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Lab personnel

Research interests

Our research group principally uses electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry to determine how the brain controls birth, lactation, and cardiovascular function. Our main focus is on how oxytocin and vasopressin contribute to preterm labour, high blood pressure and heart problems..

Keywords

Oxytocin, vasopressin, hypothalamus, dehydration, hypertension.

Projects

  • Hypothalamic regulation of reproductive and cardiovascular function

Current funding

  • 2014–2019: Health Research Council of New Zealand: Healthy pregnancies, healthy babies

Previous funding

  • 2013–2016: Health Research Council of New Zealand: Central regulation of natural birth process
  • 2010–2014: Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund: Hormonal regulation of bodyweight in reproduction
  • 2010–2013: Health Research Council of New Zealand: Kisspeptin-oxytocin regulation of pregnancy: implications for preterm delivery
  • 2008: New Zealand Lottery Grants Board: Neural-hormonal communication in the brain
  • 2006–2008: New Zealand Lottery Grants Board: Mechanisms of plasticity in vasopressin cell activity during dehydration
  • 2003–2006: Wellcome Trust: Cellular mechanisms underlying neuronal excitability during morphine withdrawal
  • 2000–2003: Wellcome Trust Fellowship: Investigation of dendritic regulation of activity by endogenous kappa-opioid peptides in the neurohypophysial system

Collaborators

  • Charles Bourque, McGill University, Canada
  • David Grattan, University of Otago, New Zealand
  • Gareth Leng, University of Edinburgh, UK
  • Mike Ludwig, University of Edinburgh, UK
  • Javier Stern, Medical College of Georgia, USA

Teaching

  • HUBS 191
  • PHSL 231
  • PHSL 251
  • PHSL 342
  • PHSL 472
  • PHSL 474

Selected publications

Cheong, I., Brown, C. H., Sethi, S., & Lamberts, R. R. (2022, August-September). Time course of central nervous activation in type 2 diabetic rats.  Poster session presented at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Perkinson, M. R., Kim, J. S., Brown, C. H., & Iremonger, K. J. (2022, August-September). In vivo monitoring of oxytocin neuron activity in freely-behaving, lactating mice. Poster session presented at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Stewart, A. C., Brown, E. F., Brown, C. H., & Fronius, M. (2022, August-September). Effect of F-actin on the mechanical activation of putative ΔN-TRPV1 and TRPV4 heteromers.  Poster session presented at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Adler, P. K., Perkinson, M. R., & Brown, C. H. (2022, August-September). Epithelial sodium channel regulation of vasopressin neuron activity. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Brown, E. F., Fronius, M., & Brown, C. H. (2022). Vasopressin regulation of maternal body fluid balance in pregnancy and lactation: A role for TRPV channels? Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, 558, 111764.  doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2022.111764

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