Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology

SAHMRI researchers are committed to transforming innovative health and medical research into practical benefits for patients and the community. In each of our seven research themes that address some of the most pressing and critical problems that confront our health and wellbeing today, our researchers are focusing their efforts on developing and pioneering new treatments. In addition, they are taking the lead in clinical trials that will help inform future research activities across the globe.

Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology (formally the Lysosomal Diseases Research Unit)

The Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology (formally the Lysosomal Diseases Research Unit) was established at the Adelaide Children’s Hospital in the mid-1970s to improve the diagnosis of lysosomal storage disorders and to develop treatments. To achieve its aims, the centre has fostered a highly interactive and multidisciplinary approach to its research, which has led to first-ever treatments for two lysosomal storage disorders (MPS VI and MPS II).

Lysosomal storage disorders continue to be a focus of the Centre’s research and are being utilised as model systems (both cellular and animal) to explore the contribution of a dysfunctioning endosomal/lysosomal network to the onset of more common health problems, such as neurodegeneration, stroke and heart disease.

The Centre currently employs 24 staff, with a range of expertise, including mass spectrometry, neuropathology, histology, animal models, molecular genetics, cell biology, protein and organic chemistry.