Dr Craig Smith
BBSc (Hons) (Melb); PhD (Melb)
Research Officer
Peptide Neurobiology Laboratory
Neuropeptides Division, Florey Neuroscience Institutes
Contact Details
Email: | |
Phone: | +61 (0)3 8344 0418 |
Fax: | +61 (0)3 9348 1707 |
Research Interests
- Investigation of the relaxin-3/RXFP3 neural network in mice
Current Projects
- Morphology and neurochemistry of the pontine nucleus incertus, the main site of relaxin-3 neurons and a putative ascending arousal network
- Identity of target neurons for relaxin-3, expressing RXFP3
- Effects of central (icv) injections of RXFP3 agonists and antagonists on brain neurochemistry and behaviour in mice
- Behavioural phenotype of relaxin-3 deficient (knock-out) mice
Laboratory Techniques
- Behavioural testing of mice in a variety of paradigms - cohorts of relaxin-3 knock-out versus wild-type control littermate mice - rotarod, locomotor cell, light/dark box, elevated plus maze, large open field, Y-maze, pre-pulse inhibition, object recognition, social interaction, Porsolt swim, running wheel
- Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation - detection of relaxin-3 and RXFP3, and double labeling techniques
- LacZ reporter gene histochemistry - relaxin-3 knock-out/LacZ knock-in mice
- Stereotaxic surgery - implantation of guide cannula aimed at lateral ventricle
- Central infusions - RXFP3 agonists and antagonists - effects on behaviour and neurochemistry
Additional Information
Craig Smith completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (1999 – 2001), and Honours in the Department of Biochemistry (2002) at The University of Melbourne. Following a period as a Research Assistant at the Baker Institute and 6 months overseas travel, Craig joined the Howard Florey Institute in 2005 as a PhD candidate, and after completing his degree in 2009 has continued to investigate the relaxin-3 system as a Research Officer in the Peptide Neurobiology Laboratory.
Publications and Articles
Smith CM, Shen PJ, Ma S, Sutton SW, Gundlach AL. (2009). Verification of a relaxin-3 knockout/LacZ reporter mouse as a model of relaxin-3 deficiency. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;1160:259-60.
Smith CM, Lawrence AJ, Sutton SW, Gundlach AL. (2009). Behavioral phenotyping of mixed background (129S5:B6) relaxin-3 knockout mice. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;1160:236-41.
Sutton SW, Shelton J, Smith CM, Williams J, Yun S, Motley T, Kuei C, Bonaventure P, Gundlach AL, Liu C, Lovenberg TM. (2009). Metabolic and neuroendocrine responses to RXFP3 modulation in the central nervous system. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;1160:242-9.
Gundlach AL, Ma S, Sang Q, Shen PJ, Piccenna L, Sedaghat K, Smith CM, Bathgate RA, Lawrence AJ, Tregear GW, Wade JD, Finkelstein DI, Bonaventure P, Liu C, Lovenberg TW, Sutton SW. (2009). Relaxin family peptides and receptors in mammalian brain. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;1160:226-35.
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