Dr Kirstan Vessey

Senior Lecturer - School of Science and Technology

Kirstan Vessey

Phone: +61 +61 2 6773 5358

Email: kvessey@une.edu.au

Biography

I joined the School of Science and Technology as a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Neuroscience in 2024. I completed my undergraduate degree in Science with Honours in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne. I then went on to complete a Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences at the University of Melbourne in 2003 and a Specialist Certificate in Biomedical Research Management in 2009. After completing my PhD, I continued to work as a research fellow in the neuronal degeneration field with positions in Canada, the United States and Australia. I am a part of the Brian-Behaviour Research Group at UNE. My passion is to understand diseases that cause neuronal dysfunction and degeneration and find treatments to slow disease progression.

Qualifications

BSc(Hons) PhD

Awards

  • Australian and New Zealand Purinergic Meeting 2019 – Presentation award
  • NIH funded Young Investigator Award - Travel Fellowship to the XIV International Symposium on Retinal Degenerations to present and provide a manuscript, 2012
  • Retina Research Foundation/Joseph M. and Eula C. Lawrence Travel Award, 2004

Teaching Areas

Clinical Neuroscience

  1. Research Topics in Neuroscience (Neur501)
  2. Clinical Neuroscience (Neur535)
  3. The Aging Brain

Primary Research Area/s

Clinical Neuroscience; Visual Neuroscience; Neurodegenerative disease

Research Interests

Research Interests

I have a strong interest in Clinical Neuroscience, Visual Neuroscience and Neurodegenerative disease. My research experience and interests are broad and encompass a range of skills in electrophysiology, histological analysis and molecular biology. I apply these techniques to understanding the mechanisms that drive neuronal dysfunction and degeneration, while finding treatments to slow disease progression. I have led as principal CIA, a NHMRC Ideas grants, philanthropic and internal University grants; and co-led as a CI,3 additional NHMRC grants and philanthropic grants (eg. Macular Degeneration Australia). I have published over 70 peer reviewed research articles, in top tier journals, including PNAS, Neuron, Current Biology and The Journal of Neuroscience, receiving over 3000 citations. I also have many years of experience in completion of industry projects, commercial collaboration and have had a provisional patent application. I have experience supervising research personnel in a laboratory setting and in management of multiple research projects and enjoy mentoring the next generation of scientists in pursuing their passion.

Research Grants

CIA: NHMRC Ideas Grant (APP2011200, $735,066.00), 2022-2024
Title: Novel therapies for slowing vision loss caused by retinal degeneration. CIs: Dr Kirstan Vessey, Prof Erica Fletcher.

CIA: Internal Grant Support scheme from Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at the University of Melbourne ($28,417), 2019
Title: Small molecule enhancers of intracellular recycling as treatments for retinal degenerations awarded to support select applicants for developing preliminary data for an NHMRC grant.

CIA: Equipment and infrastructure scheme from Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at the University of Melbourne ($108,000), 2018
Purchase of a JESS western blotting system, which uses new technology to improve quantification of proteins. Purchased for the department as a platform technology.

CIB: NHMRC Project Grant (APP1120095, $933,952), 2018-2021
Title: Novel mechanisms of early age related macular degeneration. CIs: Prof Erica Fletcher, Dr Kirstan Vessey, Prof Robyn Guymer, Dr Alice Pebay.

Macular Disease Foundation Australia Project Grant, ($180,000), 2018-2019 CIs: Prof Erica Fletcher, Prof. Robyn Guymer, Dr. Ben Gu, Dr. Kirstan Vessey.

The Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research  Foundation Ltd ($24,710), 2017
CIA: Dr. Kirstan Vessey. Awarded from the Rebecca Cooper foundation,

CID: NHMRC Project Grant (APP1120095, $786,741), 2017-2019,
Title: The role of reduced phagocytosis in the pathogenesis of Age-related Macular Degeneration CIs: Prof. Robyn Guymer, Prof Erica Fletcher, Dr. Ben Gu, Dr. Kirstan Vessey.

MDHS Research Grant support scheme at Melbourne University ($44,740), 2016,
CIA: Dr. Kirstan Vessey awarded to support select CIA applicants whose grant proposals were ranked in the top two quartiles of category 5 in the NH&MRC Project Grant round for 2015.

CIB: NHMRC Project Grant (APP1061419, $659,890), 2014-2016
Title: Causes of early Age-Related Macular Degeneration; CIs: Prof Erica Fletcher, Dr. Kirstan Vessey, Prof. Robyn Guymer, Prof. James Wiley, Dr. Ben Gu.

Macular Disease Foundation Australia Project Grant, ($400,000), 2014-2016 Title: Purinergic receptors and early AMD: a novel mechanism and biomarker; CIs: Prof Erica Fletcher, A/Prof. Paul Baird, Prof. Robyn Guymer, Prof. James Wiley, Dr. Ben Gu, Dr. Kirstan Vessey.

Early Career Researcher Grant at the University of Melbourne ($33,722), 2012,
CIA: Dr. Kirstan Vessey awarded to support early career researchers who demonstrate clear evidence of high research potential.

Research Supervision Experience

8 PhDs, 3 Masters and 3 Honours have successfully completed under my supervision

Publications

Ma JYW, Greferath U, Wong JHC, Fothergill LJ, Jobling AI, Vessey KA, et al. Aging induces cell loss and a decline in phagosome processing in the mouse retinal pigment epithelium. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 128:1-16.

Wong JHC, Ma JYW, Jobling AI, Brandli A, Greferath U, Fletcher EL, Vessey KA. Exploring the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration: A review of the interplay between retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction and the innate immune system. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1009599.

Vessey KA, Jobling AI, Tran MX, Wang AY, Greferath U, Fletcher EL. Treatments targeting autophagy ameliorate the age-related macular degeneration phenotype in mice lacking APOE (apolipoprotein E). Autophagy 2022:1-17.

Wang AYM, Wong VHY, Lee PY, Bui BV, Dudczig S, Vessey KA, et al. Retinal ganglion cell dysfunction in mice following acute intraocular pressure is exacerbated by P2X7 receptor knockout. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4184.

Mills SA, Jobling AI, Dixon MA, Bui BV, Vessey KA, Phipps JA, et al. Fractalkine-induced microglial vasoregulation occurs within the retina and is altered early in diabetic retinopathy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118.

Greferath U, Huynh M, Jobling AI, Vessey KA, Venables G, Surrao D, et al. Dorsal-Ventral Differences in Retinal Structure in the Pigmented Royal College of Surgeons Model of Retinal Degeneration. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 2021; 14.

Wang AY, Lee PY, Bui BV, Jobling AI, Greferath U, Brandli A, et al. Potential mechanisms of retinal ganglion cell type-specific vulnerability in glaucoma. Clin Exp Optom 2020; 103:562-71.

Vessey KA, Ho T, Jobling AI, Wang AY, Fletcher EL. Fluorescent Labeling and Quantification of Vesicular ATP Release Using Live Cell Imaging. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2041:209-21.

Kakavand K, Jobling AI, Greferath U, Vessey KA, de Iongh RU, Fletcher EL. Photoreceptor Degeneration in Pro23His Transgenic Rats (Line 3) Involves Autophagic and Necroptotic Mechanisms. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:581579.

Vessey KA, Ho T, Jobling AI, Mills SA, Tran MX, Brandli A, et al. Nanosecond Laser Treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration Does Not Induce Focal Vision Loss or New Vessel Growth in the Retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018; 59:731-45

Tochitsky I, Helft Z, Meseguer V, Fletcher RB, Vessey KA, Telias M, et al. How Azobenzene Photoswitches Restore Visual Responses to the Blind Retina. Neuron 2016; 92:100-13

Greferath U, Guymer RH, Vessey KA, Brassington K, Fletcher EL. Correlation of Histologic Features with In Vivo Imaging of Reticular Pseudodrusen. Ophthalmology 2016; 123:1320-31.

Aplin FP, Fletcher EL, Luu CD, Vessey KA, Allen PJ, Guymer RH, et al. Stimulation of a Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis Drives Cortical Responses in a Feline Model of Retinal Degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2016; 57:5216-29.

Fletcher EL, Phipps JA, Ward MM, Vessey KA, Wilkinson-Berka JL. The renin-angiotensin system in retinal health and disease: Its influence on neurons, glia and the vasculature. Prog Retin Eye Res 2010; 29:284-311.

Memberships

Honorary affiliations:

  • Honorary at the University of Melbourne, Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Professional memberships:

  • International Society for Eye Research 2016-2024;
  • Australian and New Zealand Purinergic Society, 2018-2024;
  • Australasian Neuroscience Society (ANS), 2002 2008-2022;
  • Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), 2001-2022;
  • Society for Neuroscience, 2005

Community and Advocacy Organisation Collaborations

Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), Part of a successful local collaboration researching the role of immune cells in the eye during aging.

Prof. Robyn Guymer (Ophthalmologist, Centre for Eye Research Australia), Prof. Erica Fletcher (Retinal neurobiologist, Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Melbourne), Assoc. Prof. Paul Baird (Human Genetics, Center for Eye Research Australia), Prof. Alice Pebay (Retinal stem cell neurobiologist, Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Melbourne), Dr. Ben Gu (Cell Biologist, The Florey Institute) and Prof. Jim Wiley (Haematologist, The Florey Institute).

This group has attracted nearly 9 million in combined research income since 2013.

As part of this collaborative group, I have co-authored 11 publications.

Related Links

Unimelb find an expert page: https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/10762-kirstan-vessey