![Associate Professor Jana Vukovic](/sites/default/files/profiles/2243.jpeg)
Overview
Background
The Vukovic laboratory investigates how brain function is sculpted and influenced by the immune system. Specifically, we examine the role of brain’s main resident immune cell population (i.e. microglia), as well as various peripheral immune cells, on learning and memory in mice. We are interested in defining the contribution of immune cells to such higher cognitive tasks, including for neuroinflammatory conditions where learning and memory deficits can occur, e.g. following traumatic brain injury, cancer treatment, and ageing. We have established an array of genetic and pharmacological tools alongside robust behavioural assays to directly probe the function of these immune cells in both the healthy and diseased brain. The ultimate goal of our work is to link cellular and molecular events to altered behaviour, and to harness the brain’s intrinsic regenerative potential for stimulating optimal cognitive function.
A neuroimmunologist, Dr Vukovic received her PhD in 2008 from The University of Western Australia after working on the repair of injured nerve cell connections. She joined QBI in 2009 to work in Professor Perry Bartlett’s laboratory as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, before being awarded a Queensland Government Smart Futures Fellowship to continue her research into the importance of adult neurogenesis for behaviour and how microglia influence this process in ageing. Dr Vukovic demonstrated that microglia can exert a dual and opposing influence over adult neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons) in the hippocampus under different physiological conditions, namely exercise and ageing, and that signalling through the chemokine receptor, CX3CR1, critically contributes towards this (Vukovic et al., 2012, J Neurosci). Dr Vukovic also generated novel evidence that ongoing neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus is critical for new learning but does not play a role in memory recall (Vukovic et al., 2013, J Neurosci).
Dr Vukovic was awarded an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2015-2018) and was jointly appointed as a group leader by the UQ School of Biomedical Sciences (SBMS) and QBI in 2015. She heads the Neuroimmunology and Cognition team investigating the interactions between the brain and the immune system in health and disease.
Currently, the group is working on three main projects:
- Identification of microglia-derived molecules that support neuronal survival and stimulate neural stem/progenitor cell expansion
- Characterisation of immune cell contribution to changes in neuronal connectivity
- Immune cell responses to cancer treatment, and their effect on learning and memory
Availability
- Associate Professor Jana Vukovic is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Australia
Research interests
-
microglia
-
traumatic brain injury
-
learning and memory
-
neuroinflammation
-
Stroke
-
Ageing
-
Exercise
Works
Search Professor Jana Vukovic’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Featured Cover
Chauquet, Solal, Willis, Emily F., Grice, Laura, Harley, Samuel B. R., Powell, Joseph E., Wray, Naomi R., Nguyen, Quan, Ruitenberg, Marc J., Shah, Sonia and Vukovic, Jana (2024). Featured Cover. Aging Cell, 23 (7). doi: 10.1111/acel.14279
2024
Journal Article
Exercise rejuvenates microglia and reverses T cell accumulation in the aged female mouse brain
Chauquet, Solal, Willis, Emily F., Grice, Laura, Harley, Samuel B. R., Powell, Joseph E., Wray, Naomi R., Nguyen, Quan, Ruitenberg, Marc J., Shah, Sonia and Vukovic, Jana (2024). Exercise rejuvenates microglia and reverses T cell accumulation in the aged female mouse brain. Aging Cell, 23 (7) e14172, e14172. doi: 10.1111/acel.14172
2024
Journal Article
A convergent evolutionary pathway attenuating cellulose production drives enhanced virulence of some bacteria
Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Rahman, M. Arifur, Goh, Kelvin G. K., Kim, Seung Jae, Phan, Minh-Duy, Peters, Kate M., Alvarez-Fraga, Laura, Hancock, Steven J., Ravi, Chitra, Kidd, Timothy J., Sullivan, Matthew J., Irvine, Katharine M., Beatson, Scott A., Sweet, Matthew J., Irwin, Adam D., Vukovic, Jana, Ulett, Glen C., Hasnain, Sumaira Z. and Schembri, Mark A. (2024). A convergent evolutionary pathway attenuating cellulose production drives enhanced virulence of some bacteria. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 1441, 1441. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45176-4
2024
Journal Article
ROCK2 regulates microglia proliferation and neuronal survival after traumatic brain injury
Willis, Emily F., Kim, Seung Jae, Chen, Wei, Nyuydzefe, Melanie, MacDonald, Kelli P.A., Zanin-Zhorov, Alexandra, Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Vukovic, Jana (2024). ROCK2 regulates microglia proliferation and neuronal survival after traumatic brain injury. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 117, 181-194. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.01.004
2023
Journal Article
CSF-1R inhibitor PLX3397 attenuates peripheral and brain chronic GVHD and improves functional outcomes in mice
Shaikh, Samreen N., Willis, Emily F., Dierich, Max, Xu, Yi, Stuart, Samuel J. S., Gobe, Glenda C., Bashaw, Abate A., Rawashdeh, Oliver, Kim, Seung Jae and Vukovic, Jana (2023). CSF-1R inhibitor PLX3397 attenuates peripheral and brain chronic GVHD and improves functional outcomes in mice. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 20 (1) 300, 300. doi: 10.1186/s12974-023-02984-7
2023
Journal Article
CSF1R inhibition promotes neuroinflammation and behavioural deficits during graft-versus-host disease in mice
Adams, Rachael C, Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Llanes, Genesis T, Hunter, Christopher R., Vinnakota, Janaki Manoja, Ruitenberg, Marc J, Vukovic, Jana, Bertolino, Patrick, Chand, Kirat K., Wixey, Julie A., Nayler, Samuel P., Hill, Geoffrey R, Furlan, Scott N, Zeiser, Robert and MacDonald, Kelli P.A. (2023). CSF1R inhibition promotes neuroinflammation and behavioural deficits during graft-versus-host disease in mice. Blood Journal, 142 (Supplement 1), 2052-2052. doi: 10.1182/blood.2023022040
2023
Journal Article
Robust mapping of spatiotemporal trajectories and cell–cell interactions in healthy and diseased tissues
Pham, Duy, Tan, Xiao, Balderson, Brad, Xu, Jun, Grice, Laura F., Yoon, Sohye, Willis, Emily F., Tran, Minh, Lam, Pui Yeng, Raghubar, Arti, Kalita-de Croft, Priyakshi, Lakhani, Sunil, Vukovic, Jana, Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Nguyen, Quan H. (2023). Robust mapping of spatiotemporal trajectories and cell–cell interactions in healthy and diseased tissues. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 7739, 1-25. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43120-6
2023
Conference Publication
CSF1R inhibition promotes neuroinflammation and behavioural deficits during graftversus-host disease in mice
Adams, Rachael C., Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Llanes, Genesis T., Hunter, Christopher R., Vinnakota, Janaki Manoja, Ruitenberg, Marc, Vukovic, Jana, Bertolino, Patrick, Chand, Kirat K., Wixey, Julie A., Nayler, Samuel P., Hill, Geoffrey R., Furlan, Scott N., Zeiser, Robert and MacDonald, Kelli P. A. (2023). CSF1R inhibition promotes neuroinflammation and behavioural deficits during graftversus-host disease in mice. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), San Diego, CA, United States, 9-12 December 2023. Washington, DC, United States: American Society of Hematology. doi: 10.1182/blood-2023-184841
2023
Journal Article
Current animal models of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a scoping review
Ijuin, Shinichi, Liu, Keibun, Gill, Denzil, Kyun Ro, Sun, Vukovic, Jana, Ishihara, Satoshi, Belohlavek, Jan, Li Bassi, Gianluigi, Suen, Jacky Y. and Fraser, John F. (2023). Current animal models of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a scoping review. Resuscitation Plus, 15 100426, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.resplu.2023.100426
2023
Journal Article
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) promotes brain repair and improves cognitive outcomes after traumatic brain injury in a FcγRIIB receptor-dependent manner
Willis, Emily F., Gillespie, Ellen R., Guse, Kirsten, Zuercher, Adrian W., Käsermann, Fabian, Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Vukovic, Jana (2023). Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) promotes brain repair and improves cognitive outcomes after traumatic brain injury in a FcγRIIB receptor-dependent manner. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 109, 37-50. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.12.018
2022
Journal Article
Donor bone marrow-derived macrophage MHC II drives neuroinflammation and altered behaviour during chronic GVHD in mice
Adams, Rachael C, Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Shaikh, Samreen N, Llanes, Genesis T, Johnston, Rebecca L, Quaife-Ryan, Gregory, Boyle, Glen M, Koufariotis, Lambros T, Möller, Andreas, Blazar, Bruce R., Vukovic, Jana and MacDonald, Kelli PA (2022). Donor bone marrow-derived macrophage MHC II drives neuroinflammation and altered behaviour during chronic GVHD in mice. Blood, 139 (9), 1389-1408. doi: 10.1182/blood.2021011671
2021
Journal Article
An exercise ‘sweet spot’ reverses cognitive deficits of ageing by growth hormone-induced neurogenesis
Blackmore, Daniel G., Steyn, Frederik J., Carlisle, Alison, O’Keeffe, Imogen, Vien, King-Year, Zhou, Xiaoqing, Leiter, Odette, Jhaveri, Dhanisha, Vukovic, Jana, Waters, Michael J. and Bartlett, Perry F. (2021). An exercise ‘sweet spot’ reverses cognitive deficits of ageing by growth hormone-induced neurogenesis. iScience, 24 (11) 103275, 1-25. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103275
2021
Journal Article
Selective ablation of BDNF from microglia reveals novel roles in self-renewal and hippocampal neurogenesis
Harley, Samuel B. R., Willis, Emily F., Shaikh, Samreen N., Blackmore, Daniel G., Sah, Pankaj, Ruitenberg, Marc J., Bartlett, Perry F. and Vukovic, Jana (2021). Selective ablation of BDNF from microglia reveals novel roles in self-renewal and hippocampal neurogenesis. The Journal of Neuroscience, 41 (19), 4172-4186. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.2539-20.2021
2020
Journal Article
Protocol for brain-wide or region-specific microglia depletion and repopulation in adult mice
Willis, Emily F. and Vukovic, Jana (2020). Protocol for brain-wide or region-specific microglia depletion and repopulation in adult mice. STAR protocols, 1 (3) 100211, 100211. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100211
2020
Journal Article
Exercise reverses learning deficits induced by hippocampal injury by promoting neurogenesis
Codd, Lavinia N., Blackmore, Daniel G., Vukovic, Jana and Bartlett, Perry F. (2020). Exercise reverses learning deficits induced by hippocampal injury by promoting neurogenesis. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 19269, 19269. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-76176-1
2020
Journal Article
stLearn integrating spatial location, tissue morphology and gene expression to find cell types, cell-cell interactions and spatial trajectories within undissociated tissues
Pham, Duy, Tan, Xiao, Xu, Jun, Grice, Laura F., Lam, Pui Yeng, Raghubar, Arti, Vukovic, Jana, Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Nguyen, Quan (2020). stLearn integrating spatial location, tissue morphology and gene expression to find cell types, cell-cell interactions and spatial trajectories within undissociated tissues. Biorxiv, 1-18. doi: 10.1101/2020.05.31.125658v1
Featured
2020
Journal Article
Repopulating Microglia Promote Brain Repair in an IL-6-Dependent Manner
Willis, Emily F., MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Nguyen, Quan H., Garrido, Adahir Labrador, Gillespie, Ellen R., Harley, Samuel B. R., Bartlett, Perry F., Schroder, Wayne A., Yates, Abi G., Anthony, Daniel C., Rose-John, Stefan, Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Vukovic, Jana (2020). Repopulating Microglia Promote Brain Repair in an IL-6-Dependent Manner. Cell, 180 (5), 833-846.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.013
2017
Journal Article
Somatic Arc protein expression in hippocampal granule cells is increased in response to environmental change but independent of task-specific learning
Cleland, J. P., Willis, E. F., Bartlett, P. F. and Vukovic, J. (2017). Somatic Arc protein expression in hippocampal granule cells is increased in response to environmental change but independent of task-specific learning. Scientific Reports, 7 (1) 12477, 12477. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12583-1
2017
Journal Article
Protocol for Short- and Longer-term Spatial Learning and Memory in Mice
Willis, Emily F., Bartlett, Perry F. and Vukovic, Jana (2017). Protocol for Short- and Longer-term Spatial Learning and Memory in Mice. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 11 197, 1-8. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00197
2017
Journal Article
Enrichment increases hippocampal neurogenesis independent of blood monocyte-derived microglia presence following high-dose total body irradiation
Ruitenberg, Marc J., Wells, Julia, Bartlett, Perry F., Harvey, Alan R. and Vukovic, Jana (2017). Enrichment increases hippocampal neurogenesis independent of blood monocyte-derived microglia presence following high-dose total body irradiation. Brain Research Bulletin, 132, 150-159. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.05.013
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Jana Vukovic is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
-
Role of microglia in regulating behavioural outcomes following brain injury
We have demonstrated that microglia (brain's resident immune cells) can exert a dual and opposing influence over adult neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons) in the hippocampus under different physiological conditions, namely exercise, ageing and following brain injury. The ultimate goal of our research is to link cellular and molecular events to altered behaviour, and to harness the regenerative potential of adult neurogenesis through immunomodulation to stimulate optimal cognitive function and treat conditions associated with learning and memory deficits.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Genetic tools to study microglia and barrier-associated macrophages
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Marc Ruitenberg, Professor Jürgen Götz, Dr Seung Jae Kim
-
Doctor Philosophy
Impact of brain injury on the dopaminergic circuits
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Emily Willis, Dr Oliver Rawashdeh
-
Doctor Philosophy
Role of Microglia in Neurotrauma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Marc Ruitenberg, Dr Emily Willis, Professor Jürgen Götz
-
Doctor Philosophy
Targeting IL-6 trans-signalling in brain injury
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Emily Willis, Dr Seung Jae Kim
-
Doctor Philosophy
Unveiling neuroinflammatory mechanisms induced by CNS infection
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Schembri, Dr Seung Jae Kim
-
Completed supervision
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Unravelling the response and functional role of microglia in different inflammatory conditions
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ingrid Winkler, Professor Marc Ruitenberg
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Role of microglia in traumatic brain injury
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jürgen Götz
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the Role of Microglia as Regulators of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Daniel Blackmore
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Jana Vukovic directly for media enquiries about:
- brain injury
- learning and memory
- neurogenesis
- neuroinflammation
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: