Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment

School of Life and Environmental Sciences

Dr Jan West
  Phone   +61 3 925 17054
Email   jan.west@deakin.edu.au
Position   Associate Head of School (Teaching & Learning)
Campus   Burwood
Research grouping   Biomolecular Sciences

The muscle lab has a broad interest in the structure, contractile and activation
properties of muscles. A variety of techniques are used to study the properties of muscle including
activation of single fibres (skinned fibre technique), gel electrophoresis, western blots and
histochemistry. The major focus is changes in muscle structure and function during development.

Research interests

  1. Developmental properties of muscle


Career

Senior Lecturer Deakin University 2009 -

Key publications

Cannata, DJ, Ireland, Z, Dickinson, H, Snow RJ, Russell, AP, West, JM and Walker, DW (2010) Maternal creatine supplementation from mid-pregnancy protects the diaphragm of the newborn spiny mouse from intrapartum hypoxia-induced damage Pediatric Research 68 (5),

Cannata DJ, Finkelstein DI, Gantois I, Teper Y, Drago J and West JM (2009) Altered fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibre characteristics in female mice with a (S248F) knock-in mutation of the brain neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility 30, 73-83

Williams G, West JM, Koch I, Reimer KJ and Snow ET (2009) Arsenic speciation in the freshwater crayfish, Cherax destructor Clark Science of the Total Environment 407, 2650-2658

Williams G, Snow ET, West JM (2008) Total arsenic accumulation in yabbies (Cherax destructor CLARK) exposed to elevated arsenic in Victorian gold mining areas Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 27(6), 1332-1342

Atkin JD, Scott RL, West JM, Lopes E, Quah AKJ and Cheema SS (2005) Properties of slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibres in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Neuromuscular Disorders 15(5), 377-388

View entire list of audited publications

 

PhD students

Student nameThesis title
Domenic LaRosaCan maternal melatonin/creatine supplementation protect fetal striated muscle against hypoxic damage?  

 

Honours students

Student nameThesis title Courtney HarmerDevelopment of fast- and slow-twitch muscle in the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus): a gender study  

 

Teaching areas

Human Physiology
Physiology of Disease
Biology: Form and Function
Animal Biology


Deakin University acknowledges the traditional land owners of present campus sites.

8th February 2013