Associate Professor

Peter Noakes

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 51780
Phone: 
+61 7 336 51640

Availability

Associate Professor Peter Noakes is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Biological Sciences Immunology Neurosciences

Research interests

  • RESEARCH AREA 1:

    The cell and molecular mechanisms that underlie developmental motoneuron cell death. This involves examining a number of genetically modified mice that we and our colleagues have created. In each of these mice we have inactivated the genes that encode for synaptic signalling molecules, such as agrin and laminins, or molecules that are needed to cluster ion channels in the postsynaptic membranes of muscles and/or neurones, such as rapsyn and gephyrin.

  • RESEARCH AREA 2:

    The molecular mechanisms that underpin synapse formation and plasticity. This involves exploring the signal transduction mechanisms that are activated when signalling molecules such as neuregulin-1 (ARIA, beta-heregulin 1), or agrin active ErbB or MuSK receptors in the membrane of muscle respectively.

  • RESEARCH AREA 3:

    The biological role of P2X1, 2, 4 and 7 in the living animal. This is big project and involves making tissue inducible gene knockouts of these ion channels. At present we are well on the way to making such mice. However, before we can gain a proper understanding of their role in mice that are missing these ion channel subunits, we need to know their developmental expression profile in the developing mouse. In particular when and where they are expressed in the developing nervous system.

  • RESEARCH AREA 4:

    The biological role of TGFbeta 2 at adult synapses. This will involve looking at mice we are making where we the gene for TGFbeta is knockout out in adult muscle and/or in the adult spinal cord (a tissue inducible knockout out of TGFbeta 2). The mice should be ready sometime next year but no firm dates for this one.

  • RESEARCH AREA 5:

    The Control of synaptic gene expression. This project in the first part is simply a promoter and 3' UTR analysis of some 30 genes that appear at the same time in the postsynaptic region of skeletal muscle. It is aimed at looking for common regulatory elements and or spacing patterns of such elements (enhancers and repressors). It is high risk and involves some biological and mathematical knowledge. The biological part of this project will involve making transgenic mice with test non-coding DNA linked to reporter constructs such as green fluorescent protein (GFP). The aim here is to see if such elements can drive synapse expression of reporter genes (eg GFP)

  • RESEARCH AREA 6:

    The roles of insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1, IGF-2), as well as insulin. in the proliferation and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. This is not a neurobiology-based project, but is early developmental biology one. It will also have links through our USA collaborators to understanding the role of such growth factors in the proliferation tumor cells within the brain (U87 a nasty brain tumor). In particular, this project is aimed at looking at the signalling pathways that are activated when these growth factors activate their receptors, which are on these stem and tumor cells. We also want to know if these signalling pathways activate proliferation and differentiation. And if so what are the down stream target genes involved.

Search Professor Peter Noakes’s works on UQ eSpace

170 works between 1983 and 2024
All (170) Journal Article (106) Book Chapter (1) Conference Publication (63)

1 - 20 of 170 works

2024

Journal Article

Phagocytosis of aggrecan-positive perineuronal nets surrounding motor neurons by reactive microglia expressing MMP-9 in TDP-43Q331K ALS model mice

Cheung, Sang Won, Willis, Emily F., Simmons, David G., Bellingham, Mark C. and Noakes, Peter G. (2024). Phagocytosis of aggrecan-positive perineuronal nets surrounding motor neurons by reactive microglia expressing MMP-9 in TDP-43Q331K ALS model mice. Neurobiology of Disease, 200 106614, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106614

Phagocytosis of aggrecan-positive perineuronal nets surrounding motor neurons by reactive microglia expressing MMP-9 in TDP-43Q331K ALS model mice

2024

Journal Article

Prostaglandins in the inflamed central nervous system: potential therapeutic targets

Sheremeta, Chynna-Loren, Yarlagadda, Sai, Smythe, Mark L. and Noakes, Peter G. (2024). Prostaglandins in the inflamed central nervous system: potential therapeutic targets. Current Drug Targets, 25. doi: 10.2174/0113894501323980240815113851

Prostaglandins in the inflamed central nervous system: potential therapeutic targets

2024

Journal Article

Timeline of hypoglossal motor neuron death and intrinsic tongue muscle denervation in high-copy number SOD1G93A mice

Fogarty, Matthew J., Drieberg-Thompson, Joy R., Bellingham, Mark C. and Noakes, Peter G. (2024). Timeline of hypoglossal motor neuron death and intrinsic tongue muscle denervation in high-copy number SOD1G93A mice. Frontiers in Neurology, 15 1422943. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1422943

Timeline of hypoglossal motor neuron death and intrinsic tongue muscle denervation in high-copy number SOD1G93A mice

2024

Journal Article

Cover Image, Volume 50, Issue 3

Cheung, Sang Won, Bhavnani, Ekta, Simmons, David G., Bellingham, Mark C. and Noakes, Peter G. (2024). Cover Image, Volume 50, Issue 3. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, 50 (3). doi: 10.1111/nan.12993

Cover Image, Volume 50, Issue 3

2024

Journal Article

Perineuronal nets are phagocytosed by MMP‐9 expressing microglia and astrocytes in the SOD1<sup>G93A</sup> ALS mouse model

Cheung, Sang Won, Bhavnani, Ekta, Simmons, David G., Bellingham, Mark C. and Noakes, Peter G. (2024). Perineuronal nets are phagocytosed by MMP‐9 expressing microglia and astrocytes in the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, 50 (3) e12982, e12982. doi: 10.1111/nan.12982

Perineuronal nets are phagocytosed by MMP‐9 expressing microglia and astrocytes in the SOD1<sup>G93A</sup> ALS mouse model

2023

Journal Article

Protocol for generating embedding-free brain organoids enriched with oligodendrocytes

Al-mhanawi, Bahaa, Marti, Marta Boira, Morrison, Sean D., Gupta, Pallavi, Alani, Maath, Noakes, Peter G., Wolvetang, Ernst J. and Shaker, Mohammed R. (2023). Protocol for generating embedding-free brain organoids enriched with oligodendrocytes. STAR Protocols, 4 (4) 102725, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102725

Protocol for generating embedding-free brain organoids enriched with oligodendrocytes

2023

Conference Publication

Chemogenetic modulation of human in vitro motoneuron development accelerates maturation trajectory and electrophysical properties

Morrison, Sean, Shaker, Mohammed, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Wolvetang, Ernst and Noakes, Peter (2023). Chemogenetic modulation of human in vitro motoneuron development accelerates maturation trajectory and electrophysical properties. ISN‐ESN 2023 Meeting, Porto, Portugal, 8‐11 August 2023. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.

Chemogenetic modulation of human in vitro motoneuron development accelerates maturation trajectory and electrophysical properties

2023

Journal Article

Muscle and its neuromuscular synapse – players in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease

Noakes, Peter G., Phillips, William D., Jeffree, Rosalind L., Steyn, Frederik J., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Henderson, Rob D., McCombe, Pamela A. and Ngo, Shyuan T. (2023). Muscle and its neuromuscular synapse – players in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease. Journal of Experimental Neurology, 4 (1), 1-5. doi: 10.33696/neurol.4.067

Muscle and its neuromuscular synapse – players in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease

2023

Journal Article

The anaesthetics isoflurane and xenon reverse the synaptotoxic effects of Aβ1–42 on Megf10-dependent astrocytic synapse elimination and spine density in ex vivo hippocampal brain slices

Shi, Dai, Wong, Jaime K. Y., Zhu, Kaichuan, Noakes, Peter G. and Rammes, Gerhard (2023). The anaesthetics isoflurane and xenon reverse the synaptotoxic effects of Aβ1–42 on Megf10-dependent astrocytic synapse elimination and spine density in ex vivo hippocampal brain slices. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (2) 912, 1-20. doi: 10.3390/ijms24020912

The anaesthetics isoflurane and xenon reverse the synaptotoxic effects of Aβ1–42 on Megf10-dependent astrocytic synapse elimination and spine density in ex vivo hippocampal brain slices

2022

Journal Article

Author Correction: Tick holocyclotoxins trigger host paralysis by presynaptic inhibition

Chand, Kirat K., Lee, Kah Meng, Lavidis, Nickolas A., Rodriguez-Valle, Manuel, Ijaz, Hina, Koehbach, Johannes, Clark, Richard J., Lew-Tabor, Ala and Noakes, Peter G. (2022). Author Correction: Tick holocyclotoxins trigger host paralysis by presynaptic inhibition. Scientific Reports, 12 (1) 20636, 1-1. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-24528-4

Author Correction: Tick holocyclotoxins trigger host paralysis by presynaptic inhibition

2022

Journal Article

Investigating the role of GABA in neural development and disease using mice lacking GAD67 or VGAT genes

Bolneo, Erika, Chau, Pak Yan S., Noakes, Peter G. and Bellingham, Mark C. (2022). Investigating the role of GABA in neural development and disease using mice lacking GAD67 or VGAT genes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23 (14) 7965, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/ijms23147965

Investigating the role of GABA in neural development and disease using mice lacking GAD67 or VGAT genes

2022

Journal Article

Impaired signaling for neuromuscular synaptic maintenance is a feature of Motor Neuron Disease

Ding, Qiao, Kesavan, Kaamini, Lee, Kah Meng, Wimberger, Elyse, Robertson, Thomas, Gill, Melinder, Power, Dominique, Chang, Jeryn, Fard, Atefeh T., Mar, Jessica C., Henderson, Robert D., Heggie, Susan, McCombe, Pamela A., Jeffree, Rosalind L., Colditz, Michael J., Hilliard, Massimo A., Ng, Dominic C. H., Steyn, Frederik J., Phillips, William D., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Ngo, Shyuan T. and Noakes, Peter G. (2022). Impaired signaling for neuromuscular synaptic maintenance is a feature of Motor Neuron Disease. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 10 (1) 61, 61. doi: 10.1186/s40478-022-01360-5

Impaired signaling for neuromuscular synaptic maintenance is a feature of Motor Neuron Disease

2021

Journal Article

Hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase inhibitor PK007 decreases muscle necrosis in DMD mdx model mice

Yarlagadda, Sai, Kulis, Christina, Noakes, Peter G. and Smythe, Mark L. (2021). Hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase inhibitor PK007 decreases muscle necrosis in DMD mdx model mice. Life, 11 (9) 994, 994. doi: 10.3390/life11090994

Hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase inhibitor PK007 decreases muscle necrosis in DMD mdx model mice

2021

Journal Article

Size-dependent dendritic maladaptations of hypoglossal motor neurons in SOD1G93A mice

Fogarty, Matthew J., Mu, Erica W. H., Lavidis, Nickolas A., Noakes, Peter G. and Bellingham, Mark C. (2021). Size-dependent dendritic maladaptations of hypoglossal motor neurons in SOD1G93A mice. Anatomical Record, 304 (7), 1562-1581. doi: 10.1002/ar.24542

Size-dependent dendritic maladaptations of hypoglossal motor neurons in SOD1G93A mice

2021

Journal Article

TDP-43 mutation affects stress granule dynamics in differentiated NSC-34 motoneuron-like cells

Ding, Qiao, Chaplin, Justin, Morris, Matthew J., Hilliard, Massimo A., Wolvetang, Ernst, Ng, Dominic C. H. and Noakes, Peter G. (2021). TDP-43 mutation affects stress granule dynamics in differentiated NSC-34 motoneuron-like cells. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9 611601, 611601. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.611601

TDP-43 mutation affects stress granule dynamics in differentiated NSC-34 motoneuron-like cells

2020

Journal Article

Activity-dependent global downscaling of evoked neurotransmitter release across glutamatergic inputs in Drosophila

Karunanithi, Shanker, Lin, Yong Qi, Odierna, G. Lorenzo, Menon, Hareesh, Gonzalez, Juan Mena, Neely, G Gregory, Noakes, Peter G., Lavidis, Nickolas A., Moorhouse, Andrew J. and van Swinderen, Bruno (2020). Activity-dependent global downscaling of evoked neurotransmitter release across glutamatergic inputs in Drosophila. The Journal of Neuroscience, 40 (42), 8025-8041. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0349-20.2020

Activity-dependent global downscaling of evoked neurotransmitter release across glutamatergic inputs in Drosophila

2020

Journal Article

Dscam2 suppresses synaptic strength through a PI3K-dependent endosomal pathway

Odierna, G. Lorenzo, Kerwin, Sarah K., Harris, Lucy E., Shin, Grace Ji-eun, Lavidis, Nickolas A., Noakes, Peter G. and Millard, S. Sean (2020). Dscam2 suppresses synaptic strength through a PI3K-dependent endosomal pathway. Journal of Cell Biology, 219 (6) e201909143. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201909143

Dscam2 suppresses synaptic strength through a PI3K-dependent endosomal pathway

2020

Journal Article

Murine cytomegalovirus infection exacerbates complex IV deficiency in a model of mitochondrial disease

Ferreira, Nicola, Andoniou, Christopher E., Perks, Kara L., Ermer, Judith A., Rudler, Danielle L., Rossetti, Giulia, Periyakaruppiah, Ambika, Wong, Jamie K Y, Rackham, Oliver, Noakes, Peter G., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A. and Filipovska, Aleksandra (2020). Murine cytomegalovirus infection exacerbates complex IV deficiency in a model of mitochondrial disease. PLoS Genetics, 16 (3) e1008604, e1008604. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008604

Murine cytomegalovirus infection exacerbates complex IV deficiency in a model of mitochondrial disease

2020

Journal Article

Preclinical pharmacokinetics of complement C5a receptor antagonists PMX53 and PMX205 in mice

Kumar, Vinod, Lee, John D., Clark, Richard J., Noakes, Peter G., Taylor, Stephen M. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2020). Preclinical pharmacokinetics of complement C5a receptor antagonists PMX53 and PMX205 in mice. ACS Omega, 5 (5) acsomega.9b03735, 2345-2354. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.9b03735

Preclinical pharmacokinetics of complement C5a receptor antagonists PMX53 and PMX205 in mice

2020

Journal Article

What are neurotransmitter release sites and do they interact?

Ge, Dengyun, Noakes, Peter G. and Lavidis, Nickolas A. (2020). What are neurotransmitter release sites and do they interact?. Neuroscience, 425, 157-168. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.11.017

What are neurotransmitter release sites and do they interact?

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    Stabilizing Neuromuscular Signaling in Motor Neuron Disease
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc Innovator Grant
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Developing treatments for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
    Muscular Dystrophy Association
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2020
    Molecular analyses of pre-synaptic compartments in diseased human and mouse brains
    Brain Foundation Research Gift
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Fine tuning metabolic flux: Modulating substrate oxidation as a therapeutic strategy in motor neuron disease (MND)
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Towards the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
    NHMRC Development Grant
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Understanding neuromuscular synaptic loss in Motor Neuron Disease
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Targeting the molecular basis of muscle weakness in motor neuron disease.
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Targeting neuromuscular stability in motor neuron disease
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Exploiting the opposing actions of complement receptors C3aR and C5aR1 in the treatment of MND
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2016
    A state-of-the-art facility for simulataneous photo-stimulation, high speed imaging and electrophysiological recording of multiple neurons in brain tissue and living organisms
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015
    A state-of-the-art spinning disc confocal microscope for high speed imaging of live cells and super resolution microscopy
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015
    The role of altered neuromuscular activity and mRNA transport in modifying the progression of Motor Neuron Disease
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2015
    The role of altered neuromuscular activity and mRNA transport in modifying the progression of Motor Neuron Disease
    Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2015
    The role of altered neuronal activity and mRNA transport in modifying the progression Motor Neuron Disease (MND)
    Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    The role of altered neuromuscular signaling in ALS: factors that modify the course of MND
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    The role of neuronal hyperactivity and neurotrophic factor signalling in synaptogenesis, dendrogenesis and neuron death in motor neuron disease
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Understanding the role of TDP-43 in motor neuron disease.
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Establishment of Integrated Small Animal Metabolic and Physiology Assessment Facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Building UQ's analytical capacity in biomedical sciences
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Dual channel electrophysiological recordings
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Establishment of a digital Scanscope system for virtual microscopy
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2010
    In Situ Hybridization Suite for Biomedical Science Researchers
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2012
    Development of a new method of motor unit number estimation for use in motor neurone disease
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2012
    Molecular mechanisms that help organise effective synaptic transmission.
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Quantitative Histological Core Facility
    UQ School/Centre Co-Funding
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    The role of neuronal hyper-excitability in an animal model of motor neuron disease
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    The molecular basis of hyper-exactability in corticospinal neurons in a novel mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
    Brain Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    High Speed Fluorescence Imaging coupled with Total Internal Reflection Microscopy and Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching System
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2008
    Olympus disk-spinning confocal microscope system capable of simutaneously imaging a ratiometric (UV) non-ratiometric (visible range) dye
    Ramaciotti Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2008
    The molecular and functional basis of motor neuron hyper-excitability in an animal model of motor neuron disease.
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2008
    The role of synaptic laminins in the organisation of pre- and post-synaptic specializations at the neuromuscular synapse
    UQ External Support Enabling Grant
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    Evaluation of orally active anti-inflammatory C5a receptor antagonists in a transgenic rat motor neurone disease model
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2008
    Phenotypic studies of the NaSi-1 transporter knock-out mouse
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2008
    The role of central and peripheral synaptic activity in the developmental death of motoneurons.
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2005
    The effectiveness of C5a receptor antagonists in the treatment of motor neuron disease
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2004
    A transgenic analysis of the physiologic roles of signaling domains in the growth hormone receptor
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2003
    The Role of TGFB2 In Maintaining the Function and Viability of Adult Motor Neurons
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2002
    Cell and molecular mechanisms that maintain and promote motoneuron survival: analysis of MuSK, agrin and rapsyn mutant lines of mice
    Ramaciotti Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2004
    Role of synaptogenesis in development motoneuron cell death
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2000
    High-resolution, high quality digital time-lapse microscopy system
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 1999 - 2001
    A Transgenic Analysis of the Basis for Growth Signalling by the Growth Hormone Receptor
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 1999
    Functional analysis of neuromuscular synapses in mice that carry specific postsynaptic deletions
    Ramaciotti Foundation
    Open grant
  • 1999
    How neurotrophic factors modulate synaptic connections during development
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant
  • 1999 - 2001
    Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Formation, Maintenance and Viability of Synapses
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 1999
    Molecular mechanisms of how motor nerve connections are maintained
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 1999
    Network for brain research in mental disorders (Gene Targeting Consortium)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 1999
    Network for Brain Research into Mental Disorders (Gene Targeting Consortium)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 1998 - 2000
    Synaptic Development in the Absence of á2-laminin, Agrin and Rapsyn
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 1997
    Analysis of mutations affecting the formation and function of neuromuscular synapses
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 1997
    Analysis of synapse formation in S/á2-laminin deficient mice
    University of Queensland New Staff Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 1997
    Neuronal cell death in the rapsyn deficient mouse
    UQ Foundation
    Open grant
  • 1997
    Pre-synaptic differentiation in S/beta2-Laminin deficient mice
    Ramaciotti Foundation
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Peter Noakes is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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