Biomedical Science

Heart disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. In diabetes, cardiac complications are evident even in the absence of vascular abnormalities and represent a primary manifestation of the disease. Understanding the mechanisms of cardiac pathology in diabetes is important for the development of new targeted treatment therapies. We have recently reported that a particular type of programmed cell death, autophagy, is upregulated in diabetic hearts but an understanding of how autophagy contributes to cardiac pathology in diabetes is lacking. Preliminary evidence suggests that the disturbed balance of systemic glucose, fructose and insulin levels in diabetes modifies key signaling pathways involved in autophagy induction. This project aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying heart dysfunction in diabetes.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived nanoparticles that have recently gained the attention of the scientific community due to their role in cell-to-cell communication as well as other physiological processes. More recently, studies have investigated the use of EVs as novel biomarkers in disease progression while others have harnessed their therapeutic potential in delivering cargo to the target tissue.

Our research group is interested in characterising the use of EVs in different ocular disease models. We have projects relating to the use of EVs as novel biomarkers in the progression of eye diseases as well as their potential as retinal drug delivery systems.

Skills developed include:

• Isolation and purification of EVs
• Tissue culturing
• Immunohistochemistry
• Confocal microscopy
• Statistical analysis
• Report writing

Currently there are no early biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease and most patients only present when the disease presents clinically, by which time much cell death has already occurred and preventative measures are not effective.

Abnormal metal distribution in the brain has been associated with Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. There may also be a relationship between metals such as iron, copper and zinc, the presence or loss of neuromelanin, a neuroprotective protein that scavenges metals in the brain. Neuromelanin is visible on MRI, and we hypothesise that we can determine metal load in the brain of patients with Parkinson’s disease by melanin imaging.

The students will join the team at the Centre for Brain Research, and skills acquired during the project include an in-depth knowledge of the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease, magnetic resonance imaging, histology and metal analysis, and potentially AI if interested.

Project suitable for neuroscientist interested in future graduate study, or medical student. Envisioned outcome: publication of paper.

The brains of dolphins have striking resemblance to humans, in both size and structure, and it would appear that much of their function parallels human function, including language processing. The dolphin being a long-lived, large brained mammal, is proving to be an unexpectedly useful model for the study of human ageing and dementia. The development of a high resolution atlas based on 3D MRI imaging to act as a road map for future studies such as additional DTI and functional MRI studies, is a vital next step to moving the field forward. The MR imaging data for this project has been acquired.
Skills acquired during the project: in depth knowledge of neuroanatomy (human and dolphin), data segmentation. Suitable project for neuroscientist or medical student. Envisioned outcome: publication of atlas as a paper.

References:
Wright A, Theilmann R , Ridgway S, Scadeng M. Diffusion tractography reveals pervasive asymmetry of cerebral white matter tracts in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Brain Struct Funct. 2017 DOI : 10.1007/s00429-017-1474-3

Wright A, Scadeng M, Stec D, Dubowitz R, Ridgway S, Leger JS. Neuroanatomy of the killer whale (Orcinus orca): a magnetic resonance imaging investigation of structure with insights on function and evolution. Brain Struct Funct. 2017 Jan;222(1):417-436. doi: 10.1007/s00429-016-1225-x.

The peripheral vestibular system is the apparatus in the inner ear involved in balance. The vestibular system consists of three semi-circular canals and two otolithic organs, all embedded in the inner ear bony labyrinth.

This summer project aims to compare structures of the sheep vestibular system with that of human. The participating student will be trained to process sheep inner ear samples, scan them using micro-computerized tomography (microCT) and perform 3D data processing ultimately to construct a high-resolution 3D model of sheep vestibular system. These will be compared to existing databases on the human inner ear. Sheep are emerging as a popular large animal model for human diseases, and our research cluster plans to use sheep as a preclinical model for inner ear diseases including hearing loss and balance disorders. The outcome from this project will fill the knowledge gap between sheep and human vestibular systems for our future research.

The successful applicant should have a basic background in biology and physiology.
Interest in postgraduate research programmes will be preferable, but not essential. Interested candidates should contact Dr Suzuki-Kerr for further details on the project.

Skills developed include:

• MicroCT
• Tissue dissection
• Image analysis
• 3D image data processing
• scientific report writing
  

• Human donor eye processing
• Immunohistochemistry
• Confocal microscopy
• Statistical analysis
  

The lymphatic vasculature is essential for fluid homeostasis in the body. When lymphatic vessels are obstructed or damaged this results in lymphoedema, the painful and debilitating accumulation of lymph in tissues. Secondary lymphoedema is one of the most significant survivorship issues following surgical and/or radiological treatment for tumours and is caused by incomplete lymphatic growth following lymph node removal.

Almost nothing is known about how lymphatic growth is regulated. To help further our knowledge of this process, we have isolated mutant zebrafish which display either undergrowth or overgrowth of lymphatic vessels. This project will help characterise these lymphatic mutants to uncover the genetics that control lymphatic vessel growth.

Experiments could involve:

• Imaging lymphatic vessel growth in mutant fish
• Isolating genomic DNA for use in mutation mapping
• Experiments focused on the validation of candidate mutations

Skills developed include:

• Modelling organism genetics
• Live cell imaging
• Zebrafish husbandry

The ocular lens focusses light onto the retina at the back of the eye to form a sharp image. It remains transparent over several decades of life, and in the absence of a blood supply operates a microcirculation of water and nutrients to support tissue transparency. The lens suffers from off-target effects from some ocular drugs, while is itself a target for anti-cataract therapies, which are designed to delay or prevent the onset of lens opacities. However, it remains unclear where drugs are taken up into the lens, how they are transported within the tissue, and where they are metabolised. Using MALDI imaging mass spectrometry, this project will compare over time the uptake, transport and metabolism of different ocular drugs with different properties to inform the behaviour of drugs in different regions of the lens. This will inform the design of future therapeutic molecules designed to fight the cataract epidemic.

Skills developed incude:

• Culturing tissue
• Cryosectioning
• Imaging mass spectrometry
• Data anlaysis
• Report writing

Local drug administration using topical eye drops is generally preferred when treating ocular surface conditions. However, poor drug penetration from water-based eyedrop is often an issue, especially when treating conditions beyond the surface of the eye. Non-aqueous eye drops may result in higher drug penetration into the ocular tissues, especially when delivering poorly water-soluble drugs.

This project will investigate drug penetration from non-aqueous eye drops using an ex vivo whole eye penetration model. Tissue drug concentrations after topical eye drop administration will be determined via analytical and imaging methods.

Skills developed include:

• Eye drop formulation and characterisation
• Investigating tissue penetration
• Drug quantification
• Microscopy
• Image analysis
  

• Immunohistochemistry on paraffin embedded human brain sections and tissue microarrays
• The principles of tissue microarray
• Bright field microscopy
• Digital image acquisition
• Scientific report writing and figure making
  

• Immunohistochemistry on paraffin embedded human brain sections and tissue microarrays
• Understanding the principles of tissue microarray
• Bright field microscopy 
• Digital image acquisition
• Scientific report writing and figure making
  

• Fixation of the lens
• Cryosectioning of the lens tissue
• Labeling with specific membrane marker wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)
• Super resolution imaging that will involve using either a dSTORM or airy scan microscopy to allow visualisation of the change of extracellular space at the nm range

Exercise improves outcomes for people of all ages. However, tolerance to exercise appears to be significantly limited in patients with cardiovascular disease, in particular in patients with hypertension. What drives this intolerance is not clear and this project will investigate the role of blood flow to the heart in limiting exercise tolerance.

We will utilise a large animal model to explore changes in heart muscle blood flow and autonomic drive during exercise. The consequences of hypertension for perfusion of coronary blood vessels will be explored. This project will introduce the student to a number of experimental techniques in conscious animals. Preference will be given to students who WANT to continue on with a Masters project.

The human corneal endothelium is a single layer of cells lining the back of the cornea, the clear window at the front of the eye. It regulates the hydration status of the cornea. A major road block to true corneal regeneration is the inability of these cells to proliferate or regenerate in humans and the resistance of these cells to expand in culture. Corneal endothelial dysfunction results in corneal oedema, opacity, and loss of vision, for which full thickness or partial thickness (endothelial) corneal transplantation is the definitive treatment. In New Zealand, the limited supply of donor corneal tissue is the rate limiting step for corneal transplantation. New treatments for corneal endothelial diseases are required to overcome the current limitations of donor tissue supply.

The recent discovery of adult stem cells in the ‘Transition Zone’ (TZ) marks the beginning of exciting forage into their application for endothelial regeneration. Our team has successfully established a TZ explant culture protocol. TZ culture is a mixed population of more differentiated (corneal endothelial like) and less differentiated (stem cell like) cells. However, in order to advance this into an applicable therapy, better control of cell differentiation is required in order to avoid the risk of cancer formation from uninhibited proliferation of stem cells and allow the use of cells at earlier passages.

We aim to determine the potential of transition zone cells to be developed into cell therapies and tissue grafts for corneal endothelial diseases. We propose to drive the differentiation of TZ cells or use cell sorting to separate differentiated cells from stem cells as the first step. The differentiated cells will be delivered in ex vivo or in vivo models to determine their regenerative potential.

Key words: ophthalmology, eye, cornea, diseases, therapy, stem cells, regeneration

Skills developed include:

• Cell culture
• Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)
• Western blotting
• Immunohistochemistry
• Confocal microscopy
  

New evidence from diabetic animal models and human post-mortem tissues studied in our laboratory suggest that non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a multifaceted inflammatory disease of the retina. Microaneurysms and oedema in the diabetic eye are associated with a local inflammatory response that we discovered gets worse by microglia activation. The study will identify what molecular signals are elicited in DR tissues once microglia is activated to propose new therapeutic targets of early stage DR.

The project will be conducted in rodents. The study employs techniques similar to those used in an eye examination (fundus imaging, optical coherence tomography) followed by tissue dissection, protein extraction, immunolabelling and data analysis.

Experience in biomedical studies is preferred but is not essential.

Inherited retinal dystrophies are a large group of diseases that result in death of photoreceptors, the light-sensing cells of the retina. Still largely incurable and progressive with age, protection of surviving photoreceptor cells is imperative. Multiple mechanisms of action have been proposed in the intervention of retinal dystrophies but there are no conclusive studies of the effect of the drugs on vision. We want to conduct a preclinical efficacy study to determine if it is safe to use anti-inflammatory drugs in damaged retinas. We will assess retinal function and cell survival as a function of drug dose and duration of treatment using rodent models. The study will assess the risk/ benefit of using an anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of retinal dystrophies.

The successful candidate should demonstrate knowledge of basic laboratory procedures and interest in learning about retinal pathology. The experiments will be conducted on rodent models of retinal degeneration where animal manipulation will be required. The study will assess retinal function using electroretinography and will employ immunolabelling techniques to demonstrate effect on biological pathways.

To meet the learning needs of healthcare students, software simulations imitating real patients and clinical cases have become widespread in medical education. In interprofessional learning, simulations develop a wide range of non-technical skills in learners, including communication, teamwork and insight into others’ skills and roles.

Ready to Practice is a web-based software application (written in HTML5 and JavaScript, along with the Monkey cross-platform scripting language) enabling students to experience a critical and challenging emergency situation. This project aims to extend the existing application from a single-user application to a multi-user environment. This includes developing a messaging system, allowing an interprofessional team of students to care for the virtual patient, communicate through the application with each other, and send SMS messages via the application.

Skills required:

• HTML5, CSS, JavaScript (essential)
• Python (essential)
• Django or other web-based frameworks (essential)
• Monkey X or Cerberus X (valuable)
• Various web-based APIs and protocols (valuable)
• Server-side and front-end framework technologies (valuable)
• SQL and/or JSON (useful)
• Messaging services/APIs, SMS and/or email (useful)
• Understand security and develop a secure solution (useful)

Skills developed inlcude:

• Coding and problem solving in an existing clinical training environment
• Integration of messaging in an existing user system
• Experience of virtual patient design
  

As a direct result of patients’ relative youth, younger onset dementia takes longer to diagnose than late onset dementia. Diagnosis of younger onset dementia often takes five years or longer and delayed diagnosis is widely accepted to be a major burden on patients, families, and caregivers. Timely diagnosis is critical for access to dementia-specific services, successful clinical management, and patient and family well-being. It is therefore important to understand why diagnosis is delayed, and how it might be hastened.

In this study, we aim to identify factors determining the time to diagnosis for younger onset dementia (defined as symptom onset before 65) in a New Zealand cohort. Data will be collected via questionnaire and by reviewing medical records.

Skills developed include:

• Knowledge of younger onset dementia
• Data extraction from medical records
• Quantitative data analysis.
  

Ototoxicity is an irreversible adverse effect associated with a range of pharmacological agents, including aminoglycoside antibiotics, loop diuretics and platinum-based chemotherapeutics (1). The pathogenesis of drug-induced ototoxicity has been attributed to the production of free radicals within the inner ear, causing permanent damaging vital sensory cell populations (2,3). Localised delivery of antioxidant vitamins has shown to attenuate the ototoxic-effects of cisplatin, demonstrating potential as a protective adjunctive therapy (4). This project will aim to develop a thermogelling formulation for the sustained release of the antioxidant compound ascorbic acid for localised, intratympanic delivery to prevent drug induced ototoxicity.

Methods:

• Quantification of Ascorbic Acid 
• Develop poloxamer-based formulations
• Assess formulation: sol-to-gel transition temperature, gelation time, gel hardness, ‘injectability’, in vitro drug release, FTIR, biocompatibility

References:
1. Yorgason JG, Fayad JN, Kalinec F. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety. 2006;5(3):383-.
2. Leis JA, Rutka JA, Gold WL. CMAJ. 2015;187(1):E52-E.
3. Sheth S, Mukherjea D, Rybak LP, Ramkumar V. Front Cell Neurosci. 2017;11:338-.
4. Rybak LP, Dhukhwa A, Mukherjea D, Ramkumar V. Front Cell Neuro2019;13:3

Please note that the student stipend for this project is being provided by the NZ Pharmacy Education and Research Foundation (NZPERF) therefore only current part II and III BPharm students are eligible to apply.

The ocular lens of the eye is one of two tissues in our body with complete transparency. The lens consists of specialized cell called fibre cells that have elongated shape cell bodies arranged in highly ordered manner. Previous studies in the Molecular vision laboratory have shown that lens fibre cells actively respond to environmental stimuli by altering protein localizations (including purinergic and other receptor proteins), however the mechanisms is unknown. This project aims to shed light on the protein trafficking machinery in the lens fibre cells. The participating student will prepare rodent lens sample and use immunohistochemistry and super-resolution confocal microscopy to visualize small protein-containing vesicles at subcellular resolution.

The successful applicant should have a basic background in biology and physiology. Interest in postgraduate research programmes will be preferable, but not essential. Interested candidates should contact Dr Suzuki-Kerr for further details on the project.

Skills developed include:

• Tissue dissection
• Immunohistochemistry
• Super resolution confocal microscopy
• Image analysis
• Scientific report writing
  

• Tissue dissection
• Immunohistochemistry
• Confocal microscopy
• Image analysis
• Data analysis
• Scientific report writing
  

Glutamate is the main excitatory brain neurotransmitter and it plays an essential role in the function and health of neurons and neuronal excitability. Altered glutamatergic signalling plays a key role in a number of pathological conditions affecting the nervous system, including Alzheimer`s disease (AD). AD is characterized by progressive loss of neurons, memory and other cognitive functions. Currently, there are still no effective treatments to prevent, delay or reverse AD. Understanding the remodelling of the glutamatergic system in brains of people stricken by AD will help decide what type of drugs to use or design. The gradual neuronal degeneration and decreases of synaptic density in AD affected brain areas precedes increment in aberrant electrical activity. Modulation of the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission early in AD is one of the targets of the glutamatergic drugs in the AD brain.

The aim of this project is to characterize the expression of glutamate transporters in the Alzheimer's disease hippocampus.

We offer a stimulating and collaborative research environment. The successful candidate will join a lively community of students at the Centre for Brain Research. The ideal candidate is ambitious and highly motivated for pursuing a career in neuroscience.

Skills developed include:

• Neural tissue collection and fixation 
• Combination of molecular, anatomical and imaging techniques
• Data collection, analysis and presentation

Alzheimer`s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive loss of neurons in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, memory and other cognitive functions. Currently, there are still no effective treatments to prevent, delay or reverse AD. Cerebrovascular dysfunction is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of AD, often significantly preceding the onset of clinical symptoms. The inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) can regulate vascular function in the brain, controlling vasoconstriction and blood flow – however the mechanisms underlying this are poorly understood.

The aim of this project is to understand how the GABA signaling system regulates vascular function in the human brain and how this function is altered in AD.

We offer a stimulating and collaborative research environment. The successful candidate will join a lively community of students at the Centre for Brain Research. The ideal candidate is ambitious and highly motivated for pursuing a career in neuroscience.

Skills developed include:

• Neural tissue fixation, processing 
• Fluorescence immunohistochemistry 
• Imaging techniques (light and confocal microscopy)
• Data collection, analysis and presentation
  

• Human post-mortem tissue processing
• Immunohistochemistry
• Light and confocal microscopy
• Data collection, analysis and presentation
  

• Animal handling
• Stereotactic brain surgery
• Mouse behavioural testing
• Neural tissue collection and fixation 
• Combination of molecular, anatomical and imaging techniques
• Data collection, analysis and presentation
  

Melanocortin peptides play pivotal roles in numerous physiological responses, including pigmentation, adrenal gland development, the stress response, immune response, appetite, body weight and metabolism. Melanocortin peptides (adrenocorticotropin, alpha, beta or gamma-melanocyte stimulating hormone, desacetyl-alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone, diacetyl-alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone) are produced from the large precursor protein, pro-opiomelanocortin, through a co-ordinated, tissue-specific series of proteolytic cleavages and post-translational modifications, which influence the activity of the peptides. These peptides can similarly bind one or more of 5 melanocortin receptor subtypes, resulting in different physiological effects. This project will investigate biased agonist signalling for these peptides on melanocortin receptors expressed exogenously in HEK293 cells. Ultimately, we will identify specific signalling mechanisms associated with specific melanocortin physiological responses.

Research Impact:
The results from this project may lead to identification of new therapeutics for human diseases and ultimately improve health for all New Zealanders.

Skills developed include:

• Cell culture
• DNA transfection
• Cell signalling
• Data analysis
• Statistical analysis
  

Preference will be given to students wishing to continue with honours or masters degree.

Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2) is a G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) expressed primarily in the immune system. CB2-targeted drugs are promising therapeutic leads in a wide range of disorders involving immune system dysregulation, including multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disorders, atherosclerosis, stroke and inflammatory bowel disease.

We are particularly interested in studying functional selectivity, wherein a single GPCR has the potential to mediate the activation or inactivation of diverse signalling pathways and each molecule that interacts with the receptor has the potential to induce a unique ‘fingerprint’ of signalling events within the cell and thereby induce different functional consequences. An emerging concept in functional selectivity is that of spatio-temporal modulation, wherein the location of the receptor and/or induced signal may give rise to unique downstream effects.

This project will investigate the spatio-temporal signalling profiles of a selection of CB2 ligands which have been suggested to give rise to distinct signalling and/or functional profiles. We will utilise cutting-edge signalling pathway biosensors that allow real time measurements of signalling in specific subcellular locations.

Skills developed include:

• Mammalian cell culture and transfection
• GPCR signalling assays and use of DNA-encoded biosensors
• Data analysis, graphing, statistics
• Scientific writing

A student with background and interest in molecular pharmacology (eg. MEDSCI204, 304) is preferred, but this would also be suitable for students with general interests in mammalian cell biology, medicinal chemistry / drug development and/or immune-related therapeutic application (eg. BIOSCI201, 203, 353, 349, CHEM390, 392, MEDSCI202, 314).

There are opportunities for continued study at Honours, Masters, and PhD level.
https://www.findathesis.auckland.ac.nz/research-entry/10385612
https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/n-grimsey

X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism (XDP) is an X-linked recessive, genetically inherited neurodegenerative disease endemic to the island of Panay in the Philippines. Clinically, XDP is characterized by the initial appearance of dystonia. Over time, parkinsonian traits such as bradykinesia, rigidity and tremor also appear. There are limited reports of XDP neuropathology, however the studies consistently agree on the presence of atrophy in basal ganglia structures, particularly in the striatum. Thus, XDP shares some clinical similarities to the symptomatology of Parkinson’s disease, and similarities to the genetic inheritance pattern and atrophy of the striatum of Huntington’s disease. Our neuroanatomy research group is now studying this disease as part of an exciting international collaborative effort, together with research centres in Boston, U.S.A, and the Philippines. Past studies have shown a loss of medium spiny neurons in XDP but an extensive study of the GABAergic and cholinergic interneuronal changes in XDP has not been conducted. The aim of this project is to investigate interneuronal changes in the XDP human brain with a wide range of immunohistochemical markers using diseased and control post-mortem human brain tissue.

Skills developed include:

• Immunohistochemistry using human brain sections
• Brightfield microscopy
• High throughput image acquisition
• Image analysis
• Statistical analysis
• Scientific report writing
  

• Immunohistochemistry on paraffin embedded human and murine liver sections
• Bright field and fluorescent microscopy
• Digital image acquisition 
• ImageJ data generation and analysis
• Scientific report writing
• Figure making
  

• Histology (paraffin embedding, sectioning, H&E- and trichrome staining)
• Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy
• RNA isolation and qPCR
• Data analysis and presentation
  

If interested, please email your CV and academic transcript, and meet me for a chat about the project.

• Fabrication of microneedles
• In-vitro drug release
• Cell culture technique
• Sata processing
• Scientific report writing
  

This study aims to explore possible connections between the inner ear and gastrointestinal system. We have coined a term “gut-inner ear axis” to describe the putative link between these two organ systems. The principal aim of the study is to determine how the cochlea of the inner ear responds to alterations in gut microbiota. Our key hypothesis is that a healthy gut is important for the maintenance of cochlear health, whilst the inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal system can contribute to chronic inflammation in the cochlea and hearing loss. This study represents a novel approach to understanding the mechanisms regulating cochlear function in health and disease.

Study description: We will collect blood samples from mice on high fat diet and transfer their serum to naïve recipient animals on a regular diet by systemic (intravenous) or local (intratympanic) injection. Expression levels of inflammatory markers and the appearance of Iba-1+ migratory macrophages in the cochlea will be assessed 3 and 7 days after transfer using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Skills developed include:

• Tissue dissection
• Immunohistochemistry
• Confocal microscopy
• Image analysis
• Data analysis
• Scientific report writing

Equine Cushing’s Disease, also known as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, is a common endocrine disease in horses. The underlying cause involves damage to the brain pathway that regulates melanocortin hormones produced from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the pituitary pars intermedia. POMC is cleaved into several peptides in the pituitary pars intermedia and it is unknown how each one of these peptides is affected in Equine Cushing’s Disease.

This project will apply state-of-the-art MALDI imaging mass spectrometry technology to identify and map POMC cleavage products through horse pituitary. MALDI imaging mass spectrometry is a proteomic technique that combines the specificity and sensitivity of mass spectrometry with spatial information to map tissue-wide distribution of multiple analytes simultaneously, directly from a single tissue section.

Research Impact:

Understanding Equine Cushing’s Disease will advance understanding melanocortin hormone physiology and ultimately lead to improvements for horse and human health.

Skills developed include:

• Cryostat cutting thin pituitary sections from frozen tissue
• Histology: haematoxylin and eosin staining
• Light microscopy and documentation of capture images
• MALDI imaging mass spectrometry
• Proteomic data searching

Preference will be given to students wishing to continue with honours or Masters degree.

IGF-II and IGF-II derived peptide hormones have been shown to be secreted from pancreatic islet- beta cells along with insulin. The role that this tissue-specfic IGF-II plays is not fully understood however work done so far indicates it is important in cell protection (lipotoxicity) and in enhancing cell proliferation in times of need (insulin resistance)and therefore would play an important role in protecting the beta cells from failing during diabetes profgression. We have developed conditional IGF-II knockout beta-cell lines in the lab uisng CRISPR-Cas9 technology. This project will use these cell lines to drill down into what role IGF-II has in the beta cell with a specific focus on how IGF-II may be involved in mediating the beta-cell specific effects of the glucagon derived peptide hormone, GLP-1. This is relevant to diabetes therapeutics as GLP-1 mimetics and drugs that upregulate GLP1 make up 3 of the 6 ADA recommended drugs. Our aims for understanding how these drugs affect beta cells is that we can develop more targeted therapeutics that may work along or in conjunction with existing drigs to get a better clinical outcome.

Skellis developed include:

• Mammalian cell culture
• Insulin secretion assays
• Immunocytochemistry
• Western blot and QPCR
• Experiemntal design
• Data analysis
• Presentation skills
  

Globally, there are increasing rates of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. These conditions have significant rates of disability but are often under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated. There is new evidence to suggest that data from digital sensors (e.g. from smartphones, wearables) can be used to monitor and diagnose mood disorders.

This project will focus on personalised approaches to mental health monitoring and diagnosis, with specific focus on the use of digital sensors to detect changes in mood state.

Skills developed include:

• Developing a literature search strategy
• Condensing and extracting relevant findings from the key literature
• Summarising and interpreting findings clearly
• Working with a multidisciplinary team to design and develop a protocol for testing of digital sensors to monitor mood
• Testing the mood sensors
• Developing writing skills and a clear report on the summer studentship work
• Presentating at various meetings and conferences
• Publishing a report

Olfactory dysfunction is a prevalent and early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is currently unclear whether this symptom is linked to degeneration of the olfactory bulb. With collaborators at the National Institutes of Health (USA), we have acquired high-resolution MRI (14T/19-25um voxel size) of post-mortem human olfactory bulbs from Alzheimer's disease and control cases. These are the highest resolution MRI images of human olfactory bulbs captured to date and provide a unique opportunity to quantify volume changes in Alzheimer's disease. We are looking for a student with an interest in neuroanatomy and medical imaging to segment structures of interest in these olfactory bulb scans to investigate volume changes in Alzheimer's disease. The student will receive training in olfactory bulb neuroanatomy and MRI segmentation using AMIRA software. The project is highly flexible, with much of the analysis able to be carried out remotely (off-site) if preferred.

Our research team is looking for a summer student with an interest in novel treatments for clinical depression. This is a pilot study exploring the influence of environmental factors influence outcomes with ketamine assisted therapy. The student will be involved with participant recruitment and screening as well as data collection and analysis.

• Working in a laboratory research environment 
• Design and development of scientific protocols
• Scientific writing
• Surgical skills (assisting)
• Collection of physiological data in conscious animals
• Analysis of data
  

• Organic/Medicinal chemistry in drug development
• Compound synthesis, purification (chromatography techniques) and structure
• identification (nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy)
• The use of scientific data bases (Scifinder, Chemdraw)
  

Second year chemistry knowledge would be helpful.

• Mammalian tissue culture
• Immunocytochemistry
• Imaging
• Western blotting  

We are seeking a motivated student with an interest in neuroscience, gene therapy and the testing of new therapies.

• Search strategies to identify relevant and appropriate journal articles
• Creating a Library of suitable articles using a reference management tool (e.g. EndNote / Zotero / RefWorks)
• Drafting a literature review
• Communicating using educational theory and principles
• Reflective journaling
• Providing criticism and practical suggestions in a constructive manner
  

• Cell culture
• Western blot
• Cell based assays (insulin secretion assays, Calcium flux assays, Actin polymerization assays)
• Protein-protein interaction studies (co-immunoprecipitation)
• Actin cytoskeleton imaging with confocal microscopy
  

• Mammalian cell culture
• Immunocytochemistry
• Imaging and microscopy
• Image analysis
  

We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals with a passion for neuroscience and the development of novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases

• Cryosectioning
• Immunolabelling 
• Confocal microscopy
• Data collection and statistical analysis
• Literature review and scientific report writing 
• Presentation of results
  

• Immunohistochemistry
• Bright-Field Microscopy
• Cellular quantification
• Computerized data analysis
• Graphing and statistical analysis
  

• Immunohistochemistry
• Bright-Field Microscopy
• Cellular quantification
• Computerized data analysis
• Graphing and statistical analysis
  

• A basic background in biology and chemistry
• Basic skills in R or Python programming
• Understanding of data processing and visualization will be preferable
  

Skills developed include:

• Documentation skills in computer programming
• Data processing and visualization
  

• Neuronal cell culture
• Molecular biology
• Live-cell microscopy
• Data analysis
• Report writing
• Presentating
  

• Histology and histomorphometry
• Immunostaining and imaging
• MicroCT analysis
• Analysing gene expression
  

• Microbiology in a PC2 lab
• Colony enumeration assays
• Testing of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)
• Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)
• Minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC)
• Assays for different combinations of drugs.
  

• Microbiology in a PC2 lab
• Colony enumeration assays
• Minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC)
• Assays for different combinations of drugs
  

Background

Our group is tissue engineering a novel heart valve that we hope will outperform and outlive prostheses currently used for valve replacement surgery. A preliminary scaffold has been engineered using bovine pericardium and decellularised to remove the genetic material of the animal. This scaffold has surpassed preliminary laboratory investigations and is now at a point where its immunogenicity must be interrogated.

Project

To answer this question, experimental samples will be surgically implanted subcutaneously in rats and then harvested at designated time points. Experimental tissue samples will be compared to industry standard samples using histological, biochemical, and architectural techniques that have been perfected within our laboratory.

A surgical rat model has been designed specifically for this project last summer and animal ethics application has been initiated.

Outcomes

The main aim of the study is to prove that the surgical rat model can be used to satisfactorily examine the immunogenicity of experimental tissue engineered heart valves. This summer project will set the scene for a strong Honours project. The project will suit biomedical students interested in regenerative medicine and translational science or clinical students interested in Cardiology or Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Despite heightened attention, Māori continue to experience substantial cancer survival inequities (1). This is the take home message from a recent update by Gurney et al (2020) (1) using national data from 2007-2016, following on from Robson et al (2010) (2), pointing out that inequities across the cancer care continuum contribute to the persistence of these inequities (1). Clinical cancer genomics seeks to improve outcomes for cancer patients through gaining a better understanding of tumour biology and through the development of clinical genomic tools for utility across the continuum, including; screening, diagnosis, treatment-matching, and disease monitoring. However, a critical review of existing evidence demonstrating the potential of cancer genomics and alignment with cancers that are most important to Māori health has not been done systematically. For this project, the candidate will conduct a review of published clinical research and clinical trial data involving cancer genomics with a focus on the most common causes of cancer death for Māori. The resulting review will link with existing cancer genomics projects (3) currently underway within the Faculty to best inform research and clinical priorities in oncology in Aotearoa NZ in order to address these untenable inequities.

The project may best suit a medical, health science, or biomedical science student particularly with, but not limited to, an interest in oncology, Māori Health, genomics, immunotherapy, or cancer research.

References

1. Gurney J, Stanley J, Mcleod M, Koea J, Jackson C, Sarfati D. (2020) Disparities in Cancer-Specific Survival Between Maori and Non-Maori New Zealanders, 2007-2016. J Clin Oncol.;
2. Robson B, Cormack D, Te Ropu Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pomare. (2010) Unequal Impact II: Māori and Non-Māori Cancer Statistics by Deprivation and Rural–Urban Status, 2002–2006. Available from: http://www.moh.govt.nz
3. Henare KL, Parker KE, Wihongi H, Blenkiron C, Jansen R, Reid P, Findlay MP, Lawrence B, Hudson M, Print CG. (2019) Mapping a route to Indigenous engagement in cancer genomic research. Lancet Oncol. Jun 1;20(6):e327–35.