Mary Tolcos

Research group bio: Research in the Neurodevelopment, Protection and Repair Group focuses on understanding fundamental aspects of brain development, and applying this knowledge to conditions of compromised brain development to develop novel therapeutics. One of our research questions is how does the cerebral cortex fold? Cortical folding, or gyrification, is a process that is unique to humans and higher mammals, and errors in cortical folding can lead to schizophrenia, autism and epilepsy. However, the mechanisms that underpin this process are not fully understood. To address this unresolved question, we are studying the cellular and genetic mechanisms that drive folding of the cerebral cortex using comparative brain histology, neuroimaging, RNA sequencing, cerebral organoids and gene silencing technology in collaboration with engineers and neuroimaging specialists. We also investigate brain development, brain maturation, and long-term behavioural outcomes following fetal growth restriction and preterm birth, two of the main contributors to newborn mortality and morbidity, and poor mental health outcomes in adolescence. To investigate this, in collaboration with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, we are using neuroimaging data collected from the Victorian Infant Brain Study (VIBeS) to identify early brain changes that may provide a biomarker of adolescents at risk of developing anxiety disorders. We also aim to improve the lives of vulnerable children by testing neuroprotective strategies to prevent and/or repair developmental brain injury using preclinical models. To date, our ongoing work has identified that treatment using a thyroid hormone analogue has the potential to reverse the cerebral myelination deficits that occur in fetal growth restriction. To facilitate the translational potential of this preclinical research, we work closely with clinicians at Monash Children’s and The Royal Women’s Hospital, and RMIT engineers to deliver therapies using a non-invasive and easy-to-use device.