Specialises in using preclinical in vitro and in vivo models to investigate lipid dysregulation in ALS
Dr Luikinga completed obtained her PhD in 2019 from the University of Melbourne, after which she landed her first Post-doctoral position in the MND lab at the Florey Institute. Here she was involved in a preclinical drug trial, which is currently in clinical trial. From here she started focusing on the role of lipid metabolism in MND and trying to find novel biomarkers and disease mechanisms based on lipids. She uses mouse models and patient samples and does lipidomic analyses as well as wet lab experiments.
Collaborations
Metabolomics Australia - Melbourne node Bradley Turner - Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health Michael Spedding - Strasburg, France
Funding
2020 FightMND Impact - Chief Investigator 2023 Daniel McLoone - Co-Investigator 2023 - NHMRC ideas - CIB
Key Publications
Developmental perspectives on methamphetamine abuse: Exploring adolescent vulnerabilities on brain and behavior - SJ Luikinga, JH Kim, CJ Perry - Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology and biological psychiatry 87, 78-84
Effects of methamphetamine exposure on fear learning and memory in adult and adolescent rats - SJ Luikinga, CJ Perry, HB Madsen, AJ Lawrence, JH Kim - Neurochemical Research 44, 2081-2091
Ferroptosis mediates selective motor neuron death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - Taide Wang, Doris Tomas, Nirma D Perera, Brittany Cuic, Sophia Luikinga, Aida Viden, Samantha K Barton, Catriona A McLean, André L Samson, Adam Southon, Ashley I Bush, James M Murphy, Bradley J Turner - Cell Death & Differentiation
Stimulation of mTOR-independent autophagy and mitophagy by rilmenidine exacerbates the phenotype of transgenic TDP-43 mice - Nirma D Perera, Doris Tomas, Nayomi Wanniarachchillage, Brittany Cuic, Sophia J Luikinga, Valeria Rytova, Bradley J Turner - Neurobiology of Disease
Chronic voluntary alcohol consumption causes persistent cognitive deficits and cortical cell loss in a rodent model - Annai J Charlton, Carlos May, Sophia J Luikinga, Emma L Burrows, Jee Hyun Kim, Andrew J Lawrence, Christina J Perry - Scientific reports