Inflammation is a double-edged weapon. When localized and moderate, it is beneficial – aiding the resolution of infections and healing. When excessive and systemic, it becomes a problem – host tissues may be damaged by its ‘friendly fire’. Mechanisms have thus evolved to keep inflammation under tight control. The seminar will describe what we know about how the Inflammation Reflex works and what may be its biological and medical significance.

In this talk, I will first showcase a seminal work where integrative methods were used for discovering fundamental mechanisms in stem cells.

For individuals with genetic disorders, obtaining a precise genetic diagnosis can be life changing. We have sought to find the genetic basis of disease for ~200 families with inherited neuromuscular disease (NMD)

Using a variety of genomics, epigenetic and proteomics approaches we have begun to dissect the mechanisms linked to inflammatory pathways. Identifying candidate pathways that may be amenable to manipulation in order to protect, delay or alleviate aspects of cardiovascular ageing.

the larval zebrafish offers a perfect window into functioning neural circuits. We imaged the whole brain of zebrafish as they habituate to repeated looming stimuli.

Our current research programs include understanding the mechanisms of cardiac biology and function so that we can come up with novel treatments for these patients. We are studying the core processes that improve heart function including maturation, interactions between different cell populations in the heart or outside of the heart and the role of metabolism.

We have shown pronounced loss of the neuroprotective signalling lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in the pre-clinical phase of AD pathogenesis, and as a function of increasing age in the hippocampus of cognitively normal females.