Dr Daniel Blackmore
Animal Behaviour Facility Manager & Research Fellow
Queensland Brain Institute
Affiliate of Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research
Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research
+61 7 344 34272
Researcher biography
Dr Daniel Blackmore is a senior post-doctoral research fellow in the Bartlett Laboratory at QBI. His research is focused on the ageing brain and developing approaches to slow or even reverse cognitive decline. Dr Blackmore was one of the first to discover the age-associated decrease in neural stem cells. These stem cells are critical as they are able to generate new neurons which are essential for the formation of new memories. Daniel uses mice to study the exact mechanisms involved in these processes. He has shown that physical exercise is very effective at increasing neuron number and improving memory in very old animals. This research formed the basis for a recent human exercise study that demonstrated a significant improvement in the cognitive function of elderly Australians.
Book Chapters
Blackmore, Daniel G. and Rietze, Rodney L. (2013). Distribution of neural precursor cells in the adult mouse brain. Neural progenitor cells: methods and protocols. (pp. 183-194) edited by Brent A. Reynolds and Loic P. Deleyrolle. New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-574-3_16
Blackmore, Daniel G. and Rietze, Rodney L. (2010). Detection and Identification of Tissue Stem Cells: Tracking an Elusive Prey. Heart Development and Regeneration. (pp. 857-875) edited by Nadia Rosentha and Richard P. Harvey. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier Inc.. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-381332-9.00041-4
Journal Articles
Rose, Grace, Hume, Emily, Blackmore, Daniel, Mitchell, Jules, Belford, Samuel, Skinner, Tina, Ziaei, Maryam, Riek, Stephan, Bartlett, Perry and Schaumberg, Mia (2025). Exercise intensity influences body composition: a 6-month comparison of high-intensity interval, moderate- and low-intensity training among healthy older adults. Maturitas, 203 108763. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2025.108763
Burgener, Sabrina Sofia, Milner, Mark Thomas, Dey, Shoumit, Morgan, Pooranee K., Blackmore, Daniel G., Frampton, Emmanuelle, Miller, Gregory, Duarte de Oliveira, Monalisa, Kenney, Kirsten Myra, Bajracharya, Rinie, Baumgartner, Ulrich, Collins, Thomas J. C., Xiong, Zherui, Nguyen, Quan, Meikle, Peter J., Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Clouston, Andrew, Boucher, Dave, Götz, Jurgen, Murphy, Andrew J., Kaye, Paul M. and Schroder, Kate (2025). Caspase-1 self-terminates protease activity to enforce homeostasis and prevent inflammasome-driven diseases. BioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2025.04.28.651119
Blackmore, Daniel G., Schaumberg, Mia A., Ziaei, Maryam, Belford, Samuel, To, Xuan Vinh, O’Keeffe, Imogen, Bernard, Anne, Mitchell, Jules, Hume, Emily, Rose, Grace L., Shaw, Thomas, York, Ashley, Barth, Markus, Cooper, Elizabeth J., Skinner, Tina L., Nasrallah, Fatima, Riek, Stephan and Bartlett, Perry F. (2024). Long-term improvement in hippocampal-dependent learning ability in healthy, aged individuals following high intensity interval training. Aging and Disease, 16 (3), 1732-1754. doi: 10.14336/AD.2024.0642
Akefe, Isaac O, Saber, Saber H., Matthews, Benjamin, Venkatesh, Bharat G., Gormal, Rachel S., Blackmore, Daniel G., Alexander, Suzy, Sieriecki, Emma, Gambin, Yann, Bertran-Gonzalez, Jesus, Vitale, Nicolas, Humeau, Yann, Gaudin, Arnaud, Ellis, Sevannah A., Michaels, Alysee A., Xue, Mingshan, Cravatt, Benjamin, Joensuu, Merja, Wallis, Tristan P. and Meunier, Frédéric A. (2024). The DDHD2-STXBP1 interaction mediates long-term memory via generation of saturated free fatty acids. The EMBO Journal, 43 (4), 533-567. doi: 10.1038/s44318-024-00030-7
Ali, Asad A., Walker, Tara L. and Blackmore, Daniel G. (2024). The Active Place Avoidance (APA) test, an effective, versatile and repeatable spatial learning task for mice. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2024 (204) e65935, 1-14. doi: 10.3791/65935
Leiter, Odette, Brici, David, Fletcher, Stephen J., Yong, Xuan Ling Hilary, Widagdo, Jocelyn, Matigian, Nicholas, Schroer, Adam B., Bieri, Gregor, Blackmore, Daniel G., Bartlett, Perry F., Anggono, Victor, Villeda, Saul A. and Walker, Tara L. (2023). Platelet-derived exerkine CXCL4/platelet factor 4 rejuvenates hippocampal neurogenesis and restores cognitive function in aged mice. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 4375, 1-20. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39873-9
Guntupalli, Sumasri, Park, Pojeong, Han, Dae Hee, Zhang, Lingrui, Yong, Xuan Ling Hilary, Ringuet, Mitchell, Blackmore, Daniel G., Jhaveri, Dhanisha J., Koentgen, Frank, Widagdo, Jocelyn, Kaang, Bong-Kiun and Anggono, Victor (2023). Ubiquitination of the GluA1 subunit of AMPA receptors is required for synaptic plasticity, memory and cognitive flexibility. The Journal of Neuroscience, 43 (30), 5448-5457. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.1542-22.2023
Leiter, Odette, Zhuo, Zhan, Rust, Ruslan, Wasielewska, Joanna M., Grönnert, Lisa, Kowal, Susann, Overall, Rupert W., Adusumilli, Vijay S., Blackmore, Daniel G., Southon, Adam, Ganio, Katherine, McDevitt, Christopher A., Rund, Nicole, Brici, David, Mudiyan, Imesh Aththanayake, Sykes, Alexander M., Rünker, Annette E., Zocher, Sara, Ayton, Scott, Bush, Ashley I., Bartlett, Perry F., Hou, Sheng-Tao, Kempermann, Gerd and Walker, Tara L. (2023). Erratum: Selenium mediates exercise-induced adult neurogenesis and reverses learning deficits induced by hippocampal injury and aging (Cell Metabolism (2022) 34(3) (408–423.e8), (S1550413122000055), (10.1016/j.cmet.2022.01.005)). Cell Metabolism, 35 (6), 1085-1085. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.04.019
Blackmore, Daniel G., Razansky, Daniel and Götz, Jürgen (2023). Ultrasound as a versatile tool for short- and long-term improvement and monitoring of brain function. Neuron, 111 (8), 1174-1190. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.02.018
Blackmore, Daniel G. and Waters, Michael J. (2023). The multiple roles of GH in neural ageing and injury. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17 1082449, 1082449. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1082449
Blackmore, Daniel G., Brici, David and Walker, Tara L. (2022). Protocol for three alternative paradigms to test spatial learning and memory in mice. STAR Protocols, 3 (3) 101500, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101500
Balbi, Matilde, Blackmore, Daniel G., Padmanabhan, Pranesh and Götz, Jürgen (2022). Ultrasound-mediated bioeffects in senescent mice and Alzheimer’s mouse models. Brain Sciences, 12 (6) 775, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12060775
Leiter, Odette, Zhuo, Zhan, Rust, Ruslan, Wasielewska, Joanna M., Grönnert, Lisa, Kowal, Susann, Overall, Rupert W., Adusumilli, Vijay S., Blackmore, Daniel G., Southon, Adam, Ganio, Katherine, McDevitt, Christopher A., Rund, Nicole, Brici, David, Aththanayake Mudiyan, Imesh , Sykes, Alexander M., Rünker, Annette E., Zocher, Sara, Ayton, Scott, Bush, Ashley I., Bartlett, Perry F., Hou, Sheng-Tao, Kempermann, Gerd and Walker, Tara L. (2022). Selenium mediates exercise-induced adult neurogenesis and reverses learning deficits induced by hippocampal injury and aging. Cell Metabolism, 34 (3), 408-423.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.01.005
Zhou, Xiaoqing Alice, Blackmore, Daniel G., Zhuo, Junjie, Nasrallah, Fatima A., To, XuanVinh, Kurniawan, Nyoman D., Carlisle, Alison, Vien, King-Year, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Jiang, Tianzi and Bartlett, Perry F. (2021). Neurogenic-dependent changes in hippocampal circuitry underlie the pro-cognitive effect of exercise in ageing mice. iScience, 24 (12) 103450, 103450. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103450
Blackmore, Daniel G., Steyn, Frederik J., Carlisle, Alison, O’Keeffe, Imogen, Vien, King-Year, Zhou, Xiaoqing, Leiter, Odette, Jhaveri, Dhanisha, Vukovic, Jana, Waters, Michael J. and Bartlett, Perry F. (2021). An exercise ‘sweet spot’ reverses cognitive deficits of ageing by growth hormone-induced neurogenesis. iScience, 24 (11) 103275, 1-25. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103275
Blackmore, Daniel G., Turpin, Fabrice, Palliyaguru, Tishila, Evans, Harrison T., Chicoteau, Antony, Lee, Wendy, Pelekanos, Matthew, Nguyen, Nghia, Song, Jae, Sullivan, Robert K. P., Sah, Pankaj, Bartlett, Perry F. and Götz, Jürgen (2021). Low-intensity ultrasound restores long-term potentiation and memory in senescent mice through pleiotropic mechanisms including NMDAR signaling. Molecular Psychiatry, 26 (11), 6975-6991. doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01129-7
Harley, Samuel B. R., Willis, Emily F., Shaikh, Samreen N., Blackmore, Daniel G., Sah, Pankaj, Ruitenberg, Marc J., Bartlett, Perry F. and Vukovic, Jana (2021). Selective ablation of BDNF from microglia reveals novel roles in self-renewal and hippocampal neurogenesis. The Journal of Neuroscience, 41 (19), 4172-4186. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.2539-20.2021
Evans, Harrison Tudor, Blackmore, Daniel, Goetz, Juergen and Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel (2021). De novo proteomic methods for examining the molecular mechanisms underpinning long-term memory. Brain Research Bulletin, 169, 94-103. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.12.015
Codd, Lavinia N., Blackmore, Daniel G., Vukovic, Jana and Bartlett, Perry F. (2020). Exercise reverses learning deficits induced by hippocampal injury by promoting neurogenesis. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 19269, 19269. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-76176-1
Groves, Natalie, O’Keeffe, Imogen, Lee, Wendy, Toft, Alexandra, Blackmore, Daniel, Bandhavkar, Saurabh, Coulson, Elizabeth J., Bartlett, Perry F. and Jhaveri, Dhanisha J. (2020). Blockade of TrkB but not p75 NTR activates a subpopulation of quiescent neural precursor cells and enhances neurogenesis in the adult mouse hippocampus. Developmental Neurobiology, 79 (9-10) dneu.22729, 868-879. doi: 10.1002/dneu.22729
Jaeschke, Kara N. , Blackmore, Daniel G. , Groves, Natalie J. , Al-Amin, Md. Mamun , Alexander, Suzy and Burne, Thomas H. J. (2019). Vitamin D Levels Are Not Associated with Hippocampal-Dependent Learning in Young Adult Male C57BL/6J Mice: A Negative Report. Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Science. doi: 10.20900/jpbs.20190008
Blackmore, Daniel G., Turpin, Fabrice, Mohamed, Abdalla Z., Zong, Fangrong, Pandit, Rucha, Pelekanos, Matthew, Nasrallah, Fatima, Sah, Pankaj, Bartlett, Perry F. and Gotz, Juergen (2018). Multimodal analysis of aged wild-type mice exposed to repeated scanning ultrasound treatments demonstrates long-term safety. Theranostics, 8 (22), 6233-6247. doi: 10.7150/thno.27941
O'Leary, Conor J., Bradford, DanaKai, Chen, Min, White, Amanda, Blackmore, Daniel G. and Cooper, Helen M. (2014). The Netrin/RGM receptor, neogenin, controls adult neurogenesis by promoting neuroblast migration and cell cycle exit. Stem Cells, 33 (2), 503-514. doi: 10.1002/stem.1861
Blackmore, Daniel G., Vukovic, Jana, Waters, Michael J. and Bartlett, Perry F. (2012). GH mediates exercise-dependent activation of SVZ neural precursor cells in aged mice. PLoS One, 7 (11) e49912, e49912.1-e49912.7. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049912
Walker, Tara L., Vukovic, Jana, Koudijs, Margaretha M., Blackmore, Daniel G., Mackay, Eirinn W., Sykes, Alex M., Overall, Rupert W., Hamlin, Adam S. and Bartlett, Perry F. (2012). Prolactin stimulates precursor cells in the adult mouse hippocampus. PLoS One, 7 (9 Article No. e44371) e44371, 41-51. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044371
Vukovic, Jana, Colditz, Michael J., Blackmore, Daniel G., Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Bartlett, Perry F. (2012). Microglia modulate hippocampal neural precursor activity in response to exercise and aging. Journal of Neuroscience, 32 (19), 6435-6443. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5925-11.2012
Blackmore, Daniel G., Reynolds, Brent A., Golmohammadi, Mohammad G., Large, Beatrice, Aguilar, Roberto M., Haro, Luis, Waters, Michael J. and Rietze, Rodney L. (2012). Growth hormone responsive neural precursor cells reside within the adult mammalian brain. Scientific Reports, 2 (1) 250, 250.1-250.10. doi: 10.1038/srep00250
Waters, M. J. and Blackmore, D. G. (2011). Growth hormone (GH), brain development and neural stem cells. Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews, 9 (2), 549-553.
Edwards, Joshua N., Blackmore, Daniel G., Gilbert, Daniel F., Murphy, Robyn M. and Launikonis, Bradley S. (2011). Store-operated calcium entry remains fully functional in aged mouse skeletal muscle despite a decline in STIM1 protein expression. Aging Cell, 10 (4), 675-685. doi: 10.1111/j.1474-9726.2011.00706.x
Vukovic, Jana, Blackmore, Daniel, Jhaveri, Dhanisha and Bartlett, Perry F. (2011). Activation of neural precursors in the adult neurogenic niches. Neurochemistry International, 59 (3), 341-346. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2011.04.003
Blackmore, Daniel G., Golmohammadi, Mohammed G., Large, Beatrice, Waters, Michael J. and Rietze, Rodney L. (2009). Exercise increases neural stem cell number in a growth hormone-dependent manner, augmenting the regenerative response in aged mice. Stem Cells, 27 (8), 2044-2052. doi: 10.1002/stem.120
Golmohammadi, Mohammed G., Large, Beatrice, Blackmore, Daniel G, Azari, Hassan, Esfandiary, Ebrahim, Paxinos, Geroge, Franklin, Keith, B., Reynolds, Brent A. and Rietze, Rodney L. (2008). Comparative analysis of the frequency and distribution of stem and progenitor cells in the adult mouse brain. Stem Cells, 26 (4), 979-987. doi: 10.1634/stemcells.2007-0919
Rosche, Elke G., Blackmore, Daniel, Offler, Christina E. and Patrick, John W. (2005). Increased capacity for sucrose uptake leads to earlier onset of protein accumulation in developing pea seeds. Functional Plant Biology, 32 (11), 997-1007. doi: 10.1071/FP05127
Blackmore, Daniel G., Baillie, Lucan R., Holt, Janet E., Dierkx, Lynda, Aitken, R. John and McLaughlin, Eileen A. (2004). Biosynthesis of the Canine Zona Pellucida requires the integrated participation of both oocytes and granulosa cells. Biology of Reproduction, 71 (2), 661-668. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.104.028779
Rosche, Elke, Blackmore, Daniel, Tegeder, Mechthild, Richardson, Terese, Schroeder, Hart, Higgins, Thomas J. V., Frommer, Wolf B., Offler, Christina E. and Patrick, John W. (2002). Seed-specific overexpression of a potato sucrose transporter increases sucrose uptake and growth rates of developing pea cotyledons. The Plant Journal, 30 (2), 165-175. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-313X.2002.01282.x
Conference Papers
Huesca, Aldo Meizoso, Choi, Rocky, Lamboley, Cedric, Beard, Nicole A., Blackmore, Daniel and Launikonis, Bradley S. (2025). BPS2025 - Ryanodine receptor Ca2+ leak signaling remains functionally intact and regulates energy expenditure in sedentary, aged mouse muscle. BPS2025, Los Angeles, CA, United States, 15 - 19 February 2025. St. Louis, MO, United States: Cell Press. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.11.1540
Codd, L., Blackmore, D., Vukovic, J. and Bartlett, P. (2017). Exercise-induced neurogenesis improves recovery in learning after an endothelin-1-induced hippocampal stroke in adult mouse. 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia, Queenstown, New Zealand, 23 – 25 August 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/1747493017720548
Codd, L., Blackmore, Daniel, Vukovic, Jana and Bartlett, Perry F. (2016). Exercise improves learning and increases neurogenesis after an endothelin-1-induced hippocampal stroke in adult mouse. Asia Pacific Stroke Conference, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, 14-17 July 2016. BASEL: Karger. doi: 10.1159/000447732
Codd, L., Vukovic, J., Blackmore, D. and Bartlett, P. (2015). Learning and neurogenesis are improved with exercise after an endothelin-1-induced hippocampal stroke in adult mouse. 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, Cairns Australia, Aug 23-27, 2015. West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
Codd, L. N., Vukovic, J., Blackmore, D. G. and Bartlett, P. F. (2015). Exercise improves learning and increases neurogenesis after an endothelin-1-induced hippocampal stroke in adult mouse. Unknown, Unknown, Unknown. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.