The Vukovic laboratory investigates how brain function is sculpted and influenced by the immune system. Specifically, we examine the role of brain’s main resident immune cell population (i.e. microglia), as well as various peripheral immune cells, on learning and memory in mice. We are interested in defining the contribution of immune cells to such higher cognitive tasks, including for neuroinflammatory conditions where learning and memory deficits can occur, e.g. following traumatic brain injury, cancer treatment, and ageing. We have established an array of genetic and pharmacological tools alongside robust behavioural assays to directly probe the function of these immune cells in both the healthy and diseased brain. The ultimate goal of our work is to link cellular and molecular events to altered behaviour, and to harness the brain’s intrinsic regenerative potential for stimulating optimal cognitive function.
A neuroimmunologist, Dr Vukovic received her PhD in 2008 from The University of Western Australia after working on the repair of injured nerve cell connections. She joined QBI in 2009 to work in Professor Perry Bartlett’s laboratory as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, before being awarded a Queensland Government Smart Futures Fellowship to continue her research into the importance of adult neurogenesis for behaviour and how microglia influence this process in ageing. Dr Vukovic demonstrated that microglia can exert a dual and opposing influence over adult neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons) in the hippocampus under different physiological conditions, namely exercise and ageing, and that signalling through the chemokine receptor, CX3CR1, critically contributes towards this (Vukovic et al., 2012, J Neurosci). Dr Vukovic also generated novel evidence that ongoing neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus is critical for new learning but does not play a role in memory recall (Vukovic et al., 2013, J Neurosci).
Dr Vukovic was awarded an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2015-2018) and was jointly appointed as a group leader by the UQ School of Biomedical Sciences (SBMS) and QBI in 2015. She heads the Neuroimmunology and Cognition team investigating the interactions between the brain and the immune system in health and disease.
Currently the group is working on three main projects:
- Identification of microglia-derived molecules that support neuronal survival and stimulate neural stem/progenitor cell expansion
- Characterisation of immune cell contribution to changes in neuronal connectivity
- Immune cell responses to cancer treatment, and their effect on learning and memory
Group leader
Associate Professor Jana Vukovic
Senior Research Fellow, Queensland Brain Institute
+61 7 336 52818
j.vukovic@uq.edu.au
UQ Researcher Profile
Adams, Rachael C, Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Shaikh, Samreen N, Llanes, Genesis T, Johnston, Rebecca L, Quaife-Ryan, Gregory, Boyle, Glen M, Koufariotis, Lambros T, Möller, Andreas, Blazar, Bruce R., Vukovic, Jana and MacDonald, Kelli PA (2022). Donor bone marrow-derived macrophage MHC II drives neuroinflammation and altered behaviour during chronic GVHD in mice. Blood, 139 (9), 1389-1408. doi: 10.1182/blood.2021011671
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
Adams, Rachael C, Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Shaikh, Samreen N, Llanes, Genesis T, Johnston, Rebecca L, Quaife-Ryan, Gregory, Boyle, Glen M, Koufariotis, Lambros T, Möller, Andreas, Blazar, Bruce R., Vukovic, Jana and MacDonald, Kelli PA (2021). Donor bone marrow-derived macrophage MHC II drives neuroinflammation and altered behaviour during chronic GVHD in mice. Blood. doi: 10.1182/blood.2021011671
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
Protocol for brain-wide or region-specific microglia depletion and repopulation in adult mice
Willis, Emily F. and Vukovic, Jana (2020). Protocol for brain-wide or region-specific microglia depletion and repopulation in adult mice. STAR protocols, 1 (3) 100211, 100211. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100211
Exercise reverses learning deficits induced by hippocampal injury by promoting neurogenesis
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
Repopulating Microglia Promote Brain Repair in an IL-6-Dependent Manner
Willis, Emily F., MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Nguyen, Quan H., Garrido, Adahir Labrador, Gillespie, Ellen R., Harley, Samuel B. R., Bartlett, Perry F., Schroder, Wayne A., Yates, Abi G., Anthony, Daniel C., Rose-John, Stefan, Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Vukovic, Jana (2020). Repopulating Microglia Promote Brain Repair in an IL-6-Dependent Manner. Cell, 180 (5), 833-846.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.013
Cleland, J. P., Willis, E. F., Bartlett, P. F. and Vukovic, J. (2017). Somatic Arc protein expression in hippocampal granule cells is increased in response to environmental change but independent of task-specific learning. Scientific Reports, 7 (1) 12477, 12477. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12583-1
Protocol for Short- and Longer-term Spatial Learning and Memory in Mice
Willis, Emily F., Bartlett, Perry F. and Vukovic, Jana (2017). Protocol for Short- and Longer-term Spatial Learning and Memory in Mice. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 11 197, 1-8. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00197
Ruitenberg, Marc J., Wells, Julia, Bartlett, Perry F., Harvey, Alan R. and Vukovic, Jana (2017). Enrichment increases hippocampal neurogenesis independent of blood monocyte-derived microglia presence following high-dose total body irradiation. Brain Research Bulletin, 132, 150-159. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.05.013
IVIg attenuates complement and improves spinal cord injury outcomes in mice
Brennan, Faith H., Kurniawan, Nyoman D., Vukovic, Jana, Bartlett, Perry F., Käsermann, Fabian, Arumugam, Thiruman V., Basta, Milan and Ruitenberg, Marc J. (2016). IVIg attenuates complement and improves spinal cord injury outcomes in mice. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, 3 (7), 495-511. doi: 10.1002/acn3.318
Ortega, Francisco J., Vukovic, Jana, Rodriguez, Manuel J. and Bartlett, Perry F. (2014). Blockade of microglial KATP-channel abrogates suppression of inflammatory-mediated inhibition of neural precursor cells. GLIA, 62 (2), 247-258. doi: 10.1002/glia.22603
A novel fluorescent reporter CDy1 enriches for neural stem cells derived from the murine brain
Vukovic, Jana, Bedin, Anne-Sophie, Bartlett, Perry F. and Osborne, Geoffrey W. (2013). A novel fluorescent reporter CDy1 enriches for neural stem cells derived from the murine brain. Stem Cells and Development, 22 (16), 2341-2345. doi: 10.1089/scd.2012.0660
Vukovic, Jana, Borlikova, Gilyana G., Ruitenberg, Marc J., Robinson, Gregory J., Sullivan, Robert K. P., Walker, Tara L. and Bartlett, Perry F. (2013). Immature doublecortin-positive hippocampal neurons are important for learning but not for remembering. Journal of Neuroscience, 33 (15), 6603-6613. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3064-12.2013
GH mediates exercise-dependent activation of SVZ neural precursor cells in aged mice
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
Prolactin stimulates precursor cells in the adult mouse hippocampus
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
Microglia modulate hippocampal neural precursor activity in response to exercise and aging
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
Chai, Ruth Jinfen, Vukovic, Jana, Dunlop, Sarah, Grounds, Miranda D. and Shavlakadze, Thea (2011). Striking denervation of neuromuscular junctions without lumbar motoneuron loss in geriatric mouse muscle. PLoS One, 6 (12) e28090, e28090.1-e28090.11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028090
Blomster, Linda, Vukovic, Jana, Hendrickx, Debbie A.E., Jung, Steffen, Harvey, Alan R., Filgueira, Luis and Ruitenberg, Marc J. (2011). CX(3)CR1 deficiency exacerbates neuronal loss and impairs early regenerative responses in the target-ablated olfactory epithelium. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, 48 (3), 236-245. doi: 10.1016/j.mcn.2011.08.004
Activation of neural precursors in the adult neurogenic niches
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
Vukovic, J, Blomster, LV, Chinnery, HR, Weninger, W, Jung, S, McMenamin, PG and Ruitenberg, MJ (2010). Bone marrow chimeric mice reveal a role for CX3CR1 in maintenance of the monocyte-derived cell population in the olfactory neuroepithelium. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 88 (4), 645-654. doi: 10.1189/jlb.0410194
Lack of fibulin-3 alters regenerative tissue responses in the primary olfactory pathway
Vukovic, Jana, Marmorstein, Lihua Y., McLaughlin, Precious J., Sasaki, Takako, Plant, Giles W., Harvey, Alan R. and Ruitenberg, Marc J. (2009). Lack of fibulin-3 alters regenerative tissue responses in the primary olfactory pathway. Matrix Biology, 28 (7), 406-415. doi: 10.1016/j.matbio.2009.06.001
The glycoprotein fibulin-3 regulates morphology and motility of olfactory ensheathing cells in vitro
Vukovic, Jana, Ruitenberg, Marc J., Roet, Kasper, Franssen, Elske, Arulpragasam, Ajanthy, Sasaki, Takako, Verhaagen, Joost, Harvey, Alan R., Busfield, Samantha J. and Plant, Giles W. (2009). The glycoprotein fibulin-3 regulates morphology and motility of olfactory ensheathing cells in vitro. Glia, 57 (4), 424-443. doi: 10.1002/glia.20771
Ruitenberg, Marc J., Vukovic, Jana, Blomster, Linda, Hall, Jarrad M, Jung, Steffen, Filgueira, Luis, McMenamin, Paul G. and Plant, Giles W. (2008). CX3CL1/fractalkine regulates branching and migration of monocyte-derived cells in the mouse olfactory epithelium. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 205 (1-2), 80-85. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2008.09.010
Promoting central nervous system regeneration: Lessons from cranial nerve I
Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Vukovic, Jana (2008). Promoting central nervous system regeneration: Lessons from cranial nerve I. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 26 (2-3), 183-196.
Vukovic, Jana, Plant, Giles W., Ruitenberg, Marc J. and Harvey, Alan R. (2007). Influence of adult Schwann cells and olfactory ensheathing glia on axontarget cell interactions in the CNS a comparative analysis using a retinotectal cograft model. Neuron Glia Biology, 3 (2), 105-117. doi: 10.1017/S1740925X07000671
Olfactory ensheathing cells: Characteristics, genetic engineering, and therapeutic potential
Ruitenberg, Marc J., Vukovic, Jana, Sarich, Julijana, Busfield, Samantha J. and Plant, Giles W. (2006). Olfactory ensheathing cells: Characteristics, genetic engineering, and therapeutic potential. Journal of Neurotrauma, 23 (3-4), 468-478. doi: 10.1089/neu.2006.23.468
Unravelling the molecular mechanisms that underpin the beneficial effects of repopulating microglia on neuronal survival and cognition following brain injury
(2021–2025) Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellowship
- Identification of microglia-derived molecules that support neuronal survival and stimulate neural stem/progenitor cell expansion.
- Characterisation of immune cell contribution to changes in neuronal connectivity.
- Immune cell responses to cancer treatment, and their effect on learning and memory.
Research Areas
- Adult neurogenesis
- Microglial function
- Exercise and ageing
