Dr Ruani Fernando
BSc (Hons) PhD (Melb)
Research Officer
Neuropeptides Group
Neurochemistry Laboratory
Contact Details
Email: | |
Phone: | +61 (0)3 8344 5653 |
Fax: | +61 (0)3 9347 0446 |
Research Interests
- Determination and visualisation of the cellular and subcellular localisation of proteins involved in regulated glucose uptake, including IRAP and GLUT4, in brain, muscle and adipose using both whole tissue and cell culture.
- Assessing the role of small peptide IRAP inhibitors in neuronal, myocyte and adipocyte glucose uptake.
- Biochemical characterisation of an IRAP global knockout mouse line.
- Assessing the role of IRAP and small peptide IRAP inhibitors in astrocyte and glial activation using rat models of stroke and acute brain injury.
Laboratory Techniques
- Cell culture
- neuronal, adipocyte and myocytes, primary and immortalised
- cell transfection
- Cell based assays including ELISA, endocytosis, exocytosis, H3-2DG glucose uptake
- Immunohistochemistry - free floating and slide mounted, single to triple labelling
- Light, confocal and transmission electron microscopy
- Crude membrane and subcellular fractionation preparations from tissue and cultured cells
- SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and general protein techniques
- Small animal perfusion and dissection
- Glucose uptake assay in mouse hippocampal slices
Additional Information
- Completed PhD in November 2006
- Currently employed as a Research Officer in the IRAP/Neuropeptide Group under Dr Siew Yeen Chai until June 2007
- Pursuing employment and fellowship funding opportunities for overseas post-doctoral positions in 2007
- Future research interests include brain injury and repair and stem cell research
Publications and Articles
Please see PubMed.
Refereed Journals
Fernando RN, Larm J, Albiston AL, Chai SY. (2005) Distribution and cellular localization of insulin-regulated aminopeptidase in the rat central nervous system.
J Comp Neurol. 2005 Jul 11;487(4):372-90.
Fernando R, Luff S, A, Albiston A, Chai SY. Subcellular localization of insulin regulated aminopeptidase, IRAP, to vesicles in neurons (2006) Submitted to J. Neurochemistry – cellular and molecular neuroscience.
Fernando R, A, Albiston A, Chai SY. A role for IRAP in neuronal glucose uptake underlies the cognition enhancing effects of AT4 ligands Manuscript in preparation.
Peck GR, Ye S, Pham V, Fernando RN, Macaulay SL, Chai SY, Albiston AL. Interaction of the Akt substrate, AS160, with the glucose transporter 4 vesicle marker protein, insulin-regulated aminopeptidase.Mol Endocrinol. 2006 Oct;20(10):2576-83.
Albiston AL, Fernando R, Ye S, Peck GR, Chai SY. Alzheimer's, angiotensin IV and an aminopeptidase. Biol Pharm Bull. 2004 Jun;27(6):765-7. Review.
Voskoboinik I, Fernando R, Veldhuis N, Hannan KM, Marmy-Conus N, Pearson RB, Camakaris J.Protein kinase-dependent phosphorylation of the Menkes copper P-type ATPase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Mar 28;303(1):337-42.
Invited Reviews
Fernando R, (2003) Sweet key to learning. Australasian Science. Dec/Jan 24(11).
Book Chapters
Chai SY, Fernando R, Peck G, Ye S, Mendelsohn FAO, Jenkins TA and Albiston AL. (2004) The Angiotensin IV/AT4 Receptor. In: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. Nov;61(21):2728-37. Review.
Chai SY, Fernando R, Ye S, Peck G, Albiston A. (2004) Insulin-Regulated Aminopeptidase In: Aminopeptidases in Biology and Disease. Editors: N Hooper and U Lendeckel., Kluwer-Plenum Publishers p 61-82.
Chai SY, Lee J, Fernando R, Jenkins, TA, Albiston A, (2004) Brain insulin regulated aminopeptidase: role in memory processing. In:Aminopeptidases on Basic and Clinical Medicine : from Reproduction to Carcinogenesis. Editor Mizutani S., p 238-245.
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