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 Canterbury
- 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
-
de Jersey, A. M., Lavers, J. L., Bond, A. L., Wilson, R., Zosky, G. R., & Rivers-Auty, J. (2025). Seabirds in crisis: Plastic ingestion induces proteomic signatures of multiorgan failure and neurodegeneration. Science Advances, 11(11), eads0834. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ads0834
- Charlton-Howard, H. S., Bond, A. L., Rivers-Auty, J., & Lavers, J. L. (2023). ‘Plasticosis’: Characterising macro- and microplastic-associated fibrosis in seabird tissues. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 450, Article 131090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131090
- Rivers-Auty, J., Bond, A. L., Grant, M. L., & Lavers, J. L. (2023). The one-two punch of plastic exposure: Macro- and micro-plastics induce multi-organ damage in seabirds. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 442, Article 130117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130117
- Rivers-Auty, J…. Brough, D., & Lawrence, C. B. (2021). Zinc status alters Alzheimer’s disease progression through NLRP3-dependent inflammation. The Journal of Neuroscience, 41(13), 3025–3038. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1980-20.2020
- Rivers-Auty, J., Mather, A. E., Peters, R., Lawrence, C. B., & Brough, D. (2020). Anti-inflammatories in Alzheimer’s disease: Potential therapy or spurious correlate? Brain Communications, 2(2), fcaa109. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaa109
- Rivers-Auty, J., Daniels, M. J. D., Colliver, I., Robertson, D. L., & Brough, D. (2018). Redefining the ancestral origins of the interleukin-1 superfamily. Nature Communications, 9, Article 1156. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03362-1
- Daniels, M. J. D., Rivers-Auty, J., … Brough, D. (2016). Fenamate NSAIDs inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome and protect against Alzheimer’s disease in rodent models. Nature Communications, 7, Article 12504. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12504