The University of Western Australia

Professor Jeffrey Keelan

Professor
School of Women's and Infants' Health

Contact details

Address

School of Women's and Infants' Health
The University of Western Australia (M550)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone

9340 1880

Fax

9381 3031

Email

jeff.keelan@uwa.edu.au

Qualifications

BSc Liv., MSc PhD Auck., FSRB

Key research

Inflammation- and infection-associated preterm labour

Anti-inflammatory/anti-microbial modalities to prevent preterm labour

Fetal membrane apoptosis and premature rupture

Placental drug transport

Lipid-derived mediators in placental growth and function in pregnancy

Nanoparticle transport and drug delivery in the placenta

Publications

Number of citations = 2871; h-index (Google Scholar) = 31 (Jan 2012).

Research publications (last 5 years):
1.AJO Whitehouse, E Mattes, MT Maybery, MG Sawyer, P Jacoby, JA Keelan, M Hickey. (2012). Sex-specific associations between umbilical cord blood testosterone levels and language delay in early childhood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, in press.
2.ILMH Aye, BJ Waddell, PJ Mark, JA Keelan. (2011) Oxysterols exert proinflammatory effects in placental trophoblasts via TLR-4-dependent cholesterol-sensitive activation of NF-B. Molecular Human Reproduction. Jan 10. [Epub ahead of print]
3.MW Kemp, M Saito, SG Kallapur, AH Jobe, JA Keelan, B Kramer, L Zhang, C Knox, N Yaegashi, JP Newnham (2011) Inflammation of the fetal ovine skin following in utero exposure to Ureaplasma parvum. Reproductive Sciences, 18(11):1128-37.
4.A Chui, DA Evseenko, SP Brennecke, JA Keelan, B. Kalionis, P. Murthi. (2011) Homeobox gene Distal-less 3 (DLX3) is a regulator of villous cytotrophoblast differentiation. Placenta, 32(10):745-51.
5.AT Singh, A Dharmarajan, ILMH Aye, JA Keelan (2011). The sphingosine-S1P pathway regulates trophoblast differentiation and syncytialisation. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 24:224– 234.
6.MW Kemp, M Saito, T Cox, JP. Newnham, AH Jobe, S Li, B Kramer, JA Keelan, L Zhang, J Collins, SG Kallapur. (2011) Inflammation of the fetal ovine skin following in utero exposure to Ureaplasma parvum. Reproductive Sciences, 18(1):88-98.
7.JA Keelan, I Nitsos, M Saito, GC Musk, MW Kemp, M Timmins, S Li, N Yaegashi, JP Newnham. (2011) Maternal-amniotic-fetal distribution of macrolide antibiotics following intravenous, intramuscular and intra-amniotic administration in late pregnant sheep. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, EPub ahead of print, April, 2011.
8.ILM Aye, BJ Waddell, PJ Mark, JA Keelan. (2011) Oxysterols inhibit differentiation and fusion of term primary trophoblasts by activating liver X receptors. Placenta, 32 :183-191.
9.D de Silva, MD Mitchell, JA Keelan. (2010) Inhibition of choriodecidual cytokine production and inflammatory gene expression by selective I-B kinase (IKK) inhibitors British Journal of Pharmacology, 160(7):1808-22.
10.ML Jones, JL Lewis, PJ Mark, TA Mori, JA Keelan, BJ Waddell. (2010) Antioxidant defenses in the rat placenta: increased labyrinthine expression of superoxide dismutases, glutathione peroxidase-3 and uncoupling protein-2 in late gestation. Biology of Reproduction, 83:254-260.
11.ILM Aye, BJ Waddell, PJ Mark, JA Keelan. (2010) Placental ABCA1 and ABCG1 transporters efflux cholesterol and protect trophoblasts from oxysterol induced toxicity. Biochem Biophys Acta - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1809(9):1013-1024.
12.JA Keelan, P-M Wong, PS Bird, MD Mitchell. (2010) Innate inflammatory responses of human decidual cells to periodontopathic bacteria. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 202(5):471.e1-11
13.A Singh, JA Keelan, F Sieg. (2010) A novel neuronal regeneration peptide (NRP) promotes trophoblast survival and migration. Reprod Biomed Online. 21(2):237-44.
14.JA Keelan, S Khan, F Yosaatmadja, MD Mitchell. (2009) Prevention of inflammatory activation of human gestational membranes in an ex-vivo model using a pharmacological NF-B inhibitor. Journal of Immunology, 183(8):5270-8
15.Mitchell MD, Sato TA, Wang A, Keelan JA, Ponnampalam AP, Glass M. (2008) Cannabinoids stimulate prostaglandin production by human gestational tissues through a tissue and CB1 receptor specific mechanism. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 294(2): E352-6
16.DA Evseenko, P Murthi, JW Paxton, G Reid, DBS Emerald, M Mohan, PE Lobie, SP Brennecke, B Kalionis, JA Keelan. (2007) The ABC transporter BCRP/ABCG2 is a placental survival factor, and its expression is reduced in idiopathic human fetal growth restriction. FASEB J, 21(13): 3592-3605.
17.ILMH Aye, JW Paxton, DA Evseenko, JA Keelan (2007). Expression, localisation and activity of ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) family of drug transporters in human fetal membranes. Placenta, 28(8-9): 868-77.
18.DA Evseenko, JW Paxton, JA Keelan (2007). The xenobiotic transporter ABCG2 plays a novel role in differentiation of trophoblast-like BeWo cells. Trophoblast Research (Placenta); 21 Suppl A: S116-20.
19.DA Evseenko, JW Paxton, JA Keelan. (2007) Independent regulation of apical and basolateral drug transporter expression and function in placental trophoblasts by cytokines, steroids and growth factors. Drug Metabolism & Disposition; 35(4): 595-601.

Reviews and letters:
1.JA Keelan, ILM Aye (2011) ABCA1 and placental cholesterol transport (letter). Placenta, 32(9):708-9.
2.JA Keelan (2011) Nanotoxicology: Nanoparticles versus the placenta. Nature Nanotechnology 6(5): 263-4. Invited editorial.
3.V Menezes, A Malek, JA Keelan. (2011) Nanoparticulate drug delivery in pregnancy: placental passage and fetal exposure. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology: Drugs in Pregnancy (Special edition). 12 (5), 731-742. [Epub ahead of print] (invited review; cover illustration).
4.JA Keelan. (2011) Pharmacological inhibition of inflammatory pathways for the prevention of preterm birth. J Repro Immunol, 88:176–184 [EPub January 12].
5.Lash GE, Burton GJ, Chamley LW, Clifton VL, Constancia M, Crocker IP, Dantzer V, Desoye G, Drewlo S, Hemmings DG, Hiendleder S, Kalionis B, Keelan JA, Kudo Y, Lewis RM, Manuelpillai U, Murthi P, Natale D, Pfarrer C, Robertson S, Saffery R, Saito S, Sferruzzi-Perri A, Sobrevia L, Waddell BJ, Roberts CT. IFPA meeting 2009 workshop report. Placenta. 2010;31 Suppl:S4-20. Epub 2010 Jan 12
6.ILMH Aye, AT Singh, JA Keelan (2009) Mini-review: Transport of lipids by ABC proteins: Interactions and implications for cellular toxicity, viability and function. Chemico-Biological Interactions, 180(3):327-39. Epub 2009 May 6 (top 10 downloaded C-BI manuscript 2009).
7.K Shiverick, K Ino, T Harada, JA Keelan, F Kikkawa. (2007) Placental enzymes and transporters: New functions and genetic polymorphisms - a workshop report. (Trophoblast Research) Placenta; 28 Suppl A:S125-8. Epub 2007 Mar 26.

Roles, responsibilities and expertise

Director, Women's and Infants' Health Research Laboratories.
Director, Women's and Newborn Health Research Network, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, WA.
Associate Editor, Reproduction Fertility and Development.
Editorial Board Member, Trophoblast Research.
Expertise: Immunoassay; placental cell culture; tissue perfusion; lipid analysis; cell signaling; apoptosis and cell viability; proteomics; microarrays; real-time PCR, RNA interference

Future research

Sphingolipids in placental differentation and survival; bioactive lipid mediators from omega-3 fatty acid metabolism; innate immune system in fetal membranes; wnt signalling in early pregnancy/implantation; nanoparticulate drug delivery systems and placental transfer; intraamniotic therapies for preterm birth; novel antibiotics in pregnancy.

Funding received

Since 2007:
2007: Principle applicant, $21,250 (2 years), UWA research Grant: "Resolvins, protectins and uterine inflammatory activation"
2008: Co-applicant with B Waddell, TA Mori and P Mark, $520,000 (3 years), NH&MRC: "Prevention of placental oxidative stress and inflammation by dietary omega-3 fatty acids"
2008: Co-applicant with PS Bird and P Wong, $8,500 (1 year), Australian Dental research Foundation: "Stimulation of the inflammatory response in human placental tissues by periodontal organisms"
2008: Principal applicant with B Waddell and TA Mori, $30,000 (1 year), Ada Bartholomew Trust: "Omega-3 fatty acid-derived lipids and placental oxidative and inflammatory stress"
2008: Principal applicant with A Dharmarajan, $100,000 (2 years), Raine Foundation Priming Grant: "The ABC of placental cell differentiation and death"
2009: Co-applicant with M Kemp, S Kallapur, $50,000, (2 years), Ramaciotti Trust: "Neutralising antibody therapy as a preventative treatment for preterm birth"
2010: Co-applicant with J Newnham, I Nitsos, A Jobe, $676,732 (3 years), NHMRC: “Effective treatment of Ureaplasma to prevent preterm birth”
2011: Co-applicant with J Newnham, $200,000 (3 years), Channel 7 Telethon Trust: “Intraamniotic infection and preterm birth”
2011: Primary applicant, $63,000 (1 year), NHMRC, Equipment Grant: RotorGene-Q HRM Real-time PCR platform”
2011: Primary applicant, $80,000 (1 year), Channel 7 Telethon Trust: “Placental pharmacokinetics of a novel macrolide antibiotic”
2012: Primary applicant with J Newnham and AC Charles, $548,675 (3 years), NHMRC: “Intraamniotic therapies for preterm birth”.

Languages

English

Memberships

Australian and New Zealand Placental Research Association (ANZPRA, ex-president); Society for Reproductive Biology (SRB, Member and Fellow); Society for Gynecologic Investigation (SGI, Member); Faculty 1000-Reproductive physiology (member); Perinatal Scoety of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ, member); Ausrtalian Society for Medical Research (ASMR, member); American Nano Society (ANS, member); American Society for Microbiology (ASM, member).

Honours and awards

Winner of the 1991 Abbott Award given at the AGM of the NZACB (New Zealand Association of Clinical Biochemists).
Winner, Shering award, New Zealand Society of Endocrinology
Nancy Sirrett Lecturer (NZSE) 2007
Invited member, Faculty of 1000 Biology, July 2007
Elected Fellow, SRB, October 2011
Visiting Professorship, Chinese Academy of Sciences, December 2011

Previous positions

Senior Lecturer, Liggins Institute and Department of Pharmacology 7 Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Teaching

MEDSCI201 (Introduction to Pharmacology and Toxicology): Lecturer and course coordinator.
MEDSCI720 (Biomedical research techniques) lecturer and course coordinator.
Other lecturing: Molecular Pharmacology; Reproductive biology; Placental pharmacology

Current external positions

Associate member, Liggins Institute, Auckland.
Director, Women's and Newborn Health Research Network, KEMH, Perth WA. Visiting Professor, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Chinese Academy of Science.

New and noteworthy

Elected Fellow of the Society for Reproductive Biology (SRB) in October 2011.

Current projects

Contact Jeff Keelan for details

Research profile

Research profile and publications