Biography/ Background
Qualifications
Research Interests
Publications
Professional Associations

Dr Louise O'Keefe

Telephone	+61 8 8313 7536
Position	CMGD Postdoctoral Fellow
Email	louise.okeefe@adelaide.edu.au
Fax	+61 8 8313 4362
Building	Molecular Life Sciences
Floor/Room	1 32
Campus	North Terrace
Org Unit	Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of

To link to this page, please use the following URL:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/louise.okeefe

Biography/ Background

Sep 2008 - present Postdoctoral Fellow with Professor Robert Richards, The University of Adelaide

2002-2008 NHMRC Peter Doherty Australian Biomedical Fellow, The University of Adelaide

1997-2001 Postgraduate student with Professor Robert Saint, The University of Adelaide

1996 Research Assistant, Genetics, The University of Adelaide

1993-1995 Research Assistant with Professor Stephen DiNardo, Rockefeller University, New York, USA

1989-1992 Research Assistant at The University of Adelaide and ICGEB Trieste, Italy (6 months)

1998 Honours, Biochemistry, The University of Adelaide

Qualifications

PhD (admitted 13 Aug 2002)

Thesis title: Genetic approaches to understanding the role of Pebble during cytokinesis in Drosophila

with Professor Robert Saint

Research Interests

My current research interests involve using Drosophila as a model organism for the study of human genetic disease.

Firstly, to determine the normal function(s) of the WW containing oxido-reductase (WWOX) gene. This gene spans

the FRA16D common chromosomal fragile site and these studies are directed towards an understanding of the contribution

that disruption of this gene can make to cancer cell biology in humans.

Secondly, using Drosophila as a system to investigate a role for RNA in the pathogenesis of expanded repeat neurodegenerative disorders which includes Huntington's disease.

Publications

van Eyk CL, McLeod CJ, O'Keefe LV, Richards RI.

Comparative toxicity of polyglutamine, polyalanine and polyleucine tracts in Drosophila models of expanded repeat disease.

Hum Mol Genet. 2012 Feb 1;21(3):536-47.

Lawlor KT, O'Keefe LV, Samaraweera SE, van Eyk CL, McLeod CJ, Maloney CA, Dang TH, Suter CM, Richards RI.

Double-stranded RNA is pathogenic in Drosophila models of expanded repeat neurodegenerative diseases.

Hum Mol Genet. 2011 Oct 1;20(19):3757-68.

van Eyk CL, O'Keefe LV, Lawlor KT, Samaraweera SE, McLeod CJ, Price GR, Venter DJ, Richards RI.

Perturbation of the Akt/Gsk30beta signalling pathway is common to Drosophila expressing expanded untranslated CAG, CUG and AUUCU repeat RNAs.

Hum Mol Genet. 2011 Jul 15;20(14):2783-94.

O'Keefe LV, Colella A, Dayan S, Chen Q, Choo A, Jacob R, Price G, Venter D, Richards RI.

Drosophila orthologue of WWOX, the chromosomal fargile site FRA16D tumour suppressor gene, functions in aerobic metabolism and regulates reactive oxygen species.

Hum Mol Genet. 2011 Feb 1;20(3):497-509.

O’Keefe LV, Smibert P, Colella A, Chataway TK, Saint R and Richards RI.

Know thy fly

Trends Genet. 2007 May;23(5):238-42 (IF: 12.0)

Gregory SL, Shandala T, O'Keefe L, Jones L, Murray MJ and Saint R.

A Drosophila Overexpression Screen for Modifiers of Rho Signalling in Cytokinesis

Fly 2007, Volume: 1 | Issue: 1

O’Keefe LV, Richards RI

Common chromosomal fragile sites and cancer: focus on FRA16D

Cancer Lett. 2006 Jan 28;232(1):37-47. Review. (IF: 3.0)

O’Keefe LV, Liu Y, Perkins A, Dayan S, Saint R, Richards RI

FRA16D common chromosomal fragile site oxido-reductase (FOR/WWOX) protects against the effects of ionizing radiation in Drosophila.

Oncogene. 2005 Sep 29;24(43):6590-6. Erratum in: Oncogene. 2006 Dec 7;25(58):7662. (IF: 6.9)

McLeod CJ, O'Keefe LV, Richards RI.

The pathogenic agent in Drosophila models of 'polyglutamine' diseases.

Hum Mol Genet. 2005 15;14(8):1041-8 (IF: 7.8)

O'Keefe L, Somers WG, Harley A, Saint R.

The pebble GTP exchange factor and the control of cytokinesis.

Cell Struct Funct. 2001 Dec;26(6):619-26. Review. (IF 8.5)

Wehrli M, Dougan ST, Caldwell K, O'Keefe L, Schwartz S, Vaizel-Ohayon D, Schejter E, Tomlinson A, DiNardo S.

arrow encodes an LDL-receptor-related protein essential for Wingless signalling.

Nature. 2000 Sep 28;407(6803):527-30 (IF: 25.8)

Prokopenko SN, Brumby A, O'Keefe L, Prior L, He Y, Saint R, Bellen HJ.

A putative exchange factor for Rho1 GTPase is required for initiation of cytokinesis in Drosophila.

Genes Dev. 1999 Sep 1;13(17):2301-14. (IF: 19.2)

O'Keefe L, Dougan ST, Gabay L, Raz E, Shilo BZ, DiNardo S.

Spitz and Wingless, emanating from distinct borders, cooperate to establish cell fate across the Engrailed domain in the Drosophila epidermis.

Development. 1997 Dec;124(23):4837-45. (IF: 10.1)

Richardson H, O'Keefe LV, Marty T, Saint R.

Ectopic cyclin E expression induces premature entry into S phase and disrupts pattern formation in the Drosophila eye imaginal disc.

Development. 1995 Oct;121(10):3371-9. (IF: 10.1)

Richardson HE, O'Keefe LV, Reed SI, Saint R.

A Drosophila G1-specific cyclin E homolog exhibits different modes of expression during embryogenesis.

Development. 1993 Nov;119(3):673-90. (IF: 10.1)

Professional Associations

Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology

Genetics Society of AustralAsia

Entry last updated: Thursday, 15 Mar 2012

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