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The Blood-Brain Barrier Group

• Dr Mounir Ghabriel
• Dr Rami Tadros
• Dr Jianjun Lu
• Mrs Gail Hermanis
• Mr Chris Leigh

Research is in the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems in normal and pathological conditions such as demyelination, degeneration trauma. In particular , the group is focusing its research on the study of permeability barriers in brain and spinal cord trauma. Methods used include light and electron microscopy, freeze-fracture, imunocytochemistry, application of tracers and western- and immuno-blotting.

The Pineal Research Group

• Dr Bruce Firth (Senior Lecturer)
• Dr Mike Teo (Visiting Research Fellow)
• Ms Kylie Leonard (PhD student)

Research in this group focuses largely on morphological and functional aspects of the pineal complex in reptiles. The main areas of interest are:

• circadian rhythms of the pineal hormone, melatonin (in vivo and in vitro) and its control by light and temperature
• role of the pineal gland and melatonin in the control of daily and seasonal thermoregulatory rhythms
• immunocytochemistry of neuropeptides in the parietal eye and pineal gland and their links to other brain centres concerned with the circadian system.

There are strong ongoing research collaborations with Dr David Kennaway (circadian physiology group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology), and with Dr Ingrid Belan, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide.

Bruce Firth is the coordinator of a third year Science/Health Science single semester course called Integrative and Comparative Neuroanatomy III which incorporates some of the research interests of the pineal research group and other staff members with research interests in neurobiology.

Key Publications

1. Firth, B.T., Belan, I., Kennaway, D.J., and Moyer, R.W. (1999). Thermocyclic entrainment of lizard blood plasma melatonin rhythms in constant and cyclic photic environments. American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 277, R1620-R1626.
2. Firth, B.T. and Belan, I. (1998). Daily and seasonal rhythms in selected body temperature in the Australian lizard, Tiliqua rugosa (Scincidae): Field and laboratory observations. Physiological Zoology, 71, 303-311.
3. Moyer, R.W., Firth, B.T. and Kennaway, D.J. (1997). Effect of variable temperatures, darkness and light on the secretion of melatonin by pineal explants in the gecko, Christinus marmoratus. Brain Research, 747, 230-235.
4. Moyer, R. W., Firth, B.T. and Kennaway, D.J. (1995). Effect of constant temperatures, darkness and light on the secretion of melatonin by pineal explants and retinas in the gecko, Christinus marmoratus. Brain Research, 675, 345-348.
5. Teo, E. H., Carati, C. Firth, B.T., Barbour, R.A. and Gannon, B. (1993). Vascularization of the pineal complex in the lizard Tiliqua rugosa. Anatomical Record, 236, 521-536.
6. Firth, B.T., Kennaway, D.J. and Belan, I. (1991). Thermoperiodic influences on plasma melatonin rhythms in the lizard Tiliqua rugosa: effect of thermophase duration . Neuroscience Letters, 121, 139-142.
7. Firth, B.T. and Kennaway, D.J. (1989). Thermoperiod and photoperiod interact to affect the phase of the plasma melatonin rhythm in the lizard, Tiliqua rugosa. Neuroscience Letters, 106, 125-130.
8. Firth, B.T., Turner, J.S. and Ralph, C.L. (1989). Thermoregulatory behaviour in two species of iguanid lizards (Crotaphytus collaris and Sauromalus obesus): diel variation and the effect of pinealectomy. Journal of Comparative Physiology, 159B, 13-20.
9. Firth, B.T., Thompson, M.B., Kennaway, D.J. and Belan, I. (1989). Thermal sensitivity of reptilian melatonin rhythms: "cold" tuatara vs "warm" skink. American Journal of Physiology (Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology), 256, R1160-R1163.
10. Firth, B.T. and Kennaway, D.J. (1987). Melatonin content of the pineal, parietal eye and blood plasma of the lizard, Trachydosaurus rugosus: effect of constant and fluctuating temperature. Brain Research, 404, 313-318.
11. Firth, B. T. and Turner J. S. (1982). Sensory, neural and hormonal aspects of thermoregulation. In: Biology of the Reptilia, edited by C. Gans and F. H. Pough. London: Academic Press, vol. 12, chap. 6, pp. 213-274.
12. Firth, B.T. and Kennaway, D.J. (1980). Plasma melatonin in the scincid lizard Trachydosaurus rugosus: effect of parietal eye and lateral eye impairment. Journal of Experimental Biology, 85, 312-321.
13. Firth, B.T., Ralph, C.L. and Boardman, T.J. (1980). Independent effects of the pineal organ and baterial pyrogen in behavioural thermoregulation in lizards. Nature, 285, 399-400.