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Research interests

I am interested in defining how the gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, well established as the ultimate downstream regulators of the central control of reproductive function, are regulated by the multitude of external and internal cues necessary for successful fertility. I am investigating the synaptic regulation of GnRH neurons, with particular emphasis on the innervation to their lengthy dendrites, through a variety of morphological imaging and transgenic mouse model approaches. In addition to understanding the regulation of normal fertility, I am also interested in addressing the central neuroendocrine abnormalities of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the leading cause of infertility in women.

Keywords

GnRH neurons, dendrites, synchronization, PCOS

Research topics

  • Exploring the neuroendocrine mechanism of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
  • Investigating the spatial distribution of synaptic inputs to GnRH dendrites
  • Mechanisms of pulse generation in the GnRH neuronal network

Current funding

  • 2015–2018 Health Research Council (HRC) Grant, Probing novel pathways mediating PCOS. Principal Investigator (NZ$910,000).
  • 2015–2018 Royal Society Marsden Fund, Functional dissection of a novel GABAergic pathway in the brain circuitry controlling fertility. Principal Investigator (NZ$943,000).
  • 2012–2017 Health Research Council (HRC) Programme Grant, Neural control of fertility. Joint Principal Investigator (0.10FTE) (NZ$4,935,490). Director: Professor Allan Herbison.

Previous funding

  • 2015 University of Otago Research Grant, Putting the pieces together: Getting the bigger picture on fertility regulation – Part II. Principal Investigator (NZ$30,000).
  • 2014 University of Otago Research Grant, Putting the pieces together: Getting the bigger picture on fertility regulation. Principal Investigator (NZ$42,085).
  • 2011–2014 Health Research Council (HRC) Grant, Investigating the Neuroendocrine Abnormalities of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Principal Investigator (0.2FTE; NZ$650,735).
  • 2010–2013 Royal Society Marsden Fund, Primary cilia and the central regulation of fertility. Principal Investigator (0.25FTE; NZ$575,000).

Previous lab personnel

  • Katrin Geist
  • Galina Gaidamaka

Selected publications

Watanabe, Y., Fisher, L., Campbell, R. E., & Jasoni, C. L. (2023). Defining potential targets of prenatal androgen excess: Expression analysis of androgen receptor on hypothalamic neurons in the fetal female mouse brain. Journal of Neuroendocrinology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/jne.13302

Decourt, C., Watanabe, Y., Evans, M. C., Inglis, M. A., Fisher, L. C., Jasoni, C. L., Campbell, R. E., & Anderson, G. M. (2023). Deletion of androgen receptors from kisspeptin neurons prevents PCOS features in a letrozole mouse model. Endocrinology, bqad077. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqad077

Lissaman, A. C., Girling, J. E., Cree, L. M., Campbell, R. E., & Ponnampalam, A. P. (2023). Androgen signalling in the ovaries and endometrium. Molecular Human Reproduction. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/molehr/gaad017

Glendining, K. A., & Campbell, R. E. (2023). Recent advances in emerging PCOS therapies. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 68, 102345.  doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102345

Campbell, R. (2022, July). Illuminating the role of the brain in polycystic ovary syndrome. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.   [Inaugural Professorial Lecture].

Emanuel, R. H. K., Roberts, J., Docherty, P. D., Lunt, H., Campbell, R. E., & Möller, K. (2022). A review of the hormones involved in the endocrine dysfunctions of polycystic ovary syndrome and their interactions. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 13, 1017468.  doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1017468

Evans, M. C., Campbell, R. E., & Anderson, G. M. (2022). Physiological regulation of leptin as an integrative signal of reproductive readiness [Review]. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 67, 102321.  doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102321

Sugrue, V. J., Garratt, M., Campbell, R. E., & Hore, T. A. (2022). Androgens and the epigenetic clock.  Proceedings of the joint ESA-SRB-APEG-NZSE Annual Scientific Meeting. 13.  Retrieved from https://www.esa-srb-apeg-nzse.org

Khant Aung, Z., Masih, R. R., Desroziers, E., Campbell, R. E., & Brown, R. S. E. (2022). Enhanced pup retrieval behaviour in a mouse model of polycystic ovary syndrome. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 34, e13206.  doi: 10.1111/jne.13206

Campbell, R. E., Sati, A., Coyle, C., Prescott, M., Jasoni, C. L., & Desroziers, E. (2022, August). How androgen excess shapes the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-like brain. Verbal presentation at the Metabolic & Cardiovascular Disease Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Glendining, K. A., Prescott, M., & Campbell, R. E. (2022, August-September). GnRH neuron morphology and kisspeptin-GnRH appositions during postnatal development in a C57BL/6 Mkrn3KO mouse.  Poster session presented at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Ruddenklau, A., Prescott, M., & Campbell, R. E. (2022, August-September). Chronic inhibition of arcuate nucleus GABA neurons in a preclinical model of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).  Poster session presented at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Camon, C., Stout, M., Campbell, R., & Pankhurst, M. (2022, August-September). Neuronal estrogen signalling in metabolic health and ageing. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Sugrue, V. J., Zoller, J. A., Narayan, P., Lu, A. T., Ortega-Recalde, O. J., Grant, M. J., … Bond, D. M., … Campbell, R., Garratt, M., … Hore, T. A. (2022, August-September). Male-specific DNA aging and building the Androgen Clock. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Seeger-Armbruster, S., Ahmad Zamri, A., Wang, M., Campbell, R. E., & Hyland, B. I. (2022). Thalamic paraventricular nucleus: Bridging homeostatic and reward pathways in the control of feeding.  In K. Horne (Ed.), Proceedings of the 38th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 96).  Retrieved from https://www.queenstownresearchweek.org

Jamieson, B. B., Moore, A. M., Lohr, D. B., Thomas, S. X., Coolen, L. M., Lehman, M. N., Campbell, R. E., & Piet, R. (2022). Prenatal androgen treatment impairs the suprachiasmatic nucleus arginine-vasopressin to kisspeptin neuron circuit in female mice. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 13, 951344.  doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.951344

Campbell, R. E., Coolen, L. M., Hoffman, G. E., & Hrabovszky, E. (2022). Highlights of neuroanatomical discoveries of the mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone system. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, e13115. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/jne.13115

Silva, M. S. B., & Campbell, R. E. (2022). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the neuroendocrine consequences of androgen excess. Comprehensive Physiology, 12, 3347-3369. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c210025

Coyle, C. S., Prescott, M., Handelsman, D. J., Walters, K. A., & Campbell, R. E. (2022). Chronic androgen excess in female mice does not impact luteinizing hormone pulse frequency or putative GABAergic inputs to GnRH neurons. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 34, e13110.  doi: 10.1111/jne.13110

McCartney, C. R., Campbell, R. E., Marshall, J. C., & Moenter, S. M. (2022). The role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons in polycystic ovary syndrome [Invited]. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 34, e13093.  doi: 10.1111/jne.13093

Abbasi, M., Perkinson, M. R., Seymour, A. J., Piet, R., Campbell, R. E., Iremonger, K. J., & Brown, C. H. (2022). Local kisspeptin excitation of rat oxytocin neurones in late pregnancy. Journal of Physiology, 600(7), 1753-1770.  doi: 10.1113/jp282531

Watanabe, Y., Prescott, M., Campbell, R. E., & Jasoni, C. L. (2021). Prenatal androgenization causes expression changes of progesterone and androgen receptor mRNAs in the arcuate nucleus of female mice across development. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 33, e13058.  doi: 10.1111/jne.13058

Sati, A., Prescott, M., Holland, S., Jasoni, C. L., Desroziers, E., & Campbell, R. E. (2021). Morphological evidence indicate a role for microglia in shaping the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-like brain. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 33, e12999.  doi: 10.1111/jne.12999

Sati, A., Prescott, M., Jasoni, C. L., Desroziers, E., & Campbell, R. E. (2021). The role of microglia in the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-like brain.   Journal of the Endocrine Society, 5(Suppl. 1), (pp. A556).  doi: 10.1210/jendso/bvab048.1133

Nair, B. B., Khant Aung, Z., Porteous, R., Prescott, M., Glendining, K. A., Jenkins, D. E., Augustine, R. A., Silva, M. S. B., Yip, S. H., Bouwer, G. T., Brown, C. H., Jasoni, C. L., Campbell, R. E., Bunn, S. J., Anderson, G. M., Grattan, D. R., Herbison, A. E., & Iremonger, K. J. (2021). Impact of chronic variable stress on neuroendocrine hypothalamus and pituitary in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 33, e12972.  doi: 10.1111/jne.12972

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