The Hilliard lab is interested in recruiting talented PhD students and Postdocs to join our team. If you're interested in our research, please reach out to Massimo Hilliard at m.hilliard@uq.edu.au.
Group leader
Professor Massimo Hilliard
+61 7 334 66390
Massimo Hilliard
m.hilliard@uq.edu.au
Neural repair and regeneration
The Hilliard Lab investigates the molecular mechanisms underpinning neuronal development, maintenance and repair, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a powerful model system. The lab’s research is focused on understanding how neurons function across the lifespan and how they recover following injury.
The group’s core research areas include:
- Axon structure and organisation – examining how axons are divided into distinct structural and functional compartments
- Neuronal maintenance and longevity – identifying how axons preserve their integrity and function throughout the life of an organism
- Neural repair and regeneration – uncovering how damaged axons repair themselves following injury, including after severing events
Research breakthroughs
By integrating molecular biology, genetics, advanced imaging and laser-based microsurgery, the Hilliard Lab has made significant discoveries in neurodegeneration and nerve repair.
Key research breakthroughs include:
- Identification of the axon-protective role of a conserved alpha-tubulin acetyltransferase
- Discovery of the involvement of conserved apoptotic pathways in axonal degeneration
- Groundbreaking work on axonal fusion, a repair mechanism in which two separated segments of a damaged axon reconnect to restore neural function
Understanding these natural repair mechanisms may inform future strategies to enhance nerve repair and recovery in clinical settings, including potential applications in neurodegenerative disease.
Latest news
- 21 May 2026
- 8 January 2026
- 8 June 2023
- 17 March 2022
- 9 March 2022