Inflammation is a fascinating subject to research. Inflammation can contribute to disease but it can also fight off infection and organize the body to begin repair. Adjusting the inflammatory response may be the key to treating numerous diseases
About Me
- Lecturer at the University of Tasmania
- Researching the innate immune system and inflammation
- I am passionate about research and I love inspiring other to learn about science
- There is nothing better than being in nature with my wife and kids
Research Projects
- Impact of microplastics on human and wildlife health
- Role of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease
- Developing and repurposing drugs for inflammatory diseases
- Mechanisms of controlling the inflammatory response
Get Involved
Interested in Honours, Masters, or Ph.D. research on these topics? Email me at [email protected].
Research Focus
- Understanding adaptive and maladaptive signaling during inflammation
- Exploring cytokines, especially IL-1α and IL-1β, in inflammation and disease
- Investigating the triggers and modulators of IL-1 signaling
Outreach and Public Engagement
- Passionate about sharing science with the public
- Outreach to schools for science education and I enjoyed aiding in curriculum development through University and Highschool partnerships.
- Created two websites for scientific and general audiences
- Outreach Youtube videos viewed over 250,000 times
- Interviewed by Smithsonian Magazine and ABC Radio on the effects of plastics on wildlife
- Presented at the House of Lords on Alzheimer’s research
- Presented at various outreach events, podcasts, and seminars on topics like dementia, Alzheimer’s, and cannabinoid research
My Journey
- Bachelor’s in Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Otago
- Ph.D. in Botany and Neuroscience, focusing on cannabinoids and brain inflammation
- Research on hydrogen sulfide and neutrophils at Otago
- Studied inflammasome in Alzheimer’s at the University of Manchester
- Current lecturer at the University of Tasmania, focusing on inflammation from microplastics and Alzheimer’s disease
Key Contributions
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Charlton-Howard et al. 2023: Flesh-footed Shearwaters ingesting plastics suffer from significant scarring and tissue damage, potentially leading to a new disease termed ‘Plasticosis’.
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Rivers-Auty et al. 2023: Both macro- and microplastics cause severe tissue damage and inflammation in the organs of Flesh-footed Shearwaters, highlighting the underestimated health impacts of plastic pollution.
- Rivers-Auty et al. 2021: Zinc deficiency accelerates Alzheimer’s-like cognitive decline by enhancing inflammation via the NLRP3 inflammasome, while zinc supplementation reduces risk and slows disease progression.
- Rivers-Auty et al. 2020: Most NSAIDs are linked to reduced Alzheimer’s disease prevalence but don’t slow cognitive decline, with diclofenac being a notable exception, warranting further research.
- Rivers-Auty et al. 2018: The evolutionary history of IL-1 receptor and ligand families shows significant divergence, particularly for IL-18 and IL-33, which differ substantially from the IL-1beta cluster.
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Daniels and Rivers-Auty et al. 2016: Certain NSAIDs (fenamates) inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages and show promise as treatments for inflammatory diseases and Alzheimer’s disease.