Dr Paul Bertrand

Reasearch overview

Dr Bertrand is a gut health expert with a PhD in Pharmacology & Toxicology and over 70 publications on the workings of the gastrointestinal tract in health and disease.   His research is based at RMIT University, Melbourne, and is affiliated with the Enabling Impact Platform (Biomedical and Health Innovation).  He also has a conjoint appointment at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. 

His research aims to improve the diagnoses of gastrointestinal disorders using state-of-the-art microsensor technology and to develop novel treatment strategies for gastrointestinal disorders His research focuses on the neuronal basis of functional bowel diseases and the neurophysiology of the peripheral nervous system in conditions such as obesity, inflammation and aging.  He focuses on the roles of ATP and serotonin (5-HT) in neurotransmission and sensory transduction using electrophysiological and electrochemical techniques.  The goal is to develop tailored diagnostics for a variety of gastrointestinal disorders such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

He is an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Neuroscience and on the Editorial Board for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, and Neurogastroenterology and Motility.  He is also a member of several international and Australian societies and is on the executive of the Australasian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association, and the International Society for Serotonin Research. 

Dr Bertrand was recently highlighted in the annual RMIT alumni magazine, is a top contributor to the news website theconversation.com and is regularly invited to comment on gastrointestinal health issues in the media in print (Nature, 533, S116–S117) and on national radio (Tony Delroy's Nightlife 16/5/16).  

Other professional websites:

Please see Google scholar for a complete list of publications. 

Other online profiles:

• ORCID: 0000-0003-1122-2306
• ResearcherID: H-4667-2011
• Frontiers Loop: 3411
• Linkedin: paul-bertrand-16131b85

Media Commentary

• Expert guide - Dr Paul Bertrand
• Scimex - Dr Paul Bertrand

Media Topics

Gastrointestinal (Gut) Health and Disease; Gastrointestinal Tract Physiology; Neuropharmacology; Neurophysiology; Gut Hormones; Autonomic Neuroscience; Neurogastroenterology; Enteric Nervous System, Synaptic Transmission; Intestinal Motility; Serotonin in the Gut; Functional disorders of the Digestive System; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Crohn's Disease; Ulcerative Colitis; Stomach Disorders; Gastritis; Obesity, Metabolic Disorders and Diet; Gut microbiome; Probiotics and Prebiotics.  

Dr Bertrand is a senior lecturer in the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences based at Bundoora West campus. He was the HDR coordinator for the School from 2014-16 and is currently the Honours program coordinator for BH121. He also coordinates and teaches into a number of Pharmaceutical Sciences courses.

Teaching responsibilities

• Program coordinator 
  • BH121 Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Honours)
    
• Course coordinator / Lecturer:
  • ONPS2304 - Clinical Trial Design and Management
  • ONPS2539 - Research Methods for Health and Medical Science 2: Professional Training
  • ONPS2541 - Professional Research Project 2: Evidence Portfolio
  • ONPS2534 - Professional Skills Development for the Pharmaceutical Scientist
  • PHAR1012 - Clinical Development of New Medicines

• BSc (Zoology - Neurophysiology), Michigan State University, 1990
• PhD (Pharmacology & Toxicology), Michigan State University, 1994

Member:

• American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
• Society for Neuroscience
• Australian Neuroscience Society
• American Physiological Society
• American Gastroenterological Association
• Australasian Society Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists
• Australian Physiological Society
  • Local organising committee in 2012
• International Society for Serotonin Research
  • Elected Council member in 2012 - cont.
• Australasian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association
  • Elected Council member in 2016 - cont.
  • Local organising committee in 2014, 2016.

Editor or Editorial Board:

• Frontiers in Autonomic Neuroscience (Section Editor)
• Neurogastroenterology and Motility (Editorial Board)
• Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology (Section Editor 2010-14, Editorial Board 2014 - cont.)

Manuscript assessor:

• American Journal of Physiology
• Journal of Physiology
• Gastroenterology
• Journal of Neuroscience
• Neuroscience
• Neurogastroenterology and Motility

Grant assessor:

• NHMRC - Project grants and Fellowships
• ARC - Discovery projects and DECRAs
• Diabetes Australia
• Adelaide University
• National Heart Foundation
• Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
• Czech Science Foundation, Czech Republic
• Research into Ageing, UK
• UCLA Professorial merit review, US
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
• FWO Research Foundation Flanders, Belgium
• FWF Austrian Science Fund, Austria

Grants and fellowships:

• NHMRC Project grant. Liu, Bertrand and Sandow (2013-2015)
• NHMRC Project grant. Bornstein, Thomas, Parry, Bertrand (2009-2013)
• NHMRC Project grant. Bertrand , Liu (2008-2010)
• NHMRC Project grant. Bertrand (2004-2006)
• NHMRC RD Wright Fellowship. Bertrand (2000-2003)
• NHMRC Project grant. Bornstein, Davies, Bertrand (2000-2002)
• NIH (US) NRSA Fellowship. Bertrand (1995-1998)