Dr Kelly Newell

BSc (Hons), PhD

Position:

• Senior Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences 
   

Teaching and Coordinating: 

• Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Medical and Health Sciences Advanced
• SHS311 Fundamentals of Neuroscience
• MHSA100 Current Issues in Medical and Health Sciences
• Undergraduate and postgraduate research student supervision

Research Activity:

Objective:
The overall aim of my research is to 1) understand the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia and autism; 2) determine if there are common aetiological and/or biochemical processes affected in both schizophrenia and autism. 
Background:
Schizophrenia and autism are both thought to arise as a result of abnormalities in normal brain development. Numerous neurochemical systems play vital roles in key stages of brain development; the glutamate, neuregulin and cannabinoid systems in particular are of interest to me in studying the development and pathology of schizophrenia and autism.
Approach and expected outcomes: 
I apply molecular approaches such as receptor autoradiography, immunoblot and in situ hybridization, to explore neurochemical systems in post-mortem human brain tissue as well as in rat and mouse models. These approaches allow us to gain an understanding of the neurochemical changes and interactions that occur in these disorders, and provide insight into how disruptions to specific neurochemical systems might be involved in the onset and/or symptom profiles of schizophrenia and autism.

Selected Research Grants:

External:

• 2009-2011. Huang XF and Newell KA. NMDA receptor/neuregulin1 signalling in response to phencyclidine administration. NHMRC Project Grant, $417,750.
• 2011. Newell KA, du Bois TM, Fung S, Frank E, Shannon Weickert C. mGlu5 as a potential therapeutic target for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research Institute New Initiatives Funding $5000.
• 2008. Newell KA and Huang XF. The role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research Institute New Initiatives Funding, $5000.
   

Internal:

• 2013. Newell KA. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 as a novel therapeutic target for schizophrenia: working via NMDA receptor subunit specific mechanisms? University of Wollongong Research Committee Small Grant, $17,000.
• 2012. Newell KA, Frank E, Deng C, Wong J. Investigation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 alterations in psychiatric disorders. Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute Small Grant $8,780.
• 2012. Newell KA. NMDA receptor subunit profile in schizophrenia. University of Wollongong Research Committee Small Grant, $16,000.
• 2010 Newell KA. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in the treatment and pathology of schizophrenia. University of Wollongong Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Research Committee Early Career Researcher Grant, $3000. 
• 2008 Newell KA. and Huang XF.  Neuregulin 1 and ErbB4 mRNA and protein expression in schizophrenia. University of Wollongong Research Committee Small Grant, $12,400.  
   

Awards:

• 2012. Newell KA. World Teachers Day Recognition Award: for commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate neuroscience teaching and mentoring

• 2008. Newell KA. Schizophrenia Research Institute Early Career Researcher of the Year: in recognition of an outstanding contribution to Australian schizophrenia research.
   

Publications:

Searchable RIS publications from 2000 to date.

Selected publications:

• Matosin N and Newell KA. 2013. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 in the Pathology and Treatment o Schizophrenia. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 37:256-268
• Matosin N, Frank E, Deng C, Huang XF and Newell KA. 2013. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Binding and Protein Expression in Schizophrenia and Following Antipsychotic Drug Treatment. Schizophrenia Research, In Press.
• Weickert CS, Fung SJ, Catts VS, Schofield PR, Allen KM, Moore LT, Newell KA, Pellen D, Huang XF, Catts SV and Weickert TW. 2013. Molecular evidence of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia. Molecular Psychiatry, In Press.
• Geddes AE, Huang XF, and Newell KA. 2011. Reciprocal signalling between NR2 subunits of the NMDA receptor and neuregulin1 and their role in schizophrenia. Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, 34:896-904.
• Frank E, Newell KA and Huang XF. 2011. Density of metabotropic glutamate receptors 2 and 3 (mGluR2/3) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex does not differ with schizophrenia diagnosis but decreases with age. Schizophrenia Research,128:56-60.
• Newell KA, Deng C and Huang XF. 2006. Increased cannabinoid receptor density in the posterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia. Experimental Brain Research, 172: 556-560.
   

Email:    kelly_newell@uow.edu.au 
Phone:  +61(02) 4221 5743
Office:   B41.331