used as non-invasive

…studies allowed him to develop novel therapeutic approaches through investigation of preventable risk factors including mood disorders in the promotion of resilience against neurodegenerative disorder. In his presentation Dr. Pasinetti will discuss novel concepts about the gut-brain axis in mechanisms associated to peripheral adaptive immunity as therapeutic targets to mitigate the onset and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other form of dementia.

WEBINAR 1 Breaking the barrier: Using focused ultrasound for the development of targeted therapies for brain tumours presented by Dr Ekaterina (Caty) Salimova, Monash Biomedical Imaging Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) - brain cancer - is aggressive and difficult to treat as systemic therapies are hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Focused ultrasound (FUS) - a non-invasive technique that can induce targeted temporary disruption of the BBB – is a promising tool to improve GBM treatments. In this webinar, Dr Ekaterina Salimova will discuss the MRI-guided FUS modality at MBI and her research

The occurrence of seizures at specific times of the day has been consistently observed for centuries in individuals with epilepsy. Electrophysiological recordings provide evidence that seizures have a higher probability of occurring at a given time during the night and day cycle in individuals with epilepsy – the seizure rush hour. Which mechanisms underly such circadian rhythmicity of seizures? Why don’t they occur every day at the same time? Which mechanisms may underly their occurrence outside the rush hour? I shall present a hypothesis: MORE - Molecular Oscillations and Rhythmicity of Epil