Dr Bruce Firth

• BSc, PhD (University of New England, Australia)

• Senior Lecturer 

Location	Room 322, Medical School North Building
E-mail	bruce.firth@adelaide.edu.au
Telephone	08 8303 5488
Fax

Teaches in the areas of Histology, Gross Anatomy, Neuroanatomy and Comparative Anatomy to students of Science, Health Sciences, Physiotherapy, and Podiatry. He heads the Pineal Research Group within the Neurobiology group. He is also the current postgraduate co-ordinator in the discipline.

Research Interests

Broad areas of research include physiological ecology, endocrinology, herpetology, and comparative morphology. Especially interested in the sensory, neural and hormonal mechanisms linking the animal to its environment. Main research has centred on the role of the pineal complex in the regulation of circadian rhythms and thermoregulation. Other areas of research include fever in reptiles and the structure and function of chemosensory systems in reptiles.

Research Collaborations with Dr Mike Teo, (Anatomical Sciences), Associate Professor David Kennaway, (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Dr Ingrid Belan, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, and Dr Mark Hutchinson, South Australian Museum.

Course coordination:

Anatomy for MBBS (Medicine III), Integrative and Comparative Neuroanatomy III (Science III and Health Sciences III).

Honours and Postgraduates:

Currently supervises a PhD student, David Ellis on seasonal aspects of circadian activity and thermoregulatory rhythms in sleepy lizards (Tiliqua rugosa) Discipline postgraduate coordinator.

Recent Publications

1. Ellis, DJ, Firth, BT and Belan, I (2008). Interseasonal variation in the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity and temperature selections in sleepy lizards, Tiliqua rugosa. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 194, 701-712.
2. Jastroch, M, Withers, KW, Taudien, S, Frapell, PB, Helwig, M Fromme, T, Hirschberg, V, Heldmaier, G, McAllan, BM, Firth BT, Burmester, T, Platzer, M and Klingenspor, M (2008).  Marsupial uncoupling protein 1 sheds light on the evolution of mammalian nonshivering thermogenesis, Physiological Genomics, 32, 161-169.
3. Ellis, DJ, Firth, BT and Belan, I (2007). Circadian rhythms of locomotor activity and temperature selection in sleepy lizards, Tiliqua rugosa. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 193,695-701.
4. Ellis, DJ, Firth, BT and Belan, I (2006). Circadian rhythm of behavioral thermoregulation in the sleepy lizard (Tiliqua rugosa). Herpetologica, 62, 259-265.
5. Firth, B.T., Belan I. and Kennaway, DJ. (2006). Persistence of plasma melatonin rhythm in constant darkness and its inhibition by constant light in the sleepy lizard. Tiliqua rugosa. Journal of Pineal Research, 41, 15-20.
6. Rehorek, SJ, Baker, JJ, Hutchinson, MN and Firth, BT (2006). The Harderian gland of two species of skinks: Tiliqua rugosa and Hemiergis decresiensis. A discussion of the significance of lymphatic tissue in the squamate Harderian gland. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 84, 706-714.
7. Rehorek, S.J., Halpern, M., Firth, B.T., and Hutchinson, M.N. (2003). The Harderian gland of two species of snakes: Pseudonaja textilis (Elapidae) and Thamnophis sirtalis (Colubridae). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 81, 357-363.
8. Rehorek, SJ, Firth, BT and Hutchinson, MN (2000). Can an orbital gland function in the vomeronasal sense? A study of the pygopod Harderian gland. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 78, 648-654.
9. Rehorek, SJ, Firth, BT and Hutchinson, MN (2000). The structure of the nasal chemosensory system in several squamate species 1. The olfactory organ with special reference to olfaction in geckos. Journal of Biosciences, 25, 173-179.
10. Rehorek, SJ, Firth, BT and Hutchinson, MN (2000). The structure of the nasal chemosensory system in several squamate species 2. The vomeronasal organ. Journal of Biosciences, 25, 181-190.
11. Firth, BT, Belan I, Kennaway, DJ and Moyer, RW (1999). Thermocycleic entrainment of lizard blood plasma melatonin rhythms in constant and cyclic photic environments. American Journal of Physiology -- Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 277, R1620-R1626.
12. Rehorek, SJ, Leigh, CM and Firth, BT (1999). Rate of protein synthesis of the Harderian gland of a skink, [I]Hemiergis decresiensis[I]: A preliminary study.
    Copeia, 1999,526-528.

Other Publications of Interest:

1. Moyer, RW, Firth, BT and Kennaway, DJ (1995). Effect of constant temperatures darkness and light on the secretion of melatonin by pineal explants and retinas in the gecko, [I]Christinus marmoratus[I]. Brain Research, 675, 345-348.
2. Rehorek, SJ, Firth, BT and Hutchinson, MN (1997). The morphology of the Harderian gland of some Australian geckos. Journal of Morphology, 231,
   253-259.
3. Moyer, RW, Firth, BT and Kennaway, DJ (1997). Effect of variable temperatures, darkness and light on the secretion of melatonin by pineal explants and retinas in the gecko, [I]Christinus marmoratus[I]. Brain Research, 747, 230-235.
4. Firth, BT and Belan, I (1998). Daily and seasonal rhythms in selected body temperature in the Australian lizard, [I]Tiliqua rugosa[I] (Scincidae): Field and
   laboratory observations. Physiological Zoology, 71, 303-311.

 

 

 

last modified 14/12/2005 14:25 by Mr Tavik Morgenstern