Professor Sarah Dunlop
Professor Sarah Dunlop is a Winthrop Research Professor at Experimental & Regenerative Neurosciences, School of Animal Biology, UWA. She is President of the Australian Neuroscience Society and Chair of UWA's Neuroscience Discipline.
Professor Dunlop's study of development and regeneration of the visual system in various species has helped to pin point where the human nervous system fails in its attempts to recover function following injury. Comparisons can now be made between species that can successfully regenerate central nervous tissue to regain function following injury (such as fish), those that demonstrate some regeneration without functional recovery (lizard), and those that show minimal regeneration, including humans. Professor Dunlop worked extensively with Professor Lyn Beazley over many years to determine the mechanisms whereby injured nerve fibres are guided to their target tissue and re-establish functional connections. One of the factors found to be vitally important for functional recovery is regular training during the regeneration period, underlying the principal of 'use it or lose it'.
Professor Dunlop has been involved in the NRP since its inception and is a tireless advocate in WA for the development andtranslation of research that will lead to improved quality of life for all individuals impacted by neurotrauma. She currently conducts basic science research that examines ways to minimise secondary degeneration and facilitate repair following neural injury. She also heads the multi-disciplinary 'MAP' - Move Again Program - for the development of clinical research into the effectiveness of exercise training protocols following spinal cord injury (SCI). This initiative led to the development of strong links with SCI clinicians and researchers across Australia and New Zealand, resulting in the instigation of SCIN (the Spinal Cord Injury Network (Australia, New Zealand)) and in securing a major grant from the Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative for 'SCIPA', a multi-centre program focusing on physical activity following SCI, valued at $4.67 million.
Professor Dunlop was awarded the 2009 Nina Kondelos Prize by the Australian Neuroscience Society. This Prize is awarded to a female neuroscientist for outstanding contribution to basic or clinical neuroscience research.
Current NRP Co-investigators:
Prof Alan Harvey, Assist Prof Lindy Fitzgerald, Assist Prof Jenny Rodger, Dr Rachel Sherrard (UWA)
Prof Tom Salt (University College London)
A/Prof Garry Allison (Curtin University)
Prof John Buchanan (Royal Perth Hospital)
MAP:
Prof Frank Mastaglia, Prof Gary Thickbroom (Centre for Neuromuscular & Neurological Disorders)
Dr John Ker, A/Prof John Buchanan, A/Prof Garry Allison (Royal Perth Hospital)
Prof Robert Grove, Dr Barby Singer, Prof David Lloyd, Dr Brendan Lay (UWA)
Prof Peter Hamer (Notre Dame University Australia)
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