Associate Professor Frank Lovicu
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Associate Professor
F13 - Anderson Stuart Building |
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Themes | Research interests | Grants | Research project opportunities | Keywords
Themes
Chronic and Preventable Conditions
Research interests
Our research is directed at identifying the molecules and mechanisms that govern the behaviour of lens cells of the eye, in health, ageing & disease. Our studies have identified a number of molecules, namely growth factors, that play key roles in both normal and pathological lens development and growth. Currently we are working to gain a better understanding of how these molecules function and how they are regulated in the eye. This is fundamental to identifying new therapeutics for retarding or preventing cataract, one of the most common & costly diseases of ageing.
Current national competitive grants*
2008
Roles for MAPK/ERK1/2, B-catenin/TCF and Smad3 mediated signalling pathways in TGFB-induced cataract
McAvoy J, Lovicu F
NHMRC Project Grant ($325,500 over 3 years)
2007
Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Antagonists, Sef and Sprouty, Regulate Eye Lens Cell Behaviour
Lovicu F, McAvoy J
NHMRC Project Grant ($306,750 over 3 years)
1998
Lens differentiation and cataract: role of FGF and WNT
McAvoy J, Hales A, Lovicu F, De Iongh R
National Institutes of Health (USA) Research Support ($1,428,244 over 14 years)
* Grants administered through the University of Sydney