Uncoupled Research Fellowship

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

I am a neuroscientist employing strategies of anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, genetics and behavioural analysis to examine the physiological and possible pathological roles of newly discovered neuropeptides and their cognate receptors in mammalian brain. My recent research has focused on the highly-conserved, abundant peptide, relaxin-3 that was discovered at the HFI in 2002. Studies so far have revealed that relaxin-3 is a powerful modulator of rhythmic brain activity (theta) and spatial memory, and alters feeding, body weight and arousal. Relaxin-3 levels in brain are also strongly activated by acute stress. In the future, I aim to elucidate further the role of relaxin-3 systems in normal physiology and metabolic and-or psychiatric diseases.