John Rostas

Biography

"I have a distinguished research record in the study of molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in many experimental systems, particularly in studies of brain development and maturation. I have always maintained a multidisciplinary approach in my research and active collaborations with colleagues in different disciplines both in Australia and overseas. I have an international reputation in two main areas: 1. I am an internationally recognised authority on the role and regulation of the important regulatory enzyme CaMKII, as evidenced by my invitation to be a keynote speaker on this topic in an international symposium at the joint meeting of the International and European Societies for Neurochemistry in Innsbruck, Austria (August, 2005). 2. I am internationally recognised for developing the maturing chicken forebrain as an animal model for the slow maturation of brain observed in humans and for using biochemical, electrophysiological, anatomical and behavioural techniques in chickens to investigate the fundamental biological changes that occur during maturation of the brain. Evidence for my recognition is an invitation to be a major speaker, and to chair a session, at the forthcoming Brain Mechanisms, Cognition and Behaviour in Birds Satellite Conference to the IBRO (International Brain Research Organisation) World Congress of Neuroscience (July 2007). I am also an invited Editor for the special issue of Brain Research Bulletin that will publish papers from this conference. When comparing my scientific research track record against those of others, it must be noted that I have always performed my research while holding full academic roles that required major educational and administrative input. The extent of my activities in education and curriculum development is reflected by two peer reviewed publications in the area and invitations to speak at international conferences on problem based learning. In the last 10 years I have continuously held senior academic administrative responsibilities (Assistant and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Executive Director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute, Deputy Head of Faculty of Health) and been appointed to State and Commonwealth government advisory panels and chairmanships, including 9 years on the NHMRC Project Grants Committee. Despite these responsibilities I have continued to publish 3-5 papers per year in high quality, international peer reviewed journals (~50% of papers appeared in journals with an impact factor above 4.8 and 70% above 3). In all, I have published more than 95 papers in high ranking international journals. The fact that much of my research has been performed in chickens accounts for the lower citation rate compared with similar work performed in mammals. My research papers have had a consistent citation rate of 70-90 per year for the last decade. I have received multiple invitations to speak at international and national conferences including the inaugural Lawrie Austin Plenary Lecture at the 2002 meeting of the Australian Neuroscience Society."

Research Interest

Neurosciences, Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics