Group leader
Professor Tom Burne
Research focus
The Burne lab investigates the biological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia, with a focus on identifying modifiable risk factors and developing evidence‑based public health interventions to reduce the burden of neuropsychiatric disorders. A major area of our research examines the role of developmental and adult vitamin D deficiency in brain development, brain function and behaviour.
Our work has demonstrated that adult vitamin D deficiency alters brain neurochemistry, receptor expression and behaviour. In particular, we have shown that low vitamin D levels disrupt the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, a key feature implicated in disorders such as schizophrenia, autism and depression. These findings provide important experimental evidence linking vitamin D status to changes in brain systems relevant to neuropsychiatric conditions.
Research approach
With support from the NHMRC, the team are mapping the neural circuits underlying cognitive impairments, particularly attentional processing deficits observed in vitamin D–deficient models. The lab has developed and validated a novel rodent cognitive testing platform that closely models the continuous performance task used in humans, enabling more precise investigation of attention and cognition in preclinical research.
The lab's goal is to:
- Advance understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia
- Identify modifiable environmental risk factors, such as vitamin D deficiency
- Support the development of new treatments for cognitive symptoms
- Provide translational tools for drug discovery and testing
Latest news
- Professor Thomas Burne explains how the new Australian Psychiatric Research Knowledge Bank could speed up discoveries and improve mental health care for everyone.
- 10 October 2024From increasing our brain’s resilience to stress to possible novel immunotherapy treatments for depression, Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) scientists continue to lead the way in mental health advances.
- Neuroscientists will dive deeper into the mysteries of the brain after gaining funding from the Australian Government.
- 13 March 2019QBI Associate Professor Thomas Burne answers all your questions about the link between vitamin D deficiency and and cognitive disorders.
- New research from QBI may explain how vitamin D deficiency leads to a range of cognitive disorders, including depression and schizophrenia.
- Research from the University of Queensland has linked low levels of vitamin D and the size of a part of the brain crucial to memory formation.
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