Bone & Skin Laboratory - Honours projects available in 2010
An Honours project undertaken in this lab would be administered by the Discipline of Physiology.
Professor R.S. MASON and her group study role of vitamin D in maintaining health, including bone health, and the role of vitamin D compounds in protection from UV irradiation in skin.
Skin cancer is a major problem in Australia. The ongoing studies in the role of vitamin D to protect against UV damage may lead to a better understanding of sun damage and to the development of these compounds as sun-protection agents. A second project will build on our earlier studies which support the proposal that muscle is an important storage site for vitamin D. The findings from this work may assist in improving vitamin D status in the community. vitamin D to protect against UV damage may lead to the use of these compounds as sun-protection agents.
Direct inquiries can be made by email to:
- Dr Mark Rybchyn - mrybchyn@mail.usyd.edu.au
- Dr Clare Gordon-Thomson - claregt@physiol.usyd.edu.au
- Professor Rebecca Mason - rebeccam@physiol.usyd.edu.au
- Role of vitamin D and other compounds in the protection of skin cells from UV
Supervisor + contact details:
- Professor Rebecca S Mason
Our group has shown that vitamin D compounds, which are well known to be made in skin, have an important physiological function in skin to protect skin cells from the damaging effects of UV radiation. Cell death, mainly by apoptosis after UV exposure, is significantly reduced in skin cells after treatment with vitamin D metabolites. We have also shown that DNA damage is reduced in surviving cells. We now have evidence that the protective effects, including protection from UV-induced immunosuppression and photocarcinogenesis are present in mice. Preliminary studies also show a reduction in sunburn cells and DNA damage in human subjects.
The project will examine likely mechanisms of action of the vitamin D compounds. These are likely to include enhanced activity of the tumour suppressor p53 and reduced nitric oxide products and a possible novel mechanism of DNA damage.
- Muscle as a storage site for vitamin D
Supervisor + contact details:
- Professor Rebecca S Mason
Most vitamin D is made in skin as a result of a photochemical reaction between UVB light and 7-dehydrocholesterol. The vitamin D is then converted to 25hydroxyvitamin D, the major circulating form of vitamin D, in the liver and then to the active hormone, 1,25dihydroxyvitamin D in the kidney and other tissues. Since there is relatively little vitamin D made in winter (not much UVB and not much skin exposed), a storage mechanism for vitamin D seems likely, but has not been investigated. Several lines of indirect evidence are consistent with a proposal that muscle is a site of 25hydroxyvitamin D storage and release. The project, which includes whole animal and cell culture studies, will test this hypothesis.
