Dr Gabriela Bodea completed her PhD with highest honours (Summa cum laude) in April 2014 in the laboratory of Prof. Sandra Blaess at the University of Bonn, Germany. Dr Bodea's PhD work was focused on understanding developmental mechanisms leading to neuronal diversity in the mammalian brain. In June 2014, Dr Bodea joined the Genome Plasticity and Disease group at the Mater Research Institute, Australia, where she began investigating the role of LINE-1 retrotransposons, a class of mobile DNA elements colloquially referred to as "jumping genes", in creating genetic variability within neurons. In 2017, Dr Bodea moved to the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, to continue her work on understanding the impact of LINE-1 retrotransposon activity on specific subpopulations of neurons focusing on its potential link to neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disease. Dr Bodea's work has been supported by prestigious fellowships awarded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development scheme. Dr. Bodea has published in top journals, such as Cell, Cell Reports, Genome Research, and Development. Dr Bodea has also been involved in the training and mentorship of PhD students and participated in course coordination and lecturing activities.
Journal Article: Locus-resolution analysis of L1 regulation and retrotransposition potential in mouse embryonic development
Gerdes, Patricia, Chan, Dorothy, Lundberg, Mischa, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela O., Ewing, Adam D., Faulkner, Geoffrey J. and Richardson, Sandra R. (2023). Locus-resolution analysis of L1 regulation and retrotransposition potential in mouse embryonic development. Genome Research, 33 (9), 1465-1481. doi: 10.1101/gr.278003.123
Journal Article: Somatic retrotransposition in the developing rhesus macaque brain
Billon, Victor, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J, Rasmussen, Jay, Bodea, Gabriela O, Gerhardt, Daniel J, Gerdes, Patricia, Cheetham, Seth W, Schauer, Stephanie N, Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Meyer, Thomas J, Layman, Cora E, Nevonen, Kimberly A, Jansz, Natasha, Garcia-Perez, Jose L, Richardson, Sandra R, Ewing, Adam D, Carbone, Lucia and Faulkner, Geoffrey J (2022). Somatic retrotransposition in the developing rhesus macaque brain. Genome Research, 32 (7), gr.276451.121-1314. doi: 10.1101/gr.276451.121
Journal Article: LINE-1 retrotransposon activation intrinsic to interneuron development
Bodea, Gabriela O., Ferreiro, Maria E., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Botto, Juan M., Rasmussen, Jay, Rahman, Muhammed A., Fenlon, Laura R., Gubert, Carolina, Gerdes, Patricia, Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Kozulin, Peter, Billon, Victor, Morell, Santiago, Kempen, Marie-Jeanne H.C., Love, Chloe J., Palmer, Lucy M., Ewing, Adam D., Jhaveri, Dhanisha J., Richardson, Sandra R., Hannan, Anthony J. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2022). LINE-1 retrotransposon activation intrinsic to interneuron development.
Journal Article: No evidence of human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 found by long-read DNA sequencing
Smits, Nathan, Rasmussen, Jay, Bodea, Gabriela O., Amarilla, Alberto A., Gerdes, Patricia, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Modhiran, Naphak, Liang, Benjamin, Faivre, Jamila, Deveson, Ira W., Khromykh, Alexander A., Watterson, Daniel, Ewing, Adam D. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2021). No evidence of human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 found by long-read DNA sequencing. Cell Reports, 36 (7) 109530, 109530. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109530
Journal Article: Retrotransposon-induced mosaicism in the neural genome
Bodea, Gabriela O., McKelvey, Eleanor G. Z. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2018). Retrotransposon-induced mosaicism in the neural genome. Open Biology, 8 (7) 180074, 180074. doi: 10.1098/rsob.180074
Journal Article: Heritable L1 retrotransposition in the mouse primordial germline and early embryo
Richardson, Sandra R., Gerdes, Patricia, Gerhardt, Daniel J., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela-Oana, Muñoz-Lopez, Martin, Jesuadian, J. Samuel, Kempen, Marie-Jeanne H. C., Carreira, Patricia E., Jeddeloh, Jeffrey A., Garcia-Perez, Jose L., Kazazian Jr., Haig H., Ewing, Adam D. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2017). Heritable L1 retrotransposition in the mouse primordial germline and early embryo. Genome Research, 27 (8), 1395-1405. doi: 10.1101/gr.219022.116
Journal Article: Establishing diversity in the dopaminergic system
Bodea, Gabriela O. and Blaess, Sandra (2015). Establishing diversity in the dopaminergic system. FEBS Letters (Federation of European Biochemical Socities), 589 (24, Part A), 3773-3785. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.09.016
Journal Article: Ubiquitous L1 mosaicism in hippocampal neurons
Upton, Kyle R., Gerhardt, Daniel J., Jesuadian, J. Samuel, Richardson, Sandra R., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela O., Ewing, Adam D., Salvador-Palomeque, Carmen, van der Knaap, Mario S., Brennan, Paul M., Vanderver, Adeline and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2015). Ubiquitous L1 mosaicism in hippocampal neurons. Cell, 161 (2), 228-239. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.03.026
Journal Article: Reelin and CXCL12 regulate distinct migratory behaviors during the development of the dopaminergic system
Bodea, Gabriela Oana, Spille, Jan-Hendrik, Abe, Philipp, Andersson, Aycan Senturk, Acker-Palmer, Amparo, Stumm, Ralf, Kubitscheck, Ulrich and Blaess, Sandra (2014). Reelin and CXCL12 regulate distinct migratory behaviors during the development of the dopaminergic system. Development, 141 (3), 661-673. doi: 10.1242/dev.099937
UQ AWARE - Dr Gabriela-Oana Bodea
(2019–2020) UQ Amplify Women's Academic Research Equity
(2016–2021) NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowships Scheme
Investigating novel molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease
Doctor Philosophy
Visualising genetic mosaicism during development
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the role of epigenetic mechanisms in dopaminergic neuron degeneration
Selective degeneration of a specific subset of dopaminergic neurons represents the main neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. Environmental neurotoxins, as well as genetic components interact to induce dopaminergic neurodegeneration through yet an unclear mechanism. X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (Mecp2) encodes for an epigenetic factor that binds to methylated DNA, and it has been linked with the mediation of gene-environment interactions. Mecp2 mutations (in Mecp2 knockout mice and humans) induce symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease and dopamine metabolism disorders. In this project, we will investigate the specific role of Mecp2 in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. We will utilise relevant neurotoxin treatments of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived dopaminergic neurons and primary cultures as a model of Parkinson's disease. Students will gain hands-on experience with advanced lab techniques, shRNA, CRISPR on/off switch, qPCR, and immunohistochemistry.
What You'll Do:
No prior research experience is necessary! We welcome students interested in neuroscience, molecular biology and genetics.
From maternal immune response to altered brain gene networks: Investigating maternal immune activation role in neuropsychiatric disorders.
This research project offers a unique opportunity to explore the connection between maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy and the increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring. We will specifically investigate how MIA impacts gene expression patterns in the developing mouse brain, focusing on cellular and molecular changes relevant to schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Students will gain hands-on experience with advanced lab techniques, including RNA in situ hybridization (RNAscope), CRISPR/dCas9 modulation, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and cell culture.
Gerdes, Patricia, Chan, Dorothy, Lundberg, Mischa, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela O., Ewing, Adam D., Faulkner, Geoffrey J. and Richardson, Sandra R. (2023). Locus-resolution analysis of L1 regulation and retrotransposition potential in mouse embryonic development. Genome Research, 33 (9), 1465-1481. doi: 10.1101/gr.278003.123
Somatic retrotransposition in the developing rhesus macaque brain
Billon, Victor, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J, Rasmussen, Jay, Bodea, Gabriela O, Gerhardt, Daniel J, Gerdes, Patricia, Cheetham, Seth W, Schauer, Stephanie N, Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Meyer, Thomas J, Layman, Cora E, Nevonen, Kimberly A, Jansz, Natasha, Garcia-Perez, Jose L, Richardson, Sandra R, Ewing, Adam D, Carbone, Lucia and Faulkner, Geoffrey J (2022). Somatic retrotransposition in the developing rhesus macaque brain. Genome Research, 32 (7), gr.276451.121-1314. doi: 10.1101/gr.276451.121
LINE-1 retrotransposon activation intrinsic to interneuron development
Bodea, Gabriela O., Ferreiro, Maria E., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Botto, Juan M., Rasmussen, Jay, Rahman, Muhammed A., Fenlon, Laura R., Gubert, Carolina, Gerdes, Patricia, Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Kozulin, Peter, Billon, Victor, Morell, Santiago, Kempen, Marie-Jeanne H.C., Love, Chloe J., Palmer, Lucy M., Ewing, Adam D., Jhaveri, Dhanisha J., Richardson, Sandra R., Hannan, Anthony J. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2022). LINE-1 retrotransposon activation intrinsic to interneuron development.
No evidence of human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 found by long-read DNA sequencing
Smits, Nathan, Rasmussen, Jay, Bodea, Gabriela O., Amarilla, Alberto A., Gerdes, Patricia, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Modhiran, Naphak, Liang, Benjamin, Faivre, Jamila, Deveson, Ira W., Khromykh, Alexander A., Watterson, Daniel, Ewing, Adam D. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2021). No evidence of human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 found by long-read DNA sequencing. Cell Reports, 36 (7) 109530, 109530. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109530
Retrotransposon-induced mosaicism in the neural genome
Bodea, Gabriela O., McKelvey, Eleanor G. Z. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2018). Retrotransposon-induced mosaicism in the neural genome. Open Biology, 8 (7) 180074, 180074. doi: 10.1098/rsob.180074
Heritable L1 retrotransposition in the mouse primordial germline and early embryo
Richardson, Sandra R., Gerdes, Patricia, Gerhardt, Daniel J., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela-Oana, Muñoz-Lopez, Martin, Jesuadian, J. Samuel, Kempen, Marie-Jeanne H. C., Carreira, Patricia E., Jeddeloh, Jeffrey A., Garcia-Perez, Jose L., Kazazian Jr., Haig H., Ewing, Adam D. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2017). Heritable L1 retrotransposition in the mouse primordial germline and early embryo. Genome Research, 27 (8), 1395-1405. doi: 10.1101/gr.219022.116
Establishing diversity in the dopaminergic system
Bodea, Gabriela O. and Blaess, Sandra (2015). Establishing diversity in the dopaminergic system. FEBS Letters (Federation of European Biochemical Socities), 589 (24, Part A), 3773-3785. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.09.016
Ubiquitous L1 mosaicism in hippocampal neurons
Upton, Kyle R., Gerhardt, Daniel J., Jesuadian, J. Samuel, Richardson, Sandra R., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela O., Ewing, Adam D., Salvador-Palomeque, Carmen, van der Knaap, Mario S., Brennan, Paul M., Vanderver, Adeline and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2015). Ubiquitous L1 mosaicism in hippocampal neurons. Cell, 161 (2), 228-239. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.03.026
Bodea, Gabriela Oana, Spille, Jan-Hendrik, Abe, Philipp, Andersson, Aycan Senturk, Acker-Palmer, Amparo, Stumm, Ralf, Kubitscheck, Ulrich and Blaess, Sandra (2014). Reelin and CXCL12 regulate distinct migratory behaviors during the development of the dopaminergic system. Development, 141 (3), 661-673. doi: 10.1242/dev.099937
Neuronal genome plasticity: retrotransposons, environment and disease
Kempen, Marie-Jeanne H. C., Bodea, Gabriela O. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2017). Neuronal genome plasticity: retrotransposons, environment and disease. Human retrotransposons in health and disease. (pp. 107-125) edited by Gael Cristofari. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-48344-3_5
Madrid, Lidia I., Hafey, Katelyn, Bandhavkar, Saurabh, Bodea, Gabriela O., Jimenez-Martin, Javier, Milne, Michael, Walker, Tara L., Faulkner, Geoffrey J., Coulson, Elizabeth J. and Jhaveri, Dhanisha J. (2023). Stimulation of the muscarinic receptor M4 regulates neural precursor cell proliferation and promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Development, 151 (1) dev201835. doi: 10.1242/dev.201835
Gerdes, Patricia, Chan, Dorothy, Lundberg, Mischa, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela O., Ewing, Adam D., Faulkner, Geoffrey J. and Richardson, Sandra R. (2023). Locus-resolution analysis of L1 regulation and retrotransposition potential in mouse embryonic development. Genome Research, 33 (9), 1465-1481. doi: 10.1101/gr.278003.123
Methods and applications in cellular neuropathology.
Bodea, Gabriela O. and Yemisci, Muge (2023). Methods and applications in cellular neuropathology.. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 17 1244414, 1244414. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1244414
Somatic retrotransposition in the developing rhesus macaque brain
Billon, Victor, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J, Rasmussen, Jay, Bodea, Gabriela O, Gerhardt, Daniel J, Gerdes, Patricia, Cheetham, Seth W, Schauer, Stephanie N, Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Meyer, Thomas J, Layman, Cora E, Nevonen, Kimberly A, Jansz, Natasha, Garcia-Perez, Jose L, Richardson, Sandra R, Ewing, Adam D, Carbone, Lucia and Faulkner, Geoffrey J (2022). Somatic retrotransposition in the developing rhesus macaque brain. Genome Research, 32 (7), gr.276451.121-1314. doi: 10.1101/gr.276451.121
LINE-1 retrotransposon activation intrinsic to interneuron development
Bodea, Gabriela O., Ferreiro, Maria E., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Botto, Juan M., Rasmussen, Jay, Rahman, Muhammed A., Fenlon, Laura R., Gubert, Carolina, Gerdes, Patricia, Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Kozulin, Peter, Billon, Victor, Morell, Santiago, Kempen, Marie-Jeanne H.C., Love, Chloe J., Palmer, Lucy M., Ewing, Adam D., Jhaveri, Dhanisha J., Richardson, Sandra R., Hannan, Anthony J. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2022). LINE-1 retrotransposon activation intrinsic to interneuron development.
The transcription factor BCL11A defines distinct subsets of midbrain dopaminergic neurons
Tolve, Marianna , Ulusoy, Ayse, Patikas, Nikolaos, Islam, K. Ushna S. , Bodea, Gabriela O. , Öztürk, Ece, Broske, Bianca, Mentani, Astrid , Wagener, Antonia , van Loo, Karen M.J. , Britsch, Stefan , Liu, Pengtao , Khaled, Walid T. , Metzakopian, Emmanouil , Baader, Stephan L. , Di Monte, Donato A. and Blaess, Sandra (2021). The transcription factor BCL11A defines distinct subsets of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Cell Reports, 36 (11) 109697, 109697. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109697
Rasmussen, Jay, Ewing, Adam D., Bodea, Liviu‐Gabriel, Bodea, Gabriela O., Gearing, Marla and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2021). An early proinflammatory transcriptional response to tau pathology is age‐specific and foreshadows reduced tau burden. Brain Pathology, 32 (3) e13018, e13018. doi: 10.1111/bpa.13018
No evidence of human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 found by long-read DNA sequencing
Smits, Nathan, Rasmussen, Jay, Bodea, Gabriela O., Amarilla, Alberto A., Gerdes, Patricia, Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Ajjikuttira, Prabha, Modhiran, Naphak, Liang, Benjamin, Faivre, Jamila, Deveson, Ira W., Khromykh, Alexander A., Watterson, Daniel, Ewing, Adam D. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2021). No evidence of human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 found by long-read DNA sequencing. Cell Reports, 36 (7) 109530, 109530. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109530
Retrotransposon-induced mosaicism in the neural genome
Bodea, Gabriela O., McKelvey, Eleanor G. Z. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2018). Retrotransposon-induced mosaicism in the neural genome. Open Biology, 8 (7) 180074, 180074. doi: 10.1098/rsob.180074
Heritable L1 retrotransposition in the mouse primordial germline and early embryo
Richardson, Sandra R., Gerdes, Patricia, Gerhardt, Daniel J., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela-Oana, Muñoz-Lopez, Martin, Jesuadian, J. Samuel, Kempen, Marie-Jeanne H. C., Carreira, Patricia E., Jeddeloh, Jeffrey A., Garcia-Perez, Jose L., Kazazian Jr., Haig H., Ewing, Adam D. and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2017). Heritable L1 retrotransposition in the mouse primordial germline and early embryo. Genome Research, 27 (8), 1395-1405. doi: 10.1101/gr.219022.116
Establishing diversity in the dopaminergic system
Bodea, Gabriela O. and Blaess, Sandra (2015). Establishing diversity in the dopaminergic system. FEBS Letters (Federation of European Biochemical Socities), 589 (24, Part A), 3773-3785. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.09.016
Ubiquitous L1 mosaicism in hippocampal neurons
Upton, Kyle R., Gerhardt, Daniel J., Jesuadian, J. Samuel, Richardson, Sandra R., Sanchez-Luque, Francisco J., Bodea, Gabriela O., Ewing, Adam D., Salvador-Palomeque, Carmen, van der Knaap, Mario S., Brennan, Paul M., Vanderver, Adeline and Faulkner, Geoffrey J. (2015). Ubiquitous L1 mosaicism in hippocampal neurons. Cell, 161 (2), 228-239. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.03.026
Bodea, Gabriela Oana, Spille, Jan-Hendrik, Abe, Philipp, Andersson, Aycan Senturk, Acker-Palmer, Amparo, Stumm, Ralf, Kubitscheck, Ulrich and Blaess, Sandra (2014). Reelin and CXCL12 regulate distinct migratory behaviors during the development of the dopaminergic system. Development, 141 (3), 661-673. doi: 10.1242/dev.099937
Meeting report. Imaging in cell biology: where next?
Barry, David, Roque, Hélio, Dumoux, Maud, Kriston-Vizi, Janos, Bodea, Gabriela O. and Harper, Callista (2013). Meeting report. Imaging in cell biology: where next?. Journal of Cell Science, 126 (1), 43-44. doi: 10.1242/jcs.129197
Bodea, Gabriela Oana and Blaess, Sandra (2012). Organotypic slice cultures of embryonic ventral midbrain: a system to study dopaminergic neuronal development in vitro. Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE (59) e3350, e3350. doi: 10.3791/3350
Blaess, Sandra, Bodea, Gabriela O., Kabanova, Anna, Chanet, Soline, Mugniery, Emilie, Derouiche, Amin, Stephen, Daniel and Joyner, Alexandra L. (2011). Temporal-spatial changes in Sonic Hedgehog expression and signaling reveal different potentials of ventral mesencephalic progenitors to populate distinct ventral midbrain nuclei. Neural Development, 6 (29). doi: 10.1186/1749-8104-6-29
Dinu, Diana, Bodea, Gabriela Oana, Ceapa, Corina Diana, Munteanu, Maria Cristina, Roming, Florentina Israel, Serban, Andreea Iren, Hermenean, Anca, Costache, Marieta, Zarnescu, Otilia and Dinischiotu, Anca (2011). Adapted response of the antioxidant defense system to oxidative stress induced by deoxynivalenol in Hek-293 cells. Toxicon, 57 (7-8), 1023-1032. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2011.04.006
Influence of deoxynivalenol on the oxidative status of HepG2 cells
Bodea, G. O. Dragomir, Munteanu, M. C., Dinu, D., Serban, A. I., Roming, F. Israel, Costache, M. and Dinischiotu, A. (2009). Influence of deoxynivalenol on the oxidative status of HepG2 cells. Romanian Biotechnological Letters, 14 (2), 4349-4359.
UQ AWARE - Dr Gabriela-Oana Bodea
(2019–2020) UQ Amplify Women's Academic Research Equity
(2016–2021) NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowships Scheme
Investigating novel molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Visualising genetic mosaicism during development
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
Understanding the role of epigenetic mechanisms in dopaminergic neuron degeneration
Selective degeneration of a specific subset of dopaminergic neurons represents the main neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. Environmental neurotoxins, as well as genetic components interact to induce dopaminergic neurodegeneration through yet an unclear mechanism. X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (Mecp2) encodes for an epigenetic factor that binds to methylated DNA, and it has been linked with the mediation of gene-environment interactions. Mecp2 mutations (in Mecp2 knockout mice and humans) induce symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease and dopamine metabolism disorders. In this project, we will investigate the specific role of Mecp2 in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. We will utilise relevant neurotoxin treatments of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived dopaminergic neurons and primary cultures as a model of Parkinson's disease. Students will gain hands-on experience with advanced lab techniques, shRNA, CRISPR on/off switch, qPCR, and immunohistochemistry.
What You'll Do:
No prior research experience is necessary! We welcome students interested in neuroscience, molecular biology and genetics.
From maternal immune response to altered brain gene networks: Investigating maternal immune activation role in neuropsychiatric disorders.
This research project offers a unique opportunity to explore the connection between maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy and the increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring. We will specifically investigate how MIA impacts gene expression patterns in the developing mouse brain, focusing on cellular and molecular changes relevant to schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Students will gain hands-on experience with advanced lab techniques, including RNA in situ hybridization (RNAscope), CRISPR/dCas9 modulation, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and cell culture.