Congratulations to Mauro Silva (supervisor Dr Rebecca Campbell) who was awarded the Centre for Neuroendocrinology PhD Prize on 28th June, 2016.
The PhD prize is open to all CNE 2nd year PhD students. The top three 2nd Year PhD students selected by the CNE Principal Investigators gave an oral presentation with an additional 10 minutes for questions. One of the judges was the CNE Lecturer for 2016 Professor Valerie Simonneaux of the Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, University of Strasbourg.
Mauro's research is focused on trying to unveil neuronal and endocrine mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is the main cause of female infertility throughout the world.
To date, Mauro has discovered in an animal model of the syndrome that, even before the onset of puberty, the brain presents circuitry abnormalities and these are correlated with a disruption in female fertility in adulthood. Although this scenario looks negative, Mauro has also found that those altered brain circuits can be reversed by blocking the high androgen levels in the syndrome and, ultimately, restore fertility.
Best Student Presentation Prize
In August 2016 Mauro went on to be awarded the New Zealand Society for Endocrinology Best Student Presentation Prize at The Medical Sciences Congress Meeting. The meeting is part of Queenstown Research Week, this year being held in Nelson. A very successful year for Mauro.
Supervisor Dr Rebecca Campbell with CNE PhD prize winner Mauro Silva.