Anna Leonard

Research Interests

Brain injury Neurosciences Spinal cord Neuroscience, Behaviour and Brain Health Translational Health Outcomes

Anna Leonard

Senior Lecturer

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

A/Prof Leonard is a research active Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Adelaide Medical School (AMS). After completion of her PhD in Dec, 2012 (Dean’s commendation; University Doctoral Medal), she undertook local (UofA; Neil Sachse Foundation Fellowship) and international (University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA) post-doctoral training, gaining research expertise in various animal models of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). In 2016, she returned to Adelaide (RAH ECR Fellowship) to begin establishing a novel porcine model of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), a major arm of her research program. In 2017, A/Prof Leonard was appointed a continuing academic and began further establishing her research within Adelaide. She currently heads the Spinal Cord Injury Research group in the School of Biomedicine and has established a national profile within the neurotrauma field as an emerging early career researcher. With 300-400 new cases of SCI in Australia each year, resulting in a financial burden of >$2billion annually and even greater personal loss, there is a real need for research within this field to generate meaningful improved outcomes for people living with SCI. Dr Leonard's research is focused on understanding the acute outcomes following SCI, particularly surrounding the relationship between oedema, haemorrhage and raised intrathecal pressure (ITP), and the role of neuroinflammation in both acute and chronic outcomes.

I lead the spinal cord injury research group (SCIRG), within the School of Biomedicine. The SCIRG is focused on understanding the secondary injury processes that occur post-SCI and how these can be targeted to improve outcome. We have recently developed a clinically relevant large animal model of SCI, the first in Australia, which allows us to investigate more clinically relevant outcome measures and potentially improve translation into the clinic. We also work with small animal models to help understand the secondary injury processes post-SCI, with a particular focus on neuroinflammation, oedema and pressure. We are also interested in understanding how these processes can impact on chronic outcomes such as cognition and neuropathic pain. 

Current Projects Focus on:

  • Understanding how cognitive deficits develop chronically post-SCI
  • Evaluating peripheral stimulation as a novel treatment post-SCI
  • The impact of ageing and associated neuroinflammatory response following traumatic spinal cord injury
  • The role of concomitant brain injury on the development of neuropathic pain post-SCI.

These projects (or components of) are available for third year research placement (Sem 1 start only), honours (Sem 1 start only), masters and PhD students.

 

Date Position Institution name
2024 - ongoing Associate Professor University of Adelaide
2020 - 2023 Senior Lecturer The University of Adelaide
2016 - 2019 Lecturer The University of Adelaide

Date Institution name Country Title
2009 - 2012 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD
2007 - 2007 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health Science Honours (1st Class)
2004 - 2006 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health Science

Year Citation
2025 Bessen, M. A., Marian, O. C., O'Hare Doig, R. L., Sorby-Adams, A., Gayen, C. D., Kaukas, L. M., . . . Jones, C. F. (2025). Intraoperative ultrasound monitoring of spinal cord swelling and parenchymal changes in a porcine model of thoracic spinal cord injury. Experimental Neurology, 392, 13 pages.
DOI WoS1
2025 Krieg, J. L., Antolis, K., Hooper, C., Kapuwelle, H., George, R., O'Brien, W. T., . . . Corrigan, F. (2025). Evolution of Axonal Injury in the Closed Head Impact Model of Engineered Rotational Acceleration in Adult Ferrets. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 103(11), e70090-1-e70090-22.
DOI
2025 Homes-Vickers, M. A., Hobbs, D. A., Leonard, A. V., & Collins-Praino, L. E. (2025). Effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease: systematic review protocol. Bjpsych Open, 11(6), 6 pages.
DOI
2025 Bessen, M. A., Gayen, C. D., Doig, R. L. O., Dorrian, R. M., Quarrington, R. D., Mulaibrahimovic, A., . . . Jones, C. F. (2025). Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and subarachnoid space occlusion following traumatic spinal cord injury in the pig: an investigation using magnetic resonance imaging. Fluids and Barriers of the CNS, 22(1), 6-1-6-16.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Dorrian, R. M., Leonard, A. V., & Lauto, A. (2024). Millimetric devices for nerve stimulation: a promising path towards miniaturization. Neural Regeneration Research, 19(8), 1702-1706.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2024 Sorby-Adams, A. J., Marian, O. C., Bilecki, I. M., Elms, L. E., Yassi, N., Hood, R. J., . . . Turner, R. J. (2024). NK1 tachykinin receptor antagonist treatment reduces cerebral edema and intracranial pressure in an ovine model of ischemic stroke. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 44(10), 1759-1773.
DOI Scopus4 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2023 Gayen, C., Bessen, M., Dorrian, R., Quarrington, R., Mulaibrahimovic, A., O'Hare Doig, R., . . . Jones, C. (2023). A survival model of thoracic contusion spinal cord injury in the domestic pig. Journal of Neurotrauma, 40(9-10), 965-980.
DOI Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC10
2023 Bessen, M. A., Gayen, C. D., Quarrington, R. D., Walls, A. C., Leonard, A. V., Kurtcuoglu, V., & Jones, C. F. (2023). Characterising spinal cerebrospinal fluid flow in the pig with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. Fluids and Barriers of the CNS, 20(1), 1-13.
DOI Scopus9 WoS7 Europe PMC7
2023 Dorrian, R. M., Berryman, C. F., Lauto, A., & Leonard, A. V. (2023). Electrical stimulation for the treatment of spinal cord injuries: A review of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive functional improvements.. Front Cell Neurosci, 17(1095259), 1-25.
DOI Scopus61 WoS49 Europe PMC44
2023 Sorby-Adams, A. J., Marian, O. C., Bilecki, I. M., Elms, L. E., Camargo, J., Hall, K., . . . Jones, C. F. (2023). Neurological scoring and gait kinematics to assess functional outcome in an ovine model of ischaemic stroke. Frontiers in Neurology, 14(1071794), 1071794-1-1071794-20.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC2
2023 Sharkey, J. M., Quarrington, R. D., Krieg, J. L., Kaukas, L., Turner, R. J., Leonard, A., . . . Corrigan, F. (2023). Evaluating the effect of post-traumatic hypoxia on the development of axonal injury following traumatic brain injury in sheep. Brain Research, 1817, 1-16.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2023 Krieg, J. L., Leonard, A. V., Tuner, R. J., & Corrigan, F. (2023). Characterization of Traumatic Brain Injury in a Gyrencephalic Ferret Model Using the Novel Closed Head Injury Model of Engineered Rotational Acceleration (CHIMERA). Neurotrauma Reports, 4(1), 761-780.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC8
2023 Krieg, J. L., Leonard, A. V., Turner, R. J., & Corrigan, F. (2023). Identifying the Phenotypes of Diffuse Axonal Injury Following Traumatic Brain Injury. Brain Sciences, 13(11), 1607-1-1607-19.
DOI Scopus12 WoS12 Europe PMC9
2021 Sorby-Adams, A. J., Learoyd, A. E., Bath, P. M., Burrows, F., Farr, T. D., Leonard, A. V., . . . Trueman, R. C. (2021). Glyceryl trinitrate for the treatment of ischaemic stroke: Determining efficacy in rodent and ovine species for enhanced clinical translation. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 41(12), 0271678X2110189.
DOI Scopus9 WoS10 Europe PMC10
2020 McDonald, S. J., Sharkey, J. M., Sun, M., Kaukas, L., Shultz, S. R., Turner, R., . . . Corrigan, F. (2020). Beyond the brain: peripheral interactions following traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma, 37(5), 770-781.
DOI Scopus113 WoS105 Europe PMC95
2019 Sorby-Adams, A. J., Leonard, A., Elms, L. E., Marian, O. C., Hoving, J. W., Yassi, N., . . . Turner, R. J. (2019). Determining the temporal profile of intracranial pressure changes following transient stroke in an ovine model. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13(00587), 587-1-587-16.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13 Europe PMC12
2019 Sorby-Adams, A. J., Leonard, A., Hoving, J. W., Yassi, N., Vink, R., Wells, A. J., & Turner, R. J. (2019). NK1-r antagonist treatment comparable to decompressive craniectomy in reducing intracranial pressure following stroke. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13(00681), 681-1-681-12.
DOI Scopus14 WoS14 Europe PMC12
2017 Leonard, A., Menendez, J., Pat, B., Hadley, M., & Floyd, C. (2017). Localization of the corticospinal tract within the porcine spinal cord: Implications for experimental modeling of traumatic spinal cord injury. Neuroscience Letters, 648, 1-7.
DOI Scopus20 WoS19 Europe PMC16
2016 Leonard, A., Vink, R., & Byard, R. (2016). Brain Fluid Content Related to Body Position and Postmortem Interval - An Animal Model. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 61(3), 671-673.
DOI Scopus8 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2016 Corrigan, F., Mander, K., Leonard, A., & Vink, R. (2016). Neurogenic inflammation after traumatic brain injury and its potentiation of classical inflammation. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 13(1), 264-1-264-12.
DOI Scopus273 WoS255 Europe PMC211
2015 Newcombe, R., Finnie, J., Leonard, A., Manavis, J., Reilly, P., Vink, R., & Blumbergs, P. (2015). Apoptosis in human compressive myelopathy due to metastatic neoplasia. Spine, 40(8), E450-E457.
DOI Scopus1
2015 Leonard, A., & Vink, R. (2015). Reducing intrathecal pressure after traumatic spinal cord injury: a potential clinical target to promote tissue survival. Neural Regeneration Research, 10(3), 380-382.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6 Europe PMC6
2015 Leonard, A., Thornton, E., & Vink, R. (2015). The relative contribution of edema and hemorrhage to raised intrathecal pressure following traumatic spinal cord injury. Journal of neurotrauma, 32(6), 397-402.
DOI Scopus57 WoS51 Europe PMC42
2014 Leonard, A., Thornton, E., & Vink, R. (2014). NK1 receptor blockade is ineffective in improving outcome following a balloon compression model of spinal cord injury. PLoS One, 9(5), e98364-1-e98364-15.
DOI Scopus12 WoS10 Europe PMC8
2014 Leonard, A., Manavis, J., Blumbergs, P., & Vink, R. (2014). Changes in substance P and NK1 receptor immunohistochemistry following human spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord, 52(1), 17-23.
DOI Scopus12 WoS12 Europe PMC10
2014 Giacci, M., Wheeler, L., Lovett, S., Dishington, E., Majda, B., Bartlett, C., . . . Fitzgerald, M. (2014). Differential effects of 670 and 830 nm red near infrared irradiation therapy: a comparative study of optic nerve injury, retinal degeneration, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. PLoS One, 9(8), e104565-1-e104565-15.
DOI Scopus46 WoS40 Europe PMC29
2014 Corrigan, F., Thornton, E., Roisman, L., Leonard, A., Vink, R., Blumbergs, P., . . . Cappai, R. (2014). The neuroprotective activity of the amyloid precursor protein against traumatic brain injury is mediated via the heparin binding site in residues 96-110. Journal of Neurochemistry, 128(1), 196-204.
DOI Scopus48 WoS46 Europe PMC39
2013 Leonard, A., Thornton, E., & Vink, R. (2013). Substance P as a mediator of neurogenic inflammation after balloon compression induced spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurotrauma, 30(21), 1812-1823.
DOI Scopus24 WoS19 Europe PMC21
2013 Gabrielian, L., Helps, S., Thornton, E., Turner, R., Leonard, A., & Vink, R. (2013). Substance P antagonists as a novel intervention for brain edema and raised intracranial pressure. Acta Neurochirurgica Supplement, Brain edema XV, 118, 201-204.
DOI Scopus39 Europe PMC34
2013 Leonard, A., & Vink, R. (2013). The effect of an NK1 receptor antagonist on blood spinal cord barrier permeability following balloon compression-induced spinal cord injury. Acta Neurochirurgica Supplement, Brain edema XV, 118, 303-306.
DOI Scopus7 Europe PMC4
2012 Corrigan, F., Leonard, A., Ghabriel, M., Van Den Heuvel, C., & Vink, R. (2012). A Substance P Antagonist Improves Outcome in Female Sprague Dawley Rats Following Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 18(6), 513-515.
DOI Scopus25 WoS22 Europe PMC18
2010 Thornton, E., Ziebell, J., Leonard, A., & Vink, R. (2010). Kinin receptor antagonists as potential neuroprotective agents in central nervous system injury. Molecules, 15(9), 6598-6618.
DOI Scopus38 WoS39 Europe PMC36

Year Citation
2016 Leonard, A., & Turner, R. (2016). Aquaporins within the Central Nervous System: Implications for Oedema Following Traumatic CNS Injury. In G. Soveral, S. Nielsen, & A. Casini (Eds.), Aquaporins in Health and Disease: New Molecular Targets for Drug Discovery (pp. 205-216). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Year Citation
2016 Turner, R., Leonard, A. V., & Vink, R. (2016). LOWERING ICP FOLLOWING STROKE: NK1 ANTAGONIST AS EFFECTIVE AS DECOMPRESSIVE SURGERY. In JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM Vol. 36 (pp. 419). Vancouver, CANADA: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC.

Year Citation
2023 Bessen, M., Gayen, C., Quarrington, R., Walls, A., O’Hare Doig, R., Dorrian, R., . . . Jones, C. (2023). Spinal cerebrospinal fluid flow following traumatic spinal cord injury: an investigation using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging in the pig. Poster session presented at the meeting of Spine Week 2023: Spine Society of Australia 34th Annual Scientific Meeting. Melbourne.
2022 Bessen, M. A., Gayen, C. D., Quarrington, R. D., Walls, A. C., Leonard, A. V., Kurtcuoglu, V., & Jones, C. F. (2022). Characterising spinal cerebrospinal fluid flow in the pig with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. Poster session presented at the meeting of Unknown Conference.
DOI
2013 Leonard, A. V., Thornton, E., & Vink, R. (2013). Raised intrathecal pressure following traumatic spinal cord injury: edema or increased blood volume?. Poster session presented at the meeting of Journal of neurotrauma. USA: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers.

Year Citation
- Bessen, M., Gayen, C. D., Quarrington, R., Walls, A. C., Leonard, A., Kurtcuoglu, V., & Jones, C. (n.d.). Phase-contrast MRI along the healthy pig spine.
- Bessen, M., Gayen, C. D., Doig, R. O., Dorrian, R., Quarrington, R., Mulaibrahimovic, A., . . . Jones, C. (n.d.). Spinal phase-contrast and anatomical MRI in a porcine model of thoracic contusion spinal cord injury.
DOI

My research program has been funded by the following grant schemes:

  • Lifetime Support Authority (CIB)
  • Morton Cure Paralysis Fund (CIA)
  • Brain Foundation (CIA)
  • Neurosurgical Research Foundation (CIA)
  • Conquer Paralysis Now (CIA)
  • Depuy Synthes (CIC)
  • UAB Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (CIA)
  • Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee Early Career Fellowship (CIA)
  • Neil Sachse Foundation Fellowship (CIA)

Dr Leonard teaches into 7 courses across Health and Medical Science programs, focused on neuroscience and research skills, as well as the respiratory system and reproductive system.

Dr Leonard is Course Coordinator for the following courses:

  • HLTH SC 1002 - Create. Communicate. Connect with Health and Medical Sciences (Sem 1)

  • PATHOL 3200 - Neurological Diseases

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor Does a concomitant TBI influence the inflammatory response following a spinal cord injury? Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yi Feng Liu
2023 Co-Supervisor Changing the "Game" - Assessing cognitive function and the role of cognitive training in Parkinson's disease and Spinal Cord Injury. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Madeleine Anne Homes-Vickers
2023 Co-Supervisor Evaluation of novel therapeutics in a novel gyrencephalic model of traumatic brain injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Carl Llewelyn Hooper
2023 Co-Supervisor Targeted drug delivery for treatment of respiratory dysfunction following spinal cord injury using retrograde transport of biodegradable nanoparticles. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Paul Marciano
2021 Principal Supervisor Evaluating the role of concomitant traumatic brain injury on the development of neuropathic pain following traumatic spinal cord injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Keziah Jane Skein

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2021 - 2025 Principal Supervisor Sciatic Nerve Stimulation via a Novel Graft-Antenna to Improve Outcomes Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Ryan Dorrian
2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Characterisation of a novel pre-clinical model of diffuse axonal injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Justin Leigh Krieg
2021 - 2025 Co-Supervisor Towards the development of biomarkers for traumatic spinal cord injury: quantitative clinical imaging in a pre-clinical model to assess intrathecal morphology and cerebrospinal fluid flow Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Madeleine Amy Bessen
2020 - 2025 Principal Supervisor Beyond the Spine: Investigating Chronic Cognitive Dysfunction Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Kavi Sivasankar
2019 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Developing and Characterising a Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury in Pigs for Assessing Efficacy of Surgical Interventions Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Christine Gayen
2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Bridging the Gap in Clinical Translation: Optimising an Ovine Model of Traumatic Brain Injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jessica May Sharkey
2016 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Targeting Cerebral Oedema and Elevated Intracranial Pressure in a Preclinical Model of Ischaemic Stroke Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Annabel Jain Sorby-Adams
2013 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Expression of Substance P and the Tachykinin NK1 Receptor in the Medullary Serotonergic Network of the Human Infant during Development: Implications for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Fiona Maree Bright

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2021 - ongoing Developing and Characterising a Porcine Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury Annual Scientific Meeting Spine Society of Australia -
2021 - ongoing Developing and Characterising a Porcine Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury Florey Postgraduate Research Conference Florey Medical Foundation, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide -
2020 - ongoing Developing and Characterising a Porcine Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury South Australian Annual Scientific Meeting Australian Society for Medical Research -
2019 - ongoing Developing a Porcine Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury - Adelaide Spinal Research Symposium -
2018 - ongoing Methodology for Measuring Intrathecal Pressure Changes Following Spinal Cord Injury - Australian Neurotrauma Workshop -

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