Profile

Contact Details

Email: phil.sheard@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position: Associate Professor, Deputy HoD (Teaching)
Department: Department of Physiology
Qualifications: BSc PGDipSc (Otago) PhD (W Aust)
Research summary: Development, structure, function and ageing of neuromuscular systems

Research

Sarcopenia - age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.

Sarcopenia is the widely described phenomenon of age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. The functional impairments that arise from progressive weakness have profound implications for the elderly, and therefore for modern society. Sarcopenia manifests as a death of muscle fibers and decrease in cross sectional area of surviving fibers, the triggers for this progressive loss of muscle remain largely unknown.

We are particularly interested in the role the motor nerve terminal may play in driving sarcopenia, since progressive withdrawal of the motor nerve from the muscle fibre also seems to be a conspicuous feature of elderly muscle. We are currently examining age-related changes to the neuromuscular junction with a view to using this information to establish whether motor nerve withdrawal is a cause of muscle fibre death, or a consequence of it.

Publications

Varghese, L. N., Sheard, P., Schwenke, D. O., & Katare, R. (2025). Sex-specific dysregulation of cardiac-enriched microRNAs with age in Drosophila melanogaster. American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00134.2025 Journal - Research Article

McKay, M. J., Weber, K. A., II, Wesselink, E. O., Smith, Z. A., Abbott, R., Anderson, D. B., … Cornwall, J., … Sheard, P. W., … Elliott, J. M. (2024). MuscleMap: An open-source, community supported consortium for whole-body quantitative MRI of muscle. Journal of Imaging, 10, 262. doi: 10.3390/jimaging10110262 Journal - Research Article

Varghese, L. N., Sheard, P., Schwenke, D., & Katare, R. (2024, August). Understanding the role of microRNAs in cardiac ageing. Verbal presentation at the BMS Postgraduate Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Crellin, S., Sheard, P., Heyward, P., Glue, P., & de Ridder, D. (2024, August). Effect of bipolar disorder medications: Ex vivo and clinical results. Verbal presentation at the BMS Postgraduate Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Crellin, S., Glue, P., Sheard, P., Heyward, P. M., & De Ridder, D. (2024, August-September). EEG biomarkers and dysconnectivity in bipolar disorder. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Research Week (QRW) Mental Health Meeting, Queenstown, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

2025

Journal - Research Article

2024

Journal - Research Article

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Shuen, M. W., Lamberts, R. R., Coffey, S., & Sheard, P. W. (2024, August-September). Age-related changes to nuclear pore complex proteins in the human myocardium. Poster session presented at the 18th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Crellin, S., Sheard, P., Glue, P., Heyward, P. M., & De Ridder, D. (2024, August-September). Novel therapeutic targets in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Poster session presented at the 18th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Varghese, L., Sheard, P., Schwenke, D., & Katare, R. (2024, August-September). Understanding the role of microRNAs in cardiac ageing. Verbal presentation at the 18th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

2023

Journal - Research Article

Peeters, W. M., Gram, M., Dias, G. J., Vissers, M. C. M., Hampton, M. B., Dickerhof, N., Bekhit, A. E., … Bayer, S., … Sheard, P. W., Danielson, K. M., … Cornwall, J., & Rowlands, D. S. (2023). Changes to insulin sensitivity in glucose clearance systems and redox following dietary supplementation with a novel cysteine-rich protein: A pilot randomized controlled trial in humans with type-2 diabetes. Redox Biology, 67, 102918. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102918

Redmond, A. K., Davies, T. M., Schofield, M. R., & Sheard, P. W. (2023). New tools for the investigation of muscle fiber-type spatial distributions across histological sections. Skeletal Muscle, 13, 7. doi: 10.1186/s13395-023-00316-0

Lal, N. N., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. W. (2023). Use of a novel technique to assess impact of age-related denervation on mouse soleus muscle function. Biogerontology, 24, 377-390. doi: 10.1007/s10522-023-10021-6

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Crellin, S., Sheard, P., Heyward, P. M., De Ridder, D., & Glue, P. (2023). Modulation of axonal action potential conduction with bipolar disorder therapeutics. In K.-L. Horne (Ed.), Proceedings of the 39th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 48). Retrieved from https://www.awcbr.org

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Shuen, M. W., Fomison-Nurse, I., Cheong, I., Coffey, S., Lamberts, R. R., & Sheard, P. W. (2023, August). Age-related changes to nuclear pore complex proteins in human myocardium. Poster session presented at the 17th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Varghese, L., Sheard, P., Schwenke, D., & Katare, R. (2023, August). Understanding the role of microRNAs in cardiac ageing. Poster session presented at the 17th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

2022

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Sheard, P. (2022, February). The cellular basis for age-related loss of muscle mass. Verbal presentation at the Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence (CARE) Research Symposium, [Online].

Other Research Output

Sheard, P. (2022, March). Is age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass primarily a neurodegenerative disease? UOC Research Seminar Series, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

2021

Journal - Research Article

Lal, N. N., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. W. (2021). Age-related structural changes show that loss of fibers is not a significant contributor to muscle atrophy in old mice. Experimental Gerontology, 156, 111618. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111618

2020

Journal - Research Article

Gillon, A., Steel, C., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. (2020). Increased nuclear permeability is a driver for age-related motoneuron loss. GeroScience, 42, 833-847. doi: 10.1007/s11357-020-00155-7

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Lal, N., Cornwall, J., Slatter, T., & Sheard, P. W. (2020). Age-related changes in muscle morphology elucidatea role for myofibre fibrosis as an additional mechanism underpinning sarcopenia. Clinical Anatomy, 33(2), (pp. E38). doi: 10.1002/ca.23370

Lal, N., Cornwall, J., Slatter, T., & Sheard, P. W. (2020). Age-related changes in muscle architecture differentially obscure accurate myofibre counts: Is age-related decline in myofibre number a technical artefact? Clinical Anatomy, 33(2), (pp. E37-E38). doi: 10.1002/ca.23370

Gillon, A. P., Cornwall, J. E., & Sheard, P. W. (2020). Age-related neurodegeneration may be caused by defects at the nuclear envelope, and attenuated by exercise. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 39(Suppl. 2), (pp. 17). doi: 10.1111/ajag.12808

Lal, N., Cornwall, J., Slatter, T., Kleffmann, T., & Sheard, P. (2020). Proteomic differences between young, elderly, and exercised-elderly murine soleus muscles and their correlations with deficits in force production. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 39(Suppl. 2), (pp. 18). doi: 10.1111/ajag.12808

Sheard, P., Nielsen, K., Lal, N., & Cornwall, J. (2020). Structural alterations at the myotendinous junction in elderly and exercised mouse skeletal muscles. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 39(Suppl. 2), (pp. 17-18). doi: 10.1111/ajag.12808

2019

Journal - Research Article

Davies, T. M., Schofield, M. R., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. W. (2019). Modelling multilevel spatial behaviour in binary-mark muscle fibre configurations. Annals of Applied Statistics, 13(3), 1329-1347. doi: 10.1214/18-AOAS1214

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Sheard, P., Gillon, A., Nielsen, K., Lal, N., & Cornwall, J. (2019, September). Is sarcopenia a neurodegenerative disease? Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

2018

Journal - Research Article

Tan, C. L., Sheard, P. W., & Jasoni, C. L. (2018). Developing neurites from mouse basal forebrain gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons use Sonic hedgehog to modulate their growth. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 68, 89-97. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.05.005

Gillon, A., Nielsen, K., Steel, C., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. (2018). Exercise attenuates age-associated changes in motoneuron number, nucleocytoplasmic transport proteins and neuromuscular health. GeroScience, 40, 177-192. doi: 10.1007/s11357-018-0020-4

Nielsen, K. B., Lal, N. N., & Sheard, P. W. (2018). Age-related remodelling of the myotendinous junction in the mouse soleus muscle. Experimental Gerontology, 104, 52-59. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2018.01.021

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Lal, N., Cornwall, J., Slatter, T., & Sheard, P. (2018). Is myofiber death a major contributor to age-related skeletal muscle atrophy? Proceedings of the Australian & New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia & Frality Research (ANZSSFR) Annual Meeting. (pp. 22). Retrieved from https://anzssfr.org/past-meetings

Lal, N., Cornwall, J., Slatter, T., & Sheard, P. (2018). Identification of denervated fibers in elderly skeletal muscles. Proceedings of the Australian & New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia & Frality Research (ANZSSFR) Annual Meeting. (pp. 22). Retrieved from https://anzssfr.org/past-meetings

Gillon, A., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. (2018). Age-related skeletal muscle atrophy may be driven by defects at the motorneuron nuclear envelope. Proceedings of the Australian & New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia & Frality Research (ANZSSFR) Annual Meeting. (pp. 22). Retrieved from https://anzssfr.org/past-meetings

Sheard, P. (2018). Dissecting the cellular changes that drive age-related loss of skeletal muscle [Invited]. Proceedings of the Australian & New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia & Frality Research (ANZSSFR) Annual Meeting. (pp. 17). Retrieved from https://anzssfr.org/past-meetings

2017

Journal - Research Article

Hennebry, A., Oldham, J., Shavlakadze, T., Grounds, M. D., Sheard, P., Fiorotto, M. L., … McMahon, C. D. (2017). IGF1 stimulates greater muscle hypertrophy in the absence of myostatin in male mice. Journal of Endocrinology, 234(2), 187-200. doi: 10.1530/joe-17-0032

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Nielsen, K., & Sheard, P. (2017). The protective role of endurance exercise in age-related loss of muscle mass. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 36(Suppl. 1), (pp. 21). doi: 10.1111/ajag.12395

Cornwall, J., Lal, N., Slatter, T., Rowlands, D., & Sheard, P. (2017). Autophagic dysfunction has a key role in age-related myofibre death. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 36(Suppl. 1), (pp. 20). doi: 10.1111/ajag.12395

Sheard, P., Brady, J., Nielsen, K., & Cornwall, J. (2017). Age and exercise-related changes in Neurotrophin-r and Neuregulin amongst mouse lumbar motoneurons. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 36(Suppl. 1), (pp. 20). doi: 10.1111/ajag.12395

2016

Journal - Research Article

White, Z., Terrill, J., White, R. B., McMahon, C., Sheard, P., Grounds, M. D., & Shavlakadze, T. (2016). Voluntary resistance wheel exercise from mid-life prevents sarcopenia and increases markers of mitochondrial function and autophagy in muscles of old male and female C57BL/6J mice. Skeletal Muscle, 6(1), 45. doi: 10.1186/s13395-016-0117-3

Cornwall, J., Farrell, S. F., & Sheard, P. W. (2016). Fibre types of human suboccipital muscles. European Journal of Anatomy, 20(1), 31-36.

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Davies, T. M., Sheard, P. W., & Cornwall, J. (2016). Comment on Makino et al. and observations on spatial modeling. Anatomical Science International, 91(4), 423-424. doi: 10.1007/s12565-016-0347-9

2015

Journal - Research Article

Gillon, A., & Sheard, P. (2015). Elderly mouse skeletal muscle fibres have a diminished capacity to upregulate NCAM production in response to denervation. Biogerontology, 16(6), 811-823. doi: 10.1007/s10522-015-9608-6

Thaung, H. P. A., Baldi, J. C., Wang, H.-Y., Hughes, G., Cook, R. F., Bussey, C. T., Sheard, P. W., Bahn, A., Jones, P. P., Schwenke, D. O., & Lamberts, R. R. (2015). Increased efferent cardiac sympathetic nerve activity and defective intrinsic heart rate regulation in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, 64(8), 2944-2956. doi: 10.2337/db14-0955

Lal, N., & Sheard, P. (2015). Dying myofibers in elderly mouse skeletal muscles are characterized by the appearance of dystrophin-encircled vacuoles. Biogerontology, 16, 443-459. doi: 10.1007/s10522-015-9565-0

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Brady, J., Lal, N., & Sheard, P. (2015). Introducing an algorithm with user-defined parameters for improving consistency of immunofluorescence analysis. Proceedings of the 27th National Conference on Microscopy. Retrieved from http://microscopy2015.otago.ac.nz/index.html

Brady, J., & Sheard, P. (2015). Implementation of internal intensity controls for semi-quantitative fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Proceedings of the 27th National Conference on Microscopy. Retrieved from http://microscopy2015.otago.ac.nz/index.html

Lal, N., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. (2015). Elderly dying myofibers are characterized by Dystrophin Encircle Vacuoles and invaginations with Intracellular Localization (DEVILs). Clinical Anatomy, 28(7), (pp. 945-946). doi: 10.1002/ca.22520

Brady, J., Gillon, A., Lal, N., & Sheard, P. (2015). Age-related declines in synaptic proteins, agrin and rapsyn, and their relevance to sarcopenia. Clinical Anatomy, 28(7), (pp. 940). doi: 10.1002/ca.22520

2014

Journal - Research Article

Rowlands, D. S., Page, R. A., Sukala, W. R., Giri, M., Ghimbovschi, S. D., Hayat, I., … Leikis, M., Sheard, P. W., Wakefield, St. J., … Krebs, J., … Hoffman, E. P. (2014). Multi-omic integrated networks connect DNA methylation and miRNA with skeletal muscle plasticity to chronic exercise in Type 2 diabetic obesity. Physiological Genomics, 46(20), 747-765. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00024.2014

Hellyer, S. D., Selwood, A. I., van Ginkel, R., Munday, R., Sheard, P., Miles, C. O., … Kerr, D. S. (2014). In vitro labelling of muscle type nicotinic receptors using a fluorophore-conjugated pinnatoxin F derivative. Toxicon, 87, 17-25. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.05.013

McMahon, C. D., Chai, R., Radley-Crabb, H. G., Watson, T., Matthews, K. G., Sheard, P. W., … Shavlakadze, T. (2014). Lifelong exercise and locally produced insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have a modest influence on reducing age-related muscle wasting in mice. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 24(6), e423-e435. doi: 10.1111/sms.12200

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Lal, N., Sheard, P., & Cornwall, J. (2014). Age-related myofibre death in human skeletal muscle may be evident by the appearance of vacuolated myofibres. Annals of Anatomy, 196(Suppl.), (pp. 106). doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2014.05.035

Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. (2014). Fibre types in human suboccipital muscles. Annals of Anatomy, 196(Suppl.), (pp. 88). doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2014.05.035

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Lal, N., & Sheard, P. (2014, September). Autophagic dysfunction accompanies myofibre death with age and predominantly affects the innervated myofibres in elderly mouse skeletal muscles. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Association of Gerontology Conference: The Age of Ageing, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Gillon, A. P., & Sheard, P. W. (2014, September). A role for terminal Schwann cells in age related degeneration of the motor nerve terminal? Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Association of Gerontology Conference: The Age of Ageing, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Brady, J., Gillon, A. P., & Sheard, P. W. (2014, September). Altered expression of the synaptic proteins agrin and rapsyn with age: Implications for sarcopenia. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Association of Gerontology Conference: The Age of Ageing, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2013

Journal - Research Article

Davies, T. M., Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. W. (2013). Modelling dichotomously marked muscle fibre configurations. Statistics in Medicine, 32(24), 4240-4258. doi: 10.1002/sim.5806

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Davies, T. M., Sheard, P. W., & Cornwall, J. (2013). Development of a novel statistical method to test spatial distribution of skeletal muscle fiber types. Clinical Anatomy, 26, (pp. 643). doi: 10.1002/ca.22235

2012

Journal - Research Article

Sheard, P. W., & Anderson, R. D. (2012). Age-related loss of muscle fibres is highly variable amongst mouse skeletal muscles. Biogerontology, 13(2), 157-167. doi: 10.1007/s10522-011-9365-0

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. (2012). Spatial aggregation of Type II fibres in human cervical muslces. Clinical Anatomy, 25(4), (pp. 533). doi: 10.1002/ca.22049

Tan, C., Sheard, P. W., & Jasoni, C. L. (2012). Sonic hedgehog stimulates gonadotropin releasing-hormone neuron axon growth. Proceedings of the Society for Neuroscience 42nd Annual Meeting. SfN. Retrieved from http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=abstracts_am2012

Hennebry, A., Watson, T., Shavlakadze, T., Grounds, M. D., Sheard, P., Fiorotto, M., & McMahon, C. D. (2012). Overexpression of IGF-1 stimulates greater muscle development in the absence of myostatin, but reduces lifespan. Proceedings of the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci). (pp. 39). Retrieved from http://www.medscinz.co.nz/QRW2012%20MedSci%20Abstracts.pdf

2011

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cornwall, J., & Sheard, P. (2011). Spatial aggregation of type II fibres in human cervical muscles. Proceedings of the 8th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Clinical Anatomists (ANZACA): New Insights: Implications for Clinical Practice. (pp. 22). Retrieved from http://anzaca.otago.ac.nz/images/anzaca2011/anzaca2011_abstracts.pdf

2010

Journal - Research Article

Sheard, P. W., Bewick, G. S., Woolley, A. G., Shaw, J., Fisher, L., Fong, S. W., & Duxson, M. J. (2010). Investigation of neuromuscular abnormalities in neurotrophin-3-deficient mice. European Journal of Neuroscience, 31(1), 29-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07032.x

2009

Intellectual Property

Turney, S., & Sheard, P. W. (2009). System and methods for thick specimen imaging using a microscope-based tissue sectioning device. (WO/2009/048524).

2008

Journal - Research Article

Woolley, A. G., Tait, K. J., Hurren, B. J., Fisher, L., Sheard, P. W., & Duxson, M. J. (2008). Developmental loss of NT-3 in vivo results in reduced levels of myelin-specific proteins, a reduced extent of myelination and increased apoptosis of Schwann cells. GLIA, 56(3), 306-317. doi: 10.1002/glia.20614

2007

Journal - Research Article

Li, C., Stanton, J.-A. L., Robertson, T. M., Suttie, J. M., Sheard, P. W., Harris, A. J., & Clark, D. E. (2007). Nerve growth factor mRNA expression in the regenerating antler tip of red deer (Cervus elaphus). PLoS ONE, 2(1), e148. Retrieved from http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000148

2006

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Bewick, G. S., & Sheard, P. W. (2006, August). Abnormal synaptic vesicle dynamics at the motor nerve terminals of neurotrophin-3 deficient mice. Poster session presented at the Scottish Neuroscience Group Meeting, Dundee, Scotland.

2005

Journal - Research Article

Sun, C.-K., Zhang, X.-Y., Sheard, P. W., Mabuchi, A., & Wheatley, A. M. (2005). Change in mitochondrial membrane potential is the key mechanism in early warm hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. Microvascular Research, 70, 102-110.

Homer, C., Knight, D. A., Hananeia, L., Sheard, P., Risk, J., Lasham, A., Royds, J. A., & Braithwaite, A. W. (2005). Y-box factor YB1 controls p53 apoptotic function. Oncogene, 24, 8314-8325. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/onc/journal/v24/n56/abs/1208998a.html

Woolley, A. G., Sheard, P. W., & Duxson, M. J. (2005). Neurotrophin-3 null mutant mice display a postnatal motor neuropathy. European Journal of Neuroscience, 21, 2100-2110.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Sheard, P. W., & Bewick, G. S. (2005, December). Abnormal synaptic vesicle dynamics at the motor nerve terminals of neurotrophin-3 deficient mice. Poster session presented at the Medical Sciences Congress, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2004

Journal - Research Article

Mabuchi, A., Mullaney, I., Sheard, P., Hessian, P., Zimmermann, A., Senoo, H., & Wheatley, A. M. (2004). Role of hepatic stellate cells in the early phase of liver regeneration in rat: Formation of tight adhesion to parenchymal cells. Comparative Hepatology, 3(Suppl. 1), S29.

Mabuchi, A., Mullaney, I., Sheard, P. W., Hessian, P. A., Mallard, B. L., Tawadrous, M. N., … Wheatley, A. M. (2004). Role of hepatic stellate cell/hepatocyte interaction and activation of hepatic stellate cells in the early phase of liver regeneration in the rat. Journal of Hepatology, 40, 910-916.

Paul, A. C., Sheard, P. W., & Duxson, M. J. (2004). Development of a mammalian series-fibered muscle. Anatomical Record Part A, 278A, 571-578. doi: 10.1002/ar.a.20020

2003

Journal - Research Article

Zhang, Y.-F., Homer, C., Edwards, S. J., Hananeia, L., Lasham, A., Royds, J., Sheard, P., & Braithwaite, A. W. (2003). Nuclear localization of Y-box factor YB1 requires wild-type p53. Oncogene, 22, 2782-2794. doi: 10.1038/sj.onc.1206357

Maclennan, K. M., Zheng, Y., Sheard, P. W., Williams, S. M., Darlington, C. L., & Smith, P. F. (2003). Adrenalectomy-induced cell death in the dentate gyrus: Further characterisation using TUNEL and effects of the Ginkgo biloba extract, EGb 761 and ginkgolide B. Hippocampus, 13, 212-225.

2002

Journal - Research Article

Sheard, P. W., Paul, A., & Duxson, M. J. (2002). Intramuscular force transmission. Advances in Experimental Medicine & Biology, 508, 495-499.

Sheard, P. W., Musaad, K., & Duxson, M. J. (2002). Distribution of neurotrophin receptors in the mouse neuromuscular system. International Journal of Developmental Biology, 46, 569-575.

Paul, A. C., Sheard, P. W., Kaufman, S. J., & Duxson, M. J. (2002). Localization of α7 integrins and dystrophin suggests potential for both lateral and longitudinal transmission of tension in large mammalian muscles. Cell & Tissue Research, 308, 255-265.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Mabuchi, A., Mullaney, I., Sheard, P. W., Hessian, P. A., Zimmermann, A., Senoo, H., & Wheatley, A. M. (2002). Role of hepatic stellate cells in the early phase of liver regeneration in rat: formation of tight adhesions to parenchymal cells. 11th International Symposium on the Cells of the Hepatic Sinusoid. Retrieved from http://www.comparative-hepatology.com/

Woolley, A., Sheard, P. W., & Duxson, M. J. (2002). Effects of NT-3 deficit on mouse neuromuscular development. Proceedings of the Third (2002) Asia Pacific Symposium on Neural Regeneration. (pp. 64). [Abstract]

2001

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Sheard, P. W., Paul, A., McHannigan, P., Young, M. A., & Duxson, M. J. (2001). Intramuscular force transmission. In S. Gandevia, U. Proske & D. Stuart (Eds.), International Union of Physiological Sciences Satellite Meeting on Movement and Sensation. (pp. S57). [Abstract]

2000

Journal - Research Article

Young, M., Paul, A., Rodda, J., Duxson, M. J., & Sheard, P. W. (2000). Examination of intrafascicular muscle fiber terminations: Implications for tension delivery in series-fibered muscles. Journal of Morphology, 245, 130-145.

Sheard, P. W. (2000). Tension delivery from short fibers in long muscles. Exercise & Sport Sciences Reviews, 28(2), 51-56.

Scarlett, J. L., Sheard, P. W., Hughes, G., Ledgerwood, E. C., Ku, H.-H., & Murphy, M. P. (2000). Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential during staurosporine-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells. FEBS Letters, 475, 267-272.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Sheard, P. W., Shaw, J., & Duxson, M. J. (2000). Impaired neuromuscular performance among neurotropin-3 deficient mice. Proceedings of the Physiological Society of New Zealand. 19, (pp. 19). [Abstract]

Shaw, J., Duxson, M. J., & Sheard, P. W. (2000). Improved neuromuscular performance following nerve crush in neurotrophin-3 deficient mice. Proceedings of the University of Otago Medical School. 78(1), (pp. 16). Dunedin, New Zealand: University Print. [Abstract]

1999

Chapter in Book - Research

Sayer, R. J., Bray, J. J., Mills, R. G., & Sheard, P. W. (1999). Introduction to the Nervous System. In J. J. Bray, P. A. Cragg, A. D. C. Macknight & R. G. Mills (Eds.), Lecture Notes on Human Physiology. (pp. 39-64). London: Blackwell Science.

Journal - Research Article

Woolley, A., Sheard, P. W., Dodds, K. G., & Duxson, M. J. (1999). Alpha motoneurons are present in normal numbers but with reduced soma size in neurotrophin-3 knockout mice. Neuroscience Letters, 272, 107-110.

Sheard, P. W., McHannigan, P., & Duxson, M. J. (1999). Single and paired motor unit performance in skeletal muscles: Comparison between simple and series-fibred muscles from the rat and the guinea pig. Basic & Applied Myology, 9(2), 79-87.

James, A. M., Sheard, P. W., Wei, Y.-H., & Murphy, M. P. (1999). Decreased ATP synthesis is phenotypically expressed during increased energy demand in fibroblasts containing mitochondrial tRNA mutations: Implications for neurodegenerative and mitochondrial DNA diseases. European Journal of Biochemistry, 259, 462-469.

1998

Journal - Research Article

Porteous, W. K., James, A. M., Sheard, P. W., Porteous, C., Packer, M., Hyslop, S. J., Melton, J. V., … Murphy, M. P. (1998). Bioenergetic consequences of accumulating the common 4977-bp mitochondrial DNA deletion. European Journal of Biochemistry, 257, 192-201.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Paul, A. C., Sheard, P. W., & Duxson, M. J. (1998). Mechanisms of tension transmission in mammalian muscles with series-fibred architecture. Proceedings of the University of Otago Medical School. 76, (pp. 10). [Abstract]

1997

Journal - Research Article

Beazley, L. D., Sheard, P. W., Tennant, M., Starac, D., & Dunlop, S. A. (1997). Optic nerve regenerates but does not restore topographic projections in the lizard Ctenophorus ornatus. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 377(1), 105-120.

Sheard, P. W., Oettli, H. E., Johnson, A. J., & Duxson, M. J. (1997). Variations in oxidative enzyme type profiles among prenatal rat lumbar motoneurons. Developmental Brain Research, 103(1), 67-75. doi: 10.1016/S0165-3806(97)00118-1

Sheard, P. W., & Duxson, M. J. (1997). The transient existence of "en passant" nerve terminals in normal embryonic rat skeletal muscle. Developmental Brain Research, 98(2), 259-264. doi: 10.1016/S0165-3806(96)00184-8

1996

Journal - Research Article

Sheard, P. W., & Duxson, M. J. (1996). Composition of newly forming motor units in prenatal rat intercostal muscle. Developmental Dynamics, 205, 196-212.

1995

Journal - Research Article

Duxson, M. J., & Sheard, P. W. (1995). Formation of new myotubes occurs exclusively at the multiple innervation zones of an embryonic large muscle. Developmental Dynamics, 204, 391-405.