Dr Joanne Harrison

Research

Interests: ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, heme oxygenase, carbon monoxide, inflammation, apoptosis, stress signaling, renal transplant preservation, cardiorenal syndrome, novel pesticides.

I am a Senior Research Fellow currently funded by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology, working in the Cardio-Renal Protection Group, with Dr Ivan Sammut. We are investigating a variety of compounds that may protect against ischaemic injury. This process can arises, for example, as a result of diminished blood flow to heart muscle during events such as angina and cardiac surgery. We are also interested in studying renal injury, particularly as a consequence of diabetes and in protecting kidney transplants from ischaemia reperfusion injury. We use a number of clinically relevant models of ischaemia reperfusion injury including coronary artery ligation, isolated perfused heart, kidney transplantation and cardiomyocyte cultures. These various models allow us to study the effects of ischaemia reperfusion on cardiac and renal haemodynamics and bio-energetics. I have also employed molecular assays to examine markers of apoptosis/necrosis, inflammation and stress signalling. Pharmacological compounds under current investigation include the heme oxygenase metabolites: bilirubin and carbon monoxide, and their effects alone and in combination with more established drugs such as Losartan and Pentoxifylline.

We are also working in collaboration with Lincoln and Auckland Universities, the Department of Conservation and Connovation Ltd on the development of novel pesticides with increased species targeting and reduced environmental impacts. Other published studies include work on: the novel mitochondrially targeted anti-oxidant MitoQ (in collaboration with Professor Robin Smith, Department of Chemistry and Professor Michael Murphy, The Dunn Institute, UK), spermine and clomethiazole (in association with Dr Ian Appleton, Pharmacology) and on Domoic acid in collaboration with Dr Steve Kerr (Pharmacology). These studies were supported by funding from the New Zealand National Heart Foundation, Lottery Health, National Kidney Foundation and the University of Otago Research Committee.