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Professor Rebecca S Mason

Professor
Physiology, School of Medical Sciences
Bosch Institute

F13 - Anderson Stuart Building
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia

T: +61 2 9351 2561 +61 2 9351 6524
F: +61 2 9351 2058
E:

Research interests

Professor Mason's research program has developed over many years in the fields of bone and skin. The link between them is vitamin D, which is made in skin and is important in bone, but, as this research has discovered, important in skin for photoprotection as well. The link between bone and skin is Vitamin D. In particular, her group’s studies in skin have shown that the active vitamin D hormone is synthesised locally by melanoma cells and causes their differentiation. The group also showed for the first time that Vitamin D compounds formed in skin by the action of UV light contribute to endogenous photoprotection, including a reduction in DNA damage and UV-induced immunosuppression, through a reduction in nitric oxide products and an increase in p53 expression. Professor Mason has served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research and on National Health and Medical Research Council Grant Review Panels for Endocrinology and Reproduction and Musculoskeletal diseases. She is a member of the Technical Committee of the Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage (International Commission of Illumination) on Sunlight, Health and Vitamin D. She serves on a committee updating Clinical Guidelines for melanoma prevention and management for the National Health and Medical Research Council.

bone and mineral metabolism; osteoporosis; sun-protection

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Current national competitive grants*

2011

Novel strategies for the treatment of bone disease by nutrient activators of calcium-sensing receptors
Mason R, Conigrave A
National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant ($451,299 over 3 years)

2010

Enhancing sunscreen DNA and proto-ageing protection
Mason R, Rohanizadeh R, Halliday G
Australian Research Council Linkage Project ($345,000 over 2 years)

* Grants administered through the University of Sydney

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Keywords

vitamin D; Endocrinology; Bone health; Cancer

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Publications

2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

2013

   
  • Mason, R., Reichrath, J. (2013), Sunlight Vitamin D and Skin Cancer. Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry. 13(1), 83-97. [Abstract]
  • Sequeira, V., Rybchyn, M., Gordon-Thomson, C., Tongkao-On, W., Mizwicki, M., Norman, A., Reeve, V., Halliday, G., Mason, R. (2013), Opening of Chloride Channels by 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D(3) Contributes to Photoprotection against UVR-Induced Thymine Dimers in Keratinocytes. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 133(3), 776-782. [Abstract]

2012

   
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  • Gordon-Thomson, C., Gupta, R., Tongkao-On, W., Ryan, A., Halliday, G., Mason, R. (2012), 1α,25 Dihydroxyvitamin D(3) enhances cellular defences against UV-induced oxidative and other forms of DNA damage in skin. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. 11(12), 1837-1847. [Abstract]
  • Dixon, K., Sequeira, V., Deo, S., Mohan, R., Posner, G., Mason, R. (2012), Differential photoprotective effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and a low calcaemic deltanoid. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. 11(12), 1825-1830. [Abstract]
  • Nowson, C., McGrath, J., Ebeling, P., Haikerwal, A., Daly, R., Sanders, K., Seibel, M., Mason, R. (2012), Vitamin D and health in adults in Australia and New Zealand: a position statement. The Medical Journal of Australia. 196(11), 686-687. [Abstract]
  • Sequeira, V., Rybchyn, M., Tongkao-On, W., Gordon-Thomson, C., Malloy, P., Nemere, I., Norman, A., Reeve, V., Halliday, G., Feldman, D., Mason, R. (2012), The role of the vitamin D receptor and ERp57 in photoprotection by 1??,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Molecular Endocrinology. 26(4), 574-582. [Abstract]
  • Mason, R. (2012), Vitamin D: one size does not fit all. Clinical Endocrinology. 76(3), 326-327. [Abstract]
  • Winzenberg, T., van der Mei, I., Mason, R., Nowson, C., Jones, G. (2012), Vitamin D and the musculoskeletal health of older adults. Australian Family Physician. 41(3), 92-99. [Abstract]
  • Sambrook, P., Cameron, I., Chen, J., Cumming, R., Durvasula, S., Herrmann, M., Kok, C., Lord, S., Macara, M., March, L., Mason, R., Seibel, M., Wilson, N., Simpson, J. (2012), Does increased sunlight exposure work as a strategy to improve vitamin D status in the elderly: a cluster randomised controlled trial. Osteoporosis International. 23(2), 615-624. [Abstract]
  • Wilson, N., Hilmer, S., March, L., Chen, J., Gnjidic, D., Mason, R., Cameron, I., Sambrook, P. (2012), Associations between drug burden index and mortality in older people in residential aged care facilities. Drugs & Aging. 29(2), 157-165. [Abstract]
  • Brock, K., Mason, R., Ke, L., Koo, F., Jang, H., Clemson, L., Mpofu, E., Tseng, M., Fraser, D., Seibel, M. (2012), Vitamin D and Metabolic Syndrome in Immigrant East Asian Women Living in Sydney, Australia: A Pilot. Journal of Metabolic Syndrome. 1(1), 103.
  • Zavgorodniy, A., Mason, R., LeGeros, R., Rohanizadeh, R. (2012), Adhesion of a chemically deposited monetite coating to a Ti substrate. Surface and Coatings Technology. 206(21), 4433-4438.
  • Dixon, K., Sequeira, V., Camp, A., Mason, R. (2012), Vitamin D and Skin Cancer. In: Handbook of Diet, Nutrition and the Skin. (pp.394-411).Netherlands: Springer.

2011

   
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  • Mason, R., Sequeira, V., Gordon-Thomson, C. (2011), Vitamin D: the light side of sunshine. European journal of clinical nutrition. 65(9), 986-93. [Abstract]
  • Dixon, K., Norman, A., Sequeira, V., Mohan, R., Rybchyn, M., Reeve, V., Halliday, G., Mason, R. (2011), 1{alpha},25(OH)2-vitamin D and a non-genomic vitamin D analog inhibit ultraviolet radiation-induced skin carcinogenesis. Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.). 4(9), 1485-94. [Abstract]
  • Brock, K., Huang, W., Fraser, D., Ke, L., Tseng, M., Mason, R., Stolzenberg-Solomon, R., Michal Freedman, D., Ahn, J., Peters, U., McCarty, C., Hollis, B., Ziegler, R., Purdue, M., Graubard, B. (2011), Diabetes prevalence is associated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in US middle-aged Caucasian men and women: a cross-sectional analysis within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The British journal of nutrition. 106(3), 339-44. [Abstract]
  • Rybchyn, M., Slater, M., Conigrave, A., Mason, R. (2011), An Akt-dependent increase in canonical Wnt signalling and a decrease in sclerostin protein levels are involved in strontium ranelate-induced osteogenic effects in human osteoblasts. The Journal of biological chemistry. 286(27), 23771-9. [Abstract]
  • Wilson, N., Hilmer, S., March, L., Cameron, I., Lord, S., Seibel, M., Mason, R., Chen, J., Cumming, R., Sambrook, P. (2011), Associations Between Drug Burden Index and Falls in Older People in Residential Aged Care. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 59(5), 875-880. [Abstract]
  • Mason, R. (2011), Vitamin D: a hormone for all seasons. Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society. 14(2), 197-203. [Abstract]
  • Mason, R., Dixon, K., Sequeira, V., Gordon-Thomson, C. (2011), Sunlight Protection by Vitamin D Compounds. In: Vitamin D, 3rd Ed. (pp.1943-1945).United States: Elsevier Inc..
  • Mak, J., Mason, R., Klein, L., Cameron, I. (2011), Improving mobility and reducing disability in older people through early high-dose vitamin D replacement following hip fracture: A protocol for a randomized controlled trial and economic evaluation. Geriatric Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation. 2(3), 94-99.
  • Wilson, N., Hilmer, S., March, L., Cameron, I., Lord, S., Mason, R., Sambrook, P. (2011), Physical functioning measures and risk of falling in older people living in residential aged care facilities. Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease. 3(1), 9-15.

2010

   
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  • Damian, D., Kim, Y., Dixon, K., Halliday, G., Javeri, A., Mason, R. (2010), Topical calcitriol protects from UV-induced genetic damage but suppresses cutaneous immunity in humans. Experimental dermatology. 19(8), e23-30. [Abstract]
  • Mason, R., Sequeira, V., Dixon, K., Gordon-Thomson, C., Pobre, K., Dilley, A., Mizwicki, M., Norman, A., Feldman, D., Halliday, G., Reeve, V. (2010), PHOTOPROTECTION BY 1alpha,25-DIHYDROXYVITAMIN D AND ANALOGS: FURTHER STUDIES ON MECHANISMS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR UV-DAMAGE. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 121(1-2), 164-8. [Abstract]
  • Brock, K., Huang, W., Fraser, D., Ke, L., Tseng, M., Stolzenberg-Solomon, R., U Peters, Z., Ahn, J., Purdue, M., Mason, R., McCarty, C., Ziegler, R., Graubard, B. (2010), Low vitamin D status is associated with physical inactivity, obesity and low vitamin D intake in a large US sample of healthy middle-aged men and women. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 121(1-2), 462-6. [Abstract]
  • Dixon, K., Sequeira, V., Camp, A., Mason, R. (2010), Vitamin D-fence. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. 9(4), 564-70. [Abstract]
  • Mak, J., Stuart-Harris, J., Cameron, I., Mason, R. (2010), Oral vitamin D replacement after hip fracture: a comparative review. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. , 382-383. [Abstract]
  • Durvasula, S., Kok, C., Sambrook, P., Cumming, R., Lord, S., March, L., Mason, R., Seibel, M., Simpson, J., Cameron, I. (2010), Sunlight and health: Attitudes of older people living in intermediate care facilities in southern Australia. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. 51(3), e94-9. [Abstract]

2009

   
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  • Brennan, T., Rybchyn, M., Green, W., Atwa, S., Conigrave, A., Mason, R. (2009), Osteoblasts play key roles in the mechanisms of action of strontium ranelate. British journal of pharmacology. 157(7), 1291-300. [Abstract]
  • Huang, H., Brennan, T., Muir, M., Mason, R. (2009), Functional alpha1- and beta2-adrenergic receptors in human osteoblasts. Journal of cellular physiology. 220(1), 267-275. [Abstract]
  • Dixon, K., Mason, R. (2009), Vitamin D. The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology. 41(0), 982-5. [Abstract]
  • McCombie, A., Mason, R., Damian, D. (2009), Vitamin D deficiency in Sydney skin cancer patients. The Medical Journal of Australia. , 102. [Abstract]
  • Sequeira, V., Dixon, K., Mason, R. (2009), Resisting the sun with Vitamin D. Immunology, Endocrine and Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry. 9, 126-136.
  • Diamond, T., Mason, R. (2009), Understanding the importance of vitamin D for bone and systemic health. Medicine Today. 10, 1.

2008

   
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  • Javeri, A., Huang, X., Bernerd, F., Mason, R., Halliday, G. (2008), Human 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase 1 protein and gene are expressed more abundantly in the superficial than basal layer of human epidermis. DNA repair. 7(9), 1542-50. [Abstract]
  • Rohanizadeh, R., Swain, M., Mason, R. (2008), Gelatin sponges (Gelfoam( (R) )) as a scaffold for osteoblasts. Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine. 19(0), 1173-82. [Abstract]
  • Sanchez Riera, L., Wilson, N., Sambrook, P., Kok, C., Cumming, R., Cameron, I., Chen, J., Simpson, J., Mason, R., Seibel, M., March, L. (2008), Trends in calcium and vitamin D usage among older people in nursing care facilities in Australia: still falling short of the guidelines. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. 11, 430-434.

2007

   
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  • Gorman, S., Kuritzky, L., Judge, M., Dixon, K., McGlade, J., Mason, R., Finlay-Jones, J., Hart, P. (2007), Topically applied 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 enhances the suppressive activity of CD4+CD25+ cells in the draining lymph nodes. Journal of immunology. 179(9), 6273-6283. [Abstract]
  • Lee, H., Mun, H., Lewis, N., Crouch, M., Culverston, E., Mason, R., Conigrave, A. (2007), Allosteric activation of the extracellular Ca2+-sensing receptor by L-amino acids enhances ERK1/2 phosphorylation. The Biochemical journal. 404(1), 141-149. [Abstract]
  • Ismail, F., Rohanizadeh, R., Atwa, S., Mason, R., Ruys, A., Martin, P., Bendavid, A. (2007), The influence of surface chemistry and topography on the contact guidance of MG63 osteoblast cells. Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine. 18, 705-14. [Abstract]
  • Dixon, K., Deo, S., Norman, A., Bishop, J., Halliday, G., Reeve, V., Mason, R. (2007), In vivo relevance for photoprotection by the vitamin D rapid response pathway. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 103(3-5), 451-456. [Abstract]
  • Brock, K., Cant, R., Clemson, L., Mason, R., Fraser, D. (2007), Effects of diet and exercise on plasma vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in Vietnamese immigrant elderly in Sydney, Australia. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 103(3-5), 786-792. [Abstract]
  • Ma, W., Ruys, A., Mason, R., Martin, P., Bendavid, A., Liu, Z., Ionescu, M., Zreiqat, H. (2007), DLC coatings: Effects of physical and chemical properties on biological response. Biomaterials. 28(9), 1620-8. [Abstract]
  • Gupta, R., Dixon, K., Deo, S., Holliday, C., Slater, M., Halliday, G., Reeve, V., Mason, R. (2007), Photoprotection by 1,25 Dihydroxyvitamin D(3) Is Associated with an Increase in p53 and a Decrease in Nitric Oxide Products. The Journal of investigative dermatology. 127, 707-15. [Abstract]
  • Brennan, T., Rybchyn, M., Halbout, P., Conigrave, A., Mason, R. (2007), Strontium ranelate effects in human osteoblasts support its uncoupling effect on bone formation and bone resorption. CALCIFIED TISSUE INTERNATIONAL. 80(0), S72-S73. [Abstract]
  • Brennan, T., Rybchyn, M., Conigrave, A., Mason, R. (2007), Strontium ranelate effects on bone formation and bone resorption: an in vitro in human osteoblasts. OSTEOPOROSIS INTERNATIONAL. 18(Supp 1), S166-S167. [Abstract]