Assoc Professor Terry Piva

Position

Deputy Head of School, Learning & Teachi

School /
Work Unit

Medical Sciences

Contact Details

+(61 3) 9925 6503

terry.piva@rmit.edu.au

Location

Building: 223
Level: 2
Room: 9

Bundoora West Campus

College/Portfolio

Science, Engineering & Health

Dr Terry Piva

Key activities

Summary of responsibilities

  • 2011- Year 3 coordinator Biomedical Science
  • 2010- Selection Officer Biomedical Science
  • 2006-2010 Year 1 Coordinator Biomedical Science
  • 2007-2009 Coordinator School of Medical Sciences Postgraduate Program
  • 2006-2007 Acting Discipline Head (Cell Biology and Anatomy)
  • 2004-2005 Coordinator Pharmaceutical Sciences Program
  • 2004-2005 Coordinator Biotechnology and Biomedical Science (Hons) Program
  • 2003-2005 Coordinator Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences Program
  • 2003- International Selection Officer Biomedical Science

Teaching responsibilities

I am the Course Coordinator for BIOL2299 Biology of Tissue Growth and Repair.

I deliver lectures, run tutorial classes, as well as prac classes to students from many programs (Biomed Sci, Pharm Sci, Lab Med, Pharm, Ex Sport Sci, Phys Ed, Osteo, Chiro, Ch Med, App Sci) on various topics in the areas of Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Cancer, Immunology and Cell Signalling.

Academic management and administration responsibilities

I am currently involved with the following:

  • Member, University Discipline Board
  • Member, School of Medical Sciences Postgraduate Research Committee
  • Member, Discipline of Cell Biology and Anatomy Committee
  • Member, Biomedical Science Program Committee
  • Member, Biomedical Science Student Staff Consultation Committee

Educational development work

  • In 2003 and 2004 I was involved in the restructuring of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences) program
  • In 2006 I oversaw a team which created the Bachelor of Applied Science (Biomedical Science) program, this was renamed in 2010 to Bachelor of Biomedical Science.
  • In 2003 I oversaw the development of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences) (Honours) program which was renamed in 2006 to the Bachelor of Applied Science (Biomedical Science) (Honours) program.

Qualifications

  • PhD, James Cook University, 1989
  • B. Sc. (Hons), James Cook University, 1981
  • B. Sc. James Cook University, 1979

Industry experience

Professional Society Service

  • President Molecular and Experimental Pathology Society of Australasia (MEPSA) 2011-
  • National Secretary MEPSA 2006-11
  • Treasurer, Metabolism Group of the Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) 2011-
  • Member, Australian Health and Medical Research Congress 2006 (Melbourne), 2010 (Melbourne) and Adelaide (2012) Organizing Committees
  • Member, ASBMB Combio'99 (Gold Coast) Organizing Committee

Research organisations

Grant Review Panels

  • Member National Health and Medical Research Council Grant Review Panel, 2010 & 2011
  • Member, Queensland Cancer Fund Grant Interviewing Committee, 1997

Am an Assessor for several grant giving bodies including:

  • National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant Scheme
  • Care Cancer Australia
  • Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas, SA and WA State Cancer Council Project Grant Schemes

Assessor – scientific journals

Assessor for numerous journals including:

  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International
  • British Journal of Sports Medicine
  • Clinical Science
  • Journal of Investigative Dermatology
  • International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
  • International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics
  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences
  • Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences

Memberships

  • Australasian Society for Dermatological Research
  • Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Biochemical Society (UK)
  • Molecular and Experimental Pathology Society of Australasia
  • Society for Melanoma Research (USA)

Awards

  • 1983, James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship
  • 1988, Queensland Cancer Fund's D.B. Duncan Memorial Training Fellowship
  • 1994, Visiting Research Fellowship, Merton College (Oxford)

Patents

  • 1990, Amino acid transport proteins, amino acid analogues, assay apparatus, uses thereof for treatment and diagnosis of cancer. Patent Number WO 90/03399, U.S. Patents Office, Washington, U.S.A.

Research overview

Research interests

My research interests are in the following areas:

  • The immunosuppressive effects of UV radiation and its role in the development of skin cancer
  • The effect of nanoparticle sunscreens on human skin cell function
  • The effect of nutrients on lymphocyte activation
  • Amino acid uptake and metabolism in tumour cells

I currently am supervising 4 PhD students. 1 Masters student as well as co-supervising 4 PhD students.

For more information on the research that I am involved with please see the following for more information:

Publications

To date I have published over 40 peer reviewed scientific articles, and over 85 conference abstracts. An abbreviated list of publications (since 2004) includes:

  • Strychar, K.B., Coates, M., Sammarco, P.W. and PIVA, T.J. (2004) Bleaching as a pathogenic response in scleractinian corals, evidenced by high concentrations of apoptotic and necrotic Zooxanthellae. J. Exp. Marine Biol. Ecol. 304, 99-121.
  • Gray, K., PIVA, T. and Nicolettou, A. (2004) Quality, viability and relevance: a strategic framework for evaluating the effectiveness of mixed-mode teaching and learning in an undergraduate biotechnology and biomedical science degree. Education Media International. 41, 219-231.
  • Strychar, K.B., Sammarco, P.W. and PIVA, T.J. (2004) Apoptotic and necrotic stages of Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae) cell death activity: bleaching of soft and scleractinain corals. Phycologia 43, 768-777.
  • Strychar, K.B., Coates, M., Sammarco, P.W., PIVA, T.J. and Scott, P.T. (2005) Loss of Symbiodinium from bleached Australian soft corals Sarcophyton ehrenbergi, Sinularia sp. and Xenia sp. J. Exp. Marine Biol. Ecol. 320, 159-177.
  • Skiba, B., Neill, B. and PIVA, T.J. (2005) Gene expression profiles of TNFα, TACE, Furin, IL-1β and Matrilysin in UVA- and UVB irradiated HaCaT cells. Photodermatol. Photoimmunol. Photomed. 21, 173-182.
  • Coutts, A.J., Reaburn, P.R.J., PIVA, T., Rowsell, G. and Murphy, A.J. (2005) Predictors of changes in VO2max during periods of intense training in rugby league players. in Science and Football V: The proceedings of the fifth World congress on science and football (Reilly, T., Cabri, J. and Araujo, D., eds.), pp387-394, Routledge, London.
  • Moertel, L., McManus, D.P., PIVA, T.J., Young, L., McInnis, R.L. and Gobert, G.N. (2006) Oligonucleotide microarray analysis of strain- and gender-associated gene expression in Schistosoma japonicum. Molecular Cell. Probes 20, 320-329.
  • Coutts, A., Reaburn, P., PIVA, T.J. and Murphy, A. (2007) Changes in selected biochemical measures and muscular strength, power, endurance during deliberate overreaching and tapering in rugby league players. Int. J. Sports. Med 28, 116-124.
  • Coutts, A.J., Reaburn, P.R.J., PIVA, T.J. and Rowsell, G. (2007) Monitoring for overreaching in rugby league players. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 99, 313-324.
  • Huynh, T.T., Chan, K.S. and PIVA, T.J. (2009) The effect of ultraviolet radiation on the expression of p-p38MAPK and furin in human skin cells. Photodermatol. Photoimmunol. Photomed. 25, 20-29.
  • Ruddell, R.G., Barwood, J.M., Rutherford, P.S., Hoang-Le D., PIVA, T.J., Watters, D.J., Santambrogio, P., Arosio, P. and Ramm, G.A. (2009) Ferritin functions as a cytokine inducing proinflammatory mediators of fibrogenesis via iron independent, PKC-ζ/NFκB-regulated signalling in rat hepatic stellate cells. Hepatology 49, 887-900.Muthusamy, V. and PIVA , T.J. (2010) The role of cell signaling pathways play in TNFα release from UV-irradiated human skin cells. Arch. Dermatol. Res. 210, 5-17.
  • Muthusamy, V. and PIVA , T.J. (2010) The role of cell signaling pathways play in TNFα release from UV-irradiated human skin cells. Arch. Dermatol. Res. 210, 5-17.
  • Muthusamy, V. and PIVA, T.J. (2011) Melanoma cell signaling: Looking beyond RAS-RAF-MEK. in Skin Cancers - Risk Factors, Prevention and Therapy. (La Porta, C.A.M, Ed), pp87-108. Intech Publishers, Rijeka (Croatia).
  • Muthusamy, V., Hodges, L.D., Macrides, T.A., Boyle, G.M. and PIVA, T.J. (2011) Effect of novel marine neutraceuticals on the inflammatory response of UVB-irradiated human melanocyte-derived cells. Oxidative Med. Cell. Long. 2011, Article ID 728645, 11 pages, 2011. doi:10.1155/2011/728645
  • Feltis, B.N., O’Keefe, S.J., Harford, A.J., PIVA, T.J., Turney T.W. and Wright, P.F.A. (2012) Independent cytotoxic and inflammatory responses to Zinc Oxide nanoparticles in human monocytes and macrophages. Nanotoxicol. (In press).
  • Burchall, G., Linden, M.D., Teede, H. and PIVA T.J. (2012) The hemostatic system in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Trends Cardiovasc. Med. (In press).