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

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

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