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Dr Eleanor O'Brien

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Staff Member Details
Mobile: 0467 527 816
Email: e.obrien@ecu.edu.au
Campus: Joondalup  
Room: JO17.312  
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5145-7340

Eleanor is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Precision Health and the School of Medical and Health Sciences. She researches the interaction of genetic and lifestyle factors in predicting the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Eleanor also provides statistics support as a  Statistics Support Adviser in the School of Medical and Health Sciences

Background

I previously held research and teaching positions in biological sciences and genetics at the University of Bristol (2010-13; 2017-20) and the University of Bath (2014-17; 2018-19) in the UK, and the University of Wollongong (2008-09).  I completed my PhD at the University of Western Australia in 2007.

Research Areas and Interests

  • Genetics
  • Gene  x  Environment interactions
  • Alzheimer's disease

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Western Australia, 2007.
  • Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours in Zoology, The University of Western Australia, 2003.

Research Outputs

Journal Articles

  • Adewuyi, E., Porter, T., O'Brien, E., Olaniru, O., Verdile, G., Laws, S. (2024). Genome-wide cross-disease analyses highlight causality and shared biological pathways of type 2 diabetes with gastrointestinal disorders. Communications Biology, 7(1), Article number 643. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06333-z.
  • Lapole, T., Mesquita, R., Baudry, S., Souron, R., O'Brien, E., Brownstein, C., Rozand, V. (2024). Persistent inward currents in tibialis anterior motoneurons can be reliably estimated within the same session. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 78(Article in press), Article number 102911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2024.102911.

Journal Articles

  • Mehramiz, M., Porter, T., O'Brien, E., Rainey-Smith, S., Laws, S. (2023). A Potential Role for Sirtuin-1 in Alzheimer's Disease: Reviewing the Biological and Environmental Evidence. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, 7(1), 823-843. https://doi.org/10.3233/ADR-220088.

Journal Articles

  • Adewuyi, E., O'Brien, E., Nyholt, D., Porter, T., Laws, S. (2022). A large-scale genome-wide cross-trait analysis reveals shared genetic architecture between Alzheimer’s disease and gastrointestinal tract disorders. Communications Biology, 5(1), article number 691. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03607-2.
  • Hou, J., Hess, J., Armstrong, N., Bis, J., Greiner-Boley, B., Karlsson, I., Leonenko, G., Numbers, K., O'Brien, E., Shadrin, A., Thalamuthu, A., Yang, Q., Andreassen, O., Brodaty, H., Gatz, M., Kochan, N., Lambert, J., Laws, S., Masters, C., Mather, K., Pedersen, N., Posthuma, D., Sachdev, P., Williams, J., Fan, C., Faraone, S., Fennema-Notestine, C., Lin, S., Escott-Price, V., Holmans, P., Seshadri, S., Tsuang, M., Kremen, W., Glatt, S. (2022). Polygenic resilience scores capture protective genetic effects for Alzheimer’s disease. Translational Psychiatry, 12(1), Article number 296. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02055-0.
  • Jiang, Y., Zhou, X., Wong, H., Ouyang, L., Ip, F., Chau, V., Lau, S., Wu, W., Wong, D., Seo, H., Fu, W., Lai, N., Chen, Y., Chen, Y., Tong, E., Mok, V., Kwok, T., Mok, K., Shaoi, M., Lehallier, B., Losada, P., O'Brien, E., Porter, T., Laws, S., Hardy, J., Wyss-Coray, T., Masters, C., Fu, A., Ip, N. (2022). An IL1RL1 genetic variant lowers soluble ST2 levels and the risk effects of APOE-ε4 in female patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Nature Aging, 2(7), 616-634. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-022-00241-9.
  • Adewuyi, E., O'Brien, E., Porter, T., Laws, S. (2022). Relationship of Cognition and Alzheimer’s Disease with Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders: A Large-Scale Genetic Overlap and Mendelian Randomisation Analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(24), Article number 16199. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232416199.
  • O'Brien, E., Walter, G., Bridle, J. (2022). Environmental variation and biotic interactions limit adaptation at ecological margins: Lessons from rainforest Drosophila and European butterflies. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 377(1848), article number 20210017. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0017.

Journal Articles

  • Jeffs, C., Terry, J., Higgie, M., Jandová, A., Konvičková, H., Brown, J., Lue, C., Schiffer, M., O'Brien, E., Bridle, J., Hrček, J., Lewis, O. (2021). Molecular analyses reveal consistent food web structure with elevation in rainforest Drosophila – parasitoid communities. Ecography: pattern and diversity in ecology, 44(3), 403-413. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.05390.

Journal Articles

Journal Articles

  • Saxon, A., O'Brien, E., Bridle, J. (2018). Temperature fluctuations during development reduce male fitness and may limit adaptive potential in tropical rainforest Drosophila. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 31(3), 405-415. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.13231.

Journal Articles

  • O'Brien, E., Higgie, M., Reynolds, A., Hoffmann, A., Bridle, J. (2017). Testing for local adaptation and evolutionary potential along altitudinal gradients in rainforest Drosophila: beyond laboratory estimates. Global Change Biology, 23(5), 1847-1860. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13553.
  • O'Brien, E., Wolf, J. (2017). The coadaptation theory for genomic imprinting. Evolution Letters, 1(1), 49-59. https://doi.org/10.1002/evl3.5.

Research Student Supervision

Associate Supervisor

  • Master of Medical and Health Science by Research, Investigating relationships between genetic variation in a metabolic clearance pathway, physical activity, and Alzheimer's Disease

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The impact of the interaction between SIRT1 and lifestyle factors on Alzheimer’s disease risk and related phenotypes
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