SoMS Honours
Potential Projects » Neuroscience
| Academic | Project Title |
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A/Prof Ingvars Birznieks, Dr Heba Khamis & A/Prof Richard Vickery Sensory Neuroscience, SoMS, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) |
Sensorimotor control of human hand in the context of object manipulation (fundamental neurobiology, computational neuroscience, prosthetics, robotics; this project is suitable for medical science and engineering students) (NEUR Honours, SoMS Honours, MSc & PhD) |
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A/Prof Ingvars Birznieks & A/Prof Richard Vickery Sensory Neuroscience, SoMS, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) |
Deciphering the neural code: recordings of nerve signals from single sensory neurons (tactile afferents) in humans (microneurography) (NEUR Honours, SoMS Honours, MSc & PhD) |
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A/Prof Ingvars Birznieks and Dr Heba Khamis Sensory Neuroscience, SoMS, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering (GSBmE), Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) |
Bionics of the sense of touch – interdisciplinary project joining medical sciences and engineering (Honours, Internship, Project A&B, etc., MSc & PhD). This project is suitable for biomedical science and engineering students of various specialisations interested in bionics of sensory systems, neuroprosthetics and design of biomimetic artificial sensors , for example, biomedical, mechatronic, electrical, software, telecommunications and chemical engineering. |
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Genetic contributors, clinical course and pharmacogenomics of Bipolar Disorder. This project will use genomics techniques to examine biological signatures of treatment response for this debilitating mood disorder. (NEUR Honours, SoMS Honours, ILP, short-term clinical research training placements, MSc & PhD) |
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Prof Bruce Brew, Dr Michael Lovelace & Dr Gayathri Sundaram St Vincent's Clinical School |
Targeting the Kynurenine Pathway to better patient outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis |
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A/Prof Jane Butler, Prof Lynne Bilston, A/Prof Danny Eckert & Dr Peter Burke Neuroscience Research Australia |
Activation and motion of the genioglossus muscle (tongue) and its role in obstructive sleep apnoea. Techniques: EMG, MRI, polysomnography and more |
| Central control of autonomic and behavioural responses during stress and arousal. The role of the hypothalamic peptide orexin. Techniques: Radiotelemetry, behavioural observation, tract tracing, immunohistochemistry and pharmacogenetics. | |
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Neuroscience Research Australia |
Human upper airway physiology investigating the causes of and new treatments for sleep disordered breathing |
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Dr Fatima El-Assaad & Prof Emad El-Omar Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School |
The role of the microbiome in neuroinflammation and dementia |
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Dr Teri Furlong & Prof George Paxinos Neuroscience Research Australia |
The impact of high calorie food on the brain’s orexin system and habitual behaviour |
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Dr Teri Furlong & Prof George Paxinos Neuroscience Research Australia |
Utilizing a DREADDS approach to treat the motor and cognitive symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in an animal model |
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Dr Teri Furlong & Prof George Paxinos Neuroscience Research Australia |
Establishing a preclinical model of autism: brain and behaviour |
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Prof Simon Gandevia & Dr Martin Héroux Neuroscience Research Australia |
Human motoneurone fatigue and recovery (NEUR Honours, SoMS Honours, MSc & PhD) |
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Prof Simon Gandevia & Dr Annie Butler Neuroscience Research Australia |
Ownership and proprioception of the human hand (NEUR Honours, SoMS Honours, MSc & PhD) |
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Prof Simon Gandevia & Dr Matthew Brodie Neuroscience Research Australia |
Remote physiological monitoring with wearable devices: Collect and analyse remote activity, heart-rate (ECG) and respiratory data in people with COPD to help predict/inform long term health/rehabilitation outcomes. |
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Garvan Institute of Medical Research |
Blocking the progression of Parkinson’s Disease |
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Associat Professor Antony Cooper Garvan Institute of Medical Research |
Investigating dysfunctionality in the endolysosomal pathway as a contributor to Parkinson's Disease |
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Associate Professor Antony Cooper Garvan Institute of Medical Research |
Disease Progression in Parkinson’s Disease- Identifying the molecular mechanism(s) responsible and how to prevent it. |
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Associate Professor Antony Cooper Garvan Institute of Medical Research |
Using iPSC Parkinson’s Disease. Phenotyping Neurons differentiated from Parkinson’s Disease patients’ derived iPSCs to identify disease relevant dysfunctional pathway(s). Potential testing of compounds/drugs to restore these pathway(s) |
| Cochlear responses to noise stress | |
| Developmental neurobiology of hearing | |
| Neuroprotection in response to noise stress | |
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Prof Gary Housley, Prof Nigel Lovell & A/Prof Matthias Klugmann Translational Neuroscience Facility, SoMS & Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering |
Gene delivery in the nervous system |
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A/Prof Yue Huang, Prof Margaret Morris, Prof Glenda Halliday SoMS Pharmacology |
Molecular cross talk between neuron and glia in Parkinson’s disease |
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Prof Margaret Morris & Dr Ria Arnold SoMS |
Impact of gut microbiome on cognitive performance in a rodent model of type 2 diabetes |
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Neuroscience Research Australia |
Respiratory control in healthy ageing and respiratory disease |
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Neuroscience Research Australia |
Coupling between the neural and mechanical behaviour in muscles during voluntary movements |
| Can hypoxia make new neurons after a brain injury? | |
| Can hypoxia improve blood brain barrier function in developing brain after injury? | |
| Can hypothermia and hypoxia help to repair the developing brain after injury? | |
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Dr Nicole Jones & Prof Margaret Morris Neuropharmacology and Brain Injury, SoMS & Metabolic Disease, SoMS |
Does maternal obesity affect ischemic brain injury in offspring? |
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Dr Natasha Kumar & Dr Nicole Jones Molecular Neuroscience, SoMS |
Induction of galanin in the retrotrapezoid nucleus reduces ventilation during chronic hypercapnia |
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Dr Natasha Kumar & Dr Rita Maachalani (University of Sydney) Molecular Neuroscience, SoMS |
Does protein expression change in chemoreceptor neurons of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) infants, compared to control infants? Techniques: Acute and chronic models of intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia in neonatal mouse, piglet and human (including SIDS), immunohistochemistry |
| Molecular mechanism of glycine receptor activation | |
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Neuroscience Research Australia |
Understanding the relationship between physical activity, somatosensory discrimination and pain |
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Dr Euan McCaughey & Prof Jane Butler Neuroscience Research Australia |
Understating the mechanisms of Abdominal Functional Electrical Stimulation |
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Dr Euan McCaughey & Prof Jane Butler Neuroscience Research Australia |
Abdominal Functional Electrical Stimulation to improve bowel function in Multiple Sclerosis |
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Dr Euan McCaughey & Prof Jane Butler Neuroscience Research Australia |
Abdominal Functional Electrical Stimulation to reduce respiratory complications after spinal cord injury |
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Dr Euan McCaughey & Prof Jane Butler Neuroscience Research Australia |
Life expectancy after spinal cord injury: an international comparison |
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A/Prof Americo Migliaccio & Dr Serajul Khan Neuroscience Research Australia |
Understanding vestibular plasticity using the incremental vestibulo-ocular reflex adaptation training technique: a new approach for balance rehabilitation |
| Involvement of immune responses in chronic pain following nervous system injury | |
| Gap junction proteins in chronic pain | |
| Preclinical assessment of neuroprotective drugs for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy | |
| The role of regulatory T cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis | |
| Plasticity of inhibitory synaptic transmission in disease. Our current focus is developing better therapies to treat drug resistant epilepsy by targeting KCC2 membrane transporters and GABA receptors. | |
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Sensory brainstem changes from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy |
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| Handedness in the brainstem? (This project will examine the functional and structural symmetry.) |
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| Information transformation along the somatosensory neural axis (This project aims to observe and model the neural code for sensory experiences generated in the periphery and its modification/transformation at different brain regions as it ascends to the cortex. This project will look at different input/output relationships of key somatosensory nuclei in response to peripheral stimuli.) |
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| Restoring limb sensations to amputees (This project will develop an animal model of amputation to study nervous innervation of the distal stump. Such an approach might also cure phantom limb pain.) |
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| Artificially stimulating the DCN to recreate somatosensory experiences (This project will artificially stimulate the DCN in ways that mimic its activity in response to natural stimulation. If successful the approach would form the basis of a new somatosensory neural prosthetic for restoring body sensations in spinal cord injured patients.) |
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| The role of the cortex on brainstem sensory modulation (This project examines the currently unknown role of the top-down connection from the cortex to the DCN in sensory processing.) |
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| Addiction associated neuroplasticity (NEUR Honours, MSc & PhD) | |
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Neuroscience Research Australia |
Can the selective estrogen receptor modulator, raloxifene, improve cognition in a maternal immune activation rat model of schizophrenia and what are the underlying molecular mechanisms involved? |
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Dr Kylie Radford & Prof Tony Broe Neuroscience Research Australia |
Understanding and preventing dementia in Aboriginal Australians |
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Neuroscience Research Australia |
Special -K. How does ketamine work in the treatment of depression? |
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Prof Caroline Rae & Prof Gary Housley Neuroscience Research Australia & Translational Neuroscience Facility, SoMS |
Manipulating brain energy metabolism - is more NAD+ the answer? |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
Development of spinal cord injury animal model that closely mimics the common SCI seen in humans (Collaboration with Surgical and orthopaedic research laboratory, Prof Bill Walsh) |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
Randomised control trial for discogenic back pain. |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
Does infarct load affect haemorrhage risk in medical thrombolysis (like tPA) |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
Clot composition and likelihood of successful medical thrombolysis |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
Factors predictive of late closure for flow diverted aneurysms |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
RCT on adding IV milrinone in management of SAH related vasospasm (maybe >1 year) |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
Closure rate of aneurysms with neck remnant after stent assisted coiling: laser cut vs woven stents |
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Prince of Wales Clinical School |
Primary success rate of dural fistula treatment with dual lumen balloon technique vs plug and push technique |
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Garvan Institute of Medical Research |
Hearing research: (a) pathophysiology of tinnitus; (b) auditory enrichment and synaptic plasticity; (c) parallel pathways to auditory cortex |
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Dr Mohit Shivdasani & Dr Lisa Nivison-Smith Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering & School of Optometry |
Does Neural Selectivity in the Retina Depend on the Extent of Retinal Degeneration – Implications for Bionic Eyes |
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Sensory Neuroscience, SoMS |
Developing a neuroprosthesis to restore slip and grip sensation to prosthetic limb users (Honours only) |
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A/Prof Richard Vickery & A/Prof Ingvars Birznieks Sensory Neuroscience, SoMS |
Neural coding in the sense of touch |