Anna Moon
Research Associate, Neuroscience & Mental Health Research Institute
- moonal@cardiff.ac.uk
- 3.44, Adeilad Hadyn Ellis, Heol Maendy, Caerdydd, CF24 4HQ
Trosolwg
I am a Research Associate in the Neuroscience and Mental Health Insitute, who has always been fascinated about how our genes dictate our biology and behaviour. My research focuses on both early life stress and calcim channel genes, and how they work separately and together to increase risk for psychiatric disorders. I feel passionate about applying the incredible genetic findings in these disorders to various models in order to understand the underlying biological pathways, which may help us to develop more effective drugs for these disorders which desperately need them.
Bywgraffiad
EDUCATION
2014-2018: PhD in Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics: Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University
2010-2014: BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science, Cardiff University: Degree class: First Class Honours
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2018-2021: Research Associate at Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute
Title of project: Investigating genetic and environmental risk for psychosis mediated through L-Type voltage gated calcium channels
2014-2018: Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics 4 year PhD project, funded by the Medical Research Council
Supervisors: Prof Jeremy Hall, Dr Kerrie Thomas and Dr Nichola Brydges
Thesis Title: The impact of genetic variation in Cacna1c and prepubertal stress on hippocampal function
Brief Synopsis: My thesis involved using a combination of molecular and behavioural approaches in rodents to examine the effects of both genetic and environmental factors implicated in psychiatric disorders
2014-2015: First Year Rotational Projects for PhD, Cardiff University
Rotation 1: Arc in gene-environment interactions: a rodent model of prenatal stress
Rotation 2: Investigation into how the haplotype on 17q21.31 mediates risk in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy via methylation alterations
2013-2014: BSc Dissertation Project, Cardiff University
Title: The effect of high intensity interval training on serum resistin, a potential risk factor in type II diabetes mellitus
2012-2013: Wales Heart Institute, Professor Training Year: Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine (Embryology)
Title: The mechanism of action of PLCζ in mammalian oocytes
Anrhydeddau a Dyfarniadau
- Primer Design Silver Sponsorship Award 2016 and 2017
- Shortlisted for Max Perutz Science Writing Award 2015
Ymrwymiadau siarad cyhoeddus
- The Foundation for Young People’s Mental Health: Cambridge Project to innovate early interventions for depression in young people – Invited Speaker and participant in workshops to identify and develop roadmaps for promising innovations in young people’s mental health research (2020)
- British Association for Psychopharmacology: Annual Meeting 2019, Manchester – Invited Speaker
- World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics: 2018 Meeting, Glasgow – Speaker
Cyhoeddiadau
2022
- Moon, A. L., Clifton, N. E., Wellard, N., Thomas, K. L., Hall, J. and Brydges, N. M. 2022. Social interaction following prepubertal stress alters prefrontal gene expression associated with cell signalling and oligodendrocytes. Translational Psychiatry 12(1), article number: 516. (10.1038/s41398-022-02280-7)
- Westacott, L. J. et al. 2022. Complement C3 and C3aR mediate different aspects of emotional behaviours; relevance to risk for psychiatric disorder. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 99, pp. 70-82. (10.1016/j.bbi.2021.09.005)
2021
- Tigaret, C. M. et al. 2021. Neurotrophin receptor activation rescues cognitive and synaptic abnormalities caused by hemizygosity of the psychiatric risk gene Cacna1c. Molecular Psychiatry 26, pp. 1748-1760. (10.1038/s41380-020-01001-0)
2020
- Moon, A. L., Brydges, N. M., Wilkinson, L. S., Hall, J. and Thomas, K. L. 2020. Cacna1c hemizygosity results in aberrant fear conditioning to neutral stimuli. Schizophrenia Bulletin 46(5), pp. 1231-1238. (10.1093/schbul/sbz127)
2019
- Sykes, L. et al. 2019. Genetic variation in the psychiatric risk gene CACNA1C modulates reversal learning across species. Schizophrenia Bulletin 45(5), pp. 1024-1032. (10.1093/schbul/sby146)
- Moon, A., Brydges, N., Thomas, K. and Hall, J. 2019. Su13: Genetic variation in 'calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1c (cacna1c): interactions with prepubertal stress and impact on hippocampal dependent learning. European Neuropsychopharmacology 29(S4), pp. S1274-S1275. (10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.08.377)
2018
- Brydges, N. M., Moon, A., Rule, L., Watkin, H., Thomas, K. L. and Hall, J. 2018. Sex specific effects of pre-pubertal stress on hippocampal neurogenesis and behaviour. Translational Psychiatry 8, article number: 271. (10.1038/s41398-018-0322-4)
- Moon, A. L., Haan, N., Wilkinson, L. S., Thomas, K. L. and Hall, J. 2018. CACNA1C: Association with pychiatric disorders, behavior, and neurogenesis. Schizophrenia Bulletin 44(5), pp. 958-965. (10.1093/schbul/sby096)
- Moon, A. L. 2018. The impact of genetic variation in Cacna1c and prepubertal stress on hippocampal function. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Sanders, J., Ashley, B., Moon, A., Woolley, T. and Swann, K. 2018. PLCz induced Ca2+ oscillations in mouse eggs involve a positive feedback cycle of Ca2+ induced InsP3 formation from cytoplasmic PIP2. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 6, article number: 36. (10.3389/fcell.2018.00036)
2015
- Moon, A., Heywood, L., Rutherford, S. M. and Cobbold, C. 2015. Creatine supplementation in the elderly: is resistance training really needed?. Journal of Nutrition and Health Sciences 2(2), pp. 1-9.
2013
- Moon, A., Heywood, L., Rutherford, S. M. and Cobbold, C. 2013. Creatine supplementation: Can it improve quality of life in the elderly without associated resistance training?. Current Aging Science 6(3), pp. 251-257. (10.2174/1874609806666131204153102)