Research

The majority of the research programs in Pathology are found within one of five research clusters:

• Centre for Neurological Diseases
• Extracellular Matrix Research Group
• Bone and Joint Laboratories (Pathology)
• Bone and Joint Laboratories (IMVS)
• The Adelaide Centre for Spinal Research
• The Adelaide Centre for Forensic Research

Discipline Publications

Centre for Neurological Diseases

Contact: Professor Robert Vink

The Centre for Neurological Diseases is a multidisciplinary research facility made up of staff from various areas in the University of Adelaide, the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science and the Hanson Institute who share a research interest that revolves around traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, stroke, peripheral nerve injury, and degeneration, particularly Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases. The Centre is located in modern, spacious laboratories on the 2nd floor of the Hanson North Building, and is equipped with an extensive range of equipment for tissue processing, histology, immunohistochemistry, digital imaging, western blotting, tissue culture, and in vivo animal experimentation.

Current research projects include:

• Amyloid precursor protein as a neuroprotectant in traumatic brain injury
• Neuropeptides in traumatic brain injury and stroke
• Substance P antagonists to reduce brain oedema formation
• Role of gender related hormones in traumatic brain injury
• Iron and its metabolism following traumatic brain and spinal cord injury
• Characterization of axonal injury following traumatic brain injury
• Development of neuroprotective pharmacology after traumatic brain injury

Professional research staff (Pathology): Prof. Peter Blumbergs; Dr Barbara Koszyca; Dr Corinna Van Den Heuvel; Prof. Robert Vink; Ms Kathryn Rodgers

Collaborators: Dr John Finnie; Dr Mounir Ghabriel; Prof. Peter Reilly; Assoc. Prof. James Temlett; Prof. Phil Thompson; Prof. Alan Faden (Georgetown University)

Research Students (Pathology): Ms Emma Thornton; Ms Christine Barry; Ms Naomi Cook; Ms Frances Corrigan; Ms Kate Lewis (Honours)

Extracellular Matrix Research Group

Contact: Dr Mark Gibson

Extracellular matrix is a complex material which provides strength, resilience and organisational properties for the tissues of the body and greatly influences cell behaviour. The properties of the matrix are tailored to suit particular tissue requirements by variation in the type, ratio and spacial organisation of their constituent structural proteins. The group is studying the molecular biology of several of these proteins which are important for the function of tissues such as blood vessels, lung, skin, muscle, cornea and bone. The research is increasing our fundamental knowledge of the normal development and function of these tissues. This in turn will lead to our improved understanding of the mechanisms resulting in a) loss of tissue function in major disease processes such as atherosclerosis, blood vessel aneurysms and pulmonary emphysema and b) developmental abnormalities in congenital disorders such as Marfan syndrome and a variety of corneal and muscular dystrophies. The unit is located on the third floor of the Medical School North building and has a full range of facilities and equipment for DNA/RNA and protein analysis, cell culture and immunohistochemistry. In addition there is ready access to Faculty facilities including electron microscopy, fluorimaging and proteomic analysis.

Current research projects include:

• Molecular biology of fibrillins
• Molecular biology of Microfibril-associated Glycoproteins (MAGPs)
• Molecular biology of Latent TGF-ß binding Proteins (LTBPs)
• Molecular biology of TGF-ß-induced Gene-h3 (ßig-h3)
• Role of Small Leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) in elastic fibre biology

Professional research staff: Dr Mark Gibson; Dr Julian Adams; Ms Monique Chilver

Research students: Ms Mahroo Parsi; Mr Joshua Smith

Bone and Joint Research Laboratories (Pathology)

Contact: Dr David R Haynes

Understanding the pathological basis of disease provides a basis for the development of new treatments for a wide variety of diseases. Research into understanding the pathological processes of bone and joint diseases has been carried out in the Discipline of Pathology for several decades. Recent advances in our understanding of bone metabolism have allowed the group to enhance our understanding of several import bone pathologies. The group takes advantage of many "state of the art" facilities currently available at the University and surrounding campuses. Confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, CT, micro CT and various immunological and molecular techniques are currently used. The group has strong collaborations with several groups locally, interstate and overseas including, The Discipline of Orthopaedics and Trauma University of Adelaide, The Colgate Australian Clinical Dental Research Centre University of Adelaide, The Department of Pathology UNSW, The Department of Medicine/Rheumatology Harvard Institute of Medicine and The Biomedical Research Centre Sheffield Hallam University.

Current research projects:

• BONE CELL METABOLISM is regulated by the interaction of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Projects study how these cells are regulated in health and disease.
• PATHOGENIC BONE LOSS occurs in many diseases. Periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and peri-implant loosening are the focus of our research.
• BIOMATERIALS are one of the fastest growing fields of medical research. Projects are assessing novel materials.
• APOPTOSIS is an important process regulating many diseases. Studies investigate how apoptosis may regulate several inflammatory diseases.
• ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES are being developed based on molecular mimics. Projects are assessing these novel drugs.
• VASCULAR DISEASE is associated with many inflammatory diseases. Projects are carried out to determine how endothelial cells are affected by several recently identified molecules.

Professional research staff: Dr David Haynes, Dr Tania Crotti, Mr Christopher Holding

Collaborators: Assoc. Prof. David Findlay, Prof Mark Bartold, Dr Hala Zreiqat, Dr Andrew Zannettino, Dr Neville Gully, Prof. Kim Rainsford, Prof. Barrie Vernon-Roberts.

Research students: Ms Kencana Dharmapatni, Ms Ruth McGrath (Honours)

Bone and Joint Research Laboratories (IMVS)

Contact: Professor Nick Fazzalari

The Bone and Joint Research Laboratory undertakes and coordinates research projects that represent collaborative efforts by Bone and Joint Research Laboratory faculty, clinical faculty including orthopaedic surgeons, and industrial sponsors. The Laboratory has a wide range of cross disciplinary expertise that includes project planning, study design, protocol development, laboratory based tissue and biological techniques, data collection and analysis, and manuscript preparation.
The core focus of the Bone and Joint Research Laboratory is the analysis of tissue-level morphology during development, growth and ageing together with changes associated with adult onset bone disease such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Biomaterials and tissue engineering are studied in the context of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. The quality of the bone in the skeleton, in the ageing population, depends on the amount of bone, geometry, architecture, and material properties of the bone as well as the molecules that signal bone cell activity. A defect at one or more of these levels in the bone may result in a deterioration of the bone mechanical properties. One result may be a loss of bone strength and increased risk of fracture. Alternatively, the result may be the onset of osteoarthritic bone changes leading to cartilage breakdown in the hip or knee joint. The laboratory has made significant advances in understanding the molecular signals that cause bone cells to change the structure of the bone. Applying complementary techniques (such as microcomputer tomography (microCT) and microarrays) to analyse human bone tissue samples from patients with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis the laboratory has been the first to map how changes in the expression of genes that control bone cell activity lead to a change in the bone tissue structure. These advances are making a significant contribution towards the development of therapies that will slow the progression of these prevalent musculoskeletal diseases and delay if not obviate the need for expensive surgery associated with joint replacement.

Current areas of research:

• BONE QUALITY: Understanding of the factors that influence bone strength will enable development of improved diagnostic techniques and more effective treatments for individuals at risk of osteoporotic fragility fracture and osteoarthritis.
• BONE GENE EXPRESSION: Microarray analysis enables us to look at the changes in gene expression of many thousands of genes to better understand the molecular changes in bone that contribute to osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
• BONE STRUCTURE: The strength of the bone samples is measured by compressive mechanical testing, enabling the contribution to bone strength of bone architecture and bone material properties to be determined.
• INTERVERTEBRAL DISC: Studies of changes to disc structure and function with degeneration are linked to changes which occur in disc mechanics and the bone of the adjacent vertebral bodies.
• BIOMATERIALS: Assessing the efficacy and developing appropriately tailored biomaterials and microarchitecture combinations to meet patient needs in fracture repair and implant longevity.

Professional research staff: Dr Julia Kuliwaba, Dr Ian Parkinson, Dr Peter Sutton-Smith, Prof. Nick Fazzalari

Research students: Geetha Mohan, Duminda Kumarasinghe, Andrew Chang, Albert Leung and Chris Bates.

The Adelaide Centre for Spinal Research (IMVS)

Contact: Dr Robert Moore

Professional research staff: Dr Rob Moore, Prof. Barrie Vernon-Roberts

The Adelaide Centre for Forensic Research

Contact: Professor Roger Byard

The Adelaide Centre for Forensic Research is involved in collaborative research with pathologists and scientists from Forensic Science SA, in addition to colleagues in a number of institutes within Australia and overseas. The latter includes the University of Aarhus in Aarhus, Denmark, and the Charite University in Berlin, Germany. The Centre is also affiliated with the San Diego SUDC study in the United States. A major focus has been on accidental and inflicted trauma in infants and children, and also on many other aspects of paediatric forensic pathology, including sudden infant death syndrome, child safety issues and natural diseases that may be responsible for unexpected death in the young. Additional research has involved the characterization and dating of injuries, the analyses of various aspects of suicides and homicides, and the investigation of wildlife forensic issues.

Current research projects include:

• Amyloid precursor protein as a marker for injury/hypoxia in SIDS deaths
• Injury patterns in victims of homicide
• Analyses of seabird and sea mammal injuries
• Electrolyte changes in body fluids following death
• Characterization of injuries in child homicide victims
• Use of anatomical models to assess the dynamics of wound trauma caused by bullets

Professional research staff: Prof Roger Byard, Assoc Prof Neil Langlois

Research students: Mr Nick Maiden, Ms Dan Butsbach, Dr Lisbeth Jenson, Ms Ella Carapatis, Ms Julia Temlett

Collaborators: Dr John Gilbert (FSSA), Prof Jytte Banner (Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark), Prof Michael Tsokos (Charite University, Berlin, Germany) and Prof Henry Krous (University of California-San Diego campus, San Diego, USA)