Overview
Background
Dr. Richard Gordon leads a multi-disciplinary, industry-partnered research program in Translational Neuroscience which integrates immunology, drug development, pharmacology, metabolomics and microbial metagenomics. His group aims to understand and therapeutically target key pathological mechanisms which drive the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Their work combines target validation studies in human patients with mechanistic insights from disease models to develop and test novel therapeutic strategies that can be translated towards clinical trials.
Key research themes within this program include:
- Understanding how chronic immune and inflammasome activation contribute to neurodegeneration in the CNS
- The role of gut dysbiosis and gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease pathophysiology
- Therapeutic targeting of the gut-brain axis for neuroprotection
- Drug discovery, development and repositioning for novel therapeutic targets
- Discovery and validation of clinical biomarkers for PD and ALS
- Clinical trials for disease-modifying therapeutic strategies
Availability
- Dr Richard Gordon is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Iowa
- Australasian Society of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacologists & Toxicologists, Australasian Society of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacologists & Toxicologists
Research interests
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Understanding and targeting the gut-brain axis in neurodegeneration
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Targeting immune and inflammatory mechanisms for neuroprotection
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Novel therapeutic approaches for regeneration of the central nervous system
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Clinical bio-markers for early detection of Parkinson's disease
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In silico approaches for therapeutic development
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Drug repositioning to accelerate new treatments for progressive neurodegenerative disorders
Research impacts
Dr. Gordon’s research has contributed to ground-breaking advances in the field of neuroinflammation and Parkinson’s disease, including discovery of a novel signalling paradigm for prokineticin signalling during neurodegeneration, and inflammasome activation as a driver of synuclein pathology and disease progression in PD. He established the Queensland Drug Repurposing Initiative (QDRI) which aims to accelerate new treatments for neurological diseases through drug repositioning. He is the Research Lead for the COMBO-PD clinical trial at UQ which is evaluating the therapeutic potential of restoring beneficial gut microbiota which are depleted in people with PD.
Dr. Gordon is a Board-certified toxicologist with the American Board of Toxicology (DABT) and has served as a member of the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee for the Australian Federal Government. He is also a Science Ambassador for the World Parkinson Coalition (WPC) for Australia and the Asia Pacific Region.
Works
Search Professor Richard Gordon’s works on UQ eSpace
2011
Journal Article
Neuroprotective Effect of Resveratrol Against Methamphetamine-Induced Dopaminergic Apoptotic Cell Death in a Cell Culture Model of Neurotoxicity
Kanthasamy, Kavin, Gordon, Richard, Jin, Huajun, Anantharam, Vellareddy, Ali, Syed, Kanthasamy, Anumantha G. and Kanthasamy, Arthi (2011). Neuroprotective Effect of Resveratrol Against Methamphetamine-Induced Dopaminergic Apoptotic Cell Death in a Cell Culture Model of Neurotoxicity. Current Neuropharmacology, 9 (1), 49-53. doi: 10.2174/157015911795017353
2011
Journal Article
A simple magnetic separation method for high-yield isolation of pure primary microglia
Gordon, Richard, Hogan, Colleen E., Neal, Matthew L., Anantharam, Vellareddy, Kanthasamy, Anumantha G. and Kanthasamy, Arthi (2011). A simple magnetic separation method for high-yield isolation of pure primary microglia. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 194 (2), 287-296. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2010.11.001
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Richard Gordon is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Novel therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiota and gut-brain axis in Parkinson's disease
Gastrointestinal pathology and alterations in the gut microbiota are often early pathogenic changes seen in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurological disorders. Clinical studies suggest that gastrointestinal deficits in people with PD, can often precede cardinal motor symptoms, based on which clinical diagnosis is confirmed. Emerging evidence suggests that specific alternations in the gut microbiota and gastrointestinal deficits are associated with neuronal dysfunction, chronic immune activation and progressive neurodegeneration seen in PD. Our translational research program on the gut-brain axis combines innovative preclinical mechanistic studies in model systems, with powerful big-data analytics on our clinical cohorts to understand the role of gut dysbiosis and gastrointestinal dysfunction in PD, with a focus on therapeutically tractable mechanisms that are involved. We use these insights to develop and test novel and clinically relevant neuroprotective strategies by which to slow, stop or even reverse neurodegeneration in PD.
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Pharmacological targeting of immune and inflammatory mechanisms for neuroprotection
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Clinical biomarkers for Parkinson's disease
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Novel therapeutic approaches for regeneration of the central nervous system
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AI-based approaches for therapeutic development and drug repositioning
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Drug discovery, development and repurposing to accelerate therapies for neurodegeneration
Supervision history
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Novel disease-modifying therapeutic targets for neuroinflammation and progressive neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease and motor neuron disease.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Unravelling the role of Parkinson's disease pathology in sleep and circadian disruption
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Oliver Rawashdeh
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Pharmacological targeting of the inflammasome: towards novel therapeutics for Parkinson's disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Avril Robertson, 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 John Lee, Professor Trent Woodruff
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Contribution of innate immune signalling to microglial activation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Noakes, Professor Trent Woodruff
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of the C5a Receptor, C5aR2, in Neurodegenerative Disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Richard Gordon directly for media enquiries about:
- Drug Repurposing
- Neuroinflamamtion
- Parkinson's disease
- Risk Assessments
- Toxicology
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