Associate Professor Ross Grant
Clinical Associate Professor
Medicine, Sydney Adventist Hospital Clinical School
Telephone | 9487 9602 |
Fax | 9487 9626 |
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Research interests
Oxidative stress (OS) is a complex biochemical process involving free radical damage that results in degenerative changes to the body’s cells. The degree of OS and cell damage that a body experiences is impacted by diet and lifestyle choices. A lifetime of OS leads to cellular deterioration and contributes significantly to ageing and degenerative disorders such asthe neurodegenerative dementias (e.g. Alzheimer's),heart disease and cancer.
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) is a ubiquitous molecule found in all cells of the body and is classically known to play an essential role in electron transferfor ATP (energy) production.However more recently, NAD+ has been shown to act as an essential substrate for important activities such as the base excision repair of DNA (via PARP activity) and activation ofthe sirtuin family of enzymes (linked to cell longevity).OS induced DNA damage can deplete the cells NAD+ through over-activation of PARP. This loss of NAD+ can significantly reduce sirtuin activity potentiallyimpacting cell and tissue health.
Over the past 10 years Dr Grant has published a number of research papers on the impact of oxidative stress induced NAD+ depletion on health and brain cell survival. His current research interests include; nutritional effects on adolescent vascular and neurobiological health and the effect of various lifestyle choices on the induction of oxidative stress in the young and older population and its relationship to NAD(H) metabolism and disease.
Keywords
Nutrition and metabolism; Cognitive therapy; Complementary medicine; Pharmacology; Dementia
Selected publications
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