University of Otago physiologist Prof Allan
Herbison has been awarded the Health Research Council's Liley
Medal for "outstanding" research which could lead to new
treatments for infertility.
Prof Herbison, of the university's centre for
neuroendocrinology, was delighted to receive the award,
presented at a science honours dinner in Auckland.
The award was made for an outstanding contribution to the
health and medical sciences in the field of neuroscience and
neuroendocrinology.
"There's nothing better than awards that have been selected
from your own peers," he said in an interview.
The medal provided a "nice recognition" of world-class
research being undertaken by Otago researchers at the Otago
centre and by collaborators at Cambridge University.
"We are truly international leaders in that field," he said.
Research council officials said his "breakthrough" research
showed a small protein molecule called kisspeptin played a
crucial role within the brain in triggering ovulation.
His research, published last year, described the process by
which a small group of nerve cells in the brain, called
gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons, were activated,
thereby triggering the hormone surge that leads to ovulation.
This study used an elegant experimental design to show an
essential role for kisspeptin and its receptor, GPR54, in the
process.
"This is an exciting finding, as people have been trying to
find out precisely how the brain controls ovulation for more
than 30 years."
The study indicates disorders affecting the signalling
between kisspeptin and the GPR54 receptors will result in
women being unable to ovulate.
Up to 20% of couples in New Zealand suffer from infertility.
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