Dr. Gisela Helfer
Information about Dr. Gisela Helfer at the University of Bradford.
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Biography
Dr Gisela Helfer studied Biology and Zoology at the University of Salzburg, Austria. During her Master’s studies at the University of Salzburg, she investigated the neurobiology of learning and imprinting behaviour of Japanese quail chicks. After graduating, she moved to the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Andechs, Germany, where she initially worked on the hippocampal formation of migratory birds with Prof Ebo Gwinner and later on circadian rhythms in vertebrates. Here, Gisela found her love for science in general and chronobiology (the study of biological rhythms) in particular. From Andechs, she started her northwards journey, first to do a PhD at the University of Birmingham (UK) to work on circadian rhythms in birds and then to train as a postdoctoral fellow at the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health at the University of Aberdeen (UK) with Prof Peter Morgan. At the Rowett Institute, she established novel concepts in molecular mechanisms and pathways regulating seasonal physiology. By combining in vivo studies with molecular biology including neuron-targeted viral gene delivery, she characterised and identified for the first-time pathways in the hypothalamus that control energy homeostasis and appetite regulation. Her work discovered a new role for Vitamin A in the brain. Downstream of Vitamin A signalling she identified a novel neuroendocrine role for the adipokine chemerin in cellular remodelling and neuronal plasticity within the hypothalamus. Six years of postdocing, three moves and two children later, she joined the University of Bradford, where she is now an Associate Professor in Physiology and Metabolism. In 2015, Gisela enjoyed sabbatical research at the Centre of Ornithology, University of Otago (NZ) and in 20018, she visited the Department of Physiology, University of Ontario, Canada to work with Prof Denise Belsham. As independent research group leader at the University of Bradford, she continues to work on chemerin molecular physiology in the hypothalamus and investigates circadian rhythms in energy balance regulation which has recently generated significant international recognition.
Research
Dr Helfer’s main interests and areas of expertise are in neuroendocrinology and chronobiology. Her research so far has centred on the control of circadian rhythms and seasonality in vertebrates and this has recently led to investigations in the central regulation of growth and energy balance
Professional activities
Information about education, employment and areas of particular interest for Dr. Gisela Helfer is as follows:
- N/A
Education
- University of Bradford - FHEA
- University of Birmingham, UK - PhD
- University of Salzburg, Austria - MSc (Mag.rer.nat.)
- University of Salzburg, Austria - BSc
- Organisation of Scientific Meetings: Alison Douglas Summer School “Food for Thought” with Full4Health (FP7 EU project), held in 07/2013 in Chiemsee, Germany
- Organisation of Scientific Meetings: Early Stage Researcher Symposium for the British Society for Neuroendocrinology, held in 08/2016 in Glasgow, UK
- Organisation of Scientific Meetings: Early Stage Researcher Symposium for the French and British Neuroendocrine Societies (SNE and BSN), held in 09/2015 in Lille, France
- Organisation of Scientific Meetings: Annual meetings of the Aberdeen Centre for Energy Regulation and Obesity (ACERO) at the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, UK, 2013 and 2014
Employment
- University of Bradford, UK - Lecturer in Biomedical Science in the year 2016 (specified as 01/03/2016)
- University of Birmingham, UK - Research Fellow in the year 2007 (specified as 01/01/2007)
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, UK - Teaching Fellow in the year 2009 (specified as 01/01/2009)
- Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, UK - Research Fellow in the year 2009 (specified as 01/07/2009)
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany - Research Assistant in the year 2001 (specified as 01/01/2001)
- British Society for Neuroendocrinology, in the year 2016 (specified as 01/08/2016)
- British Society for Neuroendocrinology, in the year 2016 (specified as 01/08/2016)
- British Society for Neuroendocrinology, in the year 2014 (specified as 01/08/2014)
Publications
There are 23 publications involving or that are attributed to Dr. Gisela Helfer. They are listed as:
- peer reviewed journal (22)
- reviews (1)
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherries with different geographical origins regulate neuroprotection in a photoperiod-dependent manner in F344 rats | 2024 | Antioxidants | 13 | Francesca Manocchio, Francisca Isabel Bravo, Gisela Helfer, Begona Muguerza | MDPI | 10.3390/antiox13010072 | |||||
| The Chemerin-CMKLR1 Axis is Functionally important for Central Regulation of Energy Homeostasis | 2022 | Frontiers in Physiology | 30 May 2022 | Yun, H: Dumbell, R: Hanna, K: Bowen, J; McLean, SL; Kantamneni, S; Pors, K; Wu, QF; Helfer, G | https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.897105 | ||||||
| Editorial: Women in integrative physiology: 2021. | 2022 | Frontiers in Physiology | 13 | Helfer G;Kadmiel M;Jethwa PH; | 1664-042X | 10.3389/fphys.2022.1036614 | |||||
| The effect of photoperiod and high fat diet on the cognitive response in photoperiod-sensitive F344 rats. | 2021 | Physiology and Behavior | McLean SL;Yun H;Tedder A;Helfer G; | 1873-507X | 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113496 | ||||||
| Hypothalamic Rax+ tanycytes contribute to tissue repair and tumorigenesis upon oncogene activation in mice. | 2021 | Nature Communications | 12 | Mu W;Li S;Xu J;Guo X;Wu H;Chen Z;Qiao L;Helfer G;Lu F;Liu C;Wu QF; | 2041-1723 | 10.1038/s41467-021-22640-z | |||||
| Pleiotropic effects of proopiomelanocortin and VGF nerve growth factor inducible neuropeptides for the long-term regulation of energy balance. | 2020 | Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology | Helfer G;Stevenson TJ; | 1872-8057 | 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110876 | ||||||
| A unifying hypothesis for control of body weight and reproduction in seasonally breeding mammals | 2019 | Helfer, Gisela; Barrett, P.; Morgan, P.J. | |||||||||
| Chemerin: A multifaceted adipokine involved in metabolic disorders | 2018 | Helfer, Gisela; Wu, Q-F. | |||||||||
| A seasonal switch in histone deacetylase gene expression in the hypothalamus and their capacity to modulate nuclear signaling pathways | 2016 | Stoney, P.N.; Rodrigues, D.; Helfer, Gisela; Khatib, T.; Ashton, A.; Hay, E.A.; Starr, R.; Kociszewska, D.; Morgan, P.J.; McCaffery, P.J. | |||||||||
| A neuroendocrine role for chemerin in hypothalamic remodelling and photoperiodic control of energy balance | 2016 | Helfer, Gisela; Ross, A.W.; Thomson, L.M.; Mayer, C.D.; Stoney, P.N.; McCaffery, P.J.; Morgan, P.J. | |||||||||
| Hypothalamic Wnt signalling and its role in energy balance regulation | 2016 | Helfer, Gisela; Tups, A. | |||||||||
| Photoperiodic and Diurnal Regulation of WNT Signaling in the Arcuate Nucleus of the Female Djungarian Hamster, Phodopus sungorus. | 2016 | Endocrinology | 157 | Boucsein A;Benzler J;Hempp C;Stöhr S;Helfer G;Tups A; | 1945-7170 | 10.1210/en.2015-1708 | |||||
| Thyroid hormone activation of retinoic acid synthesis in hypothalamic tanycytes | 2016 | Stoney, P.N.; Helfer, Gisela; Rodrigues, D.; Morgan, P.J.; McCaffery, P.J. | |||||||||
| Photoperiodic Effects on Seasonal Physiology, Reproductive Status and Hypothalamic Gene Expression in Young Male F344 Rats | 2015 | Tavolaro, F.M.; Thomson, L.M.; Ross, A.W.; Morgan, P.J.; Helfer, Gisela | |||||||||
| Photoperiod Regulates Lean Mass Accretion, but Not Adiposity, in Growing F344 Rats Fed a High Fat Diet | 2015 | Ross, A.W.; Russell, L.; Helfer, Gisela; Thomson, L.M.; Dalby, M.J.; Morgan, P.J. | |||||||||
| Dual signal transduction pathways activated by TSH receptors in rat primary 1 tanycyte cultures | 2015 | Bolborea, M.; Helfer, Gisela; Ebling, F.J.P.; Barrett, P. | |||||||||
| Neuromedin U partly mimics thyroid-stimulating hormone and triggers Wnt/β-catenin signalling in the photoperiodic response of F344 rats. | 2013 | Journal of Neuroendocrinology | 25 | Helfer G;Ross AW;Morgan PJ; | 1365-2826 | 10.1111/jne.12116 | |||||
| Photoperiod regulates vitamin A and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in F344 rats. | 2012 | Endocrinology | 153 | Helfer G;Ross AW;Russell L;Thomson LM;Shearer KD;Goodman TH;McCaffery PJ;Morgan PJ; | 1945-7170 | 10.1210/en.2011-1792 | |||||
| Melatonin receptor expression in the zebra finch brain and peripheral tissues. | 2012 | Chronobiology International | 29 | Jones C;Helfer G;Brandstätter R; | 1525-6073 | 10.3109/07420528.2011.642912 | |||||
| Photoperiodic expression of two RALDH enzymes and the regulation of cell proliferation by retinoic acid in the rat hypothalamus. | 2012 | Journal of Neurochemistry | 122 | Shearer KD;Stoney PN;Nanescu SE;Helfer G;Barrett P;Ross AW;Morgan PJ;McCaffery P; | 1471-4159 | 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2012.07824.x | |||||
| Thyroid hormone signalling genes are regulated by photoperiod in the hypothalamus of F344 rats. | 2011 | PLoS ONE | 6 | Ross AW;Helfer G;Russell L;Darras VM;Morgan PJ; | 1932-6203 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0021351 | |||||
| Molecular analysis of clock gene expression in the avian brain. | 2006 | Chronobiology International | 23 | Helfer G;Fidler AE;Vallone D;Foulkes NS;Brandstaetter R; | 0742-0528 | 10.1080/07420520500521871 |
Reviews
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endocrine drivers of photoperiod response | 2020 | 11 | 49 - 54 | Helfer G.;Dumbell R. | 2451-9650 | 10.1016/j.coemr.2020.01.001 |