Profiles
Dino Premilovac
Dino Premilovac
Lecturer in Physiology
Medicine
Room 436 , Medical Sciences 2
+61 3 6226 2701 (phone)
Dr Dino Premilovac is an early career researcher and lecturer within the Tasmanian School of Medicine. He teaches into the medical research and medicine degrees in cardiovascular and renal physiology. His research focusses on understanding how the smallest blood vessels in the body, the capillaries, contribute to organ function and dysfunction in health and disease. In particular, he focuses on understanding the roles of capillaries in organs such as skeletal muscles, adipose tissue and the brain in diseases such as obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Biography
Dino received his PhD from the University of Tasmania in 2012. The primary focus of his PhD was to understand how obesity and insulin resistance impact on microvascular function in skeletal muscle. After undertaking a post-doctoral stint in the in the Muscle Research Group (Menzies Institute for Medical Research) led by Prof Stephen Rattigan and Dr Michelle Keske, he joined the School of Medicine as a lecturer/junior research fellow in 2014. In this position, he undertook a second post-doctoral stint working on neurological complications of type 2 diabetes in the lab of Prof Lisa Foa. In 2017, he accepted a permanent position within the Tasmanian School of Medicine as a lecturer in physiology and established his own research lab – the Metabolism and Vascular Research Group.
Career summary
Qualifications
- PhD, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Australia, 2012. Thesis: Microvascular dysfunction and the development of muscle insulin resistance.
- BBiotech (1st class Hons), University of Tasmania, Australia, 2007.
Languages (other than English)
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Memberships
Professional practice
- Australian Physiological Society (AuPS)
- Australia and New Zealand Microcirculation Society
- Australian Cardiovascular Alliance Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR)
Administrative expertise
Unit coordinator: CHP208 - Human Physiology 2
Teaching
Physiology, Human Biology, Metabolism, Skeletal Muscle, Insulin Action, Biochemistry, Neuroscience.
Teaching expertise
Dino is a highly committed teacher and educator who strives to ensure that he contributes enthusiasm and excellence in his individual area of responsibility and more broadly. He has taught undergraduate physiology at multiple levels across the medical science and medicine degrees. He aims for students to leave with a deep understanding of physiology and how it underpins all other aspects of medicine and medical research and with strong critical thinking and problem solving abilities that help increase their employment opportunities.
Teaching responsibility
Current Unit Co-ordination:
Currently Teaching:
- Human Biology 1A (CHG105/110)
- Human Biology 1B (CHG106/112)
- Human Physiology (CHP207/208)
- Evidence Based Research Methods (CAA209)
- Foundations of Medicine 2 (CAM102)
- Scientific and Research Literacy (CAM103)
- Research Project in Health and Disease (CBA344)
Research Invitations
- 2019 ANZMS/AVBS/AAVB combined meeting, Sydney, Australia
- 2019 Cedars-Sinai Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute, Los Angeles, USA
- 2018 Australian Physiological Society meeting, Sydney, Australia
View more on Dr Dino Premilovac in WARP
Expertise
- Obesity
- Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
- Skeletal muscle physiology
- Vascular imaging techniques
- Cardiovascular physiology
- Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System
- Stroke
- Modelling human disease in rodents
Research Themes
Dino’s research aligns with Better Health theme of the University of Tasmania. His research aims to understand how the smallest blood vessels in the body, the capillaries, contribute to development and progression of disorders such as obesity-associated insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The first arm of his research focusses on understanding the contribution of blood flow dysregulation of development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in tissues such as skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. These tissues are important regulators of metabolism and loss of normal blood flow response appear to manifest very early in disease progression. For this reason, Dino is also investigating whether exercise or pharmacological interventions can be protective or reverse progression of insulin resistance by restoring normal blood flow control in muscle and adipose tissue.
The second arm of his research focusses on investigating how insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes alter blood flow in the brain to promote disorders such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. He has pioneered a novel ultrasound based imaging technique to measure blood flow non-invasively and in real time in the intact brain and is using this technique to understand whether drugs can be used to improve brain blood flow in conditions such as diabetic stroke to reduce the severity of the brain damage and improve outcomes.
Collaboration
Selected past and present collaborations:
- Associate Professor Etto Eringa, VU University, Amsterdam: Deciphering the role of pericytes in skeletal muscle blood flow control
- Associate Professor Michelle Keske, IPAN, Deakin University: Consequences of microvascular dysfunction on metabolic disorders
- Associate Professor Kylie Kavanagh, Wake Forest School of Medicine: Capillary bound pericytes in non-human primate muscle
Awards
- Dr Premilovac's 2013 manuscript published in the journal Cardiovascular Research was recognised as one of the 'Ten of the Best' scientific papers of the year by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research.
- The leading journal for diabetes research in Europe, Diabetologia, featured on the front cover of the 2014 December issue Dr Premilovac's work where he showed the negative impact of increased dietary salt on microvascular insulin sensitivity.
Current projects
See lab website: https://www.utas.edu.au/health/research/groups/tasmanian-school-of-medicine/metabolism-and-vascular-research-group
Fields of Research
- Systems physiology (320803)
- Cardiology (incl. cardiovascular diseases) (320101)
- Endocrinology (320208)
- Central nervous system (320903)
- Basic pharmacology (321401)
- Sensory systems (320907)
- Exercise physiology (420702)
- Pharmaceutical sciences (321405)
- Cell physiology (320801)
- Cellular nervous system (320902)
- Neurology and neuromuscular diseases (320905)
- Ophthalmology (321201)
- Cell development, proliferation and death (310102)
- Epidemiology (420299)
- Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (321402)
- Peripheral nervous system (320906)
- Respiratory diseases (320103)
- Animal physiology - cell (310909)
- Cell metabolism (310103)
- Nutritional science (321004)
- Medical physiology (320899)
- Animal physiology - systems (310910)
- Public health nutrition (321005)
- Cellular interactions (incl. adhesion, matrix, cell wall) (310105)
- Autonomic nervous system (320901)
- Medical biochemistry - lipids (320504)
- Signal transduction (310111)
- Cancer cell biology (321101)
- Environmental epidemiology (420203)
- Cellular immunology (320404)
Research Objectives
- Clinical health (200199)
- Expanding knowledge in the biomedical and clinical sciences (280103)
- Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences (280102)
- Treatment of human diseases and conditions (200105)
- Prevention of human diseases and conditions (200104)
- Overweight and obesity (200411)
- Expanding knowledge in the health sciences (280112)
- Diagnosis of human diseases and conditions (200101)
- Preventive medicine (200412)
- Behaviour and health (200401)
- Nutrition (200410)
- Health related to ageing (200502)
- Health education and promotion (200203)
- Allied health therapies (excl. mental health services) (200301)
- Evaluation of health outcomes (200202)
- Social impacts of climate change and variability (190103)
- Human pharmaceutical products (240899)
- Climatological hazards (e.g. extreme temperatures, drought and wildfires) (190401)
- Public health (excl. specific population health) (200499)
Publications
Dr Premilovac's work is routinely published in leading journals in his field such as Diabetes Care, Cardiovascular Research, Diabetologia, Journal of Physiology and Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.
Total publications
28
Journal Article
(27 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Premilovac D, Sutherland BA, 'Acute and long-term changes in blood flow after ischemic stroke: challenges and opportunities', Neural Regeneration Research, 18, (4) pp. 799-800. ISSN 1876-7958 (2023) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.350699 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: Sutherland BA | |
| 2022 | Doust YV, Sumargo N, Ziebell JM, Premilovac D, 'Insulin resistance in the brain: Evidence supporting a role for inflammation, reactive microglia, and the impact of biological sex', Neuroendocrinology pp. 1-12. ISSN 0028-3835 (2022) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1159/000524059 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: Doust YV; Sumargo N; Ziebell JM | |
| 2022 | King NE, Courtney J-M, Brown LS, Foster CG, Cashion JM, et al., 'Pharmacological PDGFRβ inhibitors imatinib and sunitinib cause human brain pericyte death in vitro', Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 444 pp. 1-9. ISSN 0041-008X (2022) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116025 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: King NE; Courtney J-M; Brown LS; Foster CG; Cashion JM; Attrill EH; Howells DW; Sutherland BA | |
| 2022 | Roberts-Thompson KM, Hu D, Russell RD, Greenaway T, Betik AC, et al., 'Impaired postprandial adipose tissue microvascular blood flow responses to a mixed-nutrient meal in first-degree relatives of adults with type 2 diabetes', American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, 323, (5) pp. E418-E427. ISSN 0193-1849 (2022) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00109.2022 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: Russell RD; Greenaway T; Richards SM; Keske MA | |
| 2022 | Southam K, de Sousa C, Daniel A, Taylor BV, Foa L, et al., 'Development and characterisation of a rat model that exhibits both metabolic dysfunction and neurodegeneration seen in type 2 diabetes', Journal of Physiology, 600, (7) pp. 1611-1630. ISSN 0022-3751 (2022) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1113/JP282454 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: Southam K; de Sousa C; Daniel A; Taylor BV; Foa L | |
| 2021 | Breenfeldt Andersen A, Jacobson GA, Bejder J, Premilovac D, Richards SM, et al., 'An abductive inference approach to assess the performance‑enhancing effects of drugs included on the World Anti‑Doping Agency Prohibited List', Sports Medicine ISSN 0112-1642 (2021) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1007/s40279-021-01450-9 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 6Web of Science - 7 Co-authors: Jacobson GA; Richards SM | |
| 2021 | Daniel A, Premilovac D, Foa L, Feng ZK, Shah K, et al., 'Novel short-chain quinones to treat vision loss in a rat model of diabetic retinopathy', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22, (3) Article 1016. ISSN 1422-0067 (2021) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031016 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 5Web of Science - 5 Co-authors: Daniel A; Foa L; Feng ZK; Shah K; Woolley KL; Bye N; Smith Jason Alfred; Gueven N | |
| 2021 | Russell RD, Roberts-Thomson KM, Hu D, Greenaway T, Betik AC, et al., 'Impaired postprandial skeletal muscle vascular responses to a mixed meal challenge in normoglycaemic people with a parent with type 2 diabetes', Diabetologia ISSN 0012-186X (2021) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1007/s00125-021-05572-7 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 8Web of Science - 7 Co-authors: Russell RD; Greenaway T; Sharman JE; Richards SM; Rattigan S; Keske MA | |
| 2020 | Keske MA, Barrett EJ, Lindner JR, Richter EA, Liu Z, et al., 'Perfusion controls muscle glucose uptake by altering the rate of glucose dispersion in viv', American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, 318, (6) pp. E1022-E1036. ISSN 0193-1849 (2020) [Letter or Note in Journal] DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00430.2019 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 4Web of Science - 4 Co-authors: Keske MA; Richards SM; Rattigan S | |
| 2020 | Premilovac D, Blackwood SJ, Ramsay C, Keske MA, Howells DW, et al., 'Transcranial contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the rat brain reveals substantial hyperperfusion acutely post-stroke', Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism pp. 1-15. ISSN 0271-678X (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1177/0271678X20905493 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 5Web of Science - 5 Co-authors: Howells DW; Sutherland BA | |
| 2019 | Attrill EH, Ramsay C, Ross R, Richards S, Sutherland BA, et al., 'Metabolic-vascular coupling in skeletal muscle: a potential role for capillary pericytes?', Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 47, (3) pp. 520-528. ISSN 0305-1870 (2019) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13208 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 5Web of Science - 5 Co-authors: Attrill EH; Ross R; Richards S; Sutherland BA | |
| 2019 | Bradley EA, Premilovac D, Betik AC, Hu D, Attrill EH, et al., 'Metformin improves vascular and metabolic insulin action in insulin resistant muscle', Journal of Endocrinology, 243, (2) pp. 85-96. ISSN 0022-0795 (2019) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1530/JOE-19-0067 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 9Web of Science - 10 Co-authors: Bradley EA; Attrill EH; Richards SM; Keske MA | |
| 2019 | Roberts-Thomson KM, Betik AC, Premilovac D, Rattigan S, Richards SM, et al., 'Postprandial microvascular blood flow in skeletal muscle: Similarities and disparities to the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp', Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology pp. 1-13. ISSN 0305-1870 (2019) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13237 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 9Web of Science - 7 Co-authors: Rattigan S; Richards SM; Ross RM; Keske MA | |
| 2018 | Hu D, Remash D, Russell RD, Greenaway T, Rattigan S, et al., 'Impairments in adipose tissue microcirculation in Type 2 diabetes mellitus assessed by real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasound', Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, 11, (4) Article e007074. ISSN 1942-0080 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.117.007074 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 13Web of Science - 15 Co-authors: Remash D; Russell RD; Greenaway T; Rattigan S; Squibb KA; Jones G; Richards SM; Keske MA | |
| 2018 | Hu D, Russell RD, Remash D, Greenaway T, Rattigan S, et al., 'Are the metabolic benefits of resistance training in type 2 diabetes linked to improvements in adipose tissue microvascular blood flow?', American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, 315, (6) pp. E1242-E1250. ISSN 0193-1849 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00234.2018 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 3Web of Science - 3 Co-authors: Russell RD; Remash D; Greenaway T; Rattigan S; Squibb KA; Jones G; Ross RM; Richards SM; Keske MA | |
| 2018 | Premilovac D, Attrill EH, Rattigan S, Richards SM, Kim J, et al., 'Acute, local infusion of angiotensin II impairs microvascular and metabolic insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle', Cardiovascular Research pp. 1-12. ISSN 0008-6363 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvy225 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 9Web of Science - 9 Co-authors: Attrill EH; Rattigan S; Richards SM; Keske MA | |
| 2017 | Keske MA, Dwyer RM, Russell RD, Blackwood SJ, Brown AA, et al., 'Regulation of microvascular flow and metabolism: An overview', Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 44, (1) pp. 143-149. ISSN 0305-1870 (2017) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.12688 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 20Web of Science - 19 Co-authors: Keske MA; Dwyer RM; Russell RD; Blackwood SJ; Brown AA; Richards SM; Rattigan S | |
| 2017 | Ng HLH, Premilovac D, Rattigan S, Richards SM, Muniyappa R, et al., 'Acute vascular and metabolic actions of the green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin 3-gallate in rat skeletal muscle', Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 40 pp. 23-31. ISSN 0955-2863 (2017) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2016.10.005 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 9Web of Science - 9 Co-authors: Ng HLH; Rattigan S; Richards SM; Keske MA | |
| 2017 | Premilovac D, Gasperini RJ, Sawyer S, West A, Keske M, et al., 'A New Method for Targeted and Sustained Induction of Type 2 Diabetes in Rodents', Scientific Reports, 7 Article 14158. ISSN 2045-2322 (2017) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14114-4 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 18Web of Science - 16 Co-authors: Gasperini RJ; Sawyer S; West A; Keske M; Taylor BV; Foa L | |
| 2017 | Russell RD, Hu D, Greenaway T, Blackwood SJ, Dwyer RM, et al., 'Skeletal muscle microvascular-linked improvements in glycemic control from resistance training in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes', Diabetes Care, 40, (9) pp. 1256-1263. ISSN 0149-5992 (2017) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.2337/dc16-2750 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 46Web of Science - 41 Co-authors: Russell RD; Greenaway T; Blackwood SJ; Dwyer RM; Sharman JE; Jones G; Squibb KA; Brown AA; Otahal P; Al-Aubaidy H; Hitchins S; Richards SM; Rattigan S; Keske MA | |
| 2016 | Keske MA, Premilovac D, Bradley EA, Dwyer RM, Richards SM, et al., 'Muscle microvascular blood flow responses in insulin resistance and ageing', The Journal of Physiology, 594, (8) pp. 2223-2231. ISSN 1469-7793 (2016) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2014.283549 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 45Web of Science - 47 Co-authors: Keske MA; Bradley EA; Dwyer RM; Richards SM; Rattigan S | |
| 2015 | Hong YH, Betik AC, Premilovac D, Dwyer RM, Keske MA, et al., 'No effect of NOS inhibition on skeletal muscle glucose uptake during in situ hindlimb contraction in healthy and diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats', American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 308, (10) pp. R862-R871. ISSN 0363-6119 (2015) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00412.2014 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 10Web of Science - 10 Co-authors: Dwyer RM; Keske MA; Rattigan S | |
| 2015 | Keske MA, Ng HLH, Premilovac D, Rattigan S, Kim J, et al., 'Vascular and metabolic actions of the green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate', Current Medicinal Chemistry, 22, (1) pp. 59-69. ISSN 0929-8673 (2015) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.2174/0929867321666141012174553 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 63Web of Science - 65 Co-authors: Keske MA; Ng HLH; Rattigan S | |
| 2014 | Premilovac D, Richards SM, Rattigan S, Keske MA, 'A vascular mechanism for high-sodium-induced insulin resistance in rats', Diabetologia: Clinical and Experimental Diabetes and Metabolism, 57, (12) pp. 2586-2595. ISSN 0012-186X (2014) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1007/s00125-014-3373-y [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 24Web of Science - 24 Co-authors: Richards SM; Rattigan S; Keske MA | |
| 2013 | Jacobson GA, Yee KC, Premilovac D, Rattigan S, 'Enantioselective disposition of (R/S)-albuterol in skeletal and cardiac muscle', Drug Testing and Analysis, 6, (6) pp. 563-567. ISSN 1942-7603 (2013) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1002/dta.1575 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 16Web of Science - 15 Co-authors: Jacobson GA; Yee KC; Rattigan S | |
| 2013 | Premilovac D, Bradley EA, Ng HLH, Richards SM, Rattigan S, et al., 'Muscle insulin resistance resulting from impaired microvascular insulin sensitivity in Sprague Dawley rats', Cardiovascular Research, 98, (1) pp. 28-36. ISSN 0008-6363 (2013) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvt015 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 33Web of Science - 31 Co-authors: Bradley EA; Ng HLH; Richards SM; Rattigan S; Keske MA | |
| 2013 | Premilovac D, Roberts-Thompson KM, Ng HLH, Bradley EA, Richards SM, et al., 'Blueberry tea enhances insulin sensitivity by augmenting insulin-mediated metabolic and microvascular responses in skeletal muscle of high fat fed rats', International Journal of Diabetology & Vascular Disease Research, 1, (8) pp. 1-10. ISSN 2328-353X (2013) [Non Refereed Article] Co-authors: Ng HLH; Bradley EA; Richards SM; Rattigan S; Keske MA |
Chapter in Book
(1 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Premilovac D, Ng HLH, Richards SM, Bradley EA, Dwyer RM, et al., 'Role for the Microvasculature in Glucose Uptake in Skeletal Muscle', Glucose Uptake: Regulation, Signaling Pathways and Health Implications (Endocrinology Research and Clinical Developments), Nova Science Publishers, Johnson CC and Williams DB (ed), New York, pp. 109-139. ISBN 978-1-62618-670-5 (2013) [Research Book Chapter] Co-authors: Ng HLH; Richards SM; Bradley EA; Dwyer RM; Rattigan S; Keske MA |
Grants & Funding
Funding Summary
Number of grants
14
Total funding
Projects
- Description
- Exposure to air pollution is becoming recognised as a major risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes, particularly in people that are overweight or obese. Our study aims to understand if exposure to traffic pollution or wood fire smoke triggers development of insulin resistance, commonly known as pre-diabetes.Original title: Could particulate air pollution be contributing to the rise in development of Type 2 Diabetes?
- Funding
- Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation ($24,958)
- Scheme
- Grant-Project
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Richards SM; Zosky GR; Burgess JR
- Year
- 2023
- Description
- People with type 2 diabetes are four times more likely to have a stroke. As well as this, data shows that diabetic individuals who have a stroke are more likely to have a more severe stroke and are far more likely to die following a stroke. The primary treatment for stroke is to remove the clot that caused the stroke in the first place so that blood flow is restored to the affected area. Commonly prescribed anti-diabetic drugs appear to reduce diabetic stroke severity and improve patient outcomes following a stroke independently of lowering blood glucose levels, but we don't know how or why this is the case. The current project will determine whether common anti-diabetic drugs, metformin and/or glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists such as exenatide, improve the health and function of blood vessels in the diabetic brain to reduce the impact of stroke. If true, this work will demonstrate that metformin and exenatide treatment may not only be useful for lowering blood glucose levels, but also aid in reducing the burden of stroke in those with type 2 diabetes.
- Funding
- Diabetes Australia Research Program ($68,581)
- Scheme
- Grant
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Sutherland BA; Howells DW; Morris GP
- Year
- 2022
- Description
- This project will investigate whether ultrasound can be used to deliver a drug, idebenone, specifically to the brain to reduce brain damage after a stroke in experimental rodents.
- Funding
- Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation ($9,584)
- Scheme
- Grant-Incubator
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Sutherland BA; Howells DW; Castley HJ; Guven N
- Year
- 2022
- Description
- The Olympus VS200 Research Slide Scanner enables the imaging of entire tissue sections in an automated manner. It can acquire images from up to six fluorescent channels along with brightfield, dark field and phase contrast, and has objectives up to 100X. The robotic slide loader allows for batch scanning of up to 210 slides at a time and can accommodate multiple sizes of slides up to 4x5 plates for large tissue sections. Our current VS120 slide scanner is already used at a maximum capacity with researchers having to book weeks in advance to scan slides. The VS200 will add further capacity and offers improved capabilities with greater optical resolution, more fluorescent channels, more batch scanning capacity and the ability to scan larger slides. Pairing this with free open source software like QuPath provides high throughput, efficient and highly accurate quantitative workflows that greatly improve productivity.
- Funding
- Ian Potter Foundation ($100,000)
- Scheme
- Grant - Medical Research
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Sutherland BA; Howells DW; Courtney J; King AE; Dickson TC; Premilovac D; Bye N; Flies AS; Young K
- Year
- 2022
- Description
- This grant funding will enable further characterisation of pericytes in-vivo and will determine whether pericytes respond to insulin's vascular mediators in the fully intact muscle microcirculation. We anticipate this work will provide evidence for a novel biological mechanism in response to insulin that will improve our understanding of blood flow regulation at the site of nutrient exchange in muscle, the capillary.
- Funding
- Australian Physiological Society ($1,500)
- Scheme
- Grant-PhD Student Small Grant
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Attrill EH
- Year
- 2021
- Description
- Pericytes are cells that exclusively reside on capillaries and can actively contract or relax to modulate capillary blood flow. Pericytes also have angiogenic, stem cell and phagocytic properties that are important for brain function. In ischaemic stroke, when brain blood flow is depleted, pericytes contract and then die, leading to capillary constriction even after arterial blood flow has been restored. However, after the acute stroke period, pericytes may have an important role in brain repair. Therefore, limiting pericyte contraction acutely while promoting pericyte activity during recovery may be a novel therapeutic strategy for ischaemic stroke.Aim 1 will determine whether acute pericyte constriction of capillaries is implicated in worsening stroke outcome. We will utilise our available NG2-DsRed and PDGFRβ-Cre transgenic mouse lines to selectively kill (ablate) pericytes during acute period post-stroke while using our novel contrast-enhanced ultrasound paradigm to assess blood flow and stroke outcomes. In addition, we will use primary cell culture methods to analyse the secretome of neurons, astrocytes, microglia and endothelial cells following ischaemia and their effects on pericyte function.Aim 2 will investigate whether pericytes drive the recovery process of the brain following stroke. Through our aforementioned transgenic mouse lines, we will selectively ablate pericytes in the recovery phase to determine its influence on stroke outcome. We will use lineage tracing to track pericytes following stroke to determine whether pericytes migrate away from capillaries and differentiate into other cell types. Lastly, we will implant pericytes into the mouse brain post-stroke to promote recovery of the brain.This research will develop pericytes as a therapeutic target for both the acute and recovery phases of stroke, pioneering future ischaemic stroke treatment and providing novel approaches for other vascular diseases and brain injuries.
- Funding
- National Health & Medical Research Council ($862,943)
- Scheme
- Grant-Ideas
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Sutherland BA; Howells DW; Clarkson A; Premilovac D
- Period
- 2021 - 2024
- Grant Reference
- 2003351
- Description
- All drugs given to patients in the setting of stroke are confounded by off-target effects those drugs have on other organs in the body. This pilot project will take advantage of our newly established transcranial ultrasound methods to establish a new way to deliver drugs specifically to the brain regions affected by stroke.
- Funding
- Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation ($9,543)
- Scheme
- Grant-Incubator
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Sutherland BA; Howells DW; Castley HJ
- Year
- 2020
- Description
- There are no drugs that improve the outcomes following a stroke. We have recently identified idebenone as a neuroprotective agent during times of energy stress. This pilot project will investigate whether idebenone can be used to reduce the severity of stroke in a pre-clinical animal model.
- Funding
- Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation ($9,962)
- Scheme
- Grant-Incubator
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Sutherland BA; Howells DW; Guven N; Castley HJ
- Year
- 2019
- Description
- An important action of insulin in the body is to increase blood flow through capillaries in skeletal muscles. This vascular action of insulin occurs rapidly after insulin levels in the blood rise, for example following a meal, to ensure that both insulin and glucose are delivered to muscle cells to enable glucose removal from the blood. Importantly, the vascular action of insulin is lost early in development of insulin resistance and contributes to the progression of the disease. Where and how insulin acts in the vascular tree to increase muscle blood flow remains poorly understood, with insulin's potential direct effects on capillaries completely overlooked. The proposed NHMRC Ideas grant will seek to fill this gap in knowledge by demonstrating that insulin acts directly on pericytes, a contractile cell type that wrap around capillaries, to increase capillary blood flow and that these effects are lost during insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
- Funding
- University of Tasmania ($16,457)
- Scheme
- Grant-Research Enhancement Program
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Sutherland BA
- Year
- 2019
- Description
- People with type 2 diabetes are four times more likely to have a stroke. Interestingly, common anti-diabetic drugs seem to improve patient outcomes following a stroke. This project will determine whether anti-diabetic drugs improve brain blood flow dynamics during and after stroke to reduce stroke severity in an animal model of type 2 diabetes.
- Funding
- Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation ($24,912)
- Scheme
- Grant-Minor Project
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Sutherland BA; Burgess JR; Howells DW; Foa LC; Keske MAV
- Year
- 2018
- Description
- We will test novel short chain quinones against idebenone and related compounds in a rat model of diabetic retinopathy.
- Funding
- Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG ($75,174)
- Scheme
- Contract Research
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Guven N; Premilovac D; Foa LC
- Period
- 2016 - 2019
- Funding
- University of Tasmania ($14,673)
- Scheme
- Grant-Research Enhancement (REGS)
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Premilovac D; Foa LC; Taylor BVM; Guven N
- Year
- 2016
- Description
- Offspring from type 2 diabetics (T2D) are at much greater risk of developing diabetes than a person with no family history. The mechanism for this increase in risk is not known. This project will determine whether microvascular dysfunction in skeletal muscle and skin of first degree relatives with T2D occurs before development of insulin resistance. We will recruit people with and without family history of T2D. It will measure microvascular actions (using ultrasound) in these people before and after a mixed meal challenge. The outcomes of this study will determine whether monitoring microvasculature responses in muscle is an important 'early' strategy for assessing risk that might inform patient treatment to prevent or delay progression to insulin resistance or T2D.
- Funding
- Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation ($20,294)
- Scheme
- Grant-Clinical Research
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Keske MAV; Rattigan S; Sharman JE; Russell R; Premilovac D
- Year
- 2014
- Description
- This project will recruit an overweight type 2 diabetes cohort, medically assessed for an exercise program. It aims to recruit some with family history of type 2 diabetes and some without. The cohort with exercise test before and after 6 weeks of the exercise program, with type 2 medications discontinued before test. The aim is to show that heart health will not be as good with family history of type 2 and that exercise will improve heart health but will be of more benefit to those with a family history than those without.
- Funding
- University of Tasmania ($50,735)
- Scheme
- vTAHSP Demonstration Projects
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Keske MAV; Greenaway T; Marwick TH; Ross RM; Rattigan S; Sharman JE; Premilovac D
- Year
- 2014
Research Supervision
Current
5
Completed
2
Current
| Degree | Title | Commenced |
|---|---|---|
| PhD | Responsiveness of In Vitro and In Vivo Skeletal Muscle Pericytes to Circulating and Muscle-Derived Paracrine Vasoactive Molecules | 2018 |
| PhD | Investigating Cerebrovascular Changes in Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes | 2019 |
| PhD | The Role of Pericytes in Vascular Recovery Following Stroke and Ageing | 2021 |
| PhD | Improving insulin action using exercise | 2022 |
| PhD | Improving brain blood flow post-stroke | 2023 |
Completed
| Degree | Title | Completed |
|---|---|---|
| PhD | Development of Short-Chain Quinones Candidate: Zikai Feng | 2021 |
| PhD | Mitochondrial Therapy Against Diabetic Retinopathy Candidate: Abraham Ojochenemi Daniel | 2020 |