Professor Rachael Richardson is a Principal Research Fellow at the Bionics Institute, and Professor in the Medical Bionics Department, University of Melbourne.

Rachael’s scientific career, spanning more than 25 years, has centered on developing innovative and translational solutions for neurological conditions.

She currently leads a multi-disciplinary team researching precise neuromodulation technology in the auditory, visual, peripheral, and central nervous systems. A major focus of her work is a technology known as optogenetics, which enables light to be used for precise and selective neuromodulation.

Rachael is an inventor of a combined stimulation strategy (patent filed internationally) that uses both optogenetics and electrical stimulation. This combined strategy is a major focus of her current work on the suppression of chronic pain and selective deep brain stimulation.

Rachael receives funding for her work from agencies such as the NHMRC, the Victorian Government, and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (UK). She has been principal investigator on more than13 national/international grants plus industry-funded research.

Rachael has been the primary or co-supervisor of 12 PhD/ Masters students and 12 honors/undergraduate/interns. She is passionate about addressing the challenges faced by early career researchers and women in STEM by providing experience and opportunities through mentorship and workshops.

Rachael completed her BSc degree at the University of Melbourne (pathology/biochemistry). Her BSc(Hons) and PhD were performed at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research under the supervision of Prof Doug Hilton. From 2001, Rachael held post-doctoral and research fellow positions at the Bionics Institute (initially the Bionic Ear Institute), investigating hearing therapeutics, with a focus on gene therapy. Rachael is now a Principal Research Fellow at the Bionics Institute and Professor in the Medical Bionics Department at the University of Melbourne.

Research projects

• Optogenetics for precise neural modulation

• Protecting and regenerating sensory cells after hearing loss

• Gene therapy in the cochlea

• Protection of residual hearing during cochlear implantation

• Improving the nerve-electrode interface of the cochlear implant

• Optogenetics for optical stimulation of auditory neurons

• Improving the clarity of sound for cochlear implant users

• A drug-free approach to relieving chronic pain

Student Projects:

See all student projects here

Selected Publications:

1. RT Richardson, AC Thompson, AK Wise, EA Ajay, N Gunewardene, SJ O’Leary, PR Stoddart, and JB Fallon (2021) Viral-mediated transduction of auditory neurons with opsins for optical and hybrid activation Scientific Reports 11; 11229 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90764-9

2. AC Thompson, AK Wise, W Hart, K Needham, JB Fallon, P Stoddart, N Gunewardene, RT Richardson (2020) Hybrid optogenetic and electrical stimulation for greater spatial resolution and temporal fidelity of cochlear activation Journal Neural Engineering, 17(5), 056046. https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/abbff0

3. Preprint: bioRxiv 2020.07.27.187294; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.27.187294

4. P Lam, N Gunewardene, Y Ma, F Caruso, T Nguyen, B Flynn, AK Wise and RT Richardson (2020) A radiolabeled drug tracing method to study neurotrophin-3 retention and distribution in the cochlea after nano-based local delivery MethodsX 7, 101078

5. WL Hart, RT Richardson, T Kameneva, AC Thompson, AK Wise, JB Fallon, PR Stoddart and K Needham (2020) Combined optogenetic and electrical stimulation of auditory neurons increases effective stimulation frequency – an in vitro study, J Neural Eng 17(1); 016069.

6. Y Ma, C Cortez-Jugo, J Li, X Lin, RT Richardson, Y Han, J Zhou, M Björnmalm, O Feeney, Q Zhong, C Porter, A Wise and F Caruso (2019) Engineering Biocoatings to Prolong Drug Release from Supraparticles, Biomacromolecules 20(9); 3425-3434

7. Y Ma, AK Wise, RK Shepherd, RT Richardson (2019) New molecular therapies for the treatment of hearing loss Pharmacology and Therapeutics 200; 190-209

8. RT Richardson, Q Hu, F Shi, T Nguyen, JB Fallon, BO Flynn and AK Wise (2019) Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of neurotrophin 3 after intracochlear delivery, February 15th 2019 Journal of Controlled Release 299; 53-63 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.02.018

9. Cover story and image: K Park (2019) Pharmacokinetic studies for cochlear drug delivery Journal of Controlled Release 299; 165 DOI:10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.03.007

10. Y Ma, M Björnmalm, A Wise, C Cortez-Jugo, E Revalor; Y Ju, O Feeney, R Richardson, E Hanssen, RK Shepherd, C Porter and F Caruso (2018) Gel-Mediated Electrospray Assembly of Silica Supraparticles for Sustained Drug Delivery. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 10(37):31019-31031 DOI:10.1021/acsami.8b10415

11. Richardson, R. T., A. C. Thompson, A. K. Wise, and K. Needham. 2017. Challenges for the application of optical stimulation in the cochlea for the study and treatment of hearing loss. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 17(2): 213-23.

12. Wise, A. K., B. O. Flynn, P. J. Atkinson, J. B. Fallon, M. Nicholson, and R. Richardson. 2015. Regeneration of cochlear hair cells with Atoh1 gene therapy after noise-induced hearing loss Journal of Regenerative Medicine. 4(1): doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2325-9620.1000121. Full Text

13. Richardson, R. T., and P. J. Atkinson. 2015. Atoh1 gene therapy in the cochlea for hair cell regeneration. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 15(3): 417-30.

14. Newbold, C., S. Mergen, R. Richardson, P. Seligman, R. Millard, R. Cowan, and R. Shepherd. 2014. Impedance changes in chronically implanted and stimulated cochlear implant electrodes. Cochlear Implants International. 15(4): 191-9.

15. Irving, S., L. Gillespie, R. Richardson, D. Rowe, J. B. Fallon, and A. K. Wise. 2014. Electroacoustic stimulation: now and into the future. Biomed Research International. 2014: 350504. doi: 10.1155/2014/04. Full Text

16. Gillespie, L. N., R. T. Richardson, B. A. Nayagam, and A. K. Wise. 2014. Treating hearing disorders with cell and gene therapy. Journal of Neural Engineering. 11(6): 065001. Full Text

17. Atkinson, P. J., A. K. Wise, B. O. Flynn, B. A. Nayagam, and R. T. Richardson. 2014. Viability of long-term gene therapy in the cochlea. Scientific Reports. 4: 4733. doi: 10.1038/srep04733. Full Text

18. Atkinson, P. J., A. K. Wise, B. O. Flynn, B. A. Nayagam, and R. T. Richardson. 2014. Hair cell regeneration after ATOH1 gene therapy in the cochlea of profoundly deaf adult guinea pigs. PLoS ONE. 9(7): e102077. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102077. Full Text

19. O’Leary, S. J., P. Monksfield, G. Kel, T. Connolly, M. A. Souter, A. Chang, P. Marovic, J. S. O’Leary, R. Richardson, and H. Eastwood. 2013. Relations between cochlear histopathology and hearing loss in experimental cochlear implantation. Hearing Research. 298: 27-35. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2013.01.012. Full Text

20. O’Leary, S. J., P. Monksfield, G. Kel, T. Connolly, M. A. Souter, A. Chang, P. Marovic, J. S. O’Leary, R. Richardson, and H. Eastwood. 2013. Relations between cochlear histopathology and hearing loss in experimental cochlear implantation. Hearing Research. 298: 27-35. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2013.01.012. Full Text

(See more publications by Rachael Richardson in PubMed.

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