Our Research Themes

A student using a pipette to carry out an experiment

The five research themes in the Department of Physiology focus on the following key areas:

2D image of neurons Neuroscience

              • Neurophysiology
              • Neonatal brain development
              • Synaptic plasticity
              • Neuronal networks

A student using a pipette to carry out an experimentDrug Development & Bioengineering

              • Precision medicine
              • Drug discovery
              • Pharmacology
              • Drug repurposing

Human Health and Disease imageDisease Areas & Pathophysiology

              • Neurology
              • Neurodegeneration (E.g. ALS, MS, Alzheimers)
              • Diabetes
              • Epilepsy
              • Neuro-oncology
              • Neonatal hypoxia
              • Neuroinflammation

A close up of a section of a cellCell Physiology

              • Stem cell biology
              • Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models
              • Glial biology
              • Immune
              • Myelination
              • Microglia and neuroimmune signalling

A close up photo of a computer monitoring a person's CO2 levels. The person can be seen in the adjacent room exercising on a bikeExercise Science

              • Cerebrovascular health
              • Exercise and aging
              • Obesity and metabolic syndrome

 

Facilities

Our laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities pertinent to each research area. These include tissue culture facilities, a fully-equipped histology suite, a range of core cellular and molecular technologies including flow cytometry, a well-equipped behaviour suite, electrophysiological equipment for neurophysiological analysis, state-of-the-art exercise apparatus with integrated metabolic analysers, blood flow and pulse wave analysis systems, neurosensory analysers, and a facility for transcranial magnetic stimulation. Through TCIN, we have access to human and small animal MRI facilities.