Home| Senior Lecturer |
Contact details:
| Tel: | +44 20 7882 2297 |
| Fax: | +44 20 7882 2180 |
| Email: | g.j.michael@qmul.ac.uk |
| Address: | Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, |
Biography
1990, Ph.D. Neuroscience, Univ. Rochester Neuroendocrine Unit, Centre for Brain Research.
1990-1994, postdoctoral fellow, Department of Neurochemistry, Glaxo Singapore Research Fund, ICMB Singapore and Institute of Neurology, London.
1994-1998, postdoctoral fellow, Division of Physiology, United Medical and Dental Schools , St.Thomas' Hospital, London .
1998 Lectureship, Queen Mary University of London.
2005 Promotion to Senior Lecturer, QMUL.
Research Activity
My interests centre on the anatomical and functional characterisation of sensory neurones, the mechanisms responsible for chronic pain and processes associated with neurodegeneration and neuroprotection.
Currently work is conducted examining the receptor for the 'hot' component in chili peppers, TRPV1. We are looking at other stimuli including heat that excite this receptor and which sensory neurons are responsible for transducing these stimuli ultimately enabling our perception in both normal and disease conditions. We are also performing anatomical analyses of this receptor in peripheral tissues of the genitourinary, alimentary and respiratory system and exploring the regulation of the receptor by estrogens.
The endocannabinoid system in the body regulates, through modulation of synaptic activity, the function of many neural networks involved in learning and memory, sensorimotor and autonomic function. 2-arachidonoylglycerol and N- arachidonoylethanolamine are two arachidonic acid derived endocannabinoids which elicit their effects on the central nervous system through the CB1 receptor, while the extent of involvement in cannabinoid effects by the immune system enriched CB2 receptor is currently under debate. We are examining the role of CB2 receptors in neuropathic pain and localising the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of endocannabinoids.
With colleagues at Imperial College, we are analysing the expression of genes that show upregulation in Parkinson's disease. Findings indicate that glial as well as neuronal alterations occur and that pathology is not restricted to the substantia nigra.
Key Publications
• Dyall SC, Michael GJ , Whelpton R, Scott AG, Michael-Titus AT (2006) Dietary enrichment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reverses age-related decreases in the GluR2 and NR2B glutamate receptor subunits in rat forebrain. Neurobiol Aging epub Feb 23.
• Thrasivoulou C, Soubeyre V, Ridha H, Giuliani D, Giaroni C, Michael GJ , Saffrey MJ, Cowen T. (2006) Reactive oxygen species, dietary restriction and neurotrophic factors in age-related loss of myenteric neurons. Aging Cell 5(3):247-57.
• Watanabe N, Horie S, Michael GJ , Keir S, Spina D, Page CP, Priestley JV. (2006) Immunohistochemical co-localization of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV)1 and sensory neuropeptides in the guinea-pig respiratory system. Neuroscience 141(3):1533-43.
• Storr HL, Clark AJ, Priestley JV, Michael GJ (2005) Identification of the sites of expression of triple a syndrome mRNA in the rat using in situ hybridisation. Neuroscience 131: 113-123.
• Watanabe N, Horie S, Michael GJ , Spina D, Page CP, Priestley JV (2005) Immunohistochemical localization of vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (TRPV1) in the guinea pig respiratory system. Pulm Pharmacol Ther 18:187-97.
• Averill S, Michael GJ , Shortland PJ, Leavesley RC, King VR, Bradbury EJ, McMahon SB, Priestley JV (2004) NGF and GDNF ameliorate the increase in ATF3 expression which occurs in dorsal root ganglion cells in response to peripheral nerve injury. Eur J Neurosci 19: 1437-1445.
• Horie S, Yamamoto H, Michael GJ , Uchida M, Belai A, Watanabe K, Priestley JV, Murayama T (2004) Protective role of vanilloid receptor type 1 in HCl-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats. Scand J Gastroenterol 39: 303-312.
• Bridges D, Rice AS , Egertova M, Elphick MR, Winter J, Michael GJ (2003) Localisation of cannabinoid receptor 1 in rat dorsal root ganglion using in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry. Neuroscience 119: 803-812.
• Cowen T, Woodhoo A, Sullivan CD, Jolly R, Crutcher KA, Wyatt S, Michael GJ , Orike N, Gatzinsky K, Thrasivoulou C (2003) Reduced age-related plasticity of neurotrophin receptor expression in selected sympathetic neurons of the rat. Aging Cell 2: 59-69.
• Hall C, Michael GJ , Cann N, Ferrari G, Teo M, Jacobs T, Monfries C, Lim L (2001) alpha2-chimaerin, a Cdc42/Rac1 regulator, is selectively expressed in the rat embryonic nervous system and is involved in neuritogenesis in N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells. J Neurosci 21: 5191-5202.
