Centre for Free Radical Research News
April 2013
UOC Research Seminar Series: Oxidised calprotectin as a biomarker for inflammation
PhD Student Nick Magon is presenting, Oxidised calprotectin as a biomarker for inflammation at the UOC Research Seminar Series on Monday, 22 April 2013 in the Beaven Lecture Theatre.
Radio NZ – Our Changing World: Endogenous Antioxidants
Associate Professor Mark Hampton was interviewed for Radio NZ’s Our Changing World Series.
In the feature, Endogenous Antioxidants Mark discusses how he is trying to determine how the body's own antioxidants work and how they could be used to treat cancer.
It first aired on Thursday, 11 April and can be streamed off the Radio NZ website.
Conference Speaker: New Zealand Association of Scientists
Professor Christine Winterbourn presented a talk, Fundamental and translational research in bioscience – getting the balance right at the New Zealand Association of Scientists Conference in Wellington on the 3 April 2013.
Publication in April
Bayer SB, Maghzal G, Stocker R, Hampton MB, Winterbourn CC. Neutrophil-mediated oxidation of erythrocyte peroxiredoxin 2 as a potential marker of oxidative stress in inflammation. FASEB J. 2013 Apr 19. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23603832
March 2013
UOC Health Lecture Series: Tony Kettle gives Inaugural Professorial Lecture
Professor Tony Kettle gave his Inaugural Professorial Lecture, Free radicals spark the fires of inflammation to a packed audience in the Rolleston Lecture Theatre as part of the UOC Health Lecture Series on 13 March.
A video of the talk should be available online soon.
Consumer Article & TVNZ Sunday Interview
Professor Margreet Vissers was interviewed recently as an expert by Consumer magazine.
The article Bitter pills - antioxidant supplements, features in the March edition on pages 8-10.
Margreet was also interviewed for the TVNZ Sunday programme which aired on Sun March 25th, 7.00pm
UOC Research Seminar Series: Exploring the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties of novel isothiocyanates
PhD student Emma Spencer presented Exploring the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties of novel isothiocyanates at the UOC Research Seminar Series on 4 March.
Publications in March
Peskin AV, Dickerhof N, Poynton RA, Paton LN, Pace PE, Hampton MB, Winterbourn CC. Hyperoxidation of peroxiredoxins 2 and 3: Rate constants for the reactions of the sulfenic acid of the peroxidatic cysteine. J Biol Chem. 2013 Mar 29. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23543738
Carr AC, Bozonet SM, Pullar JM, Simcock JW, Vissers MC. Human skeletal muscle ascorbate is highly responsive to changes in vitamin C intake and plasma concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Apr;97(4):800-7. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.053207. Epub 2013 Feb 27. PMID: 23446899
Technical Editorial - Vissers, M., Drummond, L., Carr, A., Bozonet, S. Daily kiwifruit: the best way to optimum health. NZ Kiwifruit Journal. 2013 March/April, 7-10.
February 2013
UOC Fortieth Anniversary Celebrations: Biomedical Presentations
Two of our CFRR Principal Investigators, Professor Christine Winterbourn and Associate Professor Mark Hampton presented at the University of Otago, Christchurch Fortieth Anniversary Biomedical Presentations.
Professor Christine Winterbourn’s talk presented Characterising the role of free radicals in disease and Associate Professor Mark Hampton’s talk was entitled Exploring nature's medicine chest.
On the same day, Mark was also featured in The Press article, Natural hunt for cell killers. (21 Feb 2013, Good Living section, page 5).
UOC Research Seminar Series: The role of vitamin C in regulating HIF-1 in cancer cells
PhD student, Caroline Kuiper recently presented a talk, The role of vitamin C in regulating HIF-1 in cancer cells at the lunchtime UOC Research Seminar Series on 25 February.
Publications in February
Kumar V, Kleffmann T, Hampton MB, Cannell MB, Winterbourn CC. Redox proteomics of thiol proteins in mouse heart during ischemia/reperfusion using ICAT reagents and mass spectrometry. Free Radic Biol Med. 2013 Jan 29. doi:pii: S0891-5849(13)00031-2. 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.01.021. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23376233
Vissers MC, Carr AC, Pullar JM, Bozonet SM. The bioavailability of vitamin C from kiwifruit. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2013;68:125-47. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-394294-4.00007-9. PMID:23394985
January 2013
CFRR first in New Zealand to get the Seahorse XF 24 Analyzer
The CFRR has purchased New Zealand’s first Seahorse XF 24 Analyzer.
The “Seahorse” provides very sensitive measures of the rate that cells consume oxygen and acidify their surroundings. A change in oxygen consumption following the injection of specific metabolic inhibitors allows measurement of the two main energy producing pathways - mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis.
The first uses of this new equipment will be monitoring of mitochondrial dysfunction following the exposure of cells to oxidative stress, and measuring the effects of drugs that attempt to kill cancer cells through disruption of mitochondrial antioxidant pathways.
Previous methodology required the use of large numbers of mitochondria isolated from animal tissues, but the sensitivity of the Seahorse and its non-invasive nature enables analysis of mitochondrial function within living cells grown on a microplate.
Visiting Professor on Sabbatical at the CFRR
Prof Guy Salvesen from the Sanford-Burnham Institute has arrived to begin at 6 month sabbatical at the Centre for Free Radical Research.
Prof Salvesen is a biochemist and is the Director of the Program Director in Apoptosis and Cell Death Research at the Sanford-Burnham Institute.
Travel Grant: Diet and Optimum Health Conference 2013
Dr Anitra Carr has been awarded a travel grant to attend the Diet and Optimum Health Conference, Corvallis, Oregon, USA, in May 2013
Publications in January
Chapman AL, Mocatta TJ, Shiva S, Seidel A, Chen B, Khalilova I, Paumann-Page ME, Jameson GN, Winterbourn CC, Kettle AJ. Ceruloplasmin is an endogenous inhibitor of myeloperoxidase. J Biol Chem. 2013 Jan 10. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23306200
Mini Review Article, Published on 21 Jan 2013
Heather Parker and Christine C. Winterbourn. Reactive oxidants and myeloperoxidase and their involvement in neutrophil extracellular traps. Front. Immun. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2012.00424