Written by:
Samara Walpole, Ph.D.
Associate Research Fellow
University of Wollongong
I have always been fascinated by understanding how the brain works and exploring how the brain can change on a molecular level in the context of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. I first became interested in schizophrenia research during my undergraduate degree at the University of Wollongong, Australia, where I was fortunate to work with Professor Kelly Newell. Under her guidance, I explored molecular changes in the brain associated with schizophrenia using postmortem human brain tissue. This early exposure to research sparked my passion for understanding the biological foundations of psychiatric disorders and their complexity.
Building on this interest, I pursued a PhD with Professor Newell, focusing on the molecular changes in the brains of individuals with major depressive disorder. While my PhD work centred on depression, I explored mechanisms that are relevant across multiple psychiatric conditions, giving me a broader perspective on brain signalling and dysfunction. Now, in my postdoctoral research, I am returning to schizophrenia, applying the skills and knowledge I developed during my training to better understand the molecular and cellular changes that contribute to this disorder.
My research addresses several key questions that I believe are critical to advancing our understanding of schizophrenia. Specifically, I am to understand how several of the key biological pathways, such as inflammation and neurotransmitter signalling, contribute to the development and pathophysiology of schizophrenia as well as how these pathways could underpin the significant heterogeneity observed in schizophrenia.
At the 2024 SIRS congress, I was fortunate to be awarded the opportunity to present my latest findings on sex-specific alterations in glutamatergic receptors in schizophrenia. In this study, we explored the gene and protein levels of several receptors responsible for controlling the level of excitatory signalling that can occur in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region associated with reward processing, motivation and emotional regulation. We found that females with schizophrenia have increased levels of these receptors whilst males showed significantly decreased levels. Our findings reiterate the importance of investigating sex-specific differences in psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, addressing these changes would likely require distinct approaches for males and females with schizophrenia, highlighting the need for the development of sex-specific treatments.
As an emerging researcher in biological psychiatry, receiving an Early Career Award provided me with pivotal opportunities essential for my professional advancement in schizophrenia research. Attendance at the SIRS Congress in 2024 allowed me to meet researchers from around the world where I was able to have stimulating discussions around different techniques and approaches for best practice in my research. This award offered me the opportunity to connect with a mentor, Dr Sabina Berretta from Harvard Medical School. As an esteemed expert in postmortem research, Dr Berretta provided me invaluable guidance in refining my research direction and how to navigate the complex academic career path.
Currently, I am working as a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences at the University of Wollongong, Australia. My research focus is now on exploring the impact of immune dysfunction as well as the impact of biological sex on changes to the molecular underpinnings of schizophrenia. Moving forward, I hope my research can provide a better understanding of subgroup-specific differences in schizophrenia to facilitate the better design and implementation of more targeted treatment options.
