Michelle Roche

Biography

Michelle Roche graduated in 1999 with a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physiology from NUI Galway following which she undertook an M.Sc. in Neuropharmacology (1999-2001). With an interest in stress-related disorders she spent a year as a research assistant in Prof Rita Valentino’s laboratory in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (2001) where she examined the neural circuitry underlying stress-induced changes in the serotonergic system. She subsequently pursued a Ph.D. characterising behavioural and physiological responses in a model of depression at the Department of Pharmacology, NUI Galway.  Following a year as a contract lecturer, Dr Roche spent 3 yrs (2005-2008) as a post-doctoral researcher with Dr David Finn’s research group, focusing on the role of the endocannabinoid system on conditioned stress-induced changes in pain responding and inflammation. In September 2008, Dr Roche was appointed Lecturer in Physiology at NUI Galway. She currently heads-up an active pre-clinical research group investigating neurobiological mechanism underlying pain, stress-related disorders and autism.

Research Interest

The role of the cannabinoid system in regulating inflammationNeural substrates underpinning stress, depression and painNeurobiological mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorders