Stuart Mazzone

Professor Stuart Mazzone is a leading academic in autonomic and sensory neuroscience at the University of Melbourne, holding roles as Professor, Head of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology, and Director of Research. He leads the Laboratory of Respiratory Sensory Neuroscience, focusing on neural pathways regulating airway defenses and respiratory sensations. His work employs multidisciplinary approaches, including physiological, pharmacological, and molecular techniques, and bridges preclinical studies with human clinical research.

Education: PhD from the University of Tasmania (2000), followed by postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Previous roles include positions at the Howard Florey Institute and the University of Queensland.

Research Interests: Chronic cough mechanisms, vagal sensory circuits, respiratory reflexes, and neurobiology of airway defense. His studies explore how the brain processes vagal sensory inputs in health and disease, with translational applications in chronic cough treatment.

Key Projects/Grants: Includes studies on thalamic regulation of airway interoception, the science of coughing, and clinical trials of drugs like camlipixant for refractory cough. Active grants from ARC, NHMRC, and industry collaborations.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Respiratory Sensory Neuroscience Lab, collaborating on projects like silencing pulmonary nociceptors for severe viral infections and profiling receptor expression in airway nerves.