Research Interests
I am currently an NH&MRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow in
Professor Paul Colditz's group at UQCCR. My current research
examines astrocyte biology in hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury.
HI brain injury in the neonate remains a major clinical problem.
Although hypothermia has been shown to reduce mortality and brain
injury, more than 40% of hypothermia-treated infants still suffer
poor neurological outcome. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop
therapies to be used in conjunction with hypothermia. It is
becoming increasingly evident that a combination of therapeutic
strategies that target multiple mechanistic pathways may hold the
key to providing the best possible outcomes for HI neonates.
Astrocytes are the key supporting cells in the brain and their
function is critical for normal brain activity. Any changes in the
architecture of astrocytes or the proteins they express can
influence the viability of neurons in the region, which may become
vulnerable to death by over excitation or oedema. My research has
identified abnormal changes in astrocytes in the HI brain that
affect neuronal function and survival. My current and future
research aims to prevent or reverse these abnormal changes to
enhance neuroprotection and improve clinical outcomes following HI
brain injury.
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Research Projects
Examining the phosphorylation of GFAP in control and HI
brains.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) can be phosphorylated at
multiple sites. Phosphorylation influences the equilibrium
between the stable (polymerized) and unstable (depolymerised) state
of the astrocytic intermediate filament protein. Western blotting
and immunohistochemistry will be used to determine the levels of
GFAP and phosphorylated GFAP in control and HI brains, to determine
if HI injury causes destabilisation of GFAP.
Examining the expression of novel GFAP splice
variants.
Multiple splice variants of GFAP have been described in rodents,
pigs and humans. I have generated antibodies against the splice
variants GFAPa, GFAPe and GFAPk so that expression of these novel
proteins can be characterised in normal central nervous system
tissues and also under disease conditions such as HI brain
injury.
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Key publications
Sullivan SM. 2011. Grey matter injury in the
hypoxic-ischemic neonate. (Editors Costa A. and Villalba E.)
Horizons in Neuroscience Research Vol 5. Chapter 3. Nova Science
Publishers, Inc. In press.
Sullivan SM, Björkman ST, Miller SM, Colditz
PB, Pow DV. 2010b. Morphological changes in white matter astrocytes
in response to hypoxia/ischemia in the neonatal pig. Brain Research
1319C: 164-174.
Sullivan SM, Björkman ST, Miller SM, Colditz
PB, Pow DV. 2010a. Structural remodeling of gray matter astrocytes
in the neonatal pig brain after hypoxia/ischemia. Glia 58:
181-194.
Lingwood BE, Healy GN, Sullivan SM, Pow DV,
Colditz PB. 2008. MAP2 provides reliable early assessment of neural
injury in the newborn piglet model of birth asphyxia. J.
Neuro Sci Methods. 171: 140-6.
Sullivan SM, Macnab LT, Björkman ST, Colditz
PB, Pow DV. 2007b. GLAST1b, the exon-9 skipping form of the
glutamate-aspartate transporter EAAT1 is a sensitive marker of
neuronal dysfunction in the hypoxic brain. Neuroscience.
149:434-45
Sullivan SM, Lee A, Björkman ST, Miller SM,
Sullivan RK, Poronnik P, Colditz PB, Pow DV. 2007a. Cytoskeletal
anchoring of GLAST determines susceptibility to brain damage: an
identified role for GFAP. J Biol Chem. 282:29414-23.
Williams SM, Macnab LT, Pow DV. 2006 Cryptic
expression of functional glutamate transporters in the developing
rodent brain. Neuron Glia Biol. 2:199-215.
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Contact details and email
Susan M. Sullivan (nee Williams)
NHMRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow
UQ Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) and Perinatal Research
Centre
The University of Queensland
Building 71/918, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital
Herston, Brisbane, QLD, 4029
AUSTRALIA
Ph: +61 7 334 66010
Fax: +61 7 334 65594
Email: susan.sullivan@uq.edu.au
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Technique Expertise
Immunohistochemistry and histology
Western Blotting
Iontophoretic cell injection
Tissue processing and sectioning
Light microscopy, confocal microscopy and imaging
DNA, RNA and protein extraction
RT-PCR, PCR and genotyping
Antibody production and characterisation
Animal-related procedures, animal handling.
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