The University of Western Australia
Assoc/Prof Lynette Fernandes
Associate Professor
Contact details
| Address | School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Pharmacology and Anaesthesiology Unit The University of Western Australia (M510) 35 Stirling Highway CRAWLEY WA 6009 Australia |
|---|---|
| Phone | 9346 4517 |
| Fax | 9346 3469 |
| lynette.fernandes@uwa.edu.au |
Biography
Lynette completed her PhD at UWA before taking up postdoctoral positions at The Johns Hopkins University. On returning to UWA, she continues research in respiratory pharmacology, with an emphasis on airway nerve function and modulation. Lynette is honoured to have been nominated for a Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award for Research Supervision in 2007. Lynette has been elected to ASCEPT council where she is also the Mentoring Program Convenor.
Key research
- Lynette is part of a nation-wide team that secured funding from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) for a project entitled “Ensuring quality graduates of Pharmacology”. Collaborators on this project are: Associate Professor James Ziogas (University of Melbourne), Dr Hilary Lloyd (University of Sydney), Dr Anna-Marie Babey (James Cook University), Associate Professor Lesley Bryan-Lluka (University of Queensland), Dr Joanne Favaloro (RMIT), Dr Ian Musgrave (Adelaide University), Dr Elizabeth Davis and Associate Professor Shane Bullock (Monash University). Lynette’s role as team leader is to co-ordinate the results of a needs analysis survey of students and recent graduates with respect to teaching in pharmacology. As part of this project, teaching and student surveys and face-to-face interviews are being conducted. An online network of pharmacology teachers will be established so that resources and experience may be shared across Australasia. The overall goal of this project is to improve the quality of future graduates in science and the health professions.
- Airways in the lung are subject to dynamic stress from cyclical dilation and elongation in response to normal breathing and occasional deep inflations or sighs. It is established that different breathing patterns produce profound changes to lung mechanics in vivo. For example, deep inflation can reduce existing bronchoconstriction and protect the lung from further airway narrowing (bronchoprotection), processes regarded by some as providing the most potent mechanism of airway control yet described. In collaboration with Wintrop Professor Howard Mitchell and Dr Peter McFawn (Physiology), neural responses associated with airway cyclical dilation and elongation of airway preparations are being investigated.
- Obstruction of the airways in asthma is partly determined by cholinergic nerves. Dr Fernandes has previously shown that inhibition of Rho-kinase by Y-27632 suppresses cholinergic nerve-mediated contraction but increases acetylcholine release in airway preparations. Rho-kinase has also been shown to play a role in vesicle pool mobilisation in somatic nerves. In a collaboration with Professor Alan Everett (Physiology), she is investigating the role of Rho-kinase in vesicle behaviour at autonomic varicosities. This research aims to show that inhibition of Rho-kinase increases activity-dependent recycling of synaptic vesicles and acetylcholine release, perhaps by recruiting a reserve pool of vesicles.
Major research interests
- Respiratory pharmacology, respiratory viruses, respiratory neuromodulation
- Rho kinase
- Pulmonary airway receptor function and distribution
Qualifications
BSc PhD W.Aust.
Publications
Selected Publications
Fernandes LB and Goldie RG (2003) The single mediator approach to therapy: is it so unreasonable? Current Opinion Pharmacol., 3, 251-256.
Fernandes LB, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2004) b-Adrenoceptor agonists. In: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. Vol 161. Pharmacology and Therapeutics of Asthma and COPD. (Eds CP Page and PJ Barnes), pp3-35. Springer, Berlin, London.
Fernandes LB, A’Aprile AC, Self GJ, Harnett GB and Goldie RG (2004) The impact of respiratory syncytial virus infection on endothelin receptor function and release in sheep bronchial explants. J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol., 44, S202-S206.
Fernandes LB, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2005) Beta-adrenoceptor agonists: basic pharmacology. In: Therapeutic Strategies in COPD. (Eds M Cazzola, B Celli, R Dahl and S Rennard). pp 47-59. Clinical Publishing.
Fernandes LB, D’Aprile AC, Self GJ, McGuire MM, Sew T, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2006) A Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, reduces cholinergic contraction but not neurotransmitter release. Eur. J. Pharmacol., 550, 155-161.
Fernandes LB, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2007) Rho kinase as a therapeutic target in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ther. Adv. Respir. Dis., 1, 25-33.
Fernandes LB, Maley M and Cruickshank C (2008) The impact of online lecture recordings on learning outcomes in Pharmacology. J. Int. Assoc. Med. Sci. Educ. 18, 62-70.
Ansell TK, McFawn PK, Noble PB, West AR, Fernandes LB and Mitchell HW (2009) Potent bronchodilation and reduced stiffness by relaxant stimuli under dynamic conditions. Eur. Respir. J., 33, 844-851.
Ansell TK, Noble PB, Mitchell HW, West AR, Fernandes LB and McFawn PK (2009) Simulated tidal and deep breathing on contractions to acetylcholine and nerve stimulation in immature airways. Respirology DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01596.x.
Fernandes LB and Goldie RG (2003) The single mediator approach to therapy: is it so unreasonable? Current Opinion Pharmacol., 3, 251-256.
Fernandes LB, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2004) b-Adrenoceptor agonists. In: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. Vol 161. Pharmacology and Therapeutics of Asthma and COPD. (Eds CP Page and PJ Barnes), pp3-35. Springer, Berlin, London.
Fernandes LB, A’Aprile AC, Self GJ, Harnett GB and Goldie RG (2004) The impact of respiratory syncytial virus infection on endothelin receptor function and release in sheep bronchial explants. J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol., 44, S202-S206.
Fernandes LB, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2005) Beta-adrenoceptor agonists: basic pharmacology. In: Therapeutic Strategies in COPD. (Eds M Cazzola, B Celli, R Dahl and S Rennard). pp 47-59. Clinical Publishing.
Fernandes LB, D’Aprile AC, Self GJ, McGuire MM, Sew T, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2006) A Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, reduces cholinergic contraction but not neurotransmitter release. Eur. J. Pharmacol., 550, 155-161.
Fernandes LB, Henry PJ and Goldie RG (2007) Rho kinase as a therapeutic target in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ther. Adv. Respir. Dis., 1, 25-33.
Fernandes LB, Maley M and Cruickshank C (2008) The impact of online lecture recordings on learning outcomes in Pharmacology. J. Int. Assoc. Med. Sci. Educ. 18, 62-70.
Ansell TK, McFawn PK, Noble PB, West AR, Fernandes LB and Mitchell HW (2009) Potent bronchodilation and reduced stiffness by relaxant stimuli under dynamic conditions. Eur. Respir. J., 33, 844-851.
Ansell TK, Noble PB, Mitchell HW, West AR, Fernandes LB and McFawn PK (2009) Simulated tidal and deep breathing on contractions to acetylcholine and nerve stimulation in immature airways. Respirology DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01596.x.
Funding received
Australian Learning and Teaching Council
National Health and Medical Research Council
Western Australian Institute for Medical Research
Athelstan and Amy Saw Bequest
Asthma Foundation of Western Australia
Arnold Yeldham and Mary Raine Medical Research Foundation of Western Australia
National Health and Medical Research Council
Western Australian Institute for Medical Research
Athelstan and Amy Saw Bequest
Asthma Foundation of Western Australia
Arnold Yeldham and Mary Raine Medical Research Foundation of Western Australia
Memberships
Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT)
Asthma Foundation of Western Australia
Asthma Foundation of Western Australia
Teaching
PHAR2210 Principles of Pharmacology
PHAR2230 Systems Pharmacology (unit co-ordinator)
PHAR3302 Systems Pharmacology
IDNT3381/PODI3381 Pharmacology for dentists and podiatrists
PHAR2230 Systems Pharmacology (unit co-ordinator)
PHAR3302 Systems Pharmacology
IDNT3381/PODI3381 Pharmacology for dentists and podiatrists
Current external positions
Elected to ASCEPT Council (2008 - 2009)
Current projects
Lynette is developing a program in responsible conduct in learning and research that is being embedded within the Pharmacology curriculum. This project seeks to ensure graduates are well prepared for a career in the biomedical sciences.
Research profile
