SRI_AnnualReport_2014_web

SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2014 1

F R O M R E S E A R C H TO O U TCO M E S

ANNUAL REPORT

2014

SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 20142

Our mission is to discover the ways to better treat, prevent and cure schizophrenia


ContentsChairman’s Report 4CEO’s Report 6Board Members 8About Us 12Research Overview 14

Our Stories 16Richard Schweizer 17 Eva Urban 18 Dr Georgie Paulik-White 19 SRI in the Media 20

Our Research 22Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank 23Schizophrenia Library 24Cognitive Neuroscience 25 Professor Ulrich Schall 26 Dr Juanita Todd 27 Ross Fulham 28 Dr Nishantha Kumarasinghe 29 Developmental Neurobiology 30 Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert 31 Dr Thomas Weickert 32 Dr Tim Karl 33 Professor Xu-Feng Huang 34 Assoc Professor Chao Deng 35 Assoc Professor Murray Cairns 36 Dr Katrina Green 37 Natalie Matosin 38Epidemiology and Population Health 39 NSW Child Development Study 40 Assoc Professor Melissa Green 41

Our Community 42Fundraising success 44Major partners and supporters 45Supporter acknowledgement 47

Our Organisation 48Finance 49Employees and funded positions 50Supported students 51Scientific affiliates 53Grants 56Publications 59


Their exemplary work is leading to tangible ways for people with schizophrenia and their families to lead better lives, thanks to new therapies being delivered and an increased understanding of how drug treatments can be improved. We are incredibly proud of the calibre of our researchers and their work, and have every belief that this will continue in the coming year as the Institute embraces some key structural changes.

Due to alterations in state government policy, the Institute is no longer eligible to receive infrastructure funding from the Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Office of the NSW Ministry of Health. In future, infrastructure support for medical research institutes will only be provided through the NSW Office of Health and Medical Research. The termination of government funding represents a seismic shift in how the Institute will need to operate, but rest assured that our key goals of pursuing better treatments and a cure for schizophrenia will stay unchanged.

We remain single-minded in our desire to find a cure for schizophrenia. Our vision to understand, better treat, prevent and cure schizophrenia remains our primary focus.

You will notice over the coming year a new physical location for the Institute and an affiliation with another health research facility, but the Board of Directors is adamant that the Institute will retain its identity as well as its strong network of dedicated scientists. It is our keen hope that you will continue to support us during this time of transition so that we may continue to carry on our promising research.

We also expect to see a move into more clinical trials as a result of the research delivered this year by both Professor Xu-Feng Huang, whose work with olanzapine derivatives offers hope of an antipsychotic medication with no weight gain side-effects, and by Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert, whose understanding of the role of inflammation in the brain in schizophrenia is leading to the identification of subtypes that may respond well to tailored anti-inflammatory treatments.

This Annual Report contains many more examples of hope, as we maintain our focus of taking what is learned in the lab and translating it into programs and treatments that can be introduced into the community. It is through your continued involvement that we will be able to do this.

It is absolutely critical that we continue to talk

about the need for mental health research.

““

2014 has been a year of remarkable results as our scientists have made significant advances in their understanding of what causes schizophrenia and how best to treat it.

Chairman’s Report


Fundraising has been a challenge as the Institute faces increased competition in the charity sector, but we are fortunate to have a loyal group of supporters who raise awareness of the need for schizophrenia research by creating their own initiatives. You will soon read the stories of Lucy Eykamp and Luke Mansfield (page 44) who have both undertaken incredible physical challenges and together raised close to $14,000 for the Institute.

We have increasingly found that the power of telling our personal stories has the ability to challenge the stigma of schizophrenia. Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert took to the Opera House stage as part of the Sydney TEDx conference and spoke passionately and eloquently of the love she has for her brother, and how his life and experiences compel her search for answers. My son Richard and I were grateful to share, in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Two of Us column in May, the ways in which we have grown as a family following the challenges presented by Richard’s diagnosis. It is terrific to know that we may have corrected some misapprehensions about the illness and started essential conversations about mental health.

It is absolutely critical that we continue to talk about the need for mental health research. The more we do this, and the more times we lend a human face to these endeavours, the greater our chance for success. So I want to thank all of our donors who have supported us this year. Whether as an individual who participated in the Sydney City Scramble or a corporation who supported our Spark of Genius fundraising gala, you have all actively been part of a conversation that will enable our network of scientists to continue their essential work.

We hope that you will continue to work in concert with us as we transition into a new way of delivering world-class results in schizophrenia research, and a hope for an improved future.

Norbert Schweizer Chairman


The Schizophrenia Research Institute will undergo a transition in the way it operates in the coming year, but we expect to build on the successes of 2014 to ensure that our focus on understanding and better treating schizophrenia will not be disrupted.

Among the many advances of which we can be proud, the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank’s involvement in an international genetic study investigating the cause of schizophrenia is surely at the top. The Bank contributed genetic material and associated data for 1,114 schizophrenia-affected participants and controls, which enabled the study to identify 108 genes associated with schizophrenia, 83 of which had not previously been recognised. A remarkable aspect of this finding was that these genes, which are mostly concerned with neural development and the immune system, are all normal variants. That is, they are shared to one degree or another by the general population.

Our research not only contributes to how the international scientific community understands schizophrenia, but also informs mental health policies. Schizophrenia Library reviewers Alana Shepherd and Sandra Matheson, as well as myself, have been commissioned by the Sax Institute to contribute evidence reviews that inform best

practices on the care and management of suicidal behaviour, and on transition from long term hospitalisation to the community. These evidence briefs are an integral part of creating improved mental health practices, and we anticipate that this association with policy makers will continue.

The NSW Child Development Study has reached its midway phase and is beginning to deliver enlightening results. The questionnaire component, referred to as the Middle Childhood Survey, has been tested in a feasibility study involving 11 schools. Its success means that we can confidently deliver a state-wide roll-out in 2015. In one set of results we found an association between hospitalisation for childhood infections and psychological vulnerabilities at age five.

Our researchers, too, continue to deliver results that in the not-distant future will bring a measure of relief to those with schizophrenia. Dr Katrina Green has identified an anti-diabetic drug,

Our research not only contributes to how the international scientific

community understands schizophrenia, but also informs mental health

policies.

CEO’s Report“

“


which was discovered thanks to the properties of lizard saliva, that could end weight gain side-effects for people using antipsychotics. Dr Georgie Paulik has developed Cognitive Behavioural Relating Therapy, a treatment that allows people with schizophrenia to develop a healthier interpersonal relationship with the voices they hear. And Associate Professor Melissa Green’s research into the genetic and biological processes that contribute to the development of schizophrenia may result in more effective treatment options for people whose symptoms have developed as a response to trauma.

Thank you for continuing with us on this path for answers. Your support has meant that this year the Institute has been able to facilitate the work of 202 scientists and administer more than $4.5 million in grants. This has resulted in the publication of 73 articles in 41 peer-reviewed journals during the 2014 calendar year. Institute-supported students have completed 47 PhDs, 5 Masters and 22 Honours degrees, thus ensuring that the future of schizophrenia research will continue to go from strength to strength.

The benefit of change is that it brings with it increased opportunities for new breakthroughs and discoveries. Our team of scientists could not be better placed to take advantage of these opportunities. We sincerely hope that you, too, will be encouraged by how far we have come and confident of how far we will go to find better treatments and a cure for schizophrenia.

Vaughan Carr Chief Executive Officer



Norbert Schweizer Chairman Non-Executive Director

Norbert Schweizer joined the Board in June 2011. He is the founding partner of Schweizer Kobras, Lawyers and Notaries and an accredited specialist in business law. He is a Life Member and former Chairman of the Silver Committee of the Royal NSW Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and a former Board Member and President of Emanuel Synagogue in Woollahra (of which he is a life governor). Norbert is Deputy Chairman of B’nai B’rith Retirement Villages Limited and a foundation director of the Swiss-Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is also a non-executive director of a number of companies in the electrical distribution and transmission and building services industries.

Matthew Cullen Deputy ChairNon-Executive Director

Matthew Cullen joined the board in 2004. He is Group Executive of Medibank Health Solutions and Visiting Medical Officer St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives. Dr Cullen was previously a Member of the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal and a Board Member of the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW.

Chad BartonChair of Finance Sub-CommitteeNon-Executive Director

Chad Barton joined the Board in 2011. He is Chief Financial Officer of Echo Entertainment Group Limited, one of Australia’s largest listed entertainment groups. He brings extensive senior finance in listed and large global corporates, previously serving as Chief Financial Officer for Salmat Limited and Electronic Data Systems (EDS), a HP company. Chad is a chartered Accountant and Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.


Vaughan CarrChief Executive OfficerExecutive Director

A board member since 2004, Prof. Vaughan Carr is the CEO of the Schizophrenia Research Institute and Professor of Schizophrenia Epidemiology and Population Health at the University of New South Wales. He also holds the positions of Adjunct Professor at Monash University and consultant psychiatrist at Monash Health. He was previously Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Newcastle and Past President, Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research.

Chris McDiven AMSecretaryNon-Executive Director

Currently Director, Chris joined the board in 2009 and was the Chairman from 2010 to 2013 . She is a Company Director. Chris was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011. Formerly Federal President of the Liberal Party of Australia, Liberal Party State President NSW, President of the NSW Kambala School Council; Director Association of Independent Schools (NSW), Chair of the International Women’s Democrat Union, member of the organising committee International Conference of Political Parties. Other previous positions included President of the Liberal Federal Women’s Committee, and board member of the Menzies Research Centre, the Australian Sports Foundation, the Keep Australia Beautiful Council, the National Foundation of Australian Women, and the Powerhouse Museum Fundraising Committee.

Anthony HarrisNon-Executive Director

Associate Professor in the Discipline of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney and is the Clinical Director at the Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Millennium Institute of Medical Research. He is a senior staff specialist for the Western Sydney Local Health Network where he works in the Prevention Early Intervention and Recovery Service caring for young people with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Dr Harris is an active researcher examining the treatment, psychophysiology and neuroimaging of young people with psychosis and depression, cognitive remediation techniques and the development of innovative educational resources in mental health. He is the current President of the Schizophrenia Fellowship of New South Wales and is on the Board of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia.


Rita MalliaNon-Executive Director

A board member since 2003, Rita Mallia is the President of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (NSW Branch) Construction and General Division Prior to 2011, Rita was the Senior Legal Officer of the Union. Director of NSW Dust Disease Board. Director of the Asbestos Diseases Research Foundation, Director of United Super Pty Ltd and ACIRT Pty Ltd.

Sheryl Weil GAICDNon-Executive Director

Sheryl is an Executive Director, the Head of Service Sales Centre & Operations and a member of the Executive Committee within Macquarie Group Ltd’s Banking and Financial Services Group. She is the Queensland Office Head for Macquarie Group Ltd and has extensive experience in call centres, operations, client service, leadership and people management. She is a passionate advocate for mental health and is the executive sponsor of the Wellness Employee Network Group. Sheryl has been a longstanding board member of the Macquarie Group Foundation and is on the board of directors of the National Lifeline Board.

Jennie ChurchillNon-Executive Director

Jennie has more than 30 years leadership and management experience across a range of professional fields including not-for-profit leadership, media and communications, government advisory roles and a 20-year career as a veterinary scientist and business partner. A former Director of the Veterinary Science Foundation at the University of Sydney, Jennie led or held senior roles with other not-for-profit organisations including the Australian Common Ground Alliance (chronic homelessness). A published author and former media presenter, Jennie is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and sits on a number of not-for-profit boards. She joined the SRI Board in November 2013.


To understand, better treat, prevent and

cure schizophrenia

1996Established as Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (NISAD)

about the schizophrenia research institute – our work in numbers> OUR MISSION

Name changed to

Schizophrenia Research Institute

Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank (ASRB) launched

2010 Number of presentations made

by our scientists at conferences in Australia and internationally

104

1 in 100

Amount invested in schizophrenia research in the

past year

$4m

Number of people who have or will develop schizophrenia


about the schizophrenia research institute – our work in numbers

1,000Number of individuals with and

without schizophrenia who donated genetic material to the ASRB

Cost of schizophrenia on the community in healthcare and lost productivity

$2.6bn

Total grant money awarded by NHMRC

$120m

Number of scientists supported by SRI

Number of articles published in peer-reviewed

journals

Number of research projects the ASRB has contributed to 2013-2014

Number of Institute-supported students awarded research higher degrees

61

There is currently no cure for schizophrenia and better treatments are urgently required. Your support of the Institute will get us there much sooner.

annually

7 3

Number of journals that have published our research

41

2 2


The Institute was established by passionate scientist and parents of people with schizophrenia in 1996 as Australia’s first virtual medical research institute at a time when little research was being done into schizophrenia in NSW.

The organisation conducts and supports schizophrenia research in hospitals, universities and research institutes across the country and internationally. With a national network of 200 researchers, the Institute drives a proactive agenda, has invested close to $4 million in the past year and has had numerous successes to date.

The Institute has invested close to $4 million in the

past year and has had numerous successes

to date.

The Schizophrenia Research Institute is the only national medical research institute solely dedicated to discovering the ways to better understand, treat, prevent and cure schizophrenia.

Epidemiology and population health

The scientific study of the patterns of distribution of disease in

populations, the identification of antecedents and risk factors, and the measurement of outcomes of treatment effects in whole

populations.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The scientific study of the biological basis of cognitive

functions with the aim of understanding the structure and function of the brain in

health and disease.

Developmental Neurobiology

The scientific study of the molecular and cellular

basis of healthy and abnormal brain development.

Research Overview““


Successful outcomes in research are demonstrated by publications in scientific journals, presentations at

conferences and academic progression.

Research OutcomesSuccessful outcomes in research are demonstrated by publications in scientific journals, presentations at conferences and academic progression.

Over this year Institute support has contributed to 73 publications in peer-reviewed journals and Institute researchers have made 104 presentations at scientific conferences in Australia and internationally.

Institute supported students were also awarded 61 research higher degrees (47 were Schizophrenia Research Institute-supported and 14 were Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank-supported) including 42 PhD, eight Masters Degrees and 11 Honours Degrees.

Research PartnersUniversities, Institutes and HospitalsThe Institute has formal agreements with universities and institutes to conduct research at the following locations:

New South Wales• ANSTO• Bloomfield Hospital• Garvan Institute• Hunter New England Area Health Service• Hunter Area Pathology Service• James Fletcher Hospital

• Macquarie University• NSW Health InforMH• Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Office• The Mater Hospital• Neuroscience Research Australia• St Vincent’s Hospital• University of Sydney• University of NSW• University of Wollongong• University of Newcastle• Victor Chang Research Institute• Westmead Hospital

QueenslandUniversity of Queensland and Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research

VictoriaMelbourne Neuropsychiatry CentreMental Health Research Institute of VictoriaUniversity of Melbourne

Western AustraliaCentre for Clinical Research on NeuropsychiatryUniversity of WA

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“


Sharing stories is one of the most effective ways to let people know of the work and the success of the Institute. This year, two of our

ambassadors have spoken about their personal journeys with schizophrenia to help increase

people’s awareness and understanding of the illness. Our scientists, too, have taken to various stages to tell the world of their many breakthroughs. It is the Institute’s hope that

you are inspired by the following tales.

Sharing stories is one of the most effective ways to let people know of the work and the success of the Institute. This year, two of our ambassadors have spoken about

their personal journeys with schizophrenia to help increase people’s awareness and

understanding of the illness. Our scientists, too, have taken to various stages to tell

the world of their many breakthroughs. It is the Institute’s hope that you are inspired

by the following tales.


There is a mirror with the image of a lighthouse etched into it in the Schweizer home that holds a great deal of meaning for the family. It’s an elegant piece that is an integral part of their history. It may also reflect an aspect of their future, for Richard, the eldest Schweizer son, has become a beacon of hope for many people living with schizophrenia.

Diagnosed at age 22 while studying law, Richard has not let schizophrenia divert him from the path of an intellectual life, but rather has allowed his experiences to inform a slightly different direction. He is in the final stages of completing his PhD in sociology, writing about how a schizophrenia diagnosis can affect a person’s identity and the ways to best rebuild that sense of self.

This year he has also had the opportunity to speak to a diverse range of people through a wide variety of mediums about his experiences with schizophrenia. He has appeared on Natasha Mitchell’s ABC radio program All In The Mind, contributed a three-part essay to Neuroscience Research Australia’s blog and, along with his father, has spoken with the Sydney Morning Herald for the Two Of US column in their weekend magazine.

“It’s not always easy, at times it can make me feel like I’m opening my heart to the world,” Richard says, “but I do it to help other people. I want to destigmatise the illness, I want to give other people hope or help them to understand the illness.”

The responses Richard has received from speaking publicly about schizophrenia have been overwhelmingly positive and have often started many conversations, allowing people to open up about their own experiences. “I’m a magnet for people to tell me their own stories,” he says with a small smile. “It’s an honour for people to share their stories with me. Sometimes it makes me a bit tired, but communication is at the centre of what I do for the Institute and I just hope I’ll be able to do it for many years into the future.”

Richard will continue to speak publicly as an ambassador for the Institute and as an advocate for those who have received a diagnosis of mental illness. Undoubtedly, he will also continue to be an example of hope for others who may feel helpless. “I do this because I want to turn what was the worst thing in my life into something that is a better thing, if not the best thing,” he says.

It’s not always easy,at times it can make mefeel like I’m opening my

heart to the world

““

Richard SchweizerGuiding LightHoping to see greater acceptance for people with schizophrenia and an improved understanding of what the illness is, Richard Schweizer has welcomed many opportunities to share his thoughts this year.


Eva has a strong desire to see improved treatments for schizophrenia in the near future, which has fuelled her

passion for fundraising.

““

There’s no more powerful force in the world than a mother motivated by the love she has for her child. This becomes apparent within minutes of meeting and speaking with Eva Urban who has such a passion for raising funds for schizophrenia research that, in the past two years, she has raised more than $14,000 for the Institute.

Part of this came from a grant administered through Eva’s workplace, Suncorp, who have created the Brighter Futures Staff Giving Program that allows employees to apply for grants on behalf of the causes that are close to their hearts. Eva was successful in securing $10,000 for Dr Katrina Green’s research into a treatment that will help to reduce the incidence of diabetes associated with antipsychotic use and may also help to improve cognition (go to page 37 to read more).

Eva has been in the unique position of growing up with a mother who had schizophrenia, during which time she learned many valuable skills that has allowed her to now care for and nurture her own daughter, who has schizophrenia. This experience has also given Eva a strong desire to see improved treatments for schizophrenia in the near future, which has fuelled her passion for fundraising.

“As you know, fundraising for charities is a lot of hard work,” she says in a Suncorp meeting room one sunny afternoon, “and schizophrenia is not a

welcoming term in the community so it does seem to be a lot harder to get financial support. I’ve tried lots of things including writing to MPs, writing to big corporates, using LinkedIn and various other strategies.”

Eva has also run in the Sydney City2Surf as part of the Institute’s Gold Donor team, participated for many years in our STOP for Schizophrenia online fundraising campaign and organised a fundraising barbecue for family and friends. If that all sounds exhausting, rest assured, it is.

This year Eva found a way to work smarter, not harder in her fundraising efforts. “I thought, what is a better, more time efficient way for me to be able to get the amount of money that I’d like? A Suncorp grant seemed to be the best option and that’s why I went through the process because it was actually quite easy.”

While Eva was able to take a moment to appreciate the success of her grant application and has spent time with its recipient, Dr Katrina Green, discussing the benefits that her research will bring, she hasn’t put her feet up. She’s still planning the next move. “I’m actually going to partner up with another gentleman here at Suncorp who does a lot of charity work,” she says. “We’re talking about some different ideas. I’m always thinking of ideas to promote schizophrenia research.”

As a guest speaker at this year’s Spark of Genius, Eva Urban was able to share her family’s story of schizophrenia and why she is so passionate about raising money for schizophrenia research.

Eva’s passion for fundraising has meant Dr

Katrina Green has received $10,000

for her research into reducing antipsychotic

side effects.

Eva UrbanPassion Project


Cognitive Behavioural Relating Therapy (CBRT) is a novel treatment, developed by Perth-based psychologist Dr Georgie Paulik, that aims to improve how people relate to the voices they hear, as well as other people socially, and decrease the amount of distress caused by persistent voice-hearing.

This Institute-supported researcher and therapist found, through her experience in clinical practice, that many voice hearers perceived the voices to have greater power and assertiveness relative to themselves, which caused distress and made many feel reluctant to develop a relationship with the voices.

Dr Paulik discovered that teaching people how to relate to these voices with a sense of authority and intimacy was an effective way to overcome this obstacle. “Some people didn’t want to engage with their voices, as there was an element of fear and intimidation in the relationship, so teaching them how to respond assertively helped to improve this relationship,” Dr Paulik explains.

“CBRT encourages people to question the beliefs they hold about a voice’s power and the way in which they relate to the voices, which improves the relationship between the voice and voice hearer and, subsequently, can improve how they relate socially to other people too.”

The therapy was initially developed to be used in one-on-one sessions but has since grown to include group therapy sessions. Study results investigating the efficacy of CBRT have found that participants expressed positive changes in the way they related to the voices, their self-esteem improved, and voice-related distress was reduced.

Voice-hearing is not an experience limited to

schizophrenia or psychosis; 10-25% of people will hear a hallucinatory voice at some

stage in their lives.

Dr. Georgie Paulik-WhiteImproving a person’s relationship with hallucinating voicesDr Georgie Paulik-White is a Clinical Psychologist and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Western Australia. She has developed Cognitive Behavioural Relating Therapy, a treatment that allows people with schizophrenia to develop a healthier interpersonal relationship with the voices they hear.

“

“


The ABC’s Radio National has been a huge supporter of the Institute

this year, devoting an entire program to the

launch of Assoc Professor Melissa Green’s Brain

Training lab.

“

“Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert had the honour of taking to the Sydney Opera House stage in May as part of TEDxSydney, a public conference devoted to sharing stories and ideas that can bring positive change. For 15 minutes, Professor Shannon Weickert captivated the packed audience by speaking about how her twin brother’s experience of having schizophrenia has inspired her research into understanding the causes of schizophrenia.

“My brother and I came from the same womb,” she said, “so it was clear to me that his condition was not due to an early embryonic event. And he developed fine as child, in fact he was very smart - so there had to be a major event in adolescence that triggered the condition.” Her research career, which has spanned 30 years, has brought her so much closer to providing answers and we are so thankful that she was able to share her story as well her breakthroughs with such a large audience. A video of Professor Shannon Weickert’s speech is available on the TEDxSydney website.

You can also hear interviews with Professor Shannon Weickert on the ABC’s Radio National site. The broadcaster has been a huge supporter of the Institute this year, devoting an entire

program to the launch of Professor Melissa Green’s Brain Training lab and the relief it can bring to participants.

Patient ambassador Kathleen Smith, who developed and launched a mindfulness app that helps to control the anxiety associated with her schizophrenia, this year shared with Good Health magazine the various ways in which she manages her symptoms and how the stigma of schizophrenia affects her life. The magazine aimed to present stories of women who had a mental illness and had carved out satisfying lives for themselves. Kathleen’s story made an incredible impact.

The Two of Us column in the Sydney Morning Herald featured an honest and heart-warming interview with Chairman of the Institute’s Board, Norbert Schweizer, and his son Richard, as they reflected on how schizophrenia can impact an entire family. The feedback they received from this was overwhelmingly positive and has no doubt corrected some of the misapprehensions many people have about schizophrenia. Small advances such as these will lead to a society that has a greater awareness and understanding of schizophrenia.

SR/in the MediaTo inform and inspireSchizophrenia has a long history of being misunderstood by the general public. This year the Institute has had great success in using the media to address the stigma associated with the condition.


Thank you to all our scientists, researchers and associated support teams.

Your tireless efforts make the lives of those with schizophrenia easier with every new

discovery you make.


We have some of the finest minds in the country working to achieve our goal of creating better

treatments for schizophrenia and, one day, finding a cure. In the past year we’ve pursued that mission in

many ways; we’ve expanded our research to develop programs available to the community and found

innovative ways to explore new research pathways. In the following pages you’ll see the many steps that

have brought us closer to our goals.


In July of 2014 the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank (ASRB) contributed DNA and data for a total of 1,114 participants in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted by a large multinational, collaborative team of researchers. It was one of the largest molecular genetic studies ever conducted investigating the genetic contributions to the causes of schizophrenia.

What it discovered is remarkable. The study, which made headlines worldwide, identified 108 genes associated with schizophrenia, 83 of which had not been previously reported. These findings offer researchers new biological insights into the possible mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and provide a framework for future studies.

Specifically, it has identified promising targets for potential new therapies and provides strong evidence for the idea that the immune system as well as neurodevelopmental pathways and neurotransmitters are involved in the development of schizophrenia.

“This is particularly exciting news for us,” says ASRB manager Professor Carmel Loughland, “as we have several researchers looking deeply into the response of the immune system and

inflammation within the brain, as well as the potential for drugs to work on a number of brain receptors, particularly glutamate receptors. This confirms that the Institute is making valuable contributions to international research.”

The ASRB supports local and international research by providing clinical and cognitive assessments, DNA samples and MRI brain scans to researchers. In addition to the GWAS mentioned above, the ASRB has contributed to 71 studies in Australia and worldwide.

These findings offerresearchers new biological insights into the possible mechanisms underlying

schizophrenia.

ASRB Project Types 2009 - 2014

Data Analysis 7% Genetic

25%

Participant Recruitment

52%

Imaging 16%

The Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank contributed essential genetic material to an international study that offers hope and insight into the causes of schizophrenia.

ASRB involved in world-first study “

“


Since its redesign and relaunch in 2013, the Schizophrenia Library has gone from strength to strength, attracting more than 500 visitors per month from all around the world. Clinicians and researchers have made use of the high quality evidence review of more than 439 topics relating to the symptoms, diagnosis, causes and treatment of schizophrenia, among other topics.

The quality of information has led to requests for Schizophrenia Library staff to review literature in associated mental health fields. Sandra Matheson, Alana Shepherd and Professor Vaughan Carr contributed a paper to the Sax Institute, which acts as a bridge between researchers and mental health policy makers that reviewed current models of care for the management of suicidal behaviour. The report recommended that training programs should be readily available to increase clinicians’ knowledge of suicidality, depression and distress.

In 2014 Sandra Matheson contributed to the research field’s understanding of schizophrenia by assessing the latest review papers from various current avenues of research. “Researchers can sometimes get focused on their own particular areas of interest,” she says. “My hope is that this paper will help people to think outside the square.”

In creating this overview of schizophrenia research, Ms Matheson concluded that while our knowledge of schizophrenia is very substantial, a deep understanding of it remains limited. The good news is that there were several key areas of research that were particularly noteworthy in terms of the strength of evidence and size of the effect. The efficacy of psychosocial treatments when used in concert with medication and studies exploring the involvement of infection and immunological markers in the development of schizophrenia, were two stand-outs.

The summaries of many of these studies can be found in the Schizophrenia Library. www.schizophreniaresearch.org.au/library/

Clinicians and researchershave made use of the high quality evidence review of

more than 439 topicsrelating to the symptoms,

diagnosis, causes andtreatment of schizophrenia.

The Schizophrenia Library’s high quality information continues to be a popular source of information for families, clinicians, scientists and policy-makers.

Popularity of Schizophrenia Library grows“

“


Cognitiveneuroscience

Under the leadership of Professor Ulrich Schall, this group has members located at the University of

Newcastle, Macquarie University, at the University of NSW at St Vincent’s Hospital and at Neuroscience

Research Australia (NeuRA). It conducts research onthe structure and function of the brain in schizophrenia

as well as potential new treatments.


In 2011 Professor Ulrich Schall started the five-year Minds in Transition (MinT) study to identify the early signs of changing mental health in young people and how psychosis develops over time. The findings of this study have allowed Prof. Schall and his Newcastle-based team to create a referral system that will allow young people to access mental health experts sooner.

“Along with substance abuse problems, emerging mental health difficulties are significant problems facing many youth today,” says Prof Schall. “We’d like to see those who are at risk of developing psychosis or other mental health problems access the help they need as soon as the early signs appear.”

Studies have already established that the earlier a person is able to receive the medical help they need, the more improved their treatment outcomes are likely to be. The MinT study provided Prof Schall with a set of early signs and symptoms that often occur during the early stages of a mental illness, including before a first psychotic episode.

The team then created a model of care based on this information that allows GPs to identify which of their patients are likely to benefit from additional care.

The model of care outlines a best-practice mental health referral system that will allow GPs to direct their patients to specialists that are experienced in assisting young people with an emerging mental illness.

“Until we can actually prevent people from having to suffer a mental illness, this is the next best thing we can currently do,” says Prof. Schall. “By ensuring that young people have easy access to people trained to reduce the impact of an illness such as schizophrenia, we are improving their chances at leading a much healthier life.”

By ensuring that young people have easy access to

people trained to reduce the impact of an illness such

as schizophrenia, we are improving their chances at

leading a much healthier life.

“

“

Professor Ulrich Schall, based at the University of Newcastle, is the Chair of Cognitive Neuroscience and is specifically interested in the brain structure and function of young people at risk of developing schizophrenia.

Prof. Ulrich SchallNew mental health treatment plan for young people


In a report written for Frontiers in Psychiatry, Dr Juanita Todd put forward an argument about the value of studying Mismatch Negativity (MMN) in schizophrenia and its potential in revealing new antipsychotic treatment options.

MMN is the auditory response that occurs when a sound fails to match our predictions about the environment around us. It has been found that people with schizophrenia display a smaller reaction to a prediction violation than healthy controls. “Understanding MMN holds so much potential as a tool in the study of biological changes associated with schizophrenia,” Dr Todd argues. Indeed, current studies by Dr Todd and colleagues reveal that the smaller MMN amplitude may also be helpful in identifying those who are at risk of developing schizophrenia.

In her report Dr Todd highlights that there are two strong arguments that may explain the smaller MMN amplitude evident in people with schizophrenia. The first is associated with the loss of grey matter in the auditory areas of the brain, which could be due to developmental problems or a lack of sustained support as these areas mature.

The second argument focuses on impairment in NMDA (a particular type of glutamate receptor) neurotransmission in a section of the brain associated with hearing. Other scientists within the Institute are also looking at antipsychotics that could improve the function of NMDA neurotransmission, providing further hope for better treatments.

Understanding the underlying causes of MMN will help direct future research into possible new drug treatments and our scientists are at the forefront of these discoveries. “Our awareness of how MMN influences learning and perception continues to grow and challenge existing knowledge,” Dr Todd explains. “There are many fruitful avenues of research currently open to scientists in this area and we hope that these will help us to identify new pharmacological treatments that address some of the deficits associated with schizophrenia.”

150 Number of papers supporting the findings of smaller MMN amplitude in people with schizophrenia.

Dr Juanita Todd, at the University of Newcastle, specialises in measuring the brain’s predictions about sound. She has been awarded major competitive NHMRC funding to support her research.

Dr. Juanita ToddGains made in the study of mismatch negativity

Our awareness of howMMN influences learning

and perception continues to grow and challenge existing

knowledge.

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Our University of Newcastle team, featuring Professor Ulli Schall, Professor Pat Michie and Dr Juanita Todd, have made impressive advances investigating subtle deficits in auditory function associated with schizophrenia. They have been instrumental in establishing that Mismatch Negativity (MMN), a response to unexpected sounds, is substantially reduced in people with schizophrenia and predicts how well they function in everyday life. This information is vital in understanding the causes of neural dysfunction related to schizophrenia.

More recently, studies from the Newcastle team have shown that the reduction in MMN is evident in people with schizophrenia as early as 12 months after diagnosis. New studies are now exploring whether MMN reduction is also present in people who are at high risk of developing schizophrenia. If this happens to be the case, MMN could become an accurate biological predictor of schizophrenia, which will make much earlier diagnosis and treatment possible.

Ross has also been working closely with Dr Lauren Harms at the University of Newcastle in an animal-study of MMN, based on the idea that a prenatal maternal immune response increases the risk of developing schizophrenia. They have been studying the neurotransmitter system that is associated with MMN in the hopes of identifying new treatment options.

The support that Ross offers to our scientists is incredibly valuable, allowing them to take full advantage of the technology available to them. “Over recent years the technology to study brain function has expanded enormously, along with the sophistication of our understanding of cognitive processes,” Ross explains. “As a result it is becoming more and more vital that research groups maintain a critical mass of both scientific and technical staff to enable the cutting edge research that is happening in Australia today.”

Over recent years the technology to study brain

function has expanded enormously, along with

the sophistication of our understanding of cognitive

processes.

Ross Fulham has a background in Computer Engineering and provides essential technical support, such as equipment design, advanced data analysis and computer modelling to a number of scientists based in Sydney and at the University of Newcastle. These are a few of the studies he has facilitated this year.

Advancing science through technology

Ross Fulham

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Currently, clinicians rely on the presence of a handful of symptoms to diagnose schizophrenia, which can sometimes delay correct identification of the illness. Dr Nishantha Kumarsinghe has published a study that may point to the loss of grey matter in particular areas of the brain as a physical indication of the onset of schizophrenia.

It was also revealed that the grey matter losses occurred in a short amount of time around the onset of the illness and that these losses occurred in brain areas associated with the cognitive deficits seen in schizophrenia. The study also found that symptom severity and treatment response were associated with grey matter deficits in older patients with a longer history of untreated illness.

This information may help to create new diagnostic guidelines that include certain changes in the brain, and enable people to get an accurate diagnosis sooner.

Dr Nishantha Kumarasinghe was supported by SRI and ASRB for his PhD at the University of Newcastle, supervised by Professors Paul Tooney and Ulrich Schall.

Dr. Nishantha KumarasingheBrain imaging may help in schizophrenia diagnosis


Developmentalneurobiology

Developmental Neurobiology research is conducted at three primary locations. It includes the Schizophrenia Research Lab*, based at Neuroscience Research

Australia (NeuRA), which is headed by Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert. Many of the NeuRA team are affiliated with the University of NSW. Other major sites

in the developmental neurobiology group are the University of Wollongong and University of Newcastle. Their aim is to better understand the interactions between genes and environment, and how these interactions affect molecular

and cellular functioning of the brain in the development of schizophrenia.

* The Schizophrenia Research Laboratory is a joint initiative of the Schizophrenia Research Institute, University of New South Wales, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and the Macquarie

Group Foundation. It is supported by the NSW Ministry of Health.


Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert’s lab, based at NeuRA, has experienced a very successful year. Over the course of several studies they have found further evidence for inflammation in the brains of people with schizophrenia. Their research has identified indications of tissue damage in the brains of a subset of people diagnosed with schizophrenia, associated with an increase in cytokines, which are proteins produced by several immune-related cells.

This subset of schizophrenia also shows further signs of inflammation in the brain, specifically an increase of glial cells, which help to support and protect neurons, as well as an increase of astrocytes, which repair damage in the brain. The team believes that this is a strong indication that we need to develop therapies that are aimed at improving the immune system response of people with schizophrenia.

Research conducted by Prof. Shannon Weikert’s team has determined that illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with a number of alterations in the brain’s response to inflammation, and how the body responds to the presence of biological stress. The team has also found a way to identify people with this form of schizophrenia via blood analysis. This information could lead us closer to successfully identifying subtypes of schizophrenia with different contributing factors and to tailor more effective treatments that address these factors.

*The Schizophrenia Research Chair is a joint initiative of the Schizophrenia Research Institute, University of New South Wales, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and the Macquarie Group Foundation. It is supported by the NSW Ministry of Health.

Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert is the Macquarie Group Foundation Chair of Schizophrenia Research*. Her lab’s area of interest is to discover the causes of schizophrenia and how they relate to specific genotypes. They are also investigating how hormones and growth factors may influence the development and function of the brain during the teen years, a period of increased risk for mental illness.

Prof. Cyndi Shannon WeickertEvidence of inflammation leads to new treatment options

Schizophrenia is associated with alterations

in the brain’s response to inflammation, and

how the body responds to the presence of biological stress.

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Combined, these studieshave advanced our

understanding of some of the influences at play in

schizophrenia, and may help to guide future studies into best treatment practices.

Biomarkers have been sought in the field of schizophrenia research for decades. They could greatly assist in diagnosing schizophrenia and help scientists to understand the causes, progression and treatment of the illness. Currently, no biomarker exists for schizophrenia; however, Dr Tom Weickert and his team have made progress in the past year in using blood biomarkers to understand brain function in schizophrenia.

Sex steroids such as testosterone have been found to have a protective effect on the mature brain and can be detected in the bloodstream. The research team led by Dr Weickert has found that low normal testosterone levels in men with schizophrenia had a negative effect on their working memory, verbal memory and thought processing speed, and in the way their brains processed emotion. These effects of testosterone provide further evidence that the hormone influences thought processes in men with schizophrenia.

A neurotransmitter that has been implicated in schizophrenia is dopamine, which, when it is underactive in certain brain regions, can produce schizophrenia-like symptoms. A study led by Dr

Ans Vercammen has found that two genes that regulate dopamine levels, when combined, can result in cognitive deficits in healthy people that are similar to those seen in schizophrenia. This insight into brain function can help scientists to better understand the effects that genes may have in the development of schizophrenia.

A third study, conducted by PhD student Ashley Skilleter, examined brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This protein is one of many that allows neurons to develop, grow and function effectively, and is particularly associated with learning. BDNF has been implicated in the development of schizophrenia with past studies revealing that reduced levels are found in people with schizophrenia. This study revealed a relationship between BDNF levels circulating in the blood and brain activity measured by functional MRI during learning in healthy adults, but no relationship between circulating BDNF and brain activity in people with schizophrenia. These results suggest that BDNF may be a biomarker for schizophrenia, and that this important learning protein is not functioning normally in people with schizophrenia.

Dr Thomas Weickert is part of the Schizophrenia Research Laboratory at NeuRA and a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales. His research is particularly interested in the interaction of genes, schizophrenia and antipsychotic treatment on cognitive processes.

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Biomarkers for schizophrenia identified

Dr. Thomas Weickert


The continuation of this work could have a significant impact on future prevention

and treatment strategies, as lifestyle factors of

schizophrenia patients may have to be considered in much more detail than

in the past.

“

“Dr Tim Karl and his group at NeuRA have this year examined the effects of lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise on schizophrenia. In collaboration with a University of Oslo team, animal models of schizophrenia were used to evaluate whether diet and exercise influence behavioural outcomes and mental state. The pilot studies found that a high-fat, high-sugar diet had a complex influence on schizophrenia-relevant behaviours. On the one side, the diet induced an earlier development of particular schizophrenia-like behaviours in genetically modified animals. On the other side, the experiments detected a diet-induced improvement of cognitive behaviours in mice. Furthermore, physical exercise had beneficial effects on these mice as access to running wheels reversed their hyper-explorative behaviour.

This research demonstrates in principle that lifestyle choices can have both detrimental and beneficial effects on schizophrenia-relevant behaviours. The continuation of this work could have a significant impact on future prevention

and treatment strategies, as lifestyle factors of schizophrenia patients may have to be considered in much more detail than in the past.

In a second investigation, PhD student Juan Olaya tested a newly developed mouse line for the schizophrenia risk gene neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) in collaboration with NeuRA’s Professor Cyndi Shannon-Weickert. Juan tested whether overexpressing this gene in mice, which has been found to be upregulated in schizophrenia patients, modulates schizophrenia-relevant behaviours and brain pathophysiology. His early work suggests that overexpressing type III Nrg1 not only modulates a range of neurotransmitter systems in the brain but also induces schizophrenia-like behaviours. This is an exciting first step to establish a new and much-needed model system for preclinical research into schizophrenia, and to better understand the contribution of this particular gene.

The Karl Group is interested in understanding the causes of schizophrenia. They look at the patterns of behaviour associated with schizophrenia and use pharmacological and environmental intervention tools to better understand how genes and the environment impact in the development of schizophrenia.

Dr. Tim KarlThe positive effects of diet and exercise on schizophrenia


It was found that this drug did not induce weight

gain or fat deposits, but still appeared to maintain its efficacy as an atypical

antipsychotic.

Olanzapine is one of the most effective antipsychotic medications commonly used for treating schizophrenia; however, it often results in severe weight gain. Professor Xu-Fung Huang’s team has found a possible solution to this issue by modifying the chemical site on the olanzapine molecule that is believed to contribute to obesity. This has led to the development of two new olanzapine derivatives.

In pre-clinical trials it was shown that taking olanzapine resulted in over-eating, weight gain, fat accumulation and other physical changes that are associated with weight gain. One of the new olanzapine derivatives, created by the Wollongong lab, was also tested. This drug does not block the part of the brain that regulates food intake. It was found that it did not induce weight gain or fat deposits, but still appeared to maintain its efficacy as an atypical antipsychotic.

One more phase is required in the pre-clinical trials to further validate these new drugs prior to clinical trials, but the team believes that the two derivatives may offer better treatment options than olanzapine for treating schizophrenia. A toxicology study is under way and Prof. Huang’s team are hoping to proceed to clinical trials in the next three years.

In a separate clinical trial, Prof Huang’s team examined the long term effect of antipsychotic drugs on cognition in people with schizophrenia and found that individuals taking clozapine performed worse in immediate and delayed memory than those taking typical antipsychotic drugs. Prof. Huang believes that this indicates an urgent need to improve these areas of cognition and has found evidence to suggest that this may be possible using extracts of teasaponine (from camellia seeds) and ginsenoside (from ginseng) alongside antipsychotics. He will pursue these studies in 2015.

Professor Xu-Feng Huang is based at the University of Wollongong. His team has conducted pre-clinical trials that indicate that a derivative of olanzapine offers the benefits of an effective antipsychotic, without weight gain side effects.

“

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Improved antipsychotic on the horizon

Prof. Xu-Feng Huang


Weight gain and obesity can lead to non-compliance with

medication, which is a primary problem for the treatment

of schizophrenia.

““

Excessive weight gain has been identified as a serious metabolic side-effect of antipsychotic medication. Associate Professor Chao Deng, collaborating with Prof Xu-Feng Huang and four PhD students, have made significant progress in understanding how antipsychotics affect the body as well as the brain to produce this often rapid increase in weight. Specifically, Professors Deng and Huang’s team has looked at why antipsychotics cause the body to maintain excess weight, even when food consumption is reduced to normal level.

Antipsychotics appear to have an impact on brown adipose tissue (BAT), which the body uses to convert food into energy. Assoc. Prof. Deng’s team discovered that long-term olanzapine use reduced the amount of energy produced by this tissue, resulting in weight gain, and also reduced physical activity, which contributed to the maintenance of excess weight.

Antipsychotics can also affect how much a person consumes, causing them to eat beyond the point of feeling full. In preliminary studies, they found that a naturally occurring chemical in the body, histamine, significantly reduced overeating.

Prof. Deng’s team then discovered that using betahistine (a histamine H1 receptor agonist), a drug normally used to treat vertigo, was effective as an antipsychotic co-treatment in reducing olanzapine-induced weight gain, and that using betahistine did not affect the therapeutic benefits of olanzapine. This suggests that betahistine is a safe drug for treating the side effect of antipsychotic-induced weight gain.

Betahistine co-treatment did not affect olanzapine’s actions on serotonin and dopamine transmissions

Chao Deng is an Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong who is interested in understanding how antipsychotics cause excessive weight gain and what treatments may reduce this side effect.

Assoc. Prof. Chao DengCo-treatment reduces antipsychotic-induced weight gain


miRNA guides severalgenes involved in the

development and maturation of the brain

before birth that, if disrupted, may lead to neurodevelopmental

disorders such as schizophrenia.

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Associate Professor Murray Cairns is interested in how changes to microRNA (miRNA), which are tiny molecules in the brain responsible for regulating gene expression, are involved in neural function and the development of schizophrenia. This year he has guided the research work of two PhD students, Belinda Goldie and Sharon Hollins, as they explore how alterations in miRNA relate to various deficits seen in schizophrenia.

Ms Goldie’s research has found that neural activity alters the composition of miRNA in neurons, resulting in a reduction and a redistribution of these molecules. Previous studies suggest that this reduction is associated with enhancements in learning and memory. In contrast, the laboratory’s earlier observation was that these molecules are elevated in the brains of people with schizophrenia, in which learning and memory is usually impaired. She also found that most of these miRNA that were reduced after neural activity were expelled from the cell in tiny vesicles known as exosomes. “This development was unexpected,” says Assoc. Prof. Cairns. “We wanted to know where they went. They could have been

destroyed, but they actually turned up outside the cells, which opens up some new, exciting research pathways for us.” The team is also interested in identifying a treatment that will reverse the alteration that leads to the elevation of miRNA in schizophrenia, which could help to improve cognitive function in schizophrenia.

Ms Hollins is interested in further understanding how miRNA is involved in the development of the brain. Her study suggests that miRNA guides several genes involved in the development and maturation of the brain before birth that, if disrupted, may lead to neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia. Further, in a study undertaken in collaboration with Dr Katerina Zavitsanou at NeuRA, she found that miRNA expression in the brain is sensitive to environmental challenges known to be associated with schizophrenia – specifically, maternal infection and teenage cannabis use. They found that these environmental challenges are causing alterations in gene regulation that, in turn, may contribute to the development of schizophrenia in people at risk of the disorder.

Associate Professor Murray Cairns, based at the University of Newcastle, is supported in his research by the Ainsworth Family. He is particularly interested in the role of miRNA in the development of schizophrenia.

Tiny molecules produce large changes in the brain

Assoc. Prof. Murray Cairns


The side effects of many second generation antipsychotics such as olanzapine and clozapine include weight gain and type-II diabetes. Dr Katrina Green has spent the past eight years searching for ways to overcome these side effects. This year, a $10,000 grant from SunCorp Brighter Futures Staff Giving Program has allowed her to explore the use of liraglutide as a co-treatment to counterbalance the main side effects of antipsychotics.

Liraglutide is the synthesised form of a protein found in the saliva of a lizard called the Gila (pronounced hee-la) Monster, which helps to reduce blood glucose levels, and has been approved for use as an anti-diabetic drug in the USA, Europe and now Australia.

The efficacy of liraglutide in stabilising glucose levels and promoting weight loss caused Dr Katrina Green to investigate whether the drug could be used as a co-treatment with current antipsychotic medication. Results of an initial study have revealed that using liraglutide as a co-treatment alleviated olanzapine-induced glucose dysfunction in the laboratory setting, but not the hyperglycaemia caused by clozapine.

“This tells us that liraglutide is effective at clearing glucose from the blood,” explains Dr Green, “which may prevent diabetes, a common side effect associated with olanzapine in the long term. We still need further studies to ensure that this is a safe option for humans and will investigate other potential metabolic benefits of liraglutide co-treatment, such as weight loss and cardiovascular protection; however, the results are looking very promising so far.”

Diabetes can exacerbate cognitive deficits in people with schizophrenia, so there is hope that using liraglutide as an adjunct treatment can also improve impairments in attention and memory. “This is something we really want to focus our future studies on,” says Dr Green. “We’re keen to start looking into the potential long-term cognitive effects that liraglutide may bring.”

Dr Katrina Green is a neuroendocrinology researcher and a Lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong. Katrina’s team is part of the Wollongong lab addressing the metabolic side effects of antipsychotics.

20-50% of people using a second generation antipsychotic are at risk of suffering type-II diabetes.

Laboratory research over the past year has shown promising results using liraglutide to prevent high blood glucose caused by antipsychotics

80% of people with schizophrenia suffer cognitive deficits

Researchers hope to progress investigations into humans in the clinical setting

Drug co-treatment could prevent diabetes

Dr. Katrina Green


The brain receptor known as mGluR5 represents a

valuable new drug target to treat the cognitive deficits in people with schizophrenia.

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Institute-supported PhD student Natalie Matosin has been working on finding molecules in the brain that are altered in schizophrenia in order to identify new drug targets with the potential to improve the cognitive and negative symptoms associated with the disorder. Along with her supervisors, Dr Kelly Newell and Dr Francesca Fernandez, she has been looking specifically at a receptor in the brain, the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5, or mGluR5.

Together with NeuRA scientists, Dr Samantha Fung and Professor Cyndi Shannon Weickert, Ms Matosin and her team assessed the levels of mGluR5 in the postmortem brains of people that had schizophrenia, and found that in the frontal cortex and hippocampus there were greater numbers of the receptor mGluR5. Since these changes are in brain regions involved in learning and memory, this led our researchers to believe that these changes in mGluR5 might be contributing to the poor cognitive functioning seen in many people with schizophrenia.

In trying to understand why this receptor was expressed abnormally in schizophrenia brains, Ms Matosin, Dr Francesca Fernandez and the

team worked with the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank and Associate Professor Melissa Green to better understand whether the dysregulation of the mGluR5 receptor might originate in the mGluR5 gene. They found markers within the gene that are associated with schizophrenia in men, and a complex relationship with measures of cognitive functions such as working memory and measures of IQ, which differently affect men and women with schizophrenia. This supports the idea that mGluR5 is involved in the development of cognitive dysfunction, particularly memory and learning, in people with schizophrenia.

“mGluR5 represents a valuable new drug target to treat the cognitive deficits in people with schizophrenia,” says Ms Matosin. “It’s likely that because every schizophrenia sufferer is an individual with their own set of symptoms and causes, that it will work only in a subset of people with schizophrenia. Therefore future studies will need to find a way to identify this subset, so that they can benefit from mGluR5-based treatments.”

PhD candidate Natalie Matosin works in Dr Kelly Newell’s lab at the University of Wollongong. She has been looking specifically at how to improve some of the cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia.

Improving learning and memory in schizophrenia

Natalie Matosin


Epidemiology and population health

The Epidemiology and Population Health team is based at the University of NSW and located at the Research Unit for

Schizophrenia Epidemiology in St Vincent’s Hospital. It is led by Institute CEO, Professor Vaughan Carr. The team studies health and disease in populations with a particular focus on identifying

childhood risk factors for schizophrenia and other mental disorders. This research has the potential to influence government policies

and programs in prevention and mental health promotion.


The NSW Child Development Study, led by Professor Vaughan Carr and his team at the UNSW Research Unit for Schizophrenia Epidemiology, has been making headway this year towards being able to better understand how children’s early experiences influence later mental health and life outcomes. The first phase of this longitudinal study, one of the largest in Australia, is in full-swing, with completion of the first record linkage and a feasibility study for a questionnaire to be administered in 2015.

The first record linkage brings together a rich array of data from the cohort, which is comprised of some 87 000 children for whom the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) was completed in Kindergarten in 2009. The record linkage combines anonymous health, education, welfare and justice records with the children’s AEDC data. Spanning birth to age 5, it will allow the research team to find out what shapes children’s early development. Already, findings have emerged suggesting that children who have been hospitalised for infectious diseases are more likely to show psychological vulnerabilities in development at age 5.

The questionnaire component of the study, the Middle Childhood Survey (MCS), has been tested in a feasibility study involving 11 schools prior to the State-wide roll-out in 2015. The MCS will be completed online in the classroom, and will

provide a unique snapshot of the mental health and wellbeing of Australian children at around age 11, a critical stage of development. The research team has worked closely with schools in the feasibility study to gather feedback, and so far this has been very encouraging. The team will continue to work in consultation with the study’s education, and parent and community stakeholder representatives to help get all schools on board next year, when all Year 6 students in NSW will be invited to participate. The MCS will be run in tandem with a Schools Mental Health Evaluation. Supported by the Principals Australia Institute, it will provide important information regarding the effectiveness of programs targeting mental health that have been implemented by schools.

In 2015, after the MCS has been completed, a second record linkage will be undertaken. This will update data from the first linkage to include information for the cohort up to age 11, along with information collected from the MCS. In the same manner as the first linkage, strict privacy protocols will be adhered to, in accordance with research ethics committee requirements and privacy legislation. This second linkage will give researchers scope to examine developmental trajectories through childhood. It will allow them to map risk and protective factors operating during this period and identify how they relate to mental health outcomes.

As the study continues to follow the cohort into adulthood, it will provide valuable information to help inform policies and programs to benefit the

mental health and wellbeing of all Australian children.

You can find out more about theNSW Child Development Study at:

http://nsw-cds.com.au/

The NSW Child Development study has hit the midway mark, with the second phase due to roll out in 2015.

Prof. Vaughan CarrSafeguarding children’s mental health“

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A substantial three-year grant totaling more than $600,000 was this year awarded to Associate Professor Melissa Green by the National Health and Medical Research Council. This grant will allow Melissa to continue her work investigating the effects of early childhood adversity in people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar I disorder. This research program combines the expertise of SRI-supported scientist Associate Professor Murray Cairns, and Dr Sarah Cohen-Woods, and will support the research activities of PhD candidate, Ms Nina Teroganova.

In the past few years Assoc. Prof. Green, with members of her research group at UNSW as well as other SRI-affiliated collaborators, has investigated the effects of childhood trauma on cognition and brain function in people with psychotic disorders. Previous funding awarded to Assoc. Prof. Green – to investigate biological similarities among schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder – has enabled investigation of subtypes of cases with a history of exposure to early abuse.

In her existing study, Assoc. Prof. Green has found that a striking 55 percent of individuals with

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and 43 percent of those diagnosed with bipolar I disorder have experienced clinically significant levels of childhood abuse or neglect. She reasoned that these cases might show a different pathway to illness than those without a history of trauma, and that this might be evident in biological differences (e.g., in brain function) between people with and without a history of childhood maltreatment.

This hypothesis was tested by a member of her team, Dr Yann Quidé, using data from brain scans obtained while participants performed a working memory task. The results showed that the brains of the people exposed to childhood trauma activated differently compared to those not exposed to trauma, and these differences occurred in brain networks otherwise presumed to be involved in psychosis.

The proposed study into these genetic and biological processes may provide new treatment options that will be more effective for people whose symptoms have developed as a response to trauma.

Associate Professor Melissa Green is a NHMRC Biomedical Career Development Fellow in the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Her research focuses on the causes and consequences of cognitive and emotion processing disturbances in schizophrenia and similar conditions.

Assoc. Prof. Melissa GreenEarly life stress and the development of psychosis

In her study, Assoc. Prof. Green found that a striking 55 percent of individuals

with schizophrenia, and 43 percent of those with bipolar I disorder have experienced clinically significant levels of childhood abuse or neglect.

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In many ways our supporters are the voice of a community not often given the chance to be heard. They take on challenges – whether its marathons,

mountain climbing, the City2Surf or the Sydney City Scramble – and in doing so raise money as well as awareness of schizophrenia. Their remarkable

achievements, in turn, start conversations. It is these dialogues that enable the wider community to come to a more accurate understanding of schizophrenia and defeat the stigma so often attached to this illness.


The Institute is so appreciative of our community of donors

and fundraisers.

They are a constant inspiration. It is thanks to their support,

enthusiasm and dedication that the work of our researchers

continues to be so successful.

Photo: Sydney City Scramble Fundraising Event


Our supporters this year have been incredibly creative at raising money for schizophrenia research in ways that are fun yet also hold a great deal of meaning. For Lucy Eykamp it involved a 730km trip over nine days, during which time she either ran or rode a bike along her older brother’s favourite track from Brisbane to Tamworth, stopping at all the places that gave him moments of peace and comfort.

“My brother Will suffered schizophrenia and, sadly, took his own life due to it,” said Lucy. “He rode this distance on horseback and I want to honour his achievement by doing it as well.” The trek was planned to finish on Will’s birthday so that close to 150 people could gather together and celebrate his life. More than $11,000 was raised as a result of Lucy’s dedication and the generosity of the people whose lives were touched by Will. “This is a bold and admirable effort on Lucy’s part and an incredibly touching way to honour her brother’s memory,” said Institute Director of Operations, Kel Beckett.

Supporter Luke Mansfield raised $3000 for schizophrenia research in July by climbing to Mt Everest’s Base Camp in Nepal, a feat that required in excess of 50 hours of trekking over eight days. Luke said he hopes that “by talking about my own experience I can contribute to breaking down the stigma associated with schizophrenia and encourage others to reach out and support those who live with schizophrenia.” And here he is at the summit. Thanks Luke for your outstanding effort, and to all those who supported him on his journey.

Family Ambassador Eva Urban was successful in securing $10,000 through a grant administered by Eva’s workplace, Suncorp. This money supported Dr Katrina Green’s research into a treatment that will help to reduce the incidence of diabetes associated with antipsychotic use and may also help to improve cognition.

Other fundraising activities have included the Institute’s annual Gala, Spark of Genius, which this year raised close to $30,000. Held at the Hilton Sydney’s grand ballroom, the evening featured entertainment from big band Hipnosis as well as comedy entertainer Matt Hollywood.

In September a further $30,000 was raised via the second annual Sydney City Scramble, a day of madcap fun that saw 25 teams race around the streets of Sydney solving cryptic clues and performing odd tasks to win enough points to be crowned the Scramble champions. This year’s Corporate winners were team Clowning Around from Macquarie Bank who were also the highest fundraisers. The Community winners were Rebels with a Cause.

Small teams of dedicated exercisers did their part by participating in the City2Surf in August, as well as the Wellness Walk in November, together raising just shy of $10,000 for the Institute.

This is a bold and admirable effort on Lucy’s

part and an incredibly touching way to honour her brother’s memory.

Lucy EykampWigwam Flats, March 2014

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Whether its ticking off a bucket list item, or engaging in the favoured activity of a loved one, our community of fundraisers have gone above and beyond in their efforts this year.

FundraisingIt takes a village to raise awareness


Major partners and supporters

Our major partners, the NSW Ministry of Health, National Health and Medical Research Council, NSW Trade and

Investment and Macquarie Group Foundation have also sustained in their support of our vision to understand and

better treat schizophrenia. We are also thankful for our ongoing partnerships with the Hunt Family Foundation

and ANZ Trustees.

Photo: Spark of Genius Fundraising Gala


Foundations

Corporate

Major partners and supporters


Thank you to all our supporters

PatronHer Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC

Life GovernorsJudy GibsonDon McDonald AM

Foundations Trusts & GrantsBHP Billiton LimitedCharities Aid FoundationHunt Family FoundationJohn Lamble FoundationMacquarie Group FoundationThe Nick and Caroline Minogue FoundationUBS Foundation

STOP AmbassadorsCorey OliverDee MadiganMichael WipfliRod KerrRyan FitzgeraldTrent Maxwell

CorporateARA GroupBrookfield MultiplexBuckley Park CollegeCerroneCFMEUDenconaErnst and YoungHornsby Ku-ring-gai Association Action on Mental HealthKPMGMacquarieMedibank Health SolutionsOmega Service SolutionsPremier StateRouchard Southan Memorial TrustSchweizer KobrasYaffa Publishing

Spark of Genius AmbassadorsDr Carolyn HoggDavid EganDee MadiganJason KazanisProf Kathy BelovDr Karl KramerMarcia HinesMikey RobbinsScott Gibbons

Patient AmbassadorsKathleen SmithRichard Schweizer

Family AmbassadorsDee MadiganEva Urban

Workplace GivingBrookfield MultiplexDeutsche BankMacquarie Group FoundationRoyal Bank of ScotlandUBSWollongong Council

Community GroupsNSW Nurses and Midwives AssociationRotary Club of North Sydney

Pro BonoAHA NSWBlond CateringDecorative EventsElite Property BrokersGoldman TravelHilton Sydney HotelIGA DarlinghurstKleenmaidRobert Oatley WinesStaging ConnectionsUsher PhotographyUtteridge DesignWoodridge on the DerwentYaffa Media

Many thanks to Bruce Usher for the beautiful photos in this annual report.

Thank you for being part of the journey as our scientists search for a cure. Their discoveries deliver messages of hope to the countless families and friends affected by schizophrenia, and it is all because of the support you have shown.



The abridged consolidated financial position, accounts and financial performance for the year ended June 30, 2014 have been prepared from audited financial statements and passed by the Board of Directors, who are responsible for the presentation of those financial statements and the information they contain.

For a better understanding of the scope of the audit by KPMG, this report should be read in conjunction with KPMG’s report on the abridged financial statements.

This report can be obtained from: Schizophrenia Research Institute, 405 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst 2010.

Fundraising includes direct mail appeals, corporate partnerships, major gifts and community fundraising. External grants income includes government, peer-reviewed grants, foundations and major campaign agreements.

Financial Performance for the year ended 30 June 2014Income 2014 2013Fundraising 880,886 966,259

External grant income 3,153,162 4,359,176

Investment income 56,145 55,851

Sundry income 112,014 142,543

Total 4,202,207 5,523,829

Less ExpensesFundraising, Marketing & Communications 680,334 657,095

Administration 278,520 249,442

Investment 15,460 13,679

Research 3,761,299 3,794,089

Total 4,735,613 4,714,305

Net Surplus (loss) (553,406 809,524

Opening retained earnings 2,563,259 1,689,790

Transfer to retained earnings (553,406 809,524

Available for sale reserve 77,745 63,945

Closing retained earnings 2,107,598 2,563,259

Retained earnings 2,107,598 2,563,259

)

)


Employees andfunded positions

Ms Julie BarlowSchizophrenia Research Institute

Ms Nicole Batten Schizophrenia Research Institute

Ms Inara BebrisNeuroscience Research Australia

Mr Kel Beckett Schizophrenia Research Institute

Mr Danny BoerigterNeuroscience Research Australia(from 7 July 2013)

Mr Jason BridgeSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Newcastle

Ms Roxanne CadizNeuroscience Research Australia(from 5 August 2013)

Dr Murray CairnsSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Newcastle

Professor Vaughan CarrSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of New South Wales,St Vincent’s Hospital

Dr Vibeke CattsNeuroscience Research Australia

Ms Megan DialloSchizophrenia Research Institute

Ms Liesl Duffy Schizophrenia Research Institute(until 14 February 2014)

Dr Stu FillmanNeuroscience Research Australia(until 2 May 2014)

Dr Samantha FungNeuroscience Research Australia

Ms Inika GillisSt Vincent’s Hospital,University of New South Wales(from 27 March 2014)

Dr Melissa GreenSt Vincent’s Hospital,University of New South Wales

Ms Renee HampsonSchizophrenia Research Institute

Ms Janette HowellSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Newcastle

Ms Chelsea Hunter Schizophrenia Research Institute

Dr Dipesh JoshiNeuroscience Research Australia

Dr Kristen LaurensSt Vincent’s Hospital

Mr Nicolas LegrandSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Sydney(from 19 May 2014)

Dr Leonora LongNeuroscience Research Australia

Associate Professor Carmel LoughlandUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Jac Kee LowNeuroscience Research Australia,Schizophrenia Research Institute(until 15 August 2013)

Ms Sandra MathesonSchizophrenia Research Institute,St Vincent’s Hospital

Ms Gwynned O’NeillNeuroscience Research Australia(until 10 September 2013)

Ms Beatrix PalmerSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Sydney(until 23 May 2014)

Mr David PaulUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Michelle PooleSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Newcastle

Dr Tertia Purves-TysonNeuroscience Research Australia

Mr Yann QuideSchizophrenia Research Institute,St Vincent’s Hospital

Mr Paul RasserUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Alessandra RaudinoSt Vincent’s Hospital

Ms Dominique RichSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Newcastle


Ms Debora RothmondNeuroscience Research Australia

Professor Ulrich SchallUniversity of Newcastle

Professor Cynthia Shannon WeickertNeuroscience Research Australia

Ms Alana ShepherdSchizophrenia Research Institute,St Vincent’s Hospital(until 4 April 2014)

Ms Julia StevensSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Sydney

Ms Nina TeroganovaSt Vincent’s Hospital,University of New South Wales(from 24 March 2014)

Dr Renate ThienelUniversity of Newcastle(from 3 January 2014)

Ms Shan-Yuan TsaiNeuroscience Research Australia

Dr Thomas WeickertNeuroscience Research Australia

Ms Ruth WellsNeuroscience Research Australia

Dr Yinghua YuSchizophrenia Research Institute,University of Wollongong(from 1 November 2013)

Dr Katerina ZavitsanouNeuroscience Research Australia

Mr Jerzy ZiebaSchizophrenia Research Institute,Neuroscience Research Australia(from 31 July 2013)

Supported studentsMs Katherine AllenUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Jessica AndrewsUniversity of Wollongong

Mr Joshua Atkins University of Newcastle(Honours until December 2013)(PhD from March 2014)

Ms Ilijana BabicUniversity of New South Wales(from February 2014)

Mr Chris BellUniversity of Wollongong

Ms Sonja BouwerUniversity of Western Australia

Mr Christian BouwkampErasmus University Medical Centre

Mr Jason BridgeUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Mr Adam CarrollUniversity of Newcastle(until September 2013)

Ms Hui-Minh ChanMonash University

Ms Saruchi ChhabraUniversity of Western Australia

T-Yunn ChiaUniversity of New South Wales

Dr Martin CohenUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Julie CrabtreeUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Amy DawsonUniversity of Wollongong

Ms Dominique DerminioNeuroscience Research Australia

Ms Philippa Ditton-PhareUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Ms Vanezha DjunaidiUniversity of New South Wales(from February 2014)


Mr Ryan DuchatelUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Mr Tim EhlkesUniversity of Newcastle(until December 2013)

Ms Rickie-Leigh ElliotUniversity of Newcastle(until March 2014)

Mr Martin EngelUniversity of Wollongong

Ms Sacha FiliaMonash University

Ms Erin ForbesUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Ms Erin GardinerUniversity of Newcastle(until October 2013)

Mr Michael Geaghan University of Newcastle(Honours until December 2013)(PhD from March 2014)

Ms Brooke GelderUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Ms Leah GirshkinUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Belinda GoldieUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Kristi GriffithsUniversity of Sydney

Ms Mary-Claire HanlonUniversity of Newcastle (until October 2013)

Mr Ian HardingUniversity of Melbourne

Ms Juliane HeideUniversity of New South Wales(until October 2013)

Ms Sarah Hiles University of Newcastle

Ms Nicole HofsteinUniversity of New South Wales(from February 2014)

Ms Sharon HollinsUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Kim HuyhUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Ellen JiUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Alyssa JonesUniversity of New South Wales(from February 2014)

Ms Christie JonesUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Mr Ajay JoshiUniversity of Newcastle(from February 2014)

Mr Tamar KarkourMacquarie University

Lily KnechtelUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Jenny KokinousUniversity of Leipzig, Germany

Ms Julia Kuller-SmithUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Ms Lisa LeeUniversity of New South Wales

Mr William LeeUniversity of New South Wales(until December 2013)

Mr Jeremy LumUniversity of Wollongong(from August 2013)

Ms Sandra MathesonUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Natalie MatosinUniversity of Wollongong

Mr Matthew McTeigueUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Margaret NelsonUniversity of Melbourne

Mr Juan OlayaUniversity of New South Wales(Honours until December 2013)(PhD from February 2014)

Ms Ashleigh OsborneUniversity of New South Wales(from April 2014) Ms Colleen RespondekUniversity of Wollongong(until December 2013)

Ms Jesseca RowlandUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Maysa’a SafadiUniversity of Wollongong


Ms Danielle SantarelliUniversity of Newcastle(until November 2013)

Ms Alana ShepherdUniversity of New South Wales(until June 2014)

Ms Victoria SissanesUniversity of Wollongong(from February 2013)

Ms Ashley SkilleterUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Ketrina SlyUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Peta SnikerisUniversity of Wollongong

Ms Natasha SullyUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Mr Vaidy SwaminathanUniversity of Melbourne

Ms Nina TeroganovaUniversity of New South Wales(Honours until December 2013)(PhD from March 2014)

Ms Louise ThorntonUniversity of Newcastle

Mr Yash Tiwari University of New South Wales

Ms Shan-Yuan TsaiUniversity of New South Wales

Ms Kandice VarcinUniversity of New South Wales

Mr Matthew WongUniversity of New South Wales(from February 2014)

Mr Jamie WroeUniversity of Newcastle(from March 2014)

Ms Natalia YeeUniversity of New South Wales

Mr Yiru ZhangUniversity of New South Wales

Scientific affiliates

Ms Jessica AndrewsUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Jonathon ArnoldUniversity of Sydney

Dr Rebbekah AtkinsonUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Lisa AziziUniversity of Sydney

Dr Jo BadcockUniversity of Western Australia

Professor Amanda BakerUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Emma BarkusUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Natalie BeveridgeUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Nikola BowdenUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Michael BreakspearUniversity of New South Wales

Dr Bill BuddUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Linda CampbellUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Katrina CampbellTop End Mental Health Services

Professor Stan CattsUniversity of Queensland

Associate Professor Loris ChahlUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Vivian ChiuUniversity of Western Australia

Dr Martin CohenUniversity of Newcastle

Associate Professor Kimberlie DeanUniversity of New South Wales

Dr Irina DedovaUniversity of Western Sydney

Associate Professor Chao DengUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Teresa Du BoisUniversity of Wollongong


Mr Ryan DuchatelUniversity of Newcastle

Ms Philippa Ditton-PhareHunter New England Health

Professor Jo DuFlouNSW Department of Forensic Medicine

Dr Francesca Fernandez-EnrightUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Allison FoxUniversity of Western Australia

Dr Ross FulhamUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Janice FullertonNeuroscience Research Australia

Ms Therese GarrickUniversity of Sydney

Mr Jan GolembiewskiUniversity of Sydney

Dr Melissa GreenSt Vincent’s Hospital, University of NSW

Dr Mei HanUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Lauren HarmsUniversity of Newcastle

Associate Professor Anthony HarrisBrain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Hospital

Dr Julie HenryUniversity of New South Wales

Associate Professor Frans HenskensUniversity of Newcastle

Professor Herbert HerzogGarvan Institute of Medical Research

Dr Tina HintonUniversity of Sydney

Dr Deborah HodgsonUniversity of Newcastle

Professor Xu-Feng HuangUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Ian GouldSt Vincent’s Hospital, University of New South Wales

Professor Assen JablenskyUniversity of Western Australia

Ms Ellen JiNeuroscience Research Australia

Dr Linda KaderMelbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sunshine Hospital

Dr Luba KalaydjievaUniversity of Western Australia

Dr Frini KarayanidisUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Tim KarlNeuroscience Research Australia

Professor Simon KillcrossUniversity of New South Wales

Dr Matthias KlugmannUniversity of New South Wales

Professor Jillian KrillUniversity of Sydney

Dr John KwokNeuroscience Research Australia

Dr Robyn LangdonMacquarie University

Dr Matthew LargePrince of Wales Hospital

Dr Rhoshel LenrootNeuroscience Research Australia

Mr Terry LewinUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Leonora LongNeuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales

Associate Professor Colleen LooUniversity of New South Wales

Mr Jeremy LumUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Pamela MarshMacquarie University

Ms Toni McCrossinUniversity of Sydney

Associate Professor Skye McDonaldUniversity of New South Wales

Emeritus Professor Patricia MichieUniversity of Newcastle

Professor Vera MorganUniversity of Western Australia

Dr David MossmanUniversity of Newcastle


Professor Bryan MowryQueensland Centre for Mental Health Research

Dr Jennifer MurphyUniversity of New South Wales

Dr Kelly NewellUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Penny NewsonUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Olav NielssenSt Vincent’s Hospital, University of New South Wales

Dr Vidya PereraUniversity of Buffalo/Novartis

Dr Georgina PaulikBondi Junction Community Health Centre

Ms Kristy PayneCentre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, Orange

Dr Alessandra RaudinoSt Vincent’s Hospital, University of NSW

Ms Jesseca RowlandSt Vincent’s Hospital, University of NSW

Dr Grant SaraNSW Ministry of Health & Sydney University

Dr Maria SarrisUniversity of New South Wales

Professor Ulrich SchallUniversity of Newcastle

Professor Peter SchofieldNeuroscience Research Australia

Professor Rodney ScottHunter Area Pathology Service

Dr Marc SealMurdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital

Ms Donna SheedyUniversity of Sydney

Prof David ShumGriffith University

Dr Glen SmithMacquarie Hospital, Henley Unit

Dr Nadia SolowijUniversity of Wollongong

Dr Tirupati SrinivasanUniversity of Newcastle

Dr Renate ThienelCentre for Rural and Remote Health, Bloomfield’s Hospital

Ms Nicola ThomsonSt Vincent’s Hospital

Dr Juanita ToddUniversity of Newcastle

Associate Professor Paul TooneyUniversity of Newcastle

Associate Professor Jamie VandenbergVictor Chang Cardiac Research Institute

Dr Bryce VisselGarvan Institute of Medical Research

Ms Hongquin WangAustralia Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

Dr Flavie WatersUniversity of Western Australia

Dr Thomas WeickertNeuroscience Research Australia

Ms Ruth WellsNeuroscience Research Australia

Dr Katrina Weston-GreenUniversity of Wollongong

Professor Lea WilliamsBrain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Hospital

Ms Natalia YeeUniversity of NSW

Dr Katerina ZavitsanouNeuroscience Research Australia


Grants

Grants Administered by SRI

Carr V, Laurens K, Holbrook, Lenroot, Brinkman, Bore, Green, Smith, Stevens, Allan. NSW Child Development Study. Department of Family and Community Services Partner Contribution, 2014 ($240,000).

Gould, I. Cognitive subtypes spanning schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: genetic and neuroanatomical factors. NARSAD Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation Young Investigator Award, 2014. ($60,000).

Matheson S, Shepherd A, Carr V. Management of suicidal behaviour and ideation in NSW health settings. SAX Institute Rapid Review on behalf of NSW Ministry of Health, 2013 ($30,000).

Matheson S, Carr V. Transitioning long-stay psychiatric inpatients to the community. SAX Institute/NSW Ministry of Health, 2014 ($30,000).

Raudino A. Early childhood indicators of mental illness risk. A population cohort study. NARSAD Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation Young Investigator Award, 2014 ($59,965).

Grants Administered by Researcher’s Host Institution

Andrews J. Global Challenge Program - Living Well, Longer. UOW Global Challenges Travel Scholarship, 2013 ($2,000).

Andrews J. Society of Biological Psychiatry’s International Travel Fellowship, 2014 ($US2,000/$AU2294).

Cairns M, Walker F. Characterisation and modelling of schizophrenia-associated dysregulation of miR-137 expression, NHMRC Project Grant, 2014-2016 ($557,565).

Green MJ. Carving psychosis at its biological joints. NHMRC R.D. Wright Biomedical Career Development Fellowship (Level 2), 2014-2017 ($447,000).

Haliday G, Shannon Weickert C, Rawlinson W, Dzamko N. Luminex-MAGPIX machine for reading multiplex assays. UNSW Major Research Equipment & Infrastructure Scheme 2013 ($48,634).

Huang XF, J Crook, R Kapsa, G Wallace. Application of intelligent conducting polymers for treating schizophrenia and allied disorders focusing on neuronal outgrowth, myelination and synaptogenesis. NHMRC Project Grant, 2014-2017 ($675,550).

Ittner L, Housley G, Morris M, Hardeman E, Palmer S, Gibson K, Carrive P, Moorhouse A, Klugmann M, Moalem-Taylor G, Karl T, Fath T, Craig A, Britton F, van Eersel J, Ke YD. Telemetry and behavioural equipment for comprehensive phenotyping of rodent disease models. MREII UNSW Equipment Grant, 2013 ($312,115).

Karl T. Rat models of schizophrenia. UNSW Co-Sponsorship for Visitors, 2013 ($2,400).

Karl T. The therapeutic potential of the endocannabinoid system for Alzheimer’s disease. Mason Foundation Medical & Scientific Research Grant forAlzheimer’s Disease, 2013($58,000).

Laurens K, Carr V, Green M, Brinkman S, Dix K, Lenroot Dean K. Identifying new targets for primary school mental health interventions using population data. NHMRC Project Grant, 2014-2016 ($772,647).

Le Pelley M, Morris R, Green M, Whitford T, Killcross A. Prediction error processing in schizophrenia. NHMRC Project Grant, 2014-2017 ($243,447).

Loughland C, Kelly B. Communication Skills for Psychiatry (ComPsych) : Developing a simulated patient pool. HETI ($3000).

Loughland CM, Kelly B. Communication Skills for Psychiatry (ComPsych) program: Translating communication research into clinical practice. HMRI EOI, 2014 ($3,000).

Matosin N. The role of candidate brain proteins mGluR5 and Homer1 in schizophrenia and major depression. Disease Models and Mechanisms Travelling Fellowship, 2013 ($3720).

Newell K. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 regulation in the development of pathophysiology of schizophrenia and major depression. UoW Small Grant, 2013 ($15,000).

Shannon Weickert C, Pantelis C. Cortical neuroprotection in schizophrenia. UNSW Gold Star Award, 2013 ($40,000).


Shannon Weickert C, Fillman S, Schofield P, Sachdev P, Mather K, Fullerton J, Dobson-Stone C, Zavitsanou K, Fung S, Purves-Tyson T. Life Technologies, Personal Genome Machine Benchtop Sequencer . UNSW Major Research Equipment & Infrastructure Scheme, 2013 ($162,598).

Sinclair D. Investigating NMDA receptor hypofunction as a point of convergence for genetic and environmental risk factors in schizophrenia. National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship, CJ Martin – Overseas Biomechanical Fellowship, 2014 ($324,812).

Solowij N, Broyd S, Todd J, Johnstone, S, Fernandez F, Michie P, Croft R. A familial analysis of vulnerability to the adverse neurocognitive effects of cannabis. UoW Near Miss Award, 2013 ($14,000).

Solowij N, Macfarlane M, Schira M, Carmody J. Package to enable advanced 3D brain imaging visualisation, manipulation and measurement. NHMRC Equipment Grant, 2014 ($13,000).

Todd J, Schall U, Forstmann, Kotz. Tracking change: Why faster processing of sound is better. University of Newcastle Near Miss Award, 2013 ($10,000).

Weickert T, Shannon Weickert C, Catts S, Lenroot R, Galletly C, Wakefield D, Lloyd A. Canakinumab adjunctive treatment trial to reduce symptoms and improve cognition in patients with schizophrenia displaying elevated peripheral IL-1beta. Stanley Medical Research Institute, USA, 2014 ($US361,132/$AU414,284).

Zavitsanou K, Shannon Weickert C, Karl T, Guillemin G, Lim C. Maternal infection and schizophrenia. UNSW Gold Star Award, 2014 ($40,000).

Active, Previously Awarded, Grants administered by SRI

Carr V, Duffy L, Shannon Weickert C. The Macquarie Group Foundation Chair of Schizophrenia Research. The Macquarie Group Foundation, 2013-2015 ($825,000).

Green M et al. Social cognitive skills training in young people with schizophrenia. Joan Salter Grant, Rotary Club of Sydney 2013-2015 ($48,000).

Henskens F, Loughland C, McCabe K, Bridge J, Paul D, Carr V, Duffy L. Extension and enhancements of Systems for the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank. NeCTAR eResearch Tools Grant, 2012-2014 ($639,550).

Active, Previously Awarded, Grants Administered by SRI Researcher’s Host Institution

Baker A, Richmond R, Castle D, Kay-Lambkin F. Follow-up of healthy lifestyles intervention for cardiovascular disease among people with a psychotic disorder. NHMRC Project Grant, 2011-2013 ($436,085).

Becker T, Rinkwitz S, Cairns M. In vivo analysis of the molecular and neural mechanism that underly an association of miRNAs with mental disorders. NHMRC Project Grant, 2012-2014, ($573,660).

Butler T, Schofield P, Greenberg D, Weatherburn D, Wilhelm K, Carr V, D’Este C, Jones A. Reducing impulsive behaviour in repeat violent offenders using a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor. NHMRC Project Grant, 2010-2014 ($1,261,750).

Cairns M, Scott R, Tooney P, Rostas J, Brichta A. Molecular and cellular characterisation of schizophrenia associated dysfunction in microRNA biogenesis. NHMRC Project Grant, 2010-2014 ($478,500).

Deng C. Understanding the mechanisms of functionally selective antipsychotic drugs: Implications for new generation antipsychotic drugs. NHMRC Project Grant, 2011-2013 ($359,182).

Deng C, Huang XF. Roles of muscarinic M3 receptors in antipsychotic-induced metabolic side-effects: prevention and treatment of antipsychotic-induced insulin dysregulation. NHMRC Project Grant, 2013-2016 ($583,611).

Fisher H, Laurens K. Prediction of prodromal schizophrenia using a triad of early risk factors in a longitudinal cohort of children. British Medical Association Margaret Temple Award for Schizophrenia Research, 2012-2015 (GB£30,781/AU$52,383).

Green M. Imaging genetics in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: Adjudicating neurocognitive endophenotypes. NHMRC Project Grant, 2010-2014 ($540,000).

Green M, Cairns M, Laurens K, Carr V. Epistatic genetic effects on neuroanatomical subtypes of schizophrenia. NHMRC Project Grant, 2013-2015 ($399,325).


Huang XF, Deng C. Schizophrenia: Prevention and treatment of atypical antipsychotic drug-induced obesity. NHMRC Project Grant, 2010-2014 ($399,250).

Huang XF, Deng C, Fernandez F. Schizophrenia: Reversal of atypical antipsychotic drug-induced obesity and its related metabolic disorders. NHMRC Project Grant. 2012-2015. ($599,653).Karl T. Gene-environment interactions in brain disorders. NHMRC RD Wright Biomedical Fellowship, 2013-2016 ($439,920).

Kelly B, Stain H, Lewin T, Carr V, Fragar L,Perkins D, Fuller J. Living in a rural community: A longitudinal study of the course and outcome of mental health and wellbeing. NHMRC Project Grant, 2010-2014 ($805,650).

Laurens K, Fisher F, Cullen A. Does elevated C-reactive protein predict future psychopathology amongst children exposed to trauma? Waterloo Foundation Child Development Fund 2013-2014 (GB£15,652/AU$24,355).

Lenroot R, Dadds M, Brennan J, Hawes D, Green M, Laurens K. An MRI study of emotional processing deficits in childhood. NHMRC Project Grant, 2013-2016 ($599,002).

Michie P, Hodgson D, Zavitsanou K, Schall U, Todd J. The effects of maternal infection on glutamate‐related behavioural, electrophysiological and neuropathological measures relevant to schizophrenia. NHMRC Project Grant. 2012-2014, ($514,669).

Schall U, Michie P, Stain H, Ward P, Langdon R, Todd J, Rasser P, Carr V, Weickert T. Understanding emerging severe mental illness in young people. NHMRC Project Grant, 2009-2013 ($1,505,750).

Schofield P, Fullerton J, Shannon Weickert C, Donald J. Sialyltransferase in the bipolar and schizophrenic brain: examining the role of a novel generalised susceptibility gene. NHMRC Project Grant, 2010-2014 ($494,500).

Shannon Weickert C. Senior Research Fellowship A, National Health and Medical Research Council Research, 2012-2015 ($580,910).

Shannon Weickert C, Double K, Purves-Tyson T. Molecular mechanisms of testosterone action on midbrain dopamine neuron differentiation. NHMRC Project Grant, 2012-2014 ($328,175).

Shannon Weickert C, Garner B, Fullerton J. Neuregulin dependent neuronal migration and schizophrenia. NHMRC Project Grant, 2010-2013 ($289,000).

Solowij N, Croft R, Todd J, Fernandez F, Michie P, McGuire P, Murray R. Vulnerability markers in the association between cannabis and schizophrenia. NHMRC Project Grant, 2011-2013 ($499,006).

Todd J, Schall U, Michie P, Ward P. Impaired anticipation of sensory events in schizophrenia. NHMRC Project Grant, 2011-2013 ($300,032).


Publications 2013-2014 Barry G, Briggs J, Vanichkina D, Poth E, Beveridge N, Ratnu V, Nayler S, Nones K, Hu J, Bredy T, Nakagawa S, Rigo F, Taft R, Cairns M, Blackshaw S, Wolvetang E, Mattick J. The long non-coding RNA Gomafu is acutely regulated in response to neuronal activation and involved in schizophrenia-associated alternative splicing. Molecular Psychiatry 2014; 19: 486-494.

Beveridge N, Santarelli D, Wang X, Tooney P, Webster M, Shannon Weickert C, Cairns M. Maturation of the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex coincides with a dynamic shift in microRNA expression. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2014; 40: 399-409.

Broyd S, Greenwood L, Croft R, Dalecki A, Todd J, Michie P, Johnstone S, Solowij N. Chronic effects of cannabis on sensory gating. Psychophysiology 2013; 89: 381-389.

Bruggeman J, Stockill H, Lenroot R, Laurens K. Mismatch negativity (MMN) and sensory auditory processing in children aged 9-12 years presenting with putative antecedents of schizophrenia. International Psychophysiology 2013; 89: 374-380.

Catts V, Wong J, Fung S, Shannon Weickert C. Increased expression of astrocyte markers in schizophrenia: association with neuroinflammation. Australian New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2014; 48: 722-734.

Cheng D, Low J, Logge W, Garner B, Karl T. Chronic cannabidiol treatment improves social and object recognition in double transgenic APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice. Psychopharmacology 2014; 321: 3009-3017.

Cheng D, Low JK, Logge W, Garner B, Karl T. Novel behavioural characteristics of female APPSwe/PS1∆E9 double transgenic mice. Behavioural Brain Research 2014; 260: 111-118.

Chhabra S, Badcock J, Maybery M. Memory binding in clinical and non-clinical psychotic experiences: How does the continuum model fare? Cognitive Neuropsychiatry 2013; 18: 304-325.

Cullen A, De Brito S, Gregory S, Murray R, Williams S, Hodgins S, Laurens K. Temporal lobe volume abnormalities precede the prodrome: A study of children presenting antecedents of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2013; 39: 1318-1327.

Cullen A, Fisher H, Roberts R, Pariante C, Laurens K. Daily stressors and negative life events in children at risk for developing schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry 2014; 204: 354-360.

Deng C, Dean B. Mapping the pathophysiology of schizophrenia: interactions between multiple cellular pathways. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 2013; 7: 238.

Dickson H, Calkins M, Kohler C, Hodgins S, Laurens K. Misperceptions of facial emotions among youth aged 9-14 years who present multiple antecedents of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2014; 40: 460-468.

Dickson H, Cullen A, Reichenberg A, Hodgins S, Campbell D, Morris R, Laurens K. Cognitive impairment among children at-risk for schizophrenia. Psychiatric Research 2014; 50: 92-99.

Elliot R, Campbell L, McCabe K, Newman L, Hunter M, Loughland C. When I look into my baby’s eyes... Emotion recognition of infant faces by mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder. Infant Mental Health 2014; 35: 21-32.

Fernandez-Enright F, Andrews J, Newell K, Pantelis C, Huang XF. Novel implications of Lingo-1 and its signaling partners in schizophrenia. Translational Psychiatry 2014; 4: e348.

Fillman S, Sinclair D, Fung S, Webster M, Shannon Weickert C. Markers of inflammation and stress distinguish subsets of individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Translational Psychiatry 2014; 4: e365.

Fung S, Fillman S, Webster M, Shannon Weickert C. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder show both common and distinct changes in cortical interneuron markers. Schizophrenia Research 2014; 155: 26-30.

Fung S, Joshi D, Fillman S, Shannon Weickert C. High white matter neuron density with elevated cortical cytokine expression in schizophrenia. Biological Psychiatry 2014; 75: e5-7.

Gardiner E, Carroll A, Tooney P, Cairns M. Antipsychotic drug-associated gene-miRNA interaction in T-lymphocytes. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 17:929-943.


Goldie B, Dun M, Lin M, Smith N, Verrills N, Dayas C, Cairns M. Activity-associated miRNA are packaged in Map1b-enriched exosomes released from depolarized neurons. Nucleic Acids Research. 2014; 42: 9195-9208.

Green M, Cairns M, Wu J, Dragovic M, Jablensky A, Tooney P, Scott R, Carr V. Genome-wide supported variant MIR137 and severe negative symptoms predict membership of an impaired cognitive subtype of schizophrenia. Molecular Psychiatry 2013; 18: 774-780.

Green M, Chia T, Cairns M, Wu J, Tooney P, Scott R, Carr V. Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase (COMT) genotype modulates the effects of childhood adversity on cognition and symptoms in schizophrenia. Psychiatric Research 2013; 49: 43-50.

Greenwood L, Broyd S, Croft R, Todd J, Michie P, Johnstone S, Murray R, Solowij N. Chronic effects of cannabis use on the auditory mismatch negativity. Biological Psychiatry 2014; 75: 449-458.

Gupta P, Cairns M, Saksena N. Regulation of gene expression by microRNA in HCV infection and HCV-mediated hepatocellular carcinoma. Virology 2014; 11: 1-14.

Gupta P, Liu B, Wu JQ, Soriano V, Vispo E, Carroll AP, Goldie B, Cairns M, Saksena N. Genome-wide mRNA and miRNA analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) reveals different miRNAs regulating HIV/HCV co-infection. Virology 2014; 450-451: 336-349.

Han M, Huang XF, Chen D, Xiu M, Kosten T, Zhang XY. Diabetes and cognitive deficits in chronic schizophrenia: a case-control study. PLoS One 2013; 8: e66299.

Hughes M, Johnston P, Fulham WR, Budd T, Michie P. Stop-signal task difficulty and the right inferior frontal gyrus. Behavioural Brain Research 2013; 256: 205-213.

Hui L, Zhang X, Yu YQ, Han M, Huang XF, Chen D, Wang Z, Du W, Kou C, Yu Q, Kosten T, Zhang XY. Association between DBH 19bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and cognition in first-episode schizophrenia patients. Schizophrenia Research 2013; 147: 236-240.

Jafari S, Huang XF, Andrews J, Fernandez-Enright F. In vivo pharmacological evaluations of novel olanzapine analogues in rats: a potential new avenue for the treatment of schizophrenia. PLoS One 2013; 8: e80979.

Karl T. Neuregulin 1: a prime candidate for research into gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia? Insights from genetic rodent models. Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience 2013; 7: 1-8.

Kim W, Bhatia S, Glaros E, Tsuruoka S, Shannon Weickert C, Halliday G. ABCA8 Regulates Sphingomyelin Production in Oligodendrocyte. Biochemical Journal 2013; 452: 401-410.

Kumarasinghe N, Beveridge N, Gardiner E, Scott R, Yasawardene S, Perera A, Mendis J, Suriyakumara K, Schall U, Tooney P. Gene expression profiling in treatment-naïve schizophrenia patients identifies abnormalities in biological pathways involving AKT1 that are corrected by antipsychotic medication. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 16: 1483-1503.

Langdon R, Finkbeiner M, Connors M, Connaughton E. Masked and unmasked priming in schizophrenia. Consciousness & Cognition 2013; 22: 1206-1213.

Lian J, Huang XF, Pai N, Deng C. Betahistine ameliorates olanzapine-induced weight gain through modulation of histaminergic, NPY and AMPK pathways. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 48: 77-86.

Lian J, Huang XF, Pai N, Deng C. Effects of olanzapine and betahistine co-treatment on serotonin transporter, 5-HT2A and dopamine D2 receptor binding density. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry 2013; 47: 62-68.

Matheson S, Shepherd A, Carr V. How much do we know about schizophrenia and how well do we know it? Evidence from the Schizophrenia Library. Psychological Medicine 2014; 20: 1-19.

Matheson S, Shepherd A, Carr V. Management of suicidal behaviour and ideation in NSW health settings. SAX Institute 2014: https://www.saxinstitute.org.au/

Matheson S, Vijayan H, Dickson H, Shepherd A, Carr V, Laurens K. Systematic meta-analysis of childhood social withdrawal in schizophrenia, and comparison with social withdrawal in at-risk children aged 9-14 years. Psychiatric Research 2013; 47: 1061-1068.

Matosin N, Frank E, Engel M, Lum J, Newell K. Negativity towards negative results: a discussion of the disconnect between scientific worth and scientific culture. Disease Models & Mechanisms 2014; 7: 171-173.

McCarthy-Jones S, Green M, Scott R, Tooney P, Cairns M, Wu J, Carr V. Preliminary evidence of an interaction between the FOXP2 gene and childhood emotional abuse predicting likelihood of auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia. Psychiatric Research 2014; 50: 66–72.


Moore L, Kyaw M, Vercammen A, Lenroot R, Kulkarni J, Curtis J, O’Donnell M, Carr V, Shannon Weickert C. Serum testosterone levels are related to cognitive function in men with schizophrenia. Psychoneuronendocrinology 2013; 38: 1717-1728.

Newell K, Karl T, Huang XF. A neuregulin1 transmembrane domain mutation causes imbalanced glutamatergic and dopaminergic receptor expression in mice. Neuroscience 2013; 248: 670-680.

Newell K. What is the role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in schizophrenia? Emerging evidence for the development of antipsychotic drugs. Future Medicinal Chemistry 2013; 5: 1471-1474.

Newell K, Matosin N, Lum J. Metabotropic glutamate receptors in the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia and major depression. Metabotropic glutamate receptors: molecular mechanisms, role in neurological disorders and pharmacological effects, Ed. Foster Olive M, Nova Science Publishers 2014: 73 - 106.

Oldmeadow C, Mossman D, Evans TJ, Holliday EG, Tooney PA, Cairns MJ, Wu J, Carr V, Attia JR, Scott RJ. Combined analysis of exon splicing and genome wide polymorphism data predict schizophrenia risk loci. Psychiatric Research 2014; 52:44-49.

Paulik G, Hayward M, Stain H. Advances in cognitive therapy for voice hearers: the introduction of cognitive behavioural relating therapy (CBRT). Advances in Psychological Research, Ed. Columbus A, Nova Science Publishers 2013; 97: 1-24.

Paulik G, Hayward M, Birchwood M. Cognitive Behavioural Relating Therapy (CBRT) for Voice Hearers: A Case Study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 2013; 41: 626-641.

Player M, Taylor J, Shannon Weickert C, Alonzo A, Sachdev P, Martin D, Mitchell P, Loo C. Neuroplasticity in depressed individuals compared to healthy controls. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38: 2101-2108.

Purves-Tyson T, Owens S, Double K, Handelsman D, Shannon Weickert C. Testosterone modulation of dopamine turnover and dopamine-related mRNAs in the nigrostriatal pathway of adolescent male rats. PLoS One 2014; 11 : e91151.

Quidé Y, Morris R, Shepherd A, Rowland J, Green M. Task-related fronto-striatal functional connectivity during working memory performance in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research 2013; 150: 468-475.

Raudino A, Carr V, Bush R, Saw S, Burgess P, Morgan V. Patterns of service utilisation in psychosis: findings of the 2010 Australian National Survey of Psychosis. New Zealand and Australian Journal of Psychiatry 2014; 48: 341-351.

Rowland J, Hamilton M, Lino B, Ly P, Denny K, Hwang E, Mitchell P, Carr V, Green M. Cognitive regulation of negative affect in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Psychiatry Research 2013; 208: 21-28.

Shannon Weickert C, Weickert T, Pillai A, Buckley B. Biomarkers in schizophrenia: a brief conceptual consideration. Disease Markers 2013; 35: 3-9.

Shannon Weickert C., Fung S, Catts V, Schofield P, Allen K, Moore L, Chan M, Newell K, Pellen D, Huang XF, Catts S, Weickert T. Molecular evidence of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia. Molecular Psychiatry 2013; 18: 1185-1192.

Sinclair D, Fillman S, Webster M, Shannon Weickert C. Dysregulation of glucocorticoid receptor co-factors FKBP5, BAG1 and PTGES3 in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in psychotic illness. Scientific Reports 2014; 3: 3539.

Spencer J, Chohan T, Karl T, Arnold J. Female neuregulin 1 heterozygous mice require repeated exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol to alter sensorimotor gating function. Pharmacopsychiatry 2013; 46: 286-291.

Thompson R, Shannon Weickert C, Webster M. Decreased BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression in multiple cortical areas of patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders. Translational Psychiatry 2014; 4 : e389.

Todd J, Harms L, Michie P, Schall U. Mismatch negativity (MMN): translating the potential. Frontiers in Psychiatry: Schizophrenia 2013; 4: 171.

Umeda-Yano S, Hashimoto R, Yamamori H, Shannon Weickert C, Yasunda Y, Ohi K, Fujimoto M, Ito A, Takeda M. Expression analysis of the genes identified in GWAS of the postmortem brain tissues from patients with schizophrenia. Neuroscience Letters 2014; 568: 12-16.


Vercammen A, Shannon Weickert C, Skilleter A, Lenroot R, Schofield P, Weickert T. Common polymorphisms in dopamine related genes combine to produce a “schizophrenia-like” prefrontal hypoactivity. Translational Psychiatry 2014; 4: e356.

Vercammen A, Skilleter A, Lenroot R, Catts V, Shannon Weickert C, Weickert T. Testosterone is inversely related to brain activity during emotional inhibition in schizophrenia. PLoS One 2013; 8: e77496.

Walker F, Beynon S, Jones K, Zhao Z, Kongsui R, Cairns M, Nilsson M. Dynamic structural remodelling of microglia in health and disease: a review of the models, the signals and the mechanisms. Brain, Behavior and Immunity 2014; 37: 1-14.

Wang Q, Wei X, Gao H, Li J, Liao J, Liu X, Qin B, Yu Y, Deng C, Tang B, Huang XF. Simvastatin reverses the downregulation of M1/4 receptor binding in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced Parkinsonian rats: the association with improvements in long term memory. Neuroscience 2014; 267: 57-66.

Wang X, Cairns M. Gene set enrichment analysis of RNAΔseq data: integrating differential expression and splicing. BMC Bioinformatics 2013; 14: S16.

Wang X, Cairns M. Understanding complex transcriptome dynamics in schizophrenia and other neurological diseases using RNA sequencing. International Review of Neurobiology 2014; 116: 127-152.

Wang X, Cairns M. SeqGSEA: a bioconductor package for gene set enrichment analysis of RNA-Seq data integrating differential expression and splicing. Bioinformatics 2014: 30; 1777–1779.

Weston-Green K, Huang XF, Deng C. Second generation antipsychotic-induced type 2 diabetes: a role for the muscarinic M3 receptor. CNS Drugs 2013; 27:1069-1080.

Wu Y, Yu Y, Szabo A, Huang XF. Central inflammation and leptin resistance are attenuated by ginsenoside Rb1 treatment in obese mice fed a high-fat diet. PLoS ONE 2014; 9: e92618.

Yu YH, Wu YZ, Patch C, Wu ZX, Szabo A, Duo L, Huang XF. DHA prevents altered 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, CB1 and GABAA receptor binding densities in the brain of male rats fed a high-saturated fat. Nutritional Biochemistry 2013; 24: 1349-1355.

Zavitsanou K, Dalton V, Walker A, Shannon Weickert C, Sominsky L, Hodgson D. Neonatal lipopolysaccharide treatment has long term effects on monaminergic and cannabinoid receptors in the rat. Synapse 2013; 67: 290-299.

Zhang Q, Lian J, He M, Deng C, Wang H, Huang XF. Olanzapine reduced brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and locomotor activity in female rats. Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 2014; 51: 172-180.

Zhang Q, Deng C, Huang XF. The role of ghrelin signalling in second-generation antipsychotic induced weight gain. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38: 2423-2438.

Zhao J, Yu Y, Weng B, Zhang W, Harris AT, Minett AI, Yue Z, Huang XF, Chen, J. Sensitive and selective dopamine determination in human serum with inkjet printed Nafion/MWCNT chips. Electrochemistry Communications 2013; 37: 32-35.


ANNUAL REPORT

2014405 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst 2010 NSW, AustraliaTel: +61 2 9295 8688Fax: +61 2 9295 8689Email: [email protected]

www.schizophreniaresearch.org.au

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