Senior Lecturer
Overview
Dr Reichelt is a tenured teaching and research academic in The University of Queensland’s School of Biomedical Sciences. She completed her PhD in cardiovascular Physiology at Griffith University, and held postdoctoral positions at The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI) in Sydney, the University of California, San Diego (USA) and was a NHMRC Peter Doherty Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Dr Reichelt is currently funded by two Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grants and lead a 2019 Major Equipment Infrastructure Grant for a preclinical ultrasound machine (Vevo 3100) which measures cardiac function in animals as small as embryos in utero.
Dr Reichelt investigated the most important receptors governing cardiac function (adenosinergic, adrenergic, angiotensin, growth factor, mineralocorticoid, SGLT2), and the influence of ageing, diabetes, hypertension, exercise, influenza and sepsis on cardiovascular physiology. This work has been published in leading cardiovascular journals including Circulation Research, Basic Research in Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research, Hypertension and broader or other specialist journals such as Autophagy, Antioxidant and Redox Signalling, Journal of Infectious Disease and Scientific Reports. Dr Reichelt’s research has most recently been augmented by in-house design and production of viruses that control the expression of receptors and their ligands. She remains fascinated by what the heart can accomplish; filling with and ejecting blood every second (or so) of every day and night, year after year, while retaining the capacity to more than treble cardiac output during exercise. It’s an incredible feat of engineering and only gets more and more interesting the more I learn about it.
Research Impacts
Dr Reichelt heads the Cardiac Disease and Therapy group, focused on optimising heart function in clinically relevant models of cardiovascular disease including chronic high blood pressure, heart ischemia (lack of flow), diabetes, ageing and cardiotoxicity associated with cancer therapy. Her research spans studies of single cell populations (cell culture), isolated heart function, and function of the intact heart. This approach is integrated with advanced techniques for gene editing to target specific cell subtypes in the heart to modify receptor expression and function. This ability to intervene in a time- and cell-subtype-specific manner with gene therapy has many applciations the heart, which are currently being pursued by the Cardiac Disease and Therapy group.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University
Publications
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Journal Article: Cardiac human bitter taste receptors contain naturally occurring variants that alter function
Bloxham, Conor J., Hulme, Katina D., Fierro, Fabrizio, Fercher, Christian, Pegg, Cassandra L., O'Brien, Shannon L., Foster, Simon R., Short, Kirsty R., Furness, Sebastian G. B., Reichelt, Melissa E., Niv, Masha Y. and Thomas, Walter G. (2024). Cardiac human bitter taste receptors contain naturally occurring variants that alter function. Biochemical Pharmacology, 219 115932, 115932. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115932
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Journal Article: Diastolic dysfunction is more apparent in STZ-induced diabetic female mice, despite less pronounced hyperglycemia
Chandramouli, Chanchal, Reichelt, Melissa E., Curl, Claire L., Varma, Upasna, Bienvenu, Laura A., Koutsifeli, Parisa, Raaijmakers, Antonia J. A., De Blasio, Miles J., Qin, Cheng Xue, Jenkins, Alicia J., Ritchie, Rebecca H., Mellor, Kimberley M. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2018). Diastolic dysfunction is more apparent in STZ-induced diabetic female mice, despite less pronounced hyperglycemia. Scientific reports, 8 (1) 2346, 2346. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20703-8
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Journal Article: Cavin-1 deficiency modifies myocardial and coronary function, stretch responses and ischaemic tolerance: roles of NOS over-activity
Kaakinen, Mika, Reichelt, Melissa E., Ma, Zhibin, Ferguson, Charles, Martel, Nick, Porrello, Enzo R., Hudson, James E., Thomas, Walter G., Parton, Robert G. and Headrick, John P. (2017). Cavin-1 deficiency modifies myocardial and coronary function, stretch responses and ischaemic tolerance: roles of NOS over-activity. Basic Research in Cardiology, 112 (3) 24, 24. doi: 10.1007/s00395-017-0613-6
Grants
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Protecting hearts from trastuzumab-induced cardiomyopathy
(2023–2025) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
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Studying the basis of and developing new therapies to treat heart disease
(2023–2024) IPF Healthy - Medical Research
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Targeting cavin-1 via gene therapy in a model of metabolic/low-level chronic stress
(2022–2024) Diabetes Australia Research Program
Supervision
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Understanding the role of HER2 in cardiac function.
Doctor Philosophy
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Understanding the role of WD40-Repeat Protein 62 (WDR62) in the regulation of heart function.
Doctor Philosophy
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Understanding how an old heart gets stiff
Doctor Philosophy
Available Projects
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Understanding how growth factor receptors regulate heart enlargement
Cardiac enlargement is essential for normal maturation, and adaptation to exercise. It also occurs in pathological settings such as chronic hypertension. We are interested in the role that two receptors play in this response; ErbB1 also known as the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and it’s sibling ErbB4. We use adeno-associated viruses (AAV) in animals with floxed animals to delete our receptors of interest in a time and cell subtype specific manner and examine the impact on heart enlargement.
Multiple research projects are available for this large project which would involve some small animal work, immunohistochemistry, qPCR, western blot, isolated heart experiments (langendorff), cell culture and in vivo assessment of heat function (echocardiography) depending on student preferences.
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Understanding the mechanisms underlying diastolic dysfunction in hearts
The ability of the ventricle relax and expand to fill with blood in diastole is essential to normal heart function. Diastolic dysfunction, where cardiac filling is impaired, occurs in a number of clinical pathologies including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and diabetes. We recently published the first evidence that a membrane protein essential to sensing stretch, called cavin is essential to normal diastolic tone. Hearts from Cavin knockout animals are stiff and unable to detect stretch, and we were able to demonstrate that this was due to elevation of nitric oxide. We are now looking to translate this finding in animals into human heart tissues, through a collaboration with the Prince Charles Hospital. We are also intested in seeing if stiffness is also present mice lacking another membrane protein, Caveolin, and what heart cell-subtypes are the most important.
This project could involve work at Prince Chales Hospital on fresh human heart tissue (tranbeculae that are removed as a part of some surgical procedures), or could involve isolated heart experiments in Caveolin 1 and 3 knockout mice. Both projects would also involve real time PCR of RNA isolated from tissues, western blot, immunohistochemistry and nitric oxide and nitrosylation assays.
Publications
Featured Publications
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Chandramouli, Chanchal, Reichelt, Melissa E., Curl, Claire L., Varma, Upasna, Bienvenu, Laura A., Koutsifeli, Parisa, Raaijmakers, Antonia J. A., De Blasio, Miles J., Qin, Cheng Xue, Jenkins, Alicia J., Ritchie, Rebecca H., Mellor, Kimberley M. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2018). Diastolic dysfunction is more apparent in STZ-induced diabetic female mice, despite less pronounced hyperglycemia. Scientific reports, 8 (1) 2346, 2346. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20703-8
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Kaakinen, Mika, Reichelt, Melissa E., Ma, Zhibin, Ferguson, Charles, Martel, Nick, Porrello, Enzo R., Hudson, James E., Thomas, Walter G., Parton, Robert G. and Headrick, John P. (2017). Cavin-1 deficiency modifies myocardial and coronary function, stretch responses and ischaemic tolerance: roles of NOS over-activity. Basic Research in Cardiology, 112 (3) 24, 24. doi: 10.1007/s00395-017-0613-6
Journal Article
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Cardiac human bitter taste receptors contain naturally occurring variants that alter function
Bloxham, Conor J., Hulme, Katina D., Fierro, Fabrizio, Fercher, Christian, Pegg, Cassandra L., O'Brien, Shannon L., Foster, Simon R., Short, Kirsty R., Furness, Sebastian G. B., Reichelt, Melissa E., Niv, Masha Y. and Thomas, Walter G. (2024). Cardiac human bitter taste receptors contain naturally occurring variants that alter function. Biochemical Pharmacology, 219 115932, 115932. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115932
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Redd, Meredith A, Yoshikawa, Yusuke, Khan, Nemat, Waqar, Maleeha, Saez, Natalie J, Outhwaite, Jennifer E, Russell, Jake S, Hanna, Amy D, Chiu, Han S, Er, Sing Yan, Butcher, Neville J, Mardon, Karine, Fraser, John F, Smythe, Mark L, Rash, Lachlan D, Thomas, Walter G, King, Glenn F, Reichelt, Melissa E and Palpant, Nathan J (2023). Acid-sensing ion channel 1a blockade reduces myocardial injury in rodent models of myocardial infarction. European Heart Journal. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad793
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Dorey, Emily S., Headrick, John P., Paravicini, Tamara M., Wlodek, Mary E., Moritz, Karen M. and Reichelt, Melissa E. (2023). Periconceptional alcohol alters in vivo heart function in ageing female rat offspring: Possible involvement of oestrogen receptor signalling. Experimental Physiology, 108 (5), 772-784. doi: 10.1113/ep090587
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Ashton, Kevin J., Kiessling, Can J., Thompson, Jamie-Lee M., Aziz, Aliah Y., Thomas, Walter G., Headrick, John P. and Reichelt, Melissa E. (2023). Early cardiac aging linked to impaired stress-resistance and transcriptional control of stress response, quality control and mitochondrial pathways. Experimental Gerontology, 171 112011, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2022.112011
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Eagles, David A., Saez, Natalie J., Krishnarjuna, Bankala, Bradford, Julia J., Chin, Yanni K.-Y., Starobova, Hana, Mueller, Alexander, Reichelt, Melissa E., Undheim, Eivind A. B., Norton, Raymond S., Thomas, Walter G., Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F. and Robinson, Samuel D. (2022). A peptide toxin in ant venom mimics vertebrate EGF-like hormones to cause long-lasting hypersensitivity in mammals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119 (7) e2112630119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2112630119
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O'Brien, Shannon L., Johnstone, Elizabeth K.M., Devost, Dominic, Conroy, Jacinta, Reichelt, Melissa E., Purdue, Brooke W., Ayoub, Mohammed A., Kawai, Tatsuo, Inoue, Asuka, Eguchi, Satoru, Hébert, Terence E., Pfleger, Kevin D.G. and Thomas, Walter G. (2021). Corrigendum to “BRET-based assay to monitor EGFR transactivation by the AT1R reveals Gq/11 protein-independent activation and AT1R-EGFR complexes” [Biochem. Pharmacol. 158 (2108) 232–242] (Biochemical Pharmacology (2018) 158 (232–242), (S0006295218304386), (10.1016/j.bcp.2018.10.017)). Biochemical Pharmacology, 192 114756, 114756. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114756
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Young, Sophia L., Ryan, Lydia, Mullins, Thomas P., Flint, Melanie, Steane, Sarah E., Walton, Sarah L., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Carter, David A., Reichelt, Melissa E. and Gallo, Linda A. (2021). Sotagliflozin, a dual SGLT1/2 inhibitor, improves cardiac outcomes in a normoglycemic mouse model of cardiac pressure overload. Frontiers in Physiology, 12 738594, 738594. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.738594
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Redd, Meredith A., Scheuer, Sarah E., Saez, Natalie J., Yoshikawa, Yusuke, Chiu, Han Sheng, Gao, Ling, Hicks, Mark, Villanueva, Jeanette E., Joshi, Yashutosh, Chow, Chun Yuen, Cuellar-Partida, Gabriel, Peart, Jason N., See Hoe, Louise E., Chen, Xiaoli, Sun, Yuliangzi, Suen, Jacky Y., Hatch, Robert J., Rollo, Ben, Xiao, Di, Alzubaidi, Mubarak A.H., Maljevic, Snezana, Quaife-Ryan, Gregory A., Hudson, James E., Porrello, Enzo R., White, Melanie Y., Cordwell, Stuart J., Fraser, John F., Petrou, Steven, Reichelt, Melissa E. ... Palpant, Nathan J. (2021). Therapeutic inhibition of acid sensing ion channel 1a recovers heart function after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Circulation, 144 (12), 947-960. doi: 10.1161/circulationaha.121.054360
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Type I diabetes mellitus increases the cardiovascular complications of influenza virus infection
Sinclair, Jane E., Bloxham, Conor J., Chiu, Han, Chew, Keng Yih, Russell, Jake, Yoshikawa, Yusuke, Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Steele, Lauren E., Hulme, Katina D., Verzele, Nathalie A. J., Noye, Ellesandra C., Wu, Melanie, Reichelt, Melissa E., Thomas, Walter G., Gallo, Linda A., Redd, Meredith A. and Short, Kirsty R. (2021). Type I diabetes mellitus increases the cardiovascular complications of influenza virus infection. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 11 714440, 714440. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.714440
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Wang, Zhen, Chan, Hsiu‐Wen, Gambarotta, Giovanna, Smith, Nicola J., Purdue, Brooke W., Pennisi, David J., Porrello, Enzo R., O'Brien, Shannon L., Reichelt, Melissa E., Thomas, Walter G. and Paravicini, Tamara M. (2021). Stimulation of the four isoforms of receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB4, but not ErbB1, confers cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 236 (12) jcp.30487, 8160-8170. doi: 10.1002/jcp.30487
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Ho, Uda Y., Feng, Chun-Wei Allen, Yeap, Yvonne Y., Bain, Amanda L., Wei, Zhe, Shohayeb, Belal, Reichelt, Melissa E., Homer, Hayden, Khanna, Kum Kum, Bowles, Josephine and Ng, Dominic C. H. (2021). WDR62 is required for centriole duplication in spermatogenesis and manchette removal in spermiogenesis. Communications Biology, 4 (1) 645, 1-14. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02171-5
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A high fat diet increases influenza A virus-associated cardiovascular damage
Siegers, Jurre Y., Novakovic, Boris, Hulme, Katina D., Marshall, Rebecca, Bloxham, Conor J., Thomas, Walter G., Reichelt, Mellissa E., Leijten, Lonneke, van Run, Peter, Knox, Karen, Sokolowski, Kamil A., Tse, Brian W. C., Chew, Keng Yih, Christ, Angelika N., Howe, Greg, Bruxner, Timothy J. C., Karolyi, Mario, Pawelka, Erich, Koch, Rebecca M., Bellmann-Weiler, Rosa, Burkert, Francesco, Weiss, Günter, Samanta, Romit J., Openshaw, Peter J. M., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, van Riel, Debby and Short, Kirsty R. (2020). A high fat diet increases influenza A virus-associated cardiovascular damage. The Journal of infectious diseases, 222 (5), 820-831. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa159
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O'Brien, Shannon L., Johnstone, Elizabeth K. M., Devost, Dominic, Conroy, Jacinta, Reichelt, Melissa E., Purdue, Brooke W., Ayoub, Mohammed A., Kawai, Tatsuo, Inoue, Asuka, Eguchi, Satoru, Hébert, Terence E., Pfleger, Kevin D.G. and Thomas, Walter G. (2018). BRET-based assay to monitor EGFR transactivation by the AT1R reveals Gq/11 protein-independent activation and AT1R-EGFR complexes. Biochemical Pharmacology, 158, 232-242. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.10.017
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Tan, Wei Sheng, Mullins, Thomas P., Flint, Melanie, Walton, Sarah L., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Carter, David A., Gandhi, Meera R., McDonald, Hayley R., Li, Joan, Moritz, Karen M., Reichelt, Melissa E. and Gallo, Linda A (2018). Modeling heart failure risk in diabetes and kidney disease: limitations and potential applications of transverse aortic constriction in high fat fed mice. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology, 314 (6), R858-R869. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00357.2017
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Chandramouli, Chanchal, Reichelt, Melissa E., Curl, Claire L., Varma, Upasna, Bienvenu, Laura A., Koutsifeli, Parisa, Raaijmakers, Antonia J. A., De Blasio, Miles J., Qin, Cheng Xue, Jenkins, Alicia J., Ritchie, Rebecca H., Mellor, Kimberley M. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2018). Diastolic dysfunction is more apparent in STZ-induced diabetic female mice, despite less pronounced hyperglycemia. Scientific reports, 8 (1) 2346, 2346. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20703-8
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Bienvenu, Laura A., Morgan, James, Reichelt, Melissa E., Delbridge, Lea M. D. and Young, Morag J. (2017). Chronic in vivo nitric oxide deficiency impairs cardiac functional recovery after ischemia in female (but not male) mice. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 112, 8-15. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2017.08.012
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Kaakinen, Mika, Reichelt, Melissa E., Ma, Zhibin, Ferguson, Charles, Martel, Nick, Porrello, Enzo R., Hudson, James E., Thomas, Walter G., Parton, Robert G. and Headrick, John P. (2017). Cavin-1 deficiency modifies myocardial and coronary function, stretch responses and ischaemic tolerance: roles of NOS over-activity. Basic Research in Cardiology, 112 (3) 24, 24. doi: 10.1007/s00395-017-0613-6
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Reichelt, Melissa E., O'Brien, Shannon, Thomas, Walter G. and Headrick, John P. (2017). Transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor in responses to myocardial stress and cardioprotection. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 83, 97-110. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2016.12.014
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Caveolin-3 plays a critical role in autophagy after ischemia-reperfusion
Kassan, Adam, Pham, Uyen, Quynhmy Nguyen, Reichelt, Melissa E., Cho, Eunbyul, Patel, Piyush M., Roth, David M., Head, Brian P. and Patel, Hemal H. (2016). Caveolin-3 plays a critical role in autophagy after ischemia-reperfusion. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, 311 (6), C854-C865. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00147.2016
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Ashton, Kevin J., Reichelt, Melissa E., Mustafa, S. Jamal, Teng, Bunyen, Ledent, Catherine, Delbridge, Lea M. D., Hofmann, Polly A., Morrison, R. Ray and Headrick, John P. (2016). Transcriptomic effects of adenosine 2A receptor deletion in healthy and endotoxemic murine myocardium. Purinergic Signalling, 13 (1), 1-23. doi: 10.1007/s11302-016-9536-1
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Bienvenu, Laura A., Reichelt, Melissa E., Morgan, James, Fletcher, Elizabeth K., Bell, James R., Rickard, Amanda J., Delbridge, Lea M. and Young, Morag J. (2015). Cardiomyocyte mineralocorticoid receptor activation impairs acute cardiac functional recovery after ischemic insult. Hypertension, 66 (5), 970-977. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.115.05981
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Bell, James R., Raaijmakers, Antonia J. A., Curl, Claire L., Reichelt, Melissa E., Harding, TristanW., Bei, Aier, Ng, Dominic C. H., Erickson, Jeffrey R., Petroff, Martin Vila, Harrap, Stephen B. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2015). Cardiac CaMKIIδ splice variants exhibit target signaling specificity and confer sex-selective arrhythmogenic actions in the ischemic-reperfused heart. International Journal of Cardiology, 181, 288-296. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.11.159
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RhoA/ROCK signaling and pleiotropic α1A-adrenergic receptor regulation of cardiac contractility
Yu, Ze-Yan, Tan, Ju-Chiat, McMahon, Aisling C., Iismaa, Siiri E., Xiao, Xiao-Hui, Kesteven, Scott H., Reichelt, Melissa E., Mohl, Marion C., Smith, Nicola J., Fatkin, Diane, Allen, David, Head, Stewart I., Graham, Robert M. and Feneley, Michael P. (2014). RhoA/ROCK signaling and pleiotropic α1A-adrenergic receptor regulation of cardiac contractility. PLoS ONE, 9 (6) e99024, e99024. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099024
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Dysfunctional survival-signaling and stress-intolerance in aged murine and human myocardium
Peart, Jason N., Pepe, Salvatore, Reichelt, Melissa E., Beckett, Nikkie, Hoe, Louise See, Ozberk, Victoria, Niesman, Ingrid R., Patel, Hemal H. and Headrick, John P. (2014). Dysfunctional survival-signaling and stress-intolerance in aged murine and human myocardium. Experimental Gerontology, 50 (1), 72-81. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2013.11.015
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Reichelt, M. E., Mellor, K. M., Curl, C. L., Stapleton, D. and Delbridge, L. M. D. (2013). Myocardial glycophagy - a specific glycogen handling response to metabolic stress is accentuated in the female heart. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 65, 67-75. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2013.09.014
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Bienvenu, Laura A., Reichelt, Melissa E., Delbridge, Lea M. D. and Young, Morag J. (2013). Mineralocorticoid receptors and the heart, multiple cell types and multiple mechanisms: a focus on the cardiomyocyte. Clinical Science, 125 (9), 409-421. doi: 10.1042/CS20130050
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Sex, sex steroids, and diabetic cardiomyopathy: making the case for experimental focus
Reichelt, Melissa E., Mellor, Kimberley M., Bell, James R., Chandramouli, Chanchal, Headrick, John P. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2013). Sex, sex steroids, and diabetic cardiomyopathy: making the case for experimental focus. American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 305 (6), H779-H792. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00141.2013
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The adenosine A2A receptor - myocardial protectant and coronary target in endotoxemia
Reichelt, Melissa E., Ashton, Kevin J., Tan, Xing Lin, Mustafa, S. Jamal, Ledent, Catherine, Delbridge, Lea M. D., Hofmann, Polly A., Headrick, John P. and Morrison, R. Ray (2013). The adenosine A2A receptor - myocardial protectant and coronary target in endotoxemia. International Journal of Cardiology, 166 (3), 672-680. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2011.11.075
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Autophagic predisposition in the insulin resistant diabetic heart
Mellor, Kimberley M., Reichelt, Melissa E. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2013). Autophagic predisposition in the insulin resistant diabetic heart. Life Sciences, 92 (11), 616-620. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2012.03.042
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Rickard, Amanda J., Morgan, James, Bienvenu, Laura A., Fletcher, Elizabeth K., Cranston, Greg A., Shen, Jimmy Z., Reichelt, Melissa E., Delbridge, Lea M. and Young, Morag J. (2012). Cardiomyocyte mineralocorticoid receptors are essential for deoxycorticosterone/salt-mediated inflammation and cardiac fibrosis. Hypertension, 60 (6), 1443-1450. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.112.203158
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Prele, Cecilia M., Reichelt, Melissa E., Mutsaers, Steven E., Davies, Marilyn, Delbridge, Lea M., Headrick, John P., Rosenthal, Nadia, Bogoyevitch, Marie A. and Grounds, Miranda D. (2012). Insulin-like growth factor-1 overexpression in cardiomyocytes diminishes ex vivo heart functional recovery after acute ischemia. Cardiovascular Pathology, 21 (1), 17-27. doi: 10.1016/j.carpath.2010.11.008
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Aromatase deficiency confers paradoxical postischemic cardioprotection
Bell, James R., Mellor, Kimberley M., Wollermann, Amanda C., Ip, Wendy T. K., Reichelt, Melissa E., Meachem, Sarah J., Simpson, Evan R. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2011). Aromatase deficiency confers paradoxical postischemic cardioprotection. Endocrinology, 152 (12), 4937-4947. doi: 10.1210/en.2011-1212
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Autophagy anomalies in the diabetic myocardium
Mellor, Kimberley M., Reichelt, Melissa E. and Delbridge, Lea M. D. (2011). Autophagy anomalies in the diabetic myocardium. Autophagy, 7 (10), 1263-1267. doi: 10.4161/auto.7.10.17148
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Adenosine and its receptors in the heart: regulation, retaliation and adaptation
Headrick, John P., Peart, Jason N., Reichelt, Melissa E. and Haseler, Luke J. (2011). Adenosine and its receptors in the heart: regulation, retaliation and adaptation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. Biomembranes, 1808 (5), 1413-1428. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2010.11.016
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Endogenous adenosine selectively modulates oxidant stress via the A1 receptor in ischemic hearts
Reichelt, Melissa E., Shanu, Anu, Willems, Laura, Witting, Paul K., Ellis, Natasha A., Blackburn, Michael R. and Headrick, John P. (2009). Endogenous adenosine selectively modulates oxidant stress via the A1 receptor in ischemic hearts. Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, 11 (11), 2641-2650. doi: 10.1089/ars.2009.2644
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Cardiac and coronary function in the Langendorff-perfused mouse heart model
Reichelt, Melissa E., Willems, Laura, Hack, Benjamin A., Peart, Jason N. and Headrick, John P. (2009). Cardiac and coronary function in the Langendorff-perfused mouse heart model. Experimental Physiology, 94 (1), 54-70. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.2008.043554
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Peart, Jason N., Gross, Eric R., Reichelt, Melissa E., Hsu, Anna, Headrick, John P. and Gross, Garrett J. (2008). Activation of kappa-opioid receptors at reperfusion affords cardioprotection in both rat and mouse hearts. Basic Research in Cardiology, 103 (5), 454-463. doi: 10.1007/s00395-008-0726-z
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Cardiac α1-adrenergic drive in pathological remodelling
Woodcock, Elizabeth A., Du, Xiao-Jun, Reichelt, Melissa E. and Graham, Robert M. (2008). Cardiac α1-adrenergic drive in pathological remodelling. Cardiovascular Research, 77 (3), 452-462. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvm078
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Modulation of ischaemic contracture in mouse hearts: a 'supraphysiological' response to adenosine
Reichelt, Melissa E., Willems, Laura, Peart, Jason N., Ashton, Kevin J., Matherne, G. Paul, Blackburn, Michael R. and Headrick, John P. (2007). Modulation of ischaemic contracture in mouse hearts: a 'supraphysiological' response to adenosine. Experimental Physiology, 92 (1), 175-185. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.2006.035568
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Effects of adenosine deaminase and A1 receptor deficiency in normoxic and ischaemic mouse hearts
Willems, Laura, Reichelt, Melissa E., Molina, Jose G., Sun, Chun-Xiao, Chunn, Janci L., Ashton, Kevin J., Schnermann, Jurgen, Blackburn, Michael R. and Headrick, John P. (2006). Effects of adenosine deaminase and A1 receptor deficiency in normoxic and ischaemic mouse hearts. Cardiovascular Research, 71 (1), 79-87. doi: 10.1016/j.cardiores.2006.03.006
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Genetic deletion of the A1 adenosine receptor limits myocardial ischemic tolerance
Reichelt, ME, Willems, L, Molina, JG, Sun, CX, Noble, JC, Ashton, KJ, Schnermann, J, Blackburn, MR and Headrick, JP (2005). Genetic deletion of the A1 adenosine receptor limits myocardial ischemic tolerance. Circulation Research, 96 (3), 363-367. doi: 10.1161/01.RES.0000156075.00127.C3
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Vascular endothelial growth factor-B and retinal vascular development in the mouse
Reichelt, M., Shi, S. N., Hayes, M., Kay, G., Batch, J., Gole, G. A. and Browning, J. (2003). Vascular endothelial growth factor-B and retinal vascular development in the mouse. Clinical And Experimental Ophthalmology, 31 (1), 61-65. doi: 10.1046/j.1442-9071.2003.00602.x
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Vascular change in the proximal hyaloid in oxygen induced retinopathy
Browning, J., Reichelt, M., Naug, H. L. and Gole, G. (2000). Vascular change in the proximal hyaloid in oxygen induced retinopathy. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 41 (4), 5336.
Conference Publication
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Using action learning to develop a model for inclusive teaching in a COVID-split cohort
Aland, Claire, Oancea, Iulia, Midwinter, Mark, Pillai, Suja, Manchadi, Mary-Louise, Reichelt, Melissa and Wu, Sherry (2022). Using action learning to develop a model for inclusive teaching in a COVID-split cohort. 26th Annual International Association for Medical Science Educators, Denver, CO, United States, 4-7 June 2022.
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Vascular changes in the proximal hyaloid in oxygen-induced retinopathy.
Browning, J, Reichelt, M, Naug, H and Gole, G (2000). Vascular changes in the proximal hyaloid in oxygen-induced retinopathy..
Other Outputs
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Young, Sophia L., Ryan, Lydia, Mullins, Thomas P., Flint, Melanie, Steane, Sarah E., Walton, Sarah L., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Carter, David A., Reichelt, Melissa E. and Gallo, Linda A. (2020). Sotagliflozin, a dual SGLT1/2 inhibitor, improves cardiac outcomes in a mouse model of early heart failure without diabetes.
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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Protecting hearts from trastuzumab-induced cardiomyopathy
(2023–2025) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
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Studying the basis of and developing new therapies to treat heart disease
(2023–2024) IPF Healthy - Medical Research
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Targeting cavin-1 via gene therapy in a model of metabolic/low-level chronic stress
(2022–2024) Diabetes Australia Research Program
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Understanding how an old heart gets stiff
(2020–2023) ARC Discovery Projects
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Eph receptor blockade to prevent and repair endothelial damage in systemic inflammation
(2020–2022) The Children's Hospital Foundation
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How tissues generate the peptide hormone angiotensin II
(2019–2022) ARC Discovery Projects
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(2019) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
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(2019) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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Understanding the role of HER2 in cardiac function.
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
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Understanding the role of WD40-Repeat Protein 62 (WDR62) in the regulation of heart function.
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
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Understanding how an old heart gets stiff
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
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Epidermal growth factor receptors in cardiac function and disease
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
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The role of neuregulin in cardiac function and failure
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
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Local regulation of cardiac pathophysiology
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Completed Supervision
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Understanding the role and regulation of the FBXL4-BNIP3/NIX pathway in mitophagy
(2024) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Possible Research Projects
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
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Understanding how growth factor receptors regulate heart enlargement
Cardiac enlargement is essential for normal maturation, and adaptation to exercise. It also occurs in pathological settings such as chronic hypertension. We are interested in the role that two receptors play in this response; ErbB1 also known as the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and it’s sibling ErbB4. We use adeno-associated viruses (AAV) in animals with floxed animals to delete our receptors of interest in a time and cell subtype specific manner and examine the impact on heart enlargement.
Multiple research projects are available for this large project which would involve some small animal work, immunohistochemistry, qPCR, western blot, isolated heart experiments (langendorff), cell culture and in vivo assessment of heat function (echocardiography) depending on student preferences.
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Understanding the mechanisms underlying diastolic dysfunction in hearts
The ability of the ventricle relax and expand to fill with blood in diastole is essential to normal heart function. Diastolic dysfunction, where cardiac filling is impaired, occurs in a number of clinical pathologies including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and diabetes. We recently published the first evidence that a membrane protein essential to sensing stretch, called cavin is essential to normal diastolic tone. Hearts from Cavin knockout animals are stiff and unable to detect stretch, and we were able to demonstrate that this was due to elevation of nitric oxide. We are now looking to translate this finding in animals into human heart tissues, through a collaboration with the Prince Charles Hospital. We are also intested in seeing if stiffness is also present mice lacking another membrane protein, Caveolin, and what heart cell-subtypes are the most important.
This project could involve work at Prince Chales Hospital on fresh human heart tissue (tranbeculae that are removed as a part of some surgical procedures), or could involve isolated heart experiments in Caveolin 1 and 3 knockout mice. Both projects would also involve real time PCR of RNA isolated from tissues, western blot, immunohistochemistry and nitric oxide and nitrosylation assays.
