• Site Map
• Campus Map
• A-Z Index
• Staff Intranet
• Contacts

Dr Kelly Newell

BSc (Hons), PhD

Position:

• Lecturer

Teaching and Coordinating:

• BMS300 Regional Anatomy
• BMS346 Motor Control and Dysfunction
• BMS352 Fundamentals of Neuroscience
• Honours and postgraduate research student supervision

Research Activity:

Objective: 
To explore the role of neurochemical systems in brain development and in schizophrenia, in particular that of the glutamate, neuregulin and cannabinoid systems as well as the interactions between them
Background: 
Many neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, are believed 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 in the development and pathology of schizophrenia.
Approach and expected outcomes: 
Using post-mortem human brain tissue and rat/mouse models (e.g. NMDA receptor hypofunction models using MK-801 & PCP, and neuregulin1 knockout mice), combined with molecular approaches such as receptor autoradiography, immunoblot and in situ hybridization, allows us to explore how the above neurochemical systems interact and how disruptions to these systems might be involved in schizophrenia.

Research Grants:

• 2009 Huang, X.F. and Newell, K.A. NMDA receptor/neuregulin1 signalling in response to phencyclidine administration. NHMRC Project Grant, $417,750 over 3 years.
• 2009 Huang, X.F., Deng, C., Newell, K.A. Chen, J., Fernandez, F., Groeller, H., Mitchell, T, Blanksby, S., Aquilina, A., Meyer, B., Mazzochi-Jones, D.  Molecular Pathology Infrastructure. University of Wollongong Research Infrastructure Block Grant (RIBG), $72,000.
• 2008 Newell K.A. and Huang X.F. The role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research Institute New Initiatives Funding, $5000.
• 2008 Newell K.A. and Huang X.F.  Neuregulin 1 and ErbB4 mRNA and protein expression in schizophrenia. University of Wollongong Research Committee Small Grant, $12,400. 
• 2008 Newell, K.A.An investigation of neuregulin 1 expression following perinatal NMDA hypofunction. University of Wollongong Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Research Committee Small Grant, $5000.
• 2008 Newell, K.A. Are CB1 receptors more sensitive at adolescence than adulthood in Sprague-Dawley rats: implications for vulnerability to the effects of cannabis use. University of Wollongong Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Research Committee Early Career Researcher Grant, $3000. 
• 2008 Newell, K.A. Schizophrenia Research Institute Early Career Researcher of the Year, $7000.
• 2007 Newell, K.A. Cognitive behavioural changes induced by a double hit during brain development: Implications for schizophrenia. University of Wollongong Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Research Committee Early Career Researcher Grant, $2285.

Publications:

Searchable RIS publications from 2000 to date.

Top 5 publications:

• Newell, K.A., Zavitsanou, K., and Huang, X.F. 2007. Opposing short and long-term effects on muscarinic M1/4 receptor binding following chronic phencyclidine treatment. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 85:1358-1363.
  
• Newell, K.A., Zavitsanou, K., and Huang, X.F. 2007. Short and Long-term changes in NMDA receptor binding in mouse brain following chronic phencyclidine treatment. Journal of Neural Transmission, 114: 995-1001.
  
• Newell, K.A., Zavitsanou, K., and Huang, X.F. 2007. Alterations of muscarinic and GABA receptor binding in the posterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia. Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry,31:225-233.
  
• Newell, K.A., Deng, C., and Huang, X.F. 2006. Increased cannabinoid receptor density in the posterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia. Experimental Brain Research, 172: 556-560.
  
• Newell, K.A., Zavitsanou, K., and Huang, X.F. 2005. Ionotropic glutamate receptor binding in the posterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia patients. NeuroReport, 16: 1363-1367.