Professor Sarah Dunlop

Professor Sarah Dunlop is a Professorial Fellow (Research) at Experimental & Regenerative Neurosciences, School of Animal Biology, UWA. 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 currently conducts basic science research, examining ways to minimise secondary degeneration following Neurotrauma. She also heads the multi-disciplinary 'MAP' - Move Again Program. The NRP provides seed funding for MAP to develop 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 recently 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 (Chief) Co-investigators:
Dr Lindy Fitzgerald

MAP:
Prof Frank Mastaglia and A/Prof Gary Thickbroom, Centre for Neuromuscular & Neurological Disorders
Dr John Ker, A/Prof John Buchanan and 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