Lab personnel
-
Dr Rachael Augustine
The regulation of sympathetic nerve activity by the hypothalamic neurons that synthesise oxytocin
-
Dr Joan Chan
The role of ryanodine type II receptors in Alzheimer's disease
-
Professor Pete Jones
Molecular mechanisms underlying heart disease, arrhythmia and skeletal muscle disease
-
Alycia Kinns
Investigating the effects of CK2 phosphorylation of RyR2 in cardiac arrhythmias
-
Dr Shane Ohline
The role of ryanodine receptors in Alzheimer's disease
-
Tausi Tausi
Investigating the effects of CK2 phosphorylation of RyR2 and RyR2 cluster organisation
Research interests
My principal research interest is in how calcium cycling is controlled in excitable cells, including cardiac and skeletal muscle as we as neurons. My focus is on the mechanisms by which calcium release from intra-cellular stores (endo/sarcoplasmic reticulum, ER/SR) is controlled by the type 2 ryanodine receptor (RyR2). The aim of my research is to characterize how the activity of RyR2 is altered both physiologically and in disease. This is achieved using a broad spectrum of assays from molecular biology and single channel recordings, through to isolated cells and tissue and ultimately whole animal models and patients.
Keywords
Arrhythmia, RyR2, calcium, endo/sarcoplasmic reticulum, seizures, Alzheimer's disease
Current funding
- 2023–2026 Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund
- 2023–2024 Heart Foundation of New Zealand
- 2020–2024 Health Research Council Project
- 2020–2022 Neurological Foundation of New Zealand
Previous funding
- 2018–2021 Health Research Council Project
- 2018–2020 Health Research Council Explorer
- 2016–2019 Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund
- 2016–2018 Heart Foundation of New Zealand
- 2015–2017 Heart Foundation of New Zealand
- 2015–2018 Health Research Council Project
- 2011–2014 Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund, Fast Start Award
Collaborators
- Badrilla Ltd (characterisation of phosphor-specific cardiac antibodies)
