Peter Thorn

Position

Associate Professor

Qualifications and Awards

PhD (Edinburgh)

Affiliations

Affiliate Group leader at the Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland

Associations

Member of The Biophysical Society (USA)
Member of The Australian Physiological Society

Contact Details

Location Room 314, Sir William MacGregor Building (64), St Lucia Campus
Mail Institute for Molecular Bioscience; School of Biomedical Sciences,
The University of Queensland,
BNE, QUEENSLAND 4072
Telephone +61 3346 7579
Facsimile +61 3365 1766
Email p.thorn@uq.edu.au

Biography

I completed my degree in Zoology and Psychology at The University of Nottingham. Subsequently I moved to Edinburgh to complete a PhD on the nematode worm Ascaris suum. After post-doctoral work in the USA I moved back to England to work with Ole Petersen in Liverpool. As an independent researcher I have focused on stimulus-secretion coupling. I worked in Cambridge University, Department of Pharmacology for 10 years as a lecturer and now have moved to the University of Queensland in 2006

Research Interests

Molecular mechanisms of secretion in epithelial cells
Secretory epithelial cells are found throughout the body and are particularly important in lung and gut function. It is known that secretory dysfunction in these cells is involved in the pathophysiology of various diseases. Pancreatitis is in part due to liberation of digestive enzymes within pancreatic acinar cells, a process that is thought to involve defects in the secretory pathway. In another example, changes in secretion have been proposed to be part of the manifestation of the disease of cystic fibrosis in the pancreas. Despite this potential clinical importance, we know little about the mechanisms of secretion in normal or diseased epithelial cells.
 
The mechanisms of regulated secretion in endocrine cells and neurones are currently under intense study, and much exciting research is taking place. In contrast, to date there has been very little research into secretion in epithelial cells and we have no real understanding of the mechanisms involved. Research in this field is therefore necessary to better our knowledge of cell physiology and might also be relevant to certain diseases.
 
We use cutting-edge techniques in microscopy to measure the behaviour of single vesicles during the process of secretion. Our recent work, imaging vesicle dynamics in real time from single exocrine cells (pancreas and submandibular acinar cells), that suggests there might be distinct differences in secretion in these cells when compared to the much better defined models in endocrine cells and neurones. If differences do exist these will be interesting in terms of a wider understanding of the diversity of secretory processes and, in the long term, may prove to be important in understanding diseases of secretory epithelial cells.

For more information about the Thorn Lab-please click here

Selected Publications

  1. Behrendorff N, Floetenmeyer, M, Schwiening C & Thorn P (2010) Protons, co-released during secretion, are a negative feedback extracellular messenger and contribute to the early tissue damage in secretagogue-induced pancreatitis Gastroenterology (in press accepted August 5th)
  2. Low J.T., Shukla A., Behrendorff N. & Thorn, P. (2010) Exocytosis, dependent on calcium release from calcium stores, is regulated by calcium microdomains.  Journal of Cell Science 123, 3201-3208
     3.    Bhat P. & Thorn, P. (2009) Myosin 2 maintains an open exocytic fusion pore in secretory epithelial cells.  Molecular Biology of the Cell 20, 1795-1803
  1. Larina, O., Bhat, P., Pickett, J.A., Launikonis, B.S., Shah, A., Kruger, W.A., Edwardson, J.M., & Thorn, P. (2007) Dynamic regulation of the large exocytotic fusion pore in pancreatic acinar cells Molecular Biology of the Cell 18: 3502-3511.
      5.    Larina O and Thorn P. (2005) Ca2+ dynamics in salivary acinar cells: distinct morphology of the acinar lumen underlies near-synchronous global Ca2+ responses. Journal Cell Science 118: 4131-4139
  1. Turvey M.R., Fogarty, K.E. and Thorn P. (2005) Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor links to filamentous actin are important for generating local Ca2+ signals in pancreatic acinar cells. Journal Cell Science 118:971-80
      7.    Thorn P., Fogarty, K.E. & Parker, I. (2004)Zymogen granule exocytosis is characterized by long fusion pore openings and preservation of vesicle lipid identity.Proceedings National Academy Science       101:6774-6779

Grants

A new model for secretion in epithelial cells
Researchers: Peter thorn
Grant Body: ARC
Grant Period: 2007-2010
Value: $263000
 
Are there two mechanisms of insulin secretion? 
Reseachers: Peter Thorn                                         
Grant Body: Diabetes Australia Research Trust
Grant Period: 2010
Value: $60,000
 
Single vesicle dynamics and the control of secretion
Researchers: Peter Thorn and Wally Thomas
Grant Body: ARC
Grant Period: 2011-2013
Value: $360,000
 
Control of insulin secretion in beta cells
Researchers: Peter Thorn and Herbert Gaisano
Grant Body: NHMRC
Grant Period: 2011-2013
Value: $573,390
 

On this site

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