David Mazzocchi-jones

Biography

Dave initially read Physiology at the University of Wales College Cardiff, now known as Cardiff University.

After graduation he joined the Brain Repair Group, to complete his PhD on ‘functional integration’ of Embryonic Striatal Grafts, under the supervision of Prof Steve Dunnett.  Following completion of his PhD he spent his first post-doc at Cardiff, working on a joint project between Dr Riccardo Brambilla and Prof Eric Kandel (Columbia, USA) investigating the molecular mechanisms of learning and memory in relation to drug addiction synaptic signalling in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens.  Following this, he moved to the Physiology Department at Bristol University to work with Dr Matt Jones, investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms of Schizophrenia using in vivo multi-unit recordings in freely moving animals.

Dave returned to Cardiff University to take up his first academic position as a Professional tutor, providing teaching across a range of undergraduate scientific, medical and dental degree courses.  Following this, he moved to Australia to take up a Lectureship within the Graduate School of Medicine, and Illawarra Medical Research Institute, at the University of Wollongong.  During this time he developed an innovative Neuroscience teaching block, and took up position as Deputy Director of Admissions and Selection.

Dave moved to Keele University in 2010.

Research and scholarship

My lab seeks to identify the role of Omega-3 fatty acids in neurological function and health; utilising an array of electrophysiological, behavioural and pharmacological techniques.

Specifically we are interested in Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a 22 carbon, six cis-double bonded (22:6, w3) omega-3 polyunsaturated acid (PUFA); considered an essential fatty acid, due to its inability to be synthesised by mammalian organisms, and thus must be obtained from dietary sources. DHA is obtained from dietary sources either directly, via consumption of highly enriched DHA food sources, such as fish oils, or indirectly via synthesis from its long chain PUFA precursor alpha-linoleic acid (LNA, 18:3, w3), enriched in most flax and seed food sources. Since epidemiological studies first demonstrated that consumption of high levels of DHA in the diet correlates with significantly reduced incidence of heart disease, interest in the potential therapeutic effects of DHA has increased.

DHA is ubiquitously enriched across nearly all mammalian cellular membranes, though most significantly enriched within the membranes of neuronal cells, in particular within synaptosomal membranes, synaptic vesicles, and growth cones.  DHA has been postulated to play a role cognitive function, development, and protection of the nervous system.