Attachment sites (magenta) in the surrounding skin of roundworm nerve cells act as a glue, helping the cells remain intact during periods of strain.

A way in which some connections between brain cells can resist degeneration – a hallmark of traumatic brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases — has been discovered by researchers at The University of Queensland.

16 January 2020

Years of hard work have led Dr Alessandra Donato to the cusp of a discovery that could result in new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

18 July 2019
The worm is less than 1mm long, and has the same proteins as in flies, mice and humans.

A discovery in a transparent roundworm has brought scientists one step closer to understanding nerve degeneration.

12 February 2016
UQ scientists have discovered the molecular mechanisms that allow severed nerves to fuse back together.

A small transparent roundworm with the remarkable ability to self-heal may hold the secret to treating nerve injuries in humans.

8 January 2015

A team of international scientists is one step closer to understanding neurodegenerative diseases after developing a tool to explore how nerve cells become damaged.

25 October 2013

Australian and US scientists have developed a new technology for studying the genetics of a common roundworm used to understand nerve development and nerve degeneration.

30 April 2012

A study in worms that are less than a millimetre long has yielded clues that may be important for understanding how nerves grow.

20 September 2011

In humans, regeneration of the peripheral nervous system after injury remains a hit-or-miss affair, while brain and spinal cord damage usually results in lifelong disabilities.

30 March 2011

Most people don’t think twice about the roundworms in their backyard, however Dr Massimo Hilliard has built his career studying them – and now the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) neuroscientist has been rewarded for his efforts.

28 September 2010

A student from the Gold Coast has placed second in a prestigious international competition testing high school students’ knowledge of neuroscience - the best ever result for an Australian participant.

28 September 2009