Position 
Honorary Associate

Qualifications
PhD MSc (Syd) BSc (Purdue) DipTerEd (NE)

Dr Dana Strain instructs students in fundamental aspects of chemistry and biology.  She is heavily involved in the organisation and teaching of the Chemistry Bridging Course offered early in the academic year.

Dr Strain is interested in the effects of ionising radiation on cells, tissues and whole body.

One project involves studying the effects of low doses and low dose rates on the red blood cell of mice in order to determine whether or not proteins are induced at these low levels.  These induced proteins may play an important role in cell survival.   

The aim of a second project is to determine whether or not irradiation disrupts the trytophan cycle by increasing production of quinolinic acid in the brain.  Quinolinic acid is a natural neurotoxin and its increased elevations occur in patients and animals with inflammatory neurologic conditions and physical trauma.  High quinolinic acid levels may contribute to the poor survival of patients with brain tumours.

Recent abstracts and conference proceedings

Strain D, Moore D E, Prosser S, Izard B, Allen B J (1996). In vivo variation of  micronuclei in BALB/c mice after low and high doses of gamma radiation. AINSE Conference on Radiation Biology and Chemistry, Lucas Heights, Australia.

Here is more information regarding her research.

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