Head of Laboratory Research, Stroke Research Group

Adjunct Associate Professor Bruno Meloni obtained his Bachelor of Science degree at Curtin University in 1985 and his PhD degree at Murdoch University in 1993. He was immediately successful in being awarded a Commonwealth AIDS Research Council Grant (CARG) Postdoctoral Fellowship (1993 - 1995). Until this time his research activities primarily involved developing and applying molecular techniques to characterise pathogenically significant protozoan parasites, and to clarify their modes of transmission, reproduction and pathogenicity in humans.

In 1996, he decided to pursue a new research field and started a second Postdoctoral position with the newly formed Stroke Research Group situated at the Australian Neuromuscular Research Institute (ANRI), headed by Clinical Professor Neville Knuckey. This research group was initiated from scratch, and to this end A/ Professor Meloni was responsible for setting-up the molecular biology, in vitro cultivation and animal surgery laboratories. He has played a major role in overseeing its direction over the last 15 years and is currently Head of Laboratory Research. A/Prof Meloni's research has focussed on characterising the role of specific proteins involved in ischaemic brain injury and assessing the effectiveness of magnesium and mild hypothermia as a neuroprotective therapy following stroke and cerebral ischaemia.