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Principal Investigator

Jenny ClarksonDr Jenny Clarkson

Email jenny.clarkson@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 8207

Research interests

Research in my laboratory focuses on understanding the neural circuits that regulate fertility and investigating how their function changes across the lifespan, particularly in relation to the development of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. We are especially interested in understanding the pivotal role of kisspeptin neurons in coordinating both reproductive hormone secretion and thermoregulation. Our laboratory employs a range of neuroscience techniques, including fibre photometry, optogenetics, and chemogenetics, to monitor and manipulate the activity of these neurons in vivo while measuring physiological variables.

Current and proposed projects

  • Unravelling the neurobiology of hot flushes
  • Putting hot flushes to rest – understanding the link between menopausal hot flushes and sleep disturbance

Clarkson Laboratory students

Celine Gan, Honours student

Research Funders

  • Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund
  • Health Research Council

Publications

McQuillan, H. J., Clarkson, J., Kauff, A., Han, S. Y., Yip, S. H., Cheong, I., Porteous, R., Heather, A. K., & Herbison, A. E. (2022). Definition of the estrogen negative feedback pathway controlling the GnRH pulse generator in female mice. Nature Communications, 13, 7433. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-35243-z Journal - Research Article

Clarkson, J., Han, S. Y., Piet, R., McLennan, T., Kane, G. M., Ng, J., Porteous, R. W., Kim, J. S., … Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2017). Definition of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator in mice. PNAS, 114(47), E10216-E10223. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1713897114 Journal - Research Article

Han, S. Y., Clarkson, J., Piet, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2018). Optical approaches for interrogating neural circuits controlling hormone secretion [Mini-review]. Endocrinology, 159(11), 3822-3833. doi: 10.1210/en.2018-00594 Journal - Research Other

Clarkson, J., Busby, E. R., Kirilov, M., Schütz, G., Sherwood, N. M., & Herbison, A. E. (2014). Sexual differentiation of the brain requires perinatal kisspeptin-GnRH neuron signaling. Journal of Neuroscience, 34(46), 15297-15305. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3061-14.2014 Journal - Research Article

Kirilov, M., Clarkson, J., Liu, X., Roa, J., Campos, P., Porteous, R., … Herbison, A. E. (2013). Dependence of fertility on kisspeptin—Gpr54 signalling at the GnRH neuron. Nature Communications, 4, 2492. doi: 10.1038/ncomms3492 Journal - Research Article

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