Overview
Background
Dr Lee is a mid-career researcher with training in neuroscience, and additional experience in pharmacology and immunity. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Queensland (UQ) in 2014 and continued his post-doctoral research studies in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. He is currently a Senior Research Fellow and Group Leader at UQ's School of Biomedical Sciences, where he focusses on innate immune and inflammatory pathways including the complement system and inflammasomes in motor neuron disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Huntington’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Dr Lee’s research has demonstrated the therapeutic potential of multiple anti-inflammatory drugs targeting innate immune-mediated neuroinflammation to reduce neuronal cell death in animal models of neurodegenerative disease. He is also interested in the links between the immune system, stress response, and energy metabolism in neurodegeneration.
Availability
- Dr John Lee is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Neuroimmunology in neurodegenerative diseases
We explore the involvement of innate immune cells in the pathogenesis of MND, HD, and PD to identify potential therapeutic targets. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation, we aim to develop interventions that halt or slow disease progression.
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Immunometabolism in neuroinflammation
Our group investigates the metabolic capacity of innate immune cells within the central nervous system, including neutrophils, macrophages, microglia, and astrocytes. By understanding how alterations in cellular metabolism impact immune function, we aim to uncover new strategies for modulating neuroinflammatory responses.
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Immune system – Stress response crosstalk
We explore the intricate relationship between the immune system and the stress response, particularly its implications in neuropsychiatric disorders. By unravelling the molecular mechanisms underlying this crosstalk, we aim to identify new therapeutic targets for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Immunosenescence and Neurological Aging
Our group investigates the link between the immune system and aging within the context of neurological health. By studying age-related changes in immune function and their impact on brain health, we aim to develop interventions that promote healthy aging and mitigate age-related neurological disorders.
Works
Search Professor John Lee’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2020
Journal Article
The potential interplay between energy metabolism and innate complement activation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
McDonald, Tanya S., McCombe, Pamela A., Woodruff, Trent M. and Lee, John D. (2020). The potential interplay between energy metabolism and innate complement activation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The FASEB Journal, 34 (6) fj.201901781, 7225-7233. doi: 10.1096/fj.201901781
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Complement dysregulation in the central nervous system during development and disease
Lee, John D., Coulthard, Liam G. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2019). Complement dysregulation in the central nervous system during development and disease. Seminars in Immunology, 45 101340, 101340. doi: 10.1016/j.smim.2019.101340
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Revisiting the role of the innate immune complement system in ALS
Parker, Sandra E., Hanton, Angela M., Stefanou, Stephen N., Noakes, Peter G., Woodruff, Trent M. and Lee, John D. (2019). Revisiting the role of the innate immune complement system in ALS. Neurobiology of Disease, 127, 223-232. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.03.003
Featured
2018
Journal Article
Complement components are upregulated and correlate with disease progression in the TDP-43 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Lee, John D., Levin, Samantha C., Willis, Emily F., Li, Rui, Woodruff, Trent M. and Noakes, Peter G. (2018). Complement components are upregulated and correlate with disease progression in the TDP-43 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 15 (1) 171, 171. doi: 10.1186/s12974-018-1217-2
Featured
2017
Journal Article
Pharmacological inhibition of complement C5a-C5a1 receptor signalling ameliorates disease pathology in the hSOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Lee, John D., Kumar, Vinod, Fung, Jenny N. T., Ruitenberg, Marc J., Noakes, Peter G. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2017). Pharmacological inhibition of complement C5a-C5a1 receptor signalling ameliorates disease pathology in the hSOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. British Journal of Pharmacology, 173 (8), 689-699. doi: 10.1111/bph.13730
Featured
2013
Journal Article
Dysregulation of the complement cascade in the hSOD1(G93A) transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Lee, John D., Kamaruzaman, Nur A., Fung, Jenny N. T., Taylor, Stephen M., Turner, Bradley J., Atkin, Julie D., Woodruff, Trent M. and Noakes, Peter G. (2013). Dysregulation of the complement cascade in the hSOD1(G93A) transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 10 (1) 119, 119. doi: 10.1186/1742-2094-10-119
2024
Journal Article
Sex differences in Huntington's disease from a neuroinflammation perspective
Risby-Jones, Grace, Lee, John D., Woodruff, Trent M. and Fung, Jenny N. (2024). Sex differences in Huntington's disease from a neuroinflammation perspective. Frontiers in Neurology, 15 1384480, 1-7. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1384480
2024
Journal Article
Complement(ing) long-COVID thromboinflammation and pathogenesis
Lee, John D. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2024). Complement(ing) long-COVID thromboinflammation and pathogenesis. Trends in Immunology, 45 (6), 397-399. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2024.04.001
2024
Journal Article
Complement C5a receptor signaling alters stress responsiveness and modulates microglia following chronic stress exposure
Chen, Hsiao-Jou Cortina, Spiers, Jereme G., Lerskiatiphanich, Titaya, Parker, Sandra E., Lavidis, Nickolas A., Fung, Jenny N., Woodruff, Trent M. and Lee, John D. (2024). Complement C5a receptor signaling alters stress responsiveness and modulates microglia following chronic stress exposure. Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science, 4 (3) 100306, 100306. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100306
2024
Journal Article
A transient protein folding response targets aggregation in the early phase of TDP-43-mediated neurodegeneration
San Gil, Rebecca, Pascovici, Dana, Venturato, Juliana, Brown-Wright, Heledd, Mehta, Prachi, Madrid San Martin, Lidia, Wu, Jemma, Luan, Wei, Chui, Yi Kit, Bademosi, Adekunle T., Swaminathan, Shilpa, Naidoo, Serey, Berning, Britt A., Wright, Amanda L., Keating, Sean S., Curtis, Maurice A., Faull, Richard L. M., Lee, John D., Ngo, Shyuan T., Lee, Albert, Morsch, Marco, Chung, Roger S., Scotter, Emma, Lisowski, Leszek, Mirzaei, Mehdi and Walker, Adam K. (2024). A transient protein folding response targets aggregation in the early phase of TDP-43-mediated neurodegeneration. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 1508, 1508. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45646-9
2024
Journal Article
A Panel of miRNA Biomarkers Common to Serum and Brain-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Identified in Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Vassileff, Natasha, Spiers, Jereme G., Lee, John D., Woodruff, Trent M., Ebrahimie, Esmaeil, Mohammadi Dehcheshmeh, Manijeh, Hill, Andrew F. and Cheng, Lesley (2024). A Panel of miRNA Biomarkers Common to Serum and Brain-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Identified in Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Molecular Neurobiology, 61 (8), 1-15. doi: 10.1007/s12035-023-03857-z
2024
Journal Article
Cell-intrinsic C5a synergizes with Dectin-1 in macrophages to mediate fungal killing
Li, Xaria X., Fung, Jenny N., Clark, Richard J., Lee, John D. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2024). Cell-intrinsic C5a synergizes with Dectin-1 in macrophages to mediate fungal killing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121 (5) e2314627121, 1-10. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2314627121
2023
Journal Article
The concise guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2023/24: G protein-coupled receptors
Alexander, Stephen P. H., Christopoulos, Arthur, Davenport, Anthony P., Kelly, Eamonn, Mathie, Alistair A., Peters, John A., Veale, Emma L., Armstrong, Jane F., Faccenda, Elena, Harding, Simon D., Davies, Jamie A., Abbracchio, Maria Pia, Abraham, George, Agoulnik, Alexander, Alexander, Wayne, Al‐hosaini, Khaled, Bäck, Magnus, Baker, Jillian G., Barnes, Nicholas M., Bathgate, Ross, Beaulieu, Jean‐Martin, Beck‐Sickinger, Annette G., Behrens, Maik, Bernstein, Kenneth E., Bettler, Bernhard, Birdsall, Nigel J. M., Blaho, Victoria, Boulay, Francois, Bousquet, Corinne ... Ye, Richard D. (2023). The concise guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2023/24: G protein-coupled receptors. British Journal of Pharmacology, 180 (S2), S23-S144. doi: 10.1111/bph.16177
2023
Journal Article
Complement peptide receptors in GtoPdb v.2023.1
Cianciulli, Antonia, Coulthard, Liam, Hawksworth, Owen, Lee, John D., Li, Xaria X., Mitolo, Vincenzo, Monk, Peter, Panaro, Maria A. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2023). Complement peptide receptors in GtoPdb v.2023.1. IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology CITE, 2023 (1). doi: 10.2218/gtopdb/f5/2023.1
2023
Journal Article
TLQP-21 is a low potency partial C3aR activator on human primary macrophages
Li, Xaria X., Lee, John D., Lee, Han S., Clark, Richard J. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2023). TLQP-21 is a low potency partial C3aR activator on human primary macrophages. Frontiers in Immunology, 14 1086673, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1086673
2023
Journal Article
SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein
Albornoz, Eduardo A., Amarilla, Alberto A., Modhiran, Naphak, Parker, Sandra, Li, Xaria X., Wijesundara, Danushka K., Aguado, Julio, Zamora, Adriana Pliego, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Liang, Benjamin, Peng, Nias Y. G., Sng, Julian D. J., Saima, Fatema Tuj, Fung, Jenny N., Lee, John D., Paramitha, Devina, Parry, Rhys, Avumegah, Michael S., Isaacs, Ariel, Lo, Martin W., Miranda-Chacon, Zaray, Bradshaw, Daniella, Salinas-Rebolledo, Constanza, Rajapakse, Niwanthi W., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Munro, Trent P., Rojas-Fernandez, Alejandro, Young, Paul R., Stacey, Katryn J. ... Woodruff, Trent M. (2023). SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein. Molecular Psychiatry, 28 (7), 2878-2893. doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01831-0
2022
Journal Article
Potential mechanisms to modify impaired glucose metabolism in neurodegenerative disorders
McDonald, Tanya S., Lerskiatiphanich, Titaya, Woodruff, Trent M., McCombe, Pamela A. and Lee, John D. (2022). Potential mechanisms to modify impaired glucose metabolism in neurodegenerative disorders. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 43 (1), 26-43. doi: 10.1177/0271678x221135061
2022
Journal Article
Glucose metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: It is bitter-sweet
Lerskiatiphanich, Titaya, Marallag, Jianina and Lee, John D. (2022). Glucose metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: It is bitter-sweet. Neural Regeneration Research, 17 (9), 1975-1977. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.335154
2022
Journal Article
SARS-CoV-2 triggers complement activation through interactions with heparan sulfate
Lo, Martin W., Amarilla, Alberto A., Lee, John D., Albornoz, Eduardo A., Modhiran, Naphak, Clark, Richard J., Ferro, Vito, Chhabra, Mohit, Khromykh, Alexander A., Watterson, Daniel and Woodruff, Trent M. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 triggers complement activation through interactions with heparan sulfate. Clinical and Translational Immunology, 11 (8) e1413, e1413. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1413
2022
Book Chapter
Neuroinflammation in Huntington’s
Lee, John D., Lo, Martin W., Fung, Jenny N. T. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2022). Neuroinflammation in Huntington’s. Neurodegenerative Diseases Biomarkers. (pp. 215-233) edited by Philip V. Peplow, Bridget Martinez and Thomas A. Gennarelli. New York, NY, United States: Springer US. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1712-0_9
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr John Lee is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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The role of innate immune and inflammatory pathways in neurodegenerative diseases
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The link between innate immune system and energy metabolism and its contribution to neurodegeneration
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The potential role of CXCR2 activation in motor neuron disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Professor Pamela McCombe, Dr Jenny Fung
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Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Neutrophils in Motor Neuron Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Professor Pamela McCombe, Dr Jenny Fung, Dr Cedric Cui
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Doctor Philosophy
Unravelling the Role of Astrocytes in Motor Neuron Disease to discover new therapeutic targets
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Jenny Fung
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of neuronal complement activation in Motor Neuron Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Jenny Fung
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of terminal complement pathway in neurodevelopment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Jenny Fung
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Doctor Philosophy
Complement in subarachnoid haemorrhage
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Liam Coulthard
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Doctor Philosophy
Therapeutic blockade of neuroinflammation for the treatment of Huntington's disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Eduardo Albornoz Balmaceda, Professor Trent Woodruff
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Doctor Philosophy
Preclinical evaluation of complement receptor targeted drugs for neurological disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Richard Clark, Dr Vinod Kumar, Professor Trent Woodruff
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Complement Modulation of Peripheral Immunity in Motor Neurone Disease and Huntington's Disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Naomi Wray, Professor Trent Woodruff
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Preclinical development of complement C5aR1 antagonists for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Richard Clark, Dr Vinod Kumar, Dr Felicity Han, Professor Trent Woodruff
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Immunopharmacology of the Complement C5a Receptors, C5aR1 and C5aR2
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Richard Clark, Professor Mark Blaskovich, Professor Trent Woodruff
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
The role of GPR43 in neuroinflammation and the hSOD1G93A mouse model of motor neuron disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Richard Gordon, Professor Trent Woodruff
Media
Enquiries
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