Dr Rob Adam

Trials Medical Specialist

UQ Centre for Clinical Research
Faculty of Medicine
r.adam@uq.edu.au
+61 7 334 66081

Overview

Dr. Robert James Adam MA(Cantab) MBBS (London) PhD(UCL) FRACP FRCP (London)

Behavioural neurologist with interests in cognition and movement disorders. Clinical lead for deep brain stimulation at The Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Trials Specialist at UQCCR.

Movement disorders and advanced Parkinson's clinics in addition to Statewide Huntington's Disease, Friedreich's Ataxia and Metro North Deep Brain Stimulation services https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/news/deep-brain-stimulation-parkinsons. Young onset dementia clinic at STARS https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/stars/.

Principal investigator in 2 Phase 1b/2a clinical trials of novel antisense oligonucleotides for Huntington's Disease, PRECISION-HD1 & 2 and their open label extensions. I am part of a nationwide and statewide effort to investigate drug repurposing - particularly in Parkinson's Disease. I collaborate widely in investigator led research with both clinical scientists, basic scientists and allied health practioners both at UQ and beyond. Former research officer in PISA (Prospective Imaging Study of Aging) https://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/pisa/ and the clinical lead for ADNet in QLD. ADNet is an NHMRC funded project to screen and register patients with cognitive impairment https://www.australiandementianetwork.org.au/.

I was trained in the US (NYU Medical Centre), UK (National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery in Queen Square, UCLH, Cambridge University Hospitals) and Australia (Royal North Shore and Westmead Hospitals, Sydney). My PhD (UCL 2014) Thesis, "Dopamine and Oculomotor Decisions In Health & Disease", investigated the use of eye movement recordings during behavioral tasks to monitor decision making in patients with focal lesions, Parkinson's disease, impulse control disorders and healthy volunteers both under the influence and without the effects of dopaminergic modulators. I teach both medical undergraduates and graduates, supervise higher degree candidates and have written chapters in medical textbooks.

Research Interests

  • Cognitive Neurology
  • Movement Disorders
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Tremor
  • Dementia
  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • Huntington's Disease

Research Impacts

Research on biomarkers (PISA study & ADNet) may allow the early identification of "at risk" patients prior to the onset of neurodegenerative disease, thus provding a valuable "window" for intervention.

At the other end of the research spectrum, drug repurposing may discover new benefits of treatments (traditionally used in other disease entitities) for conditions that currently lack disease modifying therapies.

By engaging with community groups (e.g. HD QLD) and industry, we enable our patients to become involved in studies ranging from basic science and fundamental studies of brain function to pharmaceurtical trials of novel investigational agents.

Qualifications

  • Fellow, Royal College of Physicians of London, Royal College of Physicians of London
  • Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
  • Doctor of Philosophy of Neuroscience, University College London
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Medicine, University College London
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Neuroscience, University of Cambridge

Publications

View all Publications

Publications

Book Chapter

  • Adam, Robert, Marshall, Charles and Birns, Jonathan (2020). Neurology. In Rupa Bessant, Jonathan Birns and Charlotte Ford (Ed.), Medicine for MRCP (pp. Unknown-Unknown) Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

  • Quinto-Pozos, David and Adam, Robert (2015). Sign languages in contact. Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities. (pp. 29-60) Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9781107280298.003

Journal Article

Conference Publication

  • Jayabalan, Nanthini, Roper, Katherine Kerry, Woodhouse, Helen M., Adam, Robert J., O'Sullivan, John D. and Gordon, Richard (2022). A Novel Role for Glucocerebrosidase 1 (GBA1) in Parkinson's Disease. Experimental Biology Meeting 2022, Philadelphia, PA United States, 2-5 April 2022. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley and Sons. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R5391

  • Dissanayaka, N., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D., Padmassini, A., White, E. X., Yang, J. H. J., Forbes, E., Thangavelu, K., Au, T., Lehn, A., Adam, R. and Pachana, N. A. (2020). Improving diagnosis and treatment of anxiety in Parkinson’s disease: IDATA-PD study update. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.

  • Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G. J., McMahon, K., O'Sullivan, J., Adam, R., Copland, D., Yang, J. H. J., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, Z. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol. UQ Faculty of Medicine Higher Degree by Research Student Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 23-27 November 2020.

  • Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G. J., McMahon, K., O'Sullivan, J., Adam, R., Copland, D., Yang, J. H. J., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, G. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Therapy to reduce dementia risk in Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.

  • Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G., McMahon, K.L., O'Sullivan, J.D., Adam, R., Lehn, A., Copland, D., Yang, J.H., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, Z. and Dissanayaka, N.N.W. (2020). Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): Proof-of-concept protocol. Macquarie University BioNetwork 3rd Annual Research Symposium on Dementia, Online, 14-15 September 2020.

  • Yin, Y.W.K., Chang, F.C.F., Mahant, N., Fung, V.S.C., Tsui, D., Aldaajani, Z., Adam, R. and Hely, M. (2016). 2. Antecollis associated with Parkinson’s disease improved following apomorphine therapy. Proceedings of the 16th Biennial Clinical Neurophysiology Workshop of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 27–30 September, 2015. Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.11.022

  • Chang, F. C. F., Mahant, N., Fung, V. S. C., Tsui, D. S. Y., Aldaajani, Z., Adam, R. and Hely, M. A. (2015). Antecollis associated with Parkinson's disease improved following apomorphine therapy. 19th International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, San Diego, CA, United States, 14-18 June 2015. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Fiddes, Barnaby, Adam, Robert, Donaghy, Alastair, Whyte, Adam and Allen, Chris (2013). The changing face of urgent neurology outpatient referrals. Annual Meeting of the Association-of-British-Neurologists, Glasgow, Scotland, 21-24 May 2013. London, United Kingdom: B M J Group. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2013-306573.54

  • Adam, R. J., Bays, P. M., Singh-Curry, V., Bain, P. G. and Husain, M. (2009). Oculomotor Impulsivity in Parkinson'S Disease. ABN Joint Annual Meeting/Spanish-Society-of-Neurology, Liverpool England, Jun 22-26, 2009. B M J PUBLISHING GROUP. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2009.191759r

  • Adam, R., Bays, P. M., Singh-Curry, V., Bain, P. and Husain, M. (2009). A novel task to probe impulsivity in Parkinson's disease. 13th International Congress of Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders, Paris, France, 7-11 June 2009. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons.

Grants (Administered at UQ)