A brightly coloured network of intersecting lines against a black background, some fusing where they meet.

Researchers at QBI have discovered viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can cause brain cells to fuse, initiating malfunctions that lead to chronic neurological symptoms.

8 June 2023
Injured axons of the nematode C. elegans and other invertebrate species are able to rejoin with their separated segments, preventing degeneration and restoring the original axonal tract in a process known as axonal fusion. Credit: Nick Valmas

Researchers at The University of Queensland have identified a molecule essential for regulating the repair of injured nerves, which could help people recover from nerve damage.

17 March 2022
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
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

University of Queensland (UQ) researchers have made a significant discovery that could one day halt a number of neurodegenerative diseases.

27 December 2013