Nela Durisic

Nela Durisic is a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland's Queensland Brain Institute within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. Her work bridges molecular neuroscience and pharmacology, focusing on inhibitory neuroreceptors in disease contexts.

• PhD in Molecular Neuroscience (McGill University)
• Postdoctoral training at University of Pennsylvania
• Independent research since 2021 at UQ

Research focuses on GABA-A and Glycine receptors, their molecular architecture in inhibitory synapses, and their role in neurological disorders like epilepsy, autism, and chronic pain. Key techniques include super-resolution microscopy (STORM/PALM), electrophysiology, and "artificial synapse" models. Recent studies address synaptic actin remodeling, receptor tyrosine kinase interactions, and TBI modeling via microfluidics.

Her publications reveal a focus on neuroreceptor stoichiometry, disease-associated mutations, and pharmacological interventions. Articles span topics from quantitative imaging methods to chemogenetic tools like ivermectin-activated receptors.

• UQ Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
• UQ Early Career Researcher Grant
• ARC Discovery Projects funding

Supervises PhD candidates in seizure control strategies and GABA receptor roles in synaptic plasticity. Collaborates with labs studying neuronal injury and brain cell communication.