Neurogenetics

Join the University of Adelaide’s neurogenetics research program and help understand the biology of human brain function by studying major neurological disorders which are genetically determined. 

By identifying and characterising the mutations implicated in intellectual disability, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, a greater understanding of the role of specific genes and proteins in normal brain function can be discovered.

The research team has discovered or co-discovered in excess of 100 disease genes and actively works on about half a dozen of these using cell (including stem cell), animal model and molecular tools.

We have several potential research projects available in the field of genetics of epilepsy, cerebral palsy and intellectual disability.

1. We are investigating the genetic contribution to cerebral palsy using next generation sequencing technologies (whole genome, exome, targeted gene panel and RNA-seq) and cell and animal models.
2. We are interested in the role of mRNA export pathway and in particular of the THOC/TREX mRNA export complex in normal development.
3. We are investigating various types of genetic epilepsy from the application of whole genome and whole exome sequencing to cell and molecular validation of relevant findings.
4. We and others have noticed that females are more robust in their response to genetic mutation (that is females are more likely than males to tolerate genetic mutation). We are interested to investigate the underlying mechanism of this 'female protective' effect.