Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
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The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, previously known as the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine, is an Australian medical and research institute that undertakes clinical and applied research into treatments for brain and mind disorders and the cardiovascular system. The institute is based at the University of Melbourne and in 2007 employed 300 staff and students, including many scientists and postgraduate students from overseas. It is the largest brain research group in the southern hemisphere.[1]
Areas being researched by scientists include Parkinson's disease, stroke, motor neurone disease, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, addiction, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, brain development in premature babies, Huntington's disease, depression, schizophrenia, brain function in health and disease, heart failure, and dementia.
Contents
History
The origins of the institute are based on the 1947 work of the founder, Dr. Derek Denton, and the investigation of the team of scientists, Prof R D Wright,Prof J P Coghlan and Prof Marelyn Wintour-Coghlan into the control of salt and water balance in health and disease. The Institute was formally established in 1971 by the Victorian State Government and named after Howard Florey, the Australian Nobel prize winning scientist who isolated the active principle of penicillin and developed the first manufacturing process for the antibiotic. The Institute conducted research into physiological control of body fluid and electrolyte balance, especially the regulation of the adrenal salt-retaining hormone, aldosterone; micro measurement of hormones; hybridization histochemistry; instincts that control ingestion; and the Relaxin hormone.
In 1997 the Board made the strategic decision to change the Institute’s focus to brain disorders. From 1997 to 2007, the neuroscientist Professor Frederick Mendelsohn AO, led the institute. The current Director is Professor Geoffrey A. Donnan, AO.
Present day
On 1 July 2007, the legislation that created the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine was repealed,[2] and the Florey amalgamated with the Brain Research Institute and the National Stroke Research Institute to become collectively known as the Florey Neuroscience Institutes (FNI). As part of the amalgamation process, a new research facility was constructed to house the FNI, the Mental Health Research Institute and researchers from the University of Melbourne. The new facility, the Melbourne Brain Centre, is based at the Parkville Campus of the University of Melbourne.
Researchers at the Florey Institute
- Jee Hyun Kim researching emotional learning and memory during childhood and adolescence in relation to addiction and anxiety
- Julie Bernhardt researching stroke recovery
- Leeanne Carey researching occupational therapy and stroke recovery
- Lorraine Dennerstein researching women's mental and sexual health
- Mary Galea researching spinal cord injury and rehabilitative interventions
- Louise Newman researching child psychiatry and the impact of high risk parents
- Elizabeth Scarr researching chemical changes in the brain associated schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
See also
The Florey Instute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, Sheffield, UK [1]
References
External links
