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Contact Details

Phone
+64 20 4133 5102
Email
michael.garelja@otago.ac.nz
Position
Research Fellow
Qualifications
PhD
Research summary
Molecular basis of migraine
Teaching
  • PHAL303, PHAL421, PHAL423, PHAL431
  • Molecular pharmacology of GPCRs
  • Neuroscience
Memberships
  • OMSRS Editorial Board
  • Division of Health Sciences Early and Mid-Career Researchers Group
  • Biomedical Research Facility Users Group

Research

Michael Garelja obtained a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Auckland in 2020. His PhD work focused on the molecular pharmacology of adrenomedullin, a hormone involved in cardiovascular development and maintenance.

In late 2020 Michael moved to the University of Otago, to begin work on calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a hormone linked to migraine. Michael has recently completed a First Fellowship, awarded by the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand, in which he focused on understanding the distribution of CGRP, its related peptides, and their receptors in the context of migraine.

Working in the lab of his mentor, Professor Debbie Hay, Michael uses a range of techniques to investigate the molecular basis of migraine, including molecular biology, microscopy, and pharmacological signalling assays. These techniques are also applied to research outside of migraine, such as diabetes and the evolution of GPCRs.

Publications

Alexander, P. H., Davenport, A. P., Kelly, E., Gibb, A. J., Mathie, A. A., Peach, C. J., … Garelja, M. L., … Glass, M., … Hay, D. L., … Zaidman, N. (2025). The concise guide to Pharmacology 2025/26: G protein-coupled receptors. British Journal of Pharmacology, 182, S24-S151. doi: 10.1111/bph.70230 Journal - Research Article

Garelja, M. L., Rees, T. A., & Hay, D. L. (2025). Calcitonin gene-related peptide and headache: Comparison of two commonly used assay kits highlights the perils of measuring neuropeptides with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Headache. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/head.15011 Journal - Research Article

Tasma, Z., Garelja, M. L., Jamaluddin, A., Alexander, T. I., & Rees, T. A. (2025). Where are we now? Biased signalling of Class B G protein-coupled receptor-targeted therapeutics. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 270, 108846. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2025.108846 Journal - Research Article

Reith, E., Hay, D., & Garelja, M. (2024, August). Characterisation of a naturally occurring calcitonin receptor-like receptor variant. Verbal presentation at the BMS Postgraduate Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Garelja, M. (2024, December). Investigating the relationship between CGRP and the calcitonin receptor in the brain. Verbal presentation at the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists & Toxicologists (ASCEPT), Asia Pacific Federation of Pharmacologists (APFP), and Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) Joint Congress, Melbourne, Australia. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

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