ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Dr Andrew Clarkson - 

Dr Andrew Clarkson is an Academic Researcher at the University of Otago, with a focus on neuropharmacology. Andrew’s research career is focussed on stroke and traumatic head injury, in particular, the translation of laboratory findings into the clinic, as evidenced by strong engagement with leading pharmaceutical companies in Europe and in the USA. Research undertaken by Dr Clarkson has resulted in the establishment of new stroke models that have led to ground breaking research for understanding how the brain can be repaired following have a stroke. This research has focused on motor impairments and more recently defining mechanisms for why memory impairments develop at a delay following stroke. In doing so, Andrew brings a multidisciplinary collaborative approach to research and utilises a bedside-to-bench approach to investigate these underlying mechanisms for impairments after stroke. Dr Clarkson has been a stroke leader for basic science research internationally, including being art of the Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation RoundTable, where he co-chairs the cognitive recovery section. In his talk, Dr Clarkson will discuss recent findings describing mechanisms for how memory becomes impaired following a stroke and how we are trying to find new treatments to improve recovery of these lost functions.

Dr Shane Marie Ohline - 

Dr. Shane Marie Ohline is a postdoctoral fellow in the Physiology Department working for Associate Professor Pete Jones at the University of Otago. She is researching the possibility that Alzheimer’s disease is caused in part by a faulty receptor (ryanodine) in brain cells which is also faulty in heart disease. Prior to this position, she studied Alzheimer’s disease and neurons born in adulthood in the region of the brain responsible for learning and memory. The possibility that these adult-born neurons (which occur in humans) could replace neurons lost in neurodegenerative diseases was the focus of this work. This earlier work was in Professor Cliff Abraham’s group also at the University of Otago. All of the work she will present was in some part funded generously by the Neurological Foundation.

EVENT DETAILS

This event will be held in the Whitehaven Wine Room at the ASB Marlborough Theatre.

The doors for registration and seating will open at 6.00 pm. There will be a mix and mingle period after the event with the speaker where refreshments and food will be served.

Onsite parking is available.