Professor Ashley Blackshaw

Biography/ Background

L. Ashley Blackshaw, PhD, is affiliated with the Nerve-Gut Research Laboratory at the Hanson Institute, which provides biomedical research for the Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA Pathology, and the University of Adelaide. He is also Visiting Professor at the University of Adelaide. He is a member of the NHMRC Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Nutritional Physiology (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/ccre-nutrition).

Prof. Blackshaw's research focusses on gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastrointestinal sensory mechanisms in human and animal tissue. His work has identified new classes of sensory neurons and demonstrated important therapeutic roles for receptors on these neurons. He has demonstrated the role of specific genes in mechanosensory function in the GI tract. His work also covers the ways in which sensory information is processed in the central nervous system. More recently he has contributed to the understanding of nutrient sensing and its role in obesity. He has authored numerous published articles appearing in the Journal of Physiology, the Journal of Neuroscience, Gut and Gastroenterology, among others, and he serves on the editorial board of several journals.

Dr. Blackshaw received his Bachelor of Science degree with honours in physiology, as well as his PhD, at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. He now holds the position of Professor of Enteric Neuroscience at Queen Mary, University of London. www.icms.qmul.ac.uk/neurogastro/staff/lashleyblackshaw.html

Publications

Recent Key Articles

Andrews J, Blackshaw LA. In Feldman M, Friedman LS, Sleisenger MH (eds.) Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease (8th Edition). Small intestinal motor and sensory function and dysfunction. Elsevier, Philadelphia.

Blackshaw LA, Brookes SJ, Grundy D, Schemann M Sensory transmission in the gastrointestinal tract. Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2007; 19(1 Suppl):1-19.

Rayner CK, Jones KL, Blackshaw LA, Horowitz M. The diabetic gut - both aching and unfeeling? Pain 2007; 131: 239-240

Hughes PA, Brierley SM, Young RL Blackshaw LA. Localization and comparative analysis of acid sensing ion channel (ASIC1, 2 and 3) mRNA expression in mouse colonic sensory neurons within thoracolumbar dorsal root ganglia. Journal of Comparative Neurology 2007; 500 :863-75

Young RL, Page AJ, Cooper NJ, Blackshaw LA. Peripheral vs central modulation of gastric vagal pathways by mGluR5. American Journal of Physiology 2007; 292: G510-511

Coldwell JR, Phillis BD, Sutherland K, Howarth GS, Blackshaw LA. Increased responsiveness of rat colonic splanchnic afferents to 5-HT after inflammation and recovery. Journal of Physiology 2007; 579: 203-213.

Sutherland K, Young RL, Cooper NJ, Horowitz M, Blackshaw LA. Phenotypic characterization of taste cells of the mouse small intestine. American Journal of Physiology 2007; 292:G1420-1428.

Page AJ, Slattery JA, Milte C, Laker R, O'Donnell TA, Brierley SM, Dorian CL, Blackshaw LA. Ghrelin selectively reduces mechanosensitivity of upper gastrointestinal vagal afferents. American Journal of Physiology 2007; 292: G1376-1384.

Page AJ, Brierley SM, Martin CM, Blackshaw LA. Acid sensing ion channels required for inhibition of afferent mechanosensitivity by benzamil. Pain 2007; 133: 150-160.

Frisby CL, Fraser RJ, Schirmer MB, Yeoh EK, Blackshaw LA. Roles of muscarinic receptor subtypes in small intestinal motor dysfunction in acute radiation enteritis. American Journal of Physiology 2007; 293: G121-127.

Page AJ, Slattery JA, Brierley SM, Jacoby AS, Blackshaw LA. Involvement of galanin receptors 1 and 2 in the modulation of mouse vagal afferent mechanosensitivity. Journal of Physiology. 2007; 583: 675-684.

Lindstrom E, Brusberg M, Hughes PA, Martin CM, Brierley SM, Phillis BD, Martinsson R, Abrahamsson C, Larsson H, Blackshaw LA. Involvement of metabotropic glutamate 5 receptor in visceral pain. Pain 2008 137(2):295-305

Young RL, Cooper NJ, Blackshaw LA. Chemical coding and central projections of gastric vagal afferent neurons. Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2008: 20(6):708-18.

Brierley SM, Page AJ, Hughes PA, Adam B, Liebregts T, Cooper NJ, Holtmann G, Liedtke W, Blackshaw LA. A selective role for TRPV4 ion channels in visceral sensory pathways. Gastroenterology 2008: 134 (7) 2059-2069

Page AJ, O'Donnell TA, Blackshaw LA. Opioid modulation of ferret vagal afferent mechanosensitivity. American Journal of Physiology 2008: 294(4):G963-70

Young RL, Cooper NJ, Blackshaw LA. Anatomy and function of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors in gastric vagal pathways. Neuropharmacology 2008: 54(6):965-75.

Sipe W, Brierley SM, Martin CM, Phillis BD, Spreadbury I, Grady EF, Liedtke W, Vanner S, Blackshaw LA, Bunnett NW. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 mediates protease activated receptor 2-induced sensitization of colonic afferent nerves and mechanical hyperalgesia. American Journal of Physiology 2008 294(5):G1288-98.

Schloithe AC, Sutherland K, Woods CM, Blackshaw LA, Davison JS, Toouli J, Saccone GTP. Characterization of rat pancreatic mechanosensitive afferents in vitro. Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2008, 20(9):1060-9.

Hughes PA, Brierley SM, Martin CM, Liebregts T, Adam B, Persson, J, Holtmann G, Blackshaw LA. TRPV1-expressing sensory fibres and IBS: links with immune function. Gut /2008/161760 Accepted 4.7.08

Expertise for Media Contact

Categories	Medicine and medical research, Drugs
Expertise	gastroesophageal reflux disease: gastrointestinal sensory mechanisms: sensory neurons: visceral pain
Notes	Received American Gastroenterological Association award for basic research in gastroenterology in 2003

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 7 Aug 2012