Sean Coakley

Pleasure and pain: tiny worm reveals secret to protecting skin sensations A tiny roundworm has helped UQ scientists uncover miniscule structures in skin tissue that may protect the body’s ability to feel temperature, touch and pain.

Thanks to The University of Queensland for highlighting our discovery of a nanoscale scaffold, in the tissue that surrounds the axon, that protects sensory axons from degenerating.

news.uq.edu.au/2026-01-plea...

@hilliardlab.bsky.social

The MPS visits the axon's neighbors! Interesting results from @hilliardlab.bsky.social & @coakleylab.bsky.social in C. elegans where the epidermis forms a submembrane axon-imprinted periodic spectrin skeleton that restrict the endocytosis of cell surface proteins:
doi.org/10.1126/scia...

Excellent work from @coakleylab.bsky.social and @hilliardlab.bsky.social 👏

Turns out, neurons protect themselves by literally becoming thick-skinned.

An epidermal membrane-associated periodic skeleton restricts endocytosis to stabilize neuron-epidermal attachment and preserve axons An epidermal membrane periodic scaffold protects axons from damage.

Latest paper is now out and features on the cover of Science Advances 👉 tinyurl.com/vea5862x

Very grateful Igor Bonacossa Pereira, Dat Le & Massimo Hilliard @hilliardlab.bsky.social for their creativity & passion.

Read more about it 👉
tinyurl.com/56awjda5
& 👉 tinyurl.com/2vp8p8uk

#NHMRC responses at #Estimates were deeply inadequate, uninformed and are not going to #SaveOzScience. #NHMRC has NOT requested more funding to save the majority of excellent science. Our science, our scientists and the public deserve better. Thankyou #DavidPocock and #DrMoniqueRyan.

July fun fact! #ANS2025 #AusNeuro

Bring your Tassie tuxedos (aka puffer jackets)!

As one of the southernmost capital cities in the world, Hobart is closer to Antarctica than it is to Darwin.

🚨 Deadline for Abstracts closes 17:00 AEST, Monday 7 July 2025 🚨

🔬🧬🧠Abstract submission for the #ANS2025 Annual Scientific Meeting in Hobart, Tasmania close soon!🔬🧬🧠

Submit your abstract Here: tas.currinda2.com/register/eve...

We look forward to seeing you in Hobart!

a pot of boiling water is sitting on a stove . ALT: a pot of boiling water is sitting on a stove .

A watched manuscript never gets reviewed

Your first customer @mehershadw.bsky.social 😉

Daily reminder that life's a rollercoaster 🎢 #celegans #dadjokes and coaster by @mehershadw.bsky.social

What a fantastic gift from Red, our undergrad rotation student this semester. A needle felt C. elegans! Thank you Red 🙏#worm #celegans #scienceart #science

Alright, Aus Neuro fam! 👋 We've just dropped a new ANS starter pack over at go.bsky.app/B8viKca and it's feeling a little... empty. 🤔 Hit that link and drop your suggestions – let's make this pack legendary! ✨ #bluesky #starterpack #suggestions #ANS #AusNeuro 🇦🇺🧠

‘Curiosity-driven research’ led to a recent major medical breakthrough. But it’s under threat Curiosity-driven research is exactly what it sounds like: research driven by the goal of understanding nature without regard for application.

A little piece I wrote for the conversation on the role of curiosity in medical breakthroughs 👇
theconversation.com/curiosity-dr...

They... used the force

Thanks Jenny! We have so many great stories to share. As you know, these discoveries take decades. But with the right support they are inevitable.

‘Curiosity-driven research’ led to a recent major medical breakthrough. But it’s under threat Curiosity-driven research is exactly what it sounds like: research driven by the goal of understanding nature without regard for application.

A little piece I wrote for the conversation on the role of curiosity in medical breakthroughs 👇
theconversation.com/curiosity-dr...

Not this year I'm afraid 😢 but hopefully the next one!

Congratulations Callista!!! 🎉🥳

The ARC have tweeted that they will released Discovery Projects Expression of Interest outcomes tomorrow.

This looks like a fabulous meeting! Abstract submission and registration close soon so don't miss out. Cell biology ✔️ nervous system ✔️ Greece ✔️

🔬🤓🧠🇬🇷

Fantastic first day of #SMP2025 Bill Shorten's masterclass on civics was a highlight. Great to have the opportunity to chat with Minister Ed Husic at the gala dinner about the benefits of basic science and the culture of curiosity to drive innovation and economic benefits for all Australians 🧠🔬🤓

This paper is now featured by @naturecomms.bsky.social on their Editors' Highlights page
Check it out 👇
www.nature.com/collections/...

Our paper is now featured in the Editors' highlights at @naturecomms.bsky.social 👇

www.nature.com/collections/...

NEW Paper:
If you're a fan of Rachel from 'Friends', you would love OSP-1, as it is also protective of ROS

Donato et al. found a novel gene OSP-1 (oxidative stress protective 1) that protects neurons from damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), by modulating autophagy.👇

Nice way to start the year. An enormous effort on this one from Alessandra. Congratulations! 🎉

OSP-1 protects neurons from autophagic cell death induced by acute oxidative stress - Nature Communications How oxidative stress impacts neurons is poorly understood. Here the authors reveal that overactivation of autophagy following oxidative stress contributes to neuronal death and discover a protective f...

Leveraging the genetic power of the nematode C. elegans and the optogenetic tool KillerRed, the Hilliard Lab discovered osp-1, a novel gene that protects neurons from oxidative damage via cell-autonomous mechanisms 🧠 doi.org/10.1038/s414...

😮 noooo! Get better soon!

What happens if I only eat tacos for 5 days? Asking for a friend... #CellBio2024

I'll be presenting our work from @coakleylab.bsky.social #CellBio2024 where we discovered a periodic spectrin skeleton in the skin of C. elegans that protects neurons from damage. Come say hi 👋 P1427 Sunday 15th 11:15am-12:45pm
@ascbiology.bsky.social

Congratulations 👏🎉