Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
Overview
I received my Bachelor's in Biology (2001) from Yarmouk University in Jordan, followed by postgraduate degrees from the University of Houston in Houston-Texas (2002-2007). My studies are integrative in nature, joining the best of both the Neuroscience world and Circadian Biology (the study of biological clocks). In the laboratory of Prof. Arnold Eskin, I investigated how processes as complex as learning and memory are modulated by biological clocks i.e. the circadian (about 24 hours) system, using Aplysia californica as the experimental model. After completing my Master's in Science in 2005, my research focused on the mechanism by which biological clocks modulate learning and memory. This work was performed in the laboratories of Prof. Gregg Cahill and Prof. Greg Roman, experts in chronobiology and behavioral neuroscience, respectively. Using Zebrafish as a model system, I investigated the role of melatonin, a night-time restricted hormonal signal, in modulating long-term memory consolidation. My findings, published in Science in 2007, shows that the circadian system via the cyclic night-time confined synthesis/release of melatonin “the hormone of darkness” functions as a modulator, shaping daily variations in the efficiency by which memories are processed. After receiving my Ph.D. in 2007, I joined as a postdoctoral fellow the laboratory of the pharmacologist and melatonin researcher Prof. Margarita Dubocovich. My postdoctoral work engaged in elucidating the role of melatonin in circadian physiology and pharmacology during development and ageing in rodents (Mus musculus) and non-human primates (Macaca mulatta) at the Feinberg School of Medicine (Northwestern University-Chicago) and the State University of New York (SUNY). From 2010-2015, I held a teaching/research position in the Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomy and the Dept. of Neurology at the Goethe University in Frankfurt-Germany. During this time, I was involved in teaching gross human anatomy while continuing my endeavor in understanding the mechanistics involved in shaping memory processes (acquisition, consolidation and retrieval) by the circadian system.
Research Impacts
I have always been intrigueed by the importance of the biological time-keeping system in regulating physiological and behavioural processes as complex and important as learning and memory. A memory is a defining factor of who we are, similar to a passport or fingerprint "we are our memories". The efficiency by which we aqcuire new information (learning) and form memories is dependent on temporal factors generated by our inner time-keeping system, the circadian system, which imposes regulatory actions on anatomical structures inlcuding those pivotal for memory processing. This phenomenon has deep fundamental evolutionary roots, since the circadian modulation of learning and memory is conserved across species, as we and others have demonstrated. My research focuses on identifying the biological clocks and pacemakers that regulate hippocampus-dependent learning and memory processes and deciphering the means of communication between the circadian clock and the limbic system (anatomical structures specialized in the generation, processing and storrage of informations and emotions). hence, the memories that shape our behavior are based on theinformation we efficiently aquire, which is dependent on the time-of-day when information processing takes place.
Humans are under the mercy of increasingly accelerating technological advancements and slaves to our own and growing greed. Our bodies are not designed to function to meet such demands, simply because evolution is lagging behind! Since we are less likely to change and cure the directionality of modern-life style and its demands, a fundamental understanding to how the circadian system interacts to modulate physiology, particularly memory processing, will aid in providing therapeutics aimed to enhance our adaptability (metabolic, cognitive...etc) to continuous and rapid temporal shifts.
Qualifications
- Master of Science, The University of Houston
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Houston
Publications
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Lucia, D., Burgess, D., Cullen, C. L., Dorey, E. S., Rawashdeh, O. and Moritz, K. M. (2019) Periconceptional maternal alcohol consumption leads to behavioural changes in adult and aged offspring and alters the expression of hippocampal genes associated with learning and memory and regulators of the epigenome. Behavioural Brain Research, 362 249-257. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2019.01.009
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Journal Article: Coupling the circadian clock to homeostasis: the role of Period in timing physiology
Kim, Pureum, Oster, Henrik, Lehnert, Hendrik, Schmid, Sebastian M, Salamat, Nicole, Barclay, Johanna L, Maronde, Erik, Inder, Warrick and Rawashdeh, Oliver (2019) Coupling the circadian clock to homeostasis: the role of Period in timing physiology. Endocrine Reviews, 40 1: 66-95. doi:10.1210/er.2018-00049
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Journal Article: Early postnatal development of the visual cortex in mice with retinal degeneration
Himmelhan, D. K., Rawashdeh, O. and Oelschläger, H. H. A. (2018) Early postnatal development of the visual cortex in mice with retinal degeneration. Mechanisms of Development, 151 1-9. doi:10.1016/j.mod.2018.03.002
Grants
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(2019) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
Supervision
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Targeting sleep and circadian rhythms as a preventative and therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases.
Doctor Philosophy
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Investigating the role of the clockwork protein PERIOD1 in sleep and metabolism
Doctor Philosophy
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The effect of periconceptional alcohol exposure on behavioural outcomes and circadian rhythms
Doctor Philosophy
Available Projects
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Project Aim:
The project aims to identify the components and mechanistics involved in resetting the body’s master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. A detailed understanding of how time-cues entrain the biological clock will be key to develop pharmacological approaches that are aimed to enhance our adaptability to temporal environmental changes i.e. adjusting the speed by which our clocks tick.
Background:
Jetlag and Social-lag are terms used to describe symptoms associated with the disruption of the body’s “internal clock”. This disruption, or desynchronosis, can occur (1) when flying across multiple time zones, (2) during shiftwork, (3) due to a misalgnment between the body’s internal clock and social time and (4) in diseases and during ageing. The symptoms include loss of appetite, insomnia, mild depression, altered mood, headaches, nausea and reduced physical and mental performance. Jetlag symptoms gradually wear off as the body adapts to the new time zone and social cycles. Thus, accelerating the adaptation process or reinstating circadian rhythms in disease and during ageing means reducing symptomatology and improving the quality of life.
Publications
Journal Article
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Lucia, D., Burgess, D., Cullen, C. L., Dorey, E. S., Rawashdeh, O. and Moritz, K. M. (2019) Periconceptional maternal alcohol consumption leads to behavioural changes in adult and aged offspring and alters the expression of hippocampal genes associated with learning and memory and regulators of the epigenome. Behavioural Brain Research, 362 249-257. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2019.01.009
-
Coupling the circadian clock to homeostasis: the role of Period in timing physiology
Kim, Pureum, Oster, Henrik, Lehnert, Hendrik, Schmid, Sebastian M, Salamat, Nicole, Barclay, Johanna L, Maronde, Erik, Inder, Warrick and Rawashdeh, Oliver (2019) Coupling the circadian clock to homeostasis: the role of Period in timing physiology. Endocrine Reviews, 40 1: 66-95. doi:10.1210/er.2018-00049
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Early postnatal development of the visual cortex in mice with retinal degeneration
Himmelhan, D. K., Rawashdeh, O. and Oelschläger, H. H. A. (2018) Early postnatal development of the visual cortex in mice with retinal degeneration. Mechanisms of Development, 151 1-9. doi:10.1016/j.mod.2018.03.002
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Clocking in time to gate memory processes: the circadian clock is part of the ins and outs of memory
Rawashdeh, Oliver, Parsons, Rex and Maronde, Erik (2018) Clocking in time to gate memory processes: the circadian clock is part of the ins and outs of memory. Neural Plasticity, 2018 6238989-11. doi:10.1155/2018/6238989
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Learned motivation drives circadian physiology in the absence of the master circadian clock
Rawashdeh, Oliver, Clough, Shannon J. , Hudson, Randall L. and Dubocovich, Margarita L. (2017) Learned motivation drives circadian physiology in the absence of the master circadian clock. FASEB Journal, 31 1: 388-399. doi:10.1096/fj.201600926R
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Rami, Abdalhaq, Fekadu, Julia and Rawashdeh, Oliver (2017) The hippocampal autophagic machinery is depressed in the absence of the circadian clock protein PER1 that may lead to vulnerability during cerebral ischemia. Current Neurovascular Research, 14 3: 207-214. doi:10.2174/1567202614666170619083239
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Rawashdeh, Oliver, Jilg, Antje, Maronde, Erik, Fahrenkrug, Jan and Stehle, Joerg H. (2016) Period1 gates the circadian modulation of memory-relevant signaling in mouse hippocampus by regulating the nuclear shuttling of the CREB kinase pP90RSK. Journal of Neurochemistry, 138 5: 731-745. doi:10.1111/jnc.13689
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Ribosomal RNA - A tail wagging the dog?
Stehle, Jorg H. and Rawashdeh, Oliver (2016) Ribosomal RNA - A tail wagging the dog?. Journal of Neurochemistry, 136 4: 673-676. doi:10.1111/jnc.13499
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PERIOD1 coordinates hippocampal rhythms and memory processing with daytime
Rawashdeh, Oliver, Jilg, Antje, Jedlicka, Peter, Slawska, Jolanta, Thomas, Lukas, Saade, Anastasia, Schwarzacher, Stephan W. and Stehle, Joerg H. (2014) PERIOD1 coordinates hippocampal rhythms and memory processing with daytime. Hippocampus, 24 6: 712-723. doi:10.1002/hipo.22262
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Rawashdeh, Oliver and Dubocovich, Margarita L. (2014) Long-term effects of maternal separation on the responsiveness of the circadian system to melatonin in the diurnal nonhuman primate (Macaca mulatta). Journal of Pineal Research, 56 3: 254-263. doi:10.1111/jpi.12118
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The hormonal Zeitgeber melatonin: role as a circadian modulator in memory processing
Rawashdeh, Oliver and Maronde, Erik (2012) The hormonal Zeitgeber melatonin: role as a circadian modulator in memory processing. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 5 FEBRUARY 2012: 1-6. doi:10.3389/fnmol.2012.00027
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Stehle, Joerg H., Saade, Anastasia, Rawashdeh, Oliver, Ackermann, Katrin, Jilg, Antje, Sebesteny, Tamas and Maronde, Erik (2011) A survey of molecular details in the human pineal gland in the light of phylogeny, structure, function and chronobiological diseases. Journal of Pineal Research, 51 1: 17-43. doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.2011.00856.x
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Rawashdeh, Oliver, Hudson, Randall L., Stepien, Iwona and Dubocovich, Margarita L. (2011) Circadian periods of sensitivity for ramelteon on the onset of running-wheel activity and the peak of suprachiasmatic nucleus neuronal firing rhythms in C3HHeN mice. Chronobiology International, 28 1: 31-38. doi:10.3109/07420528.2010.532894
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Rawashdeh, Oliver and Stehle, Joerg H. (2010) Ageing or NOT, clock genes are important for memory processes: an interesting hypothesis raising many questions. Aging, 2 5: 259-260. doi:10.18632/aging.100148
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Cycling behavior and memory formation
Gerstner, Jason R., Lyons, Lisa C., Wright, Kenneth P., Jr., Loh, Dawn H., Rawashdeh, Oliver, Eckel-Mahan, Kristin L. and Roman, Gregg W. (2009) Cycling behavior and memory formation. The Journal of Neuroscience, 29 41: 12824-12830. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3353-09.2009
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Melatonin suppresses nighttime memory formation in zebrafish
Rawashdeh, Oliver, de Borsetti, Nancy Hernandez, Roman, Gregg and Cahill, Gregory M. (2007) Melatonin suppresses nighttime memory formation in zebrafish. Science, 318 5853: 1144-1146. doi:10.1126/science.1148564
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Non-ocular circadian oscillators and photoreceptors modulate long term memory formation in Aplysia
Lyons, Lisa C., Rawashdeh, Oliver and Eskin, Arnold (2006) Non-ocular circadian oscillators and photoreceptors modulate long term memory formation in Aplysia. Journal of Biological Rhythms, 21 4: 245-255. doi:10.1177/0748730406289890
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Circadian modulation of complex learning in diurnal and nocturnal Aplysia
Lyon, Lisa C., Rawashdeh, Oliver, Katzoff, Ayelet, Susswein, Abraham J. and Eskin, Arnold (2005) Circadian modulation of complex learning in diurnal and nocturnal Aplysia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102 35: 12589-12594. doi:10.1073/pnas.0503847102
Conference Publication
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Wing, M. J., Burgess, Di., Lucia, D., Rawashdeh, O. and Moritz, K. M. (2018). Alterations to circadian rhythms of blood glucose and plasma corticosterone in rat offspring following exposure to alcohol around conception. In: 41st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Diego, California, (228A-228A). 16-20 June 2018 .
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Lucia, D., Burgess, D. J., Cullen, C. L., Rawashdeh, O. and Moritz, K. M. (2018). Maternal alcohol consumption around conception leads to sex specific behavioural changes in rat offspring. In: 41st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Diego, California, (96A-96A). 16-20 June 2018.
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Wing, Michael J. E., Burgess, Danielle, Zanfirache, Diana, Rawashdeh, Oliver and Moritz, Karen (2018). Periconceptional alcohol exposure results in sex-specific alterations to circadian rhythms of blood glucose and plasma corticosterone in rat offspring. In: Joint Annual Scientific Meetings of the Endocrine Society of Australia and the Society for Reproductive Biology 2017, Perth, WA, Australia, (20-20). 27-30 August 2017. doi:10.1111/cen.13727
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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(2019) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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Targeting sleep and circadian rhythms as a preventative and therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases.
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
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Investigating the role of the clockwork protein PERIOD1 in sleep and metabolism
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
-
The effect of periconceptional alcohol exposure on behavioural outcomes and circadian rhythms
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Possible Research Projects
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.
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Project Aim:
The project aims to identify the components and mechanistics involved in resetting the body’s master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. A detailed understanding of how time-cues entrain the biological clock will be key to develop pharmacological approaches that are aimed to enhance our adaptability to temporal environmental changes i.e. adjusting the speed by which our clocks tick.
Background:
Jetlag and Social-lag are terms used to describe symptoms associated with the disruption of the body’s “internal clock”. This disruption, or desynchronosis, can occur (1) when flying across multiple time zones, (2) during shiftwork, (3) due to a misalgnment between the body’s internal clock and social time and (4) in diseases and during ageing. The symptoms include loss of appetite, insomnia, mild depression, altered mood, headaches, nausea and reduced physical and mental performance. Jetlag symptoms gradually wear off as the body adapts to the new time zone and social cycles. Thus, accelerating the adaptation process or reinstating circadian rhythms in disease and during ageing means reducing symptomatology and improving the quality of life.
