Dr Asheeta Prasad
Doctor of Philosophy
University of Utrecht, the Netherlands
MastersÌýof Molecular Biology
University of Queensland, Australia
Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science)
University of Western Sydney, Australia
I am interested in the wiring of the brain, how neurons grow and form neural circuits and their functions. My research focuses on neural circuitry underlying complex behaviors such as learning, memory, reward related behavior and movement. Disturbances in the neural circuitry of these behaviours contribute to pathophysiology of several neurological disorders such as drug addiction, depression, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease andÌýMultiple sclerosis. I apply unique and interdisciplinary research tools of molecular biology, optogenetics, chemogenetics and behavioral neuroscience.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Sole CI GrantsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
2019-2021ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National Health and Medical Research CouncilÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý$507,000ÌýÌýÌý
2018ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Silver Star Award, UNSWÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $20,000ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
2017-2018ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Parkinson’s NSW seed fundÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $44,000
2017-2020ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Discovery Early Career Research FellowÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $388,000
2018ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Vice Chancellor’s Chidcare Fund ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $1600ÌýÌý
2016-2017ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Parkinson’s NSW seed fundÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $40,000
2015-2017 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Career Advancement Funds, University of New South WalesÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $10,000ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
2011 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Thesis provision funds, Rudolf Magnus InstituteÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý €1000
Ìý
Collaborative grants
2019 The UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme with Claire Shepherd and team $108,000
2018 Brain Sciences and Translational Neuroscience Seed Funding scheme. Asheeta Prasad, Claire Shepherd, Adith Mohan and Perminder Sachdev $19,983
2017 Brain Sciences UNSW: Dr Asheeta Prasad, Professor Michael Farrell and Professor Gavan McNally $1565
2017 Brain Sciences UNSW: Dr Asheeta Prasad, Professor Rick Richardson and Professor Margaret Morris $1700Ìý
2017ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Discovery Early Career Research Award
2017ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Travel award from Asia-Pacific Alcohol Addiction Research Society
2016 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýFinalist Parkinson’s NSW Young Investigator
2016ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý FENS-SfN Summer School on Cellular Mechanisms and Networks in AddictionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
2005ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Queensland Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence in Masters of Molecular Biology
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Gibson, G.D., Prasad, A.A., Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel, P., Yau, J.O., Millan, E.Z., Liu, S., Campbell, E.J., Marchant, N.J., Power, J.M., Lawrence, A.J., & McNally, G.P. Segregated accumbens shell output pathways promote versus prevent relapse to alcohol seeking, accepted, Neuron IF: 13.97
Ìý
Significance: Ìýshows anatomical and functional segregation of AcbSh output pathways to ventral tegmental area pathway promotes relapse whereas whereas the lateral hypothalamus pathway prevents in relapse.
Ìý
- Prasad, A.A., & McNally GP. Ventral pallidum output pathways in context-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking. The Journal of Neuroscience,Ìý2016 Nov 16;36(46):11716-11726. IF: 6.747
Significance: This paper showed that VP output pathways to the subthalamic nucleus and also to the ventral tegmental area are necessary for reinstatement of alcohol seeking.Ìý
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- Khoo, S. Y., Gibson, G. D.,ÌýPrasad, A. A., & McNally, G. P. (2016). How contexts promote and prevent relapse to drug seeking.ÌýGenes Brain Behavior doi:10.1111/gbb. 12328
Significance: Comprehensive review of the behavioural and brain mechanisms enabling contexts to promote and prevent relapse to drug seeking.Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
- Morello, F., Prasad, A.A., Vieira de Sa, R., Anton-Bolanus, N., Leyva-Diaz, E., Renberg, K., Adolfs, Y., Tissir, F., Lopez-Bendito, G., & Pasterkamp J (2015). Frizzled3 controls axonal polarity and intermediate target entry during striatal pathway development. The Journal of Neuroscience, 35, 14205-14219. IF: 6.747, Cover of The Journal of NeuroscienceÌýÌý
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Significance: Established the embryonic ontogeny of the two main striatal pathways and identified novel roles for the axon guidance receptor Frizzled3 in uncharacterized aspects of striatal pathway formation
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- Khoo, A.T., Gibson, G.S., Prasad, A.A., & McNally, G.P. (2015). Role of the striatopallidal pathway in renewal and reacquisition of alcohol-seeking. Behavioral Neuroscience, 129, 2 - 7. ÌýIF: 2.728,
Ìý
Significance: The first paper using optogenetics in freely moving animals published from Australia. It showed that the striatopallidal pathway, previously thought to be obligatory for all forms of relapse, does not mediate context-induced reinstatement. Instead, a different pallidal input must be important for this relapse.
Ìý
- Prasad, A.A., & McNally GP. Effects of vivo morpholino knockdown of lateral hypothalamus orexin/hypocretin on renewal of alcohol seeking. PLoS One. 2014 9, e110385 IF: 3.534
Significance: Shows relevance of proteins other than orexin within the lateral hypothalamus that may contribute to drug seeking behaviour.
- Blakely BD, Bye CR, Fernando CV, Prasad, A.A., Pasterkamp RJ, Macheda ML, Stacker SA, Parish CL. (2013). Ryk, a receptor regulating Wnt5a-mediated neurogenesis and axon morphogenesis of ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Stem Cells Development, 22, 2132-2144.Ìý IF: 3.727
Significance: Shows multiple role of Wnt5a on the development of dopaminergic neurons.
- Prasad, A.A., Fenstermaker A, Bechara A, Adolfs Y, Tissir F, Goffinet A, Zou Y, & Pasterkamp RJ. (2010). Wnt-Planar Cell Polarity signaling controls the anterior-posterior organization of monoaminergic axons in the brainstem. The Journal of Neuroscience, 30, 16053-16064. ÌýÌýFirst-co-authorship. Featured article and Cover. IF: 6.747, feature and cover of The Journal of Neuroscience.
Significance: The first paper to demonstrate the molecular mechanism regulating the orientation of dopaminergic neurons. Ìý
- Prasad A.A., Pasterkamp RJ. (2009). Axon guidance in the dopamine system. Advanced Experimental Medical Biology. 651, 91-100.
Significance: Comprehensive description of ontogeny of dopaminergic axons.
- Kolk SM, Gunput RA, Tran TS, van den Heuvel DM, Prasad, A.A., Hellemons AJ, Adolfs Y, Ginty DD, Kolodkin AL, Burbach JP, Smidt MP, Pasterkamp RJ. (2009). Semaphorin 3F is a bifunctional guidance cue for dopaminergic axons and controls their fasciculation, channeling, rostral growth, and intracortical targeting. The Journal of Neuroscience. 29, 12542-57. IF: 6.747
Significance: Describes the crucial role for Semaphorin 3F in development of dopaminergic circuitry.
- Pietersen AM, Evers B, Prasad, A.A., Tanger E, Cornelissen-Steijger P,Jonkers J, van Lohuizen M. (2008). Bmi1 regulates stem cells and proliferation and differentiation of committed cells in mammary epithelium. Current Biology, 18, 1094-1099. IF: 9.571
ÌýSignificance: A detailed study of Bmi1 knockout and overexpression in mammary stem cells.
Brain awaress week 2015,2016, 2017
Pint of Science, Beautiful Mind 2017:Ìý
Parkinsons Scientific Exhibition :Ìý
Blitz Radio, Science Fair with Jo 13/10/2016
In Conversation’: Artists & Scientists, Manly Art Gallery & Museum 19/02/17
Panelist for UNSW STEMM Symposium 17/08/2016 Part of Bluestockings/Women in Higher Education Week, providing perspective and inspiration to current students
AAS EMCR Forum - Science Pathways 2016: Future Leaders 26-27th September, 2016 Sponsored by School of Psychology, UNSW