Joel Castro Kraftchenko

Research Interests

Neuroscience, Behaviour and Brain Health Innovative Therapeutics Immunology and Infection Fertility and Conception

APrf Joel Castro Kraftchenko

School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science

College of Health

2015: Joel Castro (Kraftchenko) Head of the Endometriosis Research Group (SAHMRI)Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Adelaide

A/Prof. Joel Castro Kraftchenko (known as Joel Castro on its publication records) is a principal investigator and Head of the Endometriosis Research Unit at the Visceral Pain Research Group, located at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). He is an expert in the field of visceral nociception and pain and his research focuses on understanding the causes, and developing treatments, for chronic visceral pain associated with endometriosis. A/Prof. Castro’s research has contributed 62 peer-reviewed manuscripts in top ranked journals including Nature (x3), Cell, Nature Communication, Gastroenterology, Gut, PNAS, Pain, and JCI insight. Together these outputs have been cited over 5380times (Google Scholar July 2025) with and h-index of 38.

A/Prof Castro’s research focuses on studying the sensory afferents innervating visceral organs, to understand how pain is detected from these sites. He investigates the ion channels/receptors expressed within these afferents (which govern their function); how these afferents are altered in animal models of endometriosis, and what changes in ion channel/receptor expression occur, to trigger these alterations and cause chronic visceral pain.

Throughout his career A/Prof. Castro has contributed to the establishment and characterisation of two clinically relevant animal models of endometriosis. He has developed several techniques crucial to identify functional, structural, and molecular characteristics of sensory fibres innervating visceral organs in health and disease states. He has used this knowledge to propose novel non-invasive, non-addictive approaches to reduce chronic pelvic pain in these disorders.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing Adjunct Associate Professor University of Adelaide
2015 - ongoing NHMRC Postdoc Researcher (Academic B) University of Adelaide

Language Competency
English Can peer review
Spanish; Castilian Can peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
2005 - 2008 Flinders University Australia PhD

Year Citation
2025 Touhara, K. K., Rossen, N. D., Deng, F., Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Chu, T., . . . Julius, D. (2025). Topological segregation of stress sensors along the gut crypt-villus axis. Nature, 640(8059), 732-742.
DOI Scopus15 WoS13 Europe PMC12
2025 Rossen, N. D., Touhara, K. K., Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Caraballo, S. G., Deng, F., . . . Julius, D. (2025). Population imaging of enterochromaffin cell activity reveals regulation by somatostatin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(19), e2501525122-1-e2501525122-10.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC3
2025 Venkataraman, A., Figueroa, E. E., Castro, J., Navarro, F. C., Soota, D., Brierley, S. M., . . . Ingraham, H. A. (2025). A cellular basis for heightened gut sensitivity in females.. Science (New York, N.Y.), 390(6779), 1285-1291.
DOI
2024 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Chow, C. Y., Tran, P., Vetter, I., King, G. F., & Brierley, S. M. (2024). The voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 underlies endometriosis-associated chronic pelvic pain. Journal of Neurochemistry, 168(11), 3760-3776.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC5
2024 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Erickson, A., Harrington, A. M., & Brierley, S. M. (2024). Peripheral and central neuroplasticity in a mouse model of endometriosis. Journal of Neurochemistry, 168(11), 3777-3800.
DOI Scopus12 WoS10 Europe PMC7
2023 Bayrer, J. R., Castro, J., Venkataraman, A., Touhara, K. K., Rossen, N. D., Morrie, R. D., . . . Julius, D. (2023). Gut enterochromaffin cells drive visceral pain and anxiety. Nature, 616(7955), 137-142.
DOI Scopus103 WoS102 Europe PMC94
2023 Grundy, L., Tay, C., Christie, S., Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Cardoso, F. C., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2023). The T-type calcium channel Ca V 3.2 regulates bladder afferent responses to mechanical stimuli. Pain, 164(5), 1012-1026.
DOI Scopus5 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2022 Maddern, J., Grundy, L., Harrington, A., Schober, G., Castro, J., & Brierley, S. M. (2022). A syngeneic inoculation mouse model of endometriosis that develops multiple comorbid visceral and cutaneous pain like behaviours. Pain, 163(8), 1622-1635.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2022 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Chegini, F., Matusica, D., Spencer, N. J., Brierley, S. M., . . . Barry, C. M. (2022). Clodronate Treatment Prevents Vaginal Hypersensitivity in a Mouse Model of Vestibulodynia.. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 11, 784972-1-784972-11.
DOI Scopus9 WoS10 Europe PMC9
2022 Caldwell, A., Grundy, L., Harrington, A. M., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Castro, J., Bunnett, N. W., & Brierley, S. M. (2022). TGR5 agonists induce peripheral and central hypersensitivity to bladder distension. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 9920-1-9920-19.
DOI Scopus5 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2022 Kyloh, M. A., Hibberd, T. J., Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Travis, L., Dodds, K. N., . . . Spencer, N. J. (2022). Disengaging spinal afferent nerve communication with the brain in live mice. Communications Biology, 5(1), 915-1-915-15.
DOI Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC12
2022 Castro, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., Schober, G., Lumsden, A., Harrington, A., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2022). Olorinab (APD371), a peripherally acting, highly selective, full agonist of the cannabinoid receptor 2, reduces colitis-induced acute and chronic visceral hypersensitivity in rodents. Pain, 163(1), e72-e86.
DOI Scopus24 WoS24 Europe PMC20
2021 Grundy, L., Caldwell, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Grundy, D., Spencer, N. J., Dong, X., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2021). Activation of MrgprA3 and MrgprC11 on bladder-innervating afferents induces peripheral and central hypersensitivity to bladder distension. The Journal of Neuroscience, 14(17), 3900-3916.
DOI Scopus14 WoS12 Europe PMC11
2021 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Grundy, L., Manavis, J., Harrington, A. M., Schober, G., & Brierley, S. M. (2021). A mouse model of endometriosis that displays vaginal, colon, cutaneous, and bladder sensory comorbidities. The FASEB Journal, 35(4), 1-20.
DOI Scopus17 WoS16 Europe PMC14
2021 Brierley, S. M., Grundy, L., Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Hannig, G., & Camilleri, M. (2021). Guanylate cyclase-C agonists as peripherally acting treatments of chronic visceral pain. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 43(2), 110-122.
DOI Scopus21 WoS20 Europe PMC18
2021 Brizuela, M., Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., & Brierley, S. M. (2021). Pruritogenic mechanisms and gut sensation: putting the "irritant" into irritable bowel syndrome. American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 320(6), G1131-G1141.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC6
2021 Jiang, Y., Castro, J., Blomster, L. V., Agwa, A. J., Maddern, J., Schober, G., . . . King, G. F. (2021). Pharmacological Inhibition of the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Naν1.7 Alleviates Chronic Visceral Pain in a Rodent Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science, 4(4), 1362-1378.
DOI Scopus15 WoS16 Europe PMC16
2021 Muratspahić, E., Tomašević, N., Koehbach, J., Duerrauer, L., Hadžić, S., Castro, J., . . . Gruber, C. W. (2021). Design of a stable cyclic peptide analgesic derived from sunflower seeds that targets the κ-opioid receptor for the treatment of chronic abdominal pain. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64(13), 9042-9055.
DOI Scopus25 WoS25 Europe PMC21
2021 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Erickson, A., Caldwell, A., Grundy, L., Harrington, A. M., & Brierley, S. M. (2021). Pharmacological modulation of voltage-gated sodium (Na(V)) channels alters nociception arising from the female reproductive tract. Pain, 162(1), 227-242.
DOI Scopus11 WoS12 Europe PMC9
2020 Maddern, J., Grundy, L., Castro, J., & Brierley, S. M. (2020). Pain in endometriosis. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 14, 590823-1-590823-16.
DOI Scopus176 WoS157 Europe PMC126
2020 Grundy, L., Caldwell, A., Garcia Caraballo, S., Erickson, A., Schober, G., Castro Kraftchenko, J., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2020). Histamine induces peripheral and central hypersensitivity to bladder distension via the histamine H₁ receptor and TRPV1. American journal of physiology. Renal physiology, 318(2), F298-F314.
DOI Scopus58 WoS58 Europe PMC45
2020 Harrington, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Grundy, L., Castro, J., Hannig, G., & Brierley, S. (2020). Mo1146 CHRONIC INTRA-COLONIC LINACLOTIDE ADMINISTRATION ALTERS GLIAL ACTIVATION IN A MOUSE MODEL OF CHRONIC VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY. Gastroenterology, 158(6), S-803.
DOI
2020 Cardoso, F. C., Castro, J., Grundy, L., Schober, G., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Zhao, T., . . . Lewis, R. J. (2020). A spider-venom peptide with multitarget activity on sodium and calcium channels alleviates chronic visceral pain in a model of irritable bowel syndrome. Pain, 162(2), 569-581.
DOI Scopus35 WoS34 Europe PMC27
2019 Ge, P., Ren, J., Harrington, A. M., Grundy, L., Castro, J., Brierley, S. M., & Hannig, G. (2019). Linaclotide treatment reduces endometriosis-associated vaginal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia through viscerovisceral cross-talk.. Pain, 160(11), 2566-2579.
DOI Scopus32 WoS27 Europe PMC28
2019 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Lieu, T., Garcia Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., Schober, G., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2019). Activation of pruritogenic TGR5, MRGPRA3, and MRGPRC11 on colon-innervating afferents induces visceral hypersensitivity. JCI insight, 4(20), e131712-1-e131712-24.
DOI Scopus62 WoS63 Europe PMC56
2019 Grundy, L., Harrington, A. M., Caldwell, A., Castro, J., Staikopoulos, V., Zagorodnyuk, V. P., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2019). Translating peripheral bladder afferent mechanosensitivity to neuronal activation within the lumbosacral spinal cord of mice. Pain, 160(4), 793-804.
DOI Scopus30 WoS29 Europe PMC26
2019 Israel, M. R., Tanaka, B. S., Castro Kraftchenko, J., Thongyoo, P., Robinson, S. D., Zhao, P., . . . Vetter, I. (2019). Nav1.6 regulates excitability of mechanosensitive sensory neurons. The Journal of Physiology, 597(14), 1-18.
DOI Scopus36 WoS37 Europe PMC31
2019 Harrington, A. M., Caraballo, S. G., Maddern, J. E., Grundy, L., Castro, J., & Brierley, S. M. (2019). Colonic afferent input and dorsal horn neuron activation differs between the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral spinal cord. American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology, 317(3), G285-G303.
DOI Scopus34 WoS31 Europe PMC30
2018 Grundy, L., Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Deiteren, A., Maddern, J., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2018). Chronic linaclotide treatment reduces colitis-induced neuroplasticity and reverses persistent bladder dysfunction. JCI Insight, 3(19), e121841-1-e121841-20.
DOI Scopus63 WoS60 Europe PMC58
2018 Castro, J., Grundy, L., Deiteren, A., Harrington, A., O'Donnell, T., Maddern, J., . . . Brierley, S. (2018). Cyclic analogues of α-conotoxin Vc1.1 inhibit colonic nociceptors and provide analgesia in a mouse model of chronic abdominal pain. British Journal of Pharmacology, 175(12), 2384-2398.
DOI Scopus40 WoS34 Europe PMC31
2018 Erickson, A., Deiteren, A., Harrington, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Castro, J., Caldwell, A., . . . Brierley, S. (2018). Voltage-gated sodium channels: (NaV)igating the field to determine their contribution to visceral nociception. The Journal of Physiology, 596(5), 785-807.
DOI Scopus35 WoS35 Europe PMC32
2018 Sadeghi, M., Erickson, A., Castro, J., Deiteren, A., Harrington, A., Grundy, L., . . . Brierley, S. (2018). Contribution of membrane receptor signalling to chronic visceral pain. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 98, 10-23.
DOI Scopus32 WoS27 Europe PMC25
2018 Guerrero-Alba, R., Valdez-Morales, E. E., Jiménez-Vargas, N. N., Bron, R., Poole, D., Reed, D., . . . Vanner, S. (2018). Co-expression of μ and ∂ opioid receptors by mouse colonic nociceptors. British Journal of Pharmacology, 175(13), 2622-2634.
DOI Scopus24 WoS21 Europe PMC21
2018 Sadeghi, M., Carstens, B., Callaghan, B., Daniel, J., Tae, H., O'Donnell, T., . . . Clark, R. (2018). Structure-activity studies reveal the molecular basis for GABAB-receptor mediated inhibition of high voltage-activated calcium channels by α-conotoxin Vc1.1. ACS Chemical Biology, 13(6), 1577-1587.
DOI Scopus29 WoS31 Europe PMC24
2018 Salvatierra, J., Castro, J., Erickson, A., Li, Q., Braz, J., Gilchrist, J., . . . Bosmans, F. (2018). NaV1.1 inhibition can reduce visceral hypersensitivity. JCI insight, 3(11), e121000-1-e121000-13.
DOI Scopus32 WoS33 Europe PMC30
2018 Jimenez-Vargas, N. N., Pattison, L. A., Zhao, P., Lieu, T. M., Latorre, R., Jensen, D. D., . . . Bunnett, N. W. (2018). Protease-activated receptor-2 in endosomes signals persistent pain of irritable bowel syndrome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115(31), E7438-E7447.
DOI Scopus144 WoS142 Europe PMC139
2017 Bellono, N., Bayrer, J., Leitch, D., Castro, J., Zhang, C., O'Donnell, T., . . . Julius, D. (2017). Enterochromaffin cells are gut chemosensors that couple to sensory neural pathways. Cell, 170(1), 185-198.e16.
DOI Scopus712 WoS658 Europe PMC635
2017 Wan, J., Mobli, M., Brust, A., Muttenthaler, M., Andersson, Å., Ragnarsson, L., . . . Alewood, P. (2017). Synthesis of multivalent [Lys⁸]-oxytocin dendrimers that inhibit visceral nociceptive responses. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 70(2), 162-171.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10
2017 Inserra, M., Israel, M., Caldwell, A., Castro, J., Deuis, J., Harrington, A., . . . Vetter, I. (2017). Multiple sodium channel isoforms mediate the pathological effects of Pacific ciguatoxin-1. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 42810-1-42810-19.
DOI Scopus63 WoS62 Europe PMC57
2017 Fournel, A., Drougard, A., Duparc, T., Marlin, A., Brierley, S., Castro, J., . . . Knauf, C. (2017). Apelin targets gut contraction to control glucose metabolism via the brain.. Gut, 66(2), 258-269.
DOI Scopus84 WoS81 Europe PMC72
2017 Castro, J., Harrington, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., Grundy, L., Zhang, J., . . . Brierley, S. (2017). α-Conotoxin Vc1.1 inhibits human dorsal root ganglion neuroexcitability and mouse colonic nociception via GABAB receptors. Gut, 66(6), 1083-1094.
DOI Scopus82 WoS77 Europe PMC72
2016 Brust, A., Croker, D., Colless, B., Ragnarsson, L., Andersson, Å., Jain, K., . . . Lewis, R. (2016). Conopeptide-derived κ-opioid agonists (conorphins): potent, selective, and metabolic stable dynorphin A mimetics with antinociceptive properties. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 59(6), 2381-2395.
DOI Scopus32 WoS32 Europe PMC28
2016 Carstens, B., Berecki, G., Daniel, J., Lee, H., Jackson, K., Tae, H., . . . Clark, R. (2016). Structure-activity studies of cysteine-Rich α-conotoxins that inhibit high-voltage-activated calcium channels via GABAB receptor activation reveal a minimal functional motif. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 55(15), 4692-4696.
DOI Scopus48 WoS46 Europe PMC36
2016 Osteen, J., Herzig, V., Gilchrist, J., Emrick, J., Zhang, C., Wang, X., . . . Julius, D. (2016). Selective spider toxins reveal a role for the Naᵥ1.1 channel in mechanical pain. Nature, 534(7608), 494-499.
DOI Scopus256 WoS243 Europe PMC218
2016 Deiteren, A., Castro, J., O'Donnell, T., Craik, D. J., Adams, D. J., & Brierley, S. M. (2016). Modulation of colonic sensory signaling by novel α-conotoxin Vc1.1 analogues in mice. NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY, 28, 103.
2015 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Lieu, T., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., O'Donnell, T., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2015). Mo1876 A Visceral Representation of Itch: Identification ‘Itch-Specific’ Pruritogenic Mechanisms Within Colonic Sensory Pathways. Gastroenterology, 148(4), S-733.
DOI
2014 de Araujo, A., Mobli, M., Castro, J., Harrington, A., Vetter, I., Dekan, Z., . . . Alewood, P. (2014). Selenoether oxytocin analogues have analgesic properties in a mouse model of chronic abdominal pain. Nature Coomunications, 5(1), 3165-1-3165-12.
DOI Scopus116 WoS115 Europe PMC82
2013 Hughes, P., Castro Kraftchenko, J., Harrington, A., Isaacs, N., Moretta, M., Hicks, G., . . . Brierley, S. (2013). Increased κ-opioid receptor expression and function during chronic visceral hypersensitivity. Gut, Online(7), 1-2.
DOI Scopus38 WoS35 Europe PMC33
2013 Castro, J., Harrington, A., Hughes, P., Martin, C., Ge, P., Shea, C., . . . Brierley, S. (2013). Linaclotide inhibits colonic nociceptors and relieves abdominal pain via guanylate cyclase-c and extracellular cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate. Gastroenterology, 145(6), 1334-1346.
DOI Scopus252 WoS228 Europe PMC220
2013 Hughes, P., Harrington, A., Castro Kraftchenko, J., Liebregts, T., Adam, B., Grasby, D., . . . Brierley, S. (2013). Sensory neuro-immune interactions differ between Irritable Bowel Syndrome subtypes. Gut, 62(10), 1456-1465.
DOI Scopus183 WoS166 Europe PMC149
2012 Harrington, A., Brierley, S., Isaacs, N., Hughes, P., Castro Kraftchenko, J., & Blackshaw, L. (2012). Sprouting of colonic afferent central terminals and increased spinal mitogen-activated protein kinase expression in a mouse model of chronic visceral hypersensitivity. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 520(10), 2241-2255.
DOI Scopus62 WoS57 Europe PMC52
2011 Brierley, S., Castro Kraftchenko, J., Harrington, A., Hughes, P., Page, A., Rychkov, G., & Blackshaw, L. (2011). TRPA1 contributes to specific mechanically activated currents and sensory neuron mechanical hypersensitivity. Journal of Physiology-London, 589(14), 3575-3593.
DOI Scopus120 WoS109 Europe PMC110
2011 Jones, L., Ma, L., Castro, J., Litjens, T., Barritt, G., & Rychkov, G. (2011). The predominant role of IP₃ type 1 receptors in activation of store-operated Ca²⁺ entry in liver cells. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Biomembranes, 1808(3), 745-751.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2011 Harrington, A., Hughes, P., Martin, C., Yang, J., Castro, J., Isaacs, N., . . . Brierley, S. (2011). A novel role for TRPM8 in visceral afferent function. PAIN®, 152(7), 1459-1468.
DOI Scopus135 WoS122 Europe PMC117
2010 To, M., Aromataris, E., Castro, J., Roberts, M., Barritt, G., & Rychkov, G. (2010). Mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP activates proton conductance but does not block store-operated Ca2+ current in liver cells. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 495(2), 152-158.
DOI Scopus39 WoS38 Europe PMC30
2009 Castro, J., Aromataris, E., Rychkov, G., & Barritt, G. (2009). A small component of the endoplasmic reticulum is required for store-operated Ca2+ channel activation in liver cells: evidence from studies using TRPV1 and taurodeoxycholic acid. Biochemical Journal, 418(Part 3), 553-566.
DOI Scopus24 WoS23 Europe PMC17
2009 Barritt, G., Litjens, T., Castro, J., Aromataris, E., & Rychkov, G. (2009). Store-operated Ca2+ channels and microdomains of Ca2+ in liver cells. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 36(1), 77-83.
DOI Scopus25 WoS22 Europe PMC19
2008 Aromataris, E., Castro, J., Rychkov, G., & Barritt, G. (2008). Store-operated Ca2+ channels and Stromal Interaction Molecule 1 (STIM1) are targets for the actions of bile acids on liver cells. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Molecular Cell Research, 1783(5), 874-885.
DOI Scopus27 WoS24 Europe PMC16
2007 Litjens, T., Nguyen, T., Castro Kraftchenko, J., Aromataris, E., Jones, L., Barritt, G., & Rychkov, G. (2007). Phospholipase C-γ1 is required for the activation of store-operated Ca²⁺ channels in liver cells. Biochemical Journal, 405(2), 269-276.
DOI Scopus32 WoS31 Europe PMC25
2006 Castro, J., Ruminot, I., Porras, O. H., Flores, C. M., Hermosilla, T., Verdugo, E., . . . Barros, L. F. (2006). ATP steal between cation pumps: A mechanism linking Na+ influx to the onset of necrotic Ca2+ overload. Cell Death and Differentiation, 13(10), 1675-1685.
DOI Scopus22 WoS19 Europe PMC19
2004 Castro, J., Bittner, C. X., Humeres, A., Montecinos, V. P., Vera, J. C., & Barros, L. F. (2004). A cytosolic source of calcium unveiled by hydrogen peroxide with relevance for epithelial cell death. Cell Death and Differentiation, 11(4), 468-478.
DOI Scopus30 WoS31 Europe PMC23
2003 Barros, L. F., Kanaseki, T., Sabirov, R., Morishima, S., Castro, J., Bittner, C. X., . . . Okada, Y. (2003). Apoptotic and necrotic blebs in epethelial cells display similar neck diameters but different kinase dependency. Cell Death and Differentiation, 10(6), 687-697.
DOI Scopus147 WoS140 Europe PMC126
2002 Barros, L. F., Castro, J., & Bittner, C. X. (2002). Ion movements in cell death: From protection to execution. Biological Research, 35(2), 209-214.
DOI Scopus42 WoS39 Europe PMC32
2001 Barros, L. F., Hermosilla, T., & Castro, J. (2001). Necrotic volume increase and the early physiology of necrosis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A Molecular and Integrative Physiology, 130(3), 401-409.
DOI Scopus136 WoS119 Europe PMC99
2001 Barros, L. F., Stutzin, A., Calixto, A., Catalaán, M., Castro, J., Hetz, C., & Hermosilla, T. (2001). Nonselective cation channels as effectors of free radical-induced rat liver cell necrosis. Hepatology, 33(1), 114-122.
DOI Scopus63 WoS56 Europe PMC51
2001 Barros, F. L., Barnes, K., Ingram, J. C., Castro, J., Porras, O. H., & Baldwin, S. A. (2001). Hyperosmotic shock induces both activation and translocation of glucose transporters in mammalian cells. Pflugers Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 442(4), 614-621.
DOI Scopus49 WoS45 Europe PMC40
2000 Quintanilla, R. A., Porras, O. H., Castro, J., & Barros, L. F. (2000). Cytosolic [Ca2+] modulates basal GLUT1 activity and plays a permissive role in its activation by metabolic stress and insulin in rat epithelial cells. Cell Calcium, 28(2), 97-106.
DOI Scopus30 WoS30 Europe PMC24

Year Citation
2023 Maddern, J., Brierley, S. M., & Castro, J. (2023). Pre-clinical Models of Endometriosis: A Focus on Chronic Pain. In Visceral Pain (pp. 209-222). Springer International Publishing.
DOI
2018 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Erickson, A., Grundy, L., & Brierley, S. M. (2018). Extrinsic Sensory Afferent Nerves Innervating the Gastrointestinal Tract in Health and Disease. In H. M. Said (Ed.), Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract: Sixth Edition (Vol. 1-2, pp. 387-418). United Kingdom: Academic Press.
DOI Scopus22
2012 Hughes, P., Brierley, S., Castro Kraftchenko, J., Harrington, A., & Blackshaw, L. (2012). Experimental colitis models. In A. Szallasi, & T. Biro (Eds.), Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology: TRP Channels in Drug Discovery, Volume II (Vol. 2, 1 ed., pp. 379-390). USA: Springer.
DOI Scopus1

Year Citation
2021 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Schober, G., Lindstrom, B., Schmiel, S., & Brierley, S. (2021). CANNABINOID RECEPTOR 2 (CB<sub>2</sub>) LOCALIZATION IN COLONIC TISSUE AND PRIMARY SENSORY DORSAL ROOT GANGLIA (DRG) NEURONS ISOLATED FROM RODENTS WITH COLITIS AND CHRONIC VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 160 (pp. S503-S504). ELECTR NETWORK: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2020 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Schober, G., Lindstrom, B., Schmiel, S., & Brierley, S. (2020). CANNABINOID RECEPTOR EXPRESSION AND THE EFFECT OF OLORINAB, A PERIPHERALLY ACTING, HIGHLY SELECTIVE, FULL AGONIST OF THE CANNABINOID RECEPTOR 2 (CB<sub>2</sub>), IN RODENTS WITH COLITIS AND CHRONIC VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 158 (pp. S269). Austin, TX: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2020 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Erickson, A., & Brierley, S. (2020). Co-morbidities of IBS: Role of voltage-gated sodium channels in mouse vaginal afferent mechanosensation and pain. In NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY Vol. 32 (pp. 1 page). WILEY.
2020 Harrington, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Grundy, L., Castro, J., Hannig, G., & Brierley, S. (2020). CHRONIC INTRA-COLONIC LINACLOTIDE ADMINISTRATION ALTERS GLIAL ACTIVATION IN A MOUSE MODEL OF CHRONIC VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 158 (pp. S803). Austin, TX: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS1
2019 Castro, J., Harrington, A., Maddern, J., Schober, G., Grundy, L. A., Ge, P., . . . Brierley, S. (2019). CHRONIC INTRACOLONIC ADMINISTRATION OF LINACLOTIDE INHIBITS NOCICEPTIVE SIGNALING IN A MOUSE MODEL OF CHRONIC VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 156 (pp. S570). San Diego, CA: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS2
2019 Grundy, L., Castro, J., Maddern, J., Harrington, A., Hannig, G., Ge, P., & Brierley, S. (2019). CHRONIC COLONIC ADMINISTRATION OF THE GUANYLATE CYCLASE-C AGONIST LINACLOTIDE ATTENUATES COLITIS INDUCED BLADDER AFFERENT HYPERACTIVITY. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 156 (pp. S363). San Diego, CA: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS1
2019 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Lumsden, A. L., Lindstrom, B., Adams, J., & Brierley, S. (2019). OLORINAB (FORMERLY APD371), A PERIPHERALLY RESTRICTED, HIGHLY SELECTIVE, FULL AGONIST OF THE CANNABINOID RECEPTOR 2 (CB<sub>2</sub>), REDUCES VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY IN ANIMAL MODELS. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 156 (pp. S382). San Diego, CA: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS4
2019 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Lumsden, A., Lindstrom, B., Adams, J., & Brierley, S. M. (2019). Olorinab (APD371), a peripherally restricted, highly selective, full agonist of the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB<sub>2</sub>), reduces visceral hypersensitivity in animal models. In NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY Vol. 31 (pp. 2 pages). WILEY.
2018 Uhlig, F., Grundy, L., Castro, J., Brierley, S. M., Foster, S. J., & Grundy, D. (2018). Identification of modulators of intestinal nerve activity from <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>. In NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY Vol. 30 (pp. 1 page). WILEY.
2018 Erickson, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Castro, J., Grundy, L., Rychkov, G., Vetter, I., . . . Brierley, S. (2018). Role of voltage-gated sodium channel isoforms in colon-innervating neurons in mice. In NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY Vol. 30 (pp. 1 page). WILEY.
2018 Grundy, L., Castro, J., Harrington, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., Rychkov, G., & Brierley, S. (2018). Colitis-induced chronic colonic hypersensitivity induces cross organ sensitisation of bladder afferent pathways. In NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY Vol. 30 (pp. 1 page). WILEY.
WoS1
2018 Brierley, S., Castro, J., Maddern, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Lindstrom, B., & Adams, J. (2018). APD371, a peripherally restricted, highly selective, full agonist of the Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2), reduces colitis-induced visceral hypersensitivity in rats. In NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY Vol. 30 (pp. 2 pages). WILEY.
2017 Grundy, L. A., Castro, J., Harrington, A., Peters, S., Feil, R., Miller, P., . . . Brierley, S. (2017). EXTRACELLULAR CGMP REDUCES THE EXCITABILITY OF SENSORY DORSAL ROOT GANGLION NEURONS VIA AN EXTRACELLULAR MECHANISM. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 152 (pp. S156). Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
DOI WoS1
2015 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Lieu, T., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., O'Donnell, T., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2015). A Visceral Representation of Itch: Identification 'Itch-Specific' Pruritogenic Mechanisms Within Colonic Sensory Pathways. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 148 (pp. S733). Washington, DC: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2015 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., O'Donnell, T., Grundy, L., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2015). GC-C Agonists As Regulators of Visceral Sensation: Modulation of Mucosal Sensitivity via the Epithelial GC-C/cGMP Pathway. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 148 (pp. S732-S733). Washington, DC: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2015 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., O'Donnell, T., Grundy, L., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2015). Chronic Activation of the GC-C/cGMP Pathway by Linaclotide Inhibits Ascending Nociceptive Pathways and Restores Aberrant Spinal Cord Signaling. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 148 (pp. S194). Washington, DC: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2014 Castro, J., Rychkov, G. Y., Ghetti, A., Harrington, A. M., Kurtz, C. B., Silos-Santiago, I., & Brierley, S. M. (2014). Extracellular Cyclic GMP (cGMP), the Downstream Mediator Released in Response to Linaclotide-Induced Activation of Guanylate Cyclase-C (GC-C), Reduces Excitability of Murine and Human Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Neurons. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 146 (pp. S722). Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2014 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Maddern, J., Craik, D., Adams, D. J., & Brierley, S. M. (2014). α-Conotoxin Vc1.1 Targets GABAB Receptors Modulating CaV2.2 and CaV2.3 Calcium Channels in Sensory Pathways Mediating Chronic Visceral Pain. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 146 (pp. S156). Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2013 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Mann, E. A., Cohen, M. B., Kurtz, C. B., Silos-Santiago, A., & Brierley, S. M. (2013). Mechanisms Underlying Linaclotide Induced Inhibition of Colonic Nociception. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 144 (pp. S134). Orlando, FL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2013 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Young, R. L., Kurtz, C. B., Silos-Santiago, A., Nguyen, N. Q., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2013). Alterations in the Guanylate Cyclase-C/cGMP Pathway in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Constipation. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 144 (pp. S59-S60). Orlando, FL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2013 Hughes, P. A., Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Isaacs, N. J., Moretta, M., Hicks, G. A., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2013). Increased Efficacy of the Peripherally-Restricted Selective Kappa-Opioid Receptor Agonist, Asimadoline, in Chronic Visceral Hypersensitivity. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 144 (pp. S934-S935). Orlando, FL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2012 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Hughes, P. A., Martin, C., Silos-Santiago, A., Kurtz, C. B., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2012). Mechanism of Action for Linaclotide Induced Abdominal Pain Relief. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 142 (pp. S699). San Diego, CA: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS5
2012 Harrington, A. M., Brierley, S. M., Castro, J., Isaacs, N. J., & Blackshaw, L. A. (2012). Characterization of Dorsal Horn Neurons Activated by Noxious Colorectal Distension in Health and Chronic Visceral Hypersensitivity. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 142 (pp. S699). San Diego, CA: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2012 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Page, A. J., & Brierley, S. M. (2012). Downstream Signaling Pathways of Nitric Oxide Induced Modulation of Colonic Afferent Mechanosensitivity. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 142 (pp. S697). San Diego, CA: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2011 Castro, J., Martin, C., Hughes, P. A., Silos-Santiago, A., Kurtz, C. B., Blackshaw, L. A., & Brierley, S. M. (2011). A Novel Role of Cyclic GMP in Colonic Sensory Neurotransmission in Healthy and TNBS-Treated Mice. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 140 (pp. S538). Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS18
2011 Castro, J., Harrington, A., Hughes, P. A., Martin, C., Page, A. J., Blackshaw, L. A., & Brierley, S. M. (2011). Nitric Oxide Mechanism of Action on Visceral Nociceptors. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 140 (pp. S536). Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2011 Harrington, A., Brierley, S. M., Castro, J., Hughes, P. A., & Blackshaw, L. A. (2011). Identification of Colonic Afferent Central Terminals and Changes Following Colonic Inflammation. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 140 (pp. S131). Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
2011 Castro, J., Balemba, O. B., Blackshaw, L. A., & Brierley, S. M. (2011). Garcinia Buchananii Bark Extract Inhibits Nociceptors, With Greater Efficacy During Inflammation. In GASTROENTEROLOGY Vol. 140 (pp. S866). Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS7
2010 Hughes, P., Brierley, S., Harrington, A., Castro, J., Martin, C., & Blackshaw, L. (2010). Differential coupling of cytokine receptors to sensory neurons in health and post inflammation. In Proceedings Vol. 138 (pp. 136-137). W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
DOI

Year Citation
2020 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Schober, G., Lindstrom, B., Schmiel, S., & Brierley, S. M. (2020). Olorinab, a peripherally acting, highly selective, full agonist of the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), reduces visceral hypersensitivity in mice. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 4th Meeting of the Federation of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (FNM 2020), as published in Neurogastroenterology & Motility. Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, Australia: Wiley.
DOI
2019 Grundy, L., Harrington, A., Caldwell, A., Castro, J., Zagorodnyuk, V., Brookes, S., . . . Brierley, S. (2019). Low and high threshold mechanosensitive bladder afferent pathways converge to a similar distribution of lumbosacral spinal neurons. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 114th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA), as published in Journal of Urology. Chicago, IL: Wolters Kluwer Health.
DOI
2017 Castro, J., Deiteren, A., Harrington, A., Maddern, J., Moore, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., . . . Brierley, S. (2017). Chronic oral administration of linaclotide inhibits nociceptive signalling in response to noxious colorectal distension in a model of chronic visceral hypersensitivity. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2017, as published in Gastroenterology. Chicago, IL: Elsevier.
DOI WoS1
2017 Deiteren, A., Doms, S., Castro, J., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Ostertag, D., & Brierley, S. (2017). The histamine receptor H4 is functionally expressed on murine colonic sensory neurons and contributes to chronic visceral hypersensitivity. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the NeuroGASTRO 2017 Congress, as published in Neurogastroenterology and Motility. Cork, Ireland: Wiley.
DOI
2016 Carstens, B., Berecki, G., Daniel, J., Lee, H. S., Jackson, K., Tae, H. -S., . . . Clark, R. (2016). MINIATURISED ALPHA-CONOTOXINS FOR THE TREATMENT OF PAIN. Poster session presented at the meeting of JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE. WILEY.
2016 Garcia-Caraballo, S., Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Hannig, G., Kurtz, C., Silos-Santiago, A., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2016). Guanylate cyclase-C expression is down-regulated in colonic biopsies from female irritable bowel syndrome patients with constipation. Poster session presented at the meeting of NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY. WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2016 Garcia-Carraballo, S., Harrington, A., Castro, J., Hannig, G., Kurtz, C. B., Silos-Santiago, A., . . . Brierley, S. (2016). Guanylate Cyclase-C Expression Is Down-Regulated in Colonic Biopsies From Female Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients With Constipation. Poster session presented at the meeting of GASTROENTEROLOGY. San Diego, CA: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
DOI WoS2
2014 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Young, R. L., Kurtz, C., Silos-Santiago, A., Nguyen, N., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2014). Distinct alterations in the guanylate cyclase-C/cGMP pathway are evident across different subtypes of irritable bowel syndrome patients. Poster session presented at the meeting of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. Guangzhou, China: John Wiley and Sons.
DOI
2014 Castro, J., Rychkov, G. Y., Ghetti, A., Harrington, A. M., Kurtz, C., Silos-Santiago, A., & Brierley, S. M. (2014). Extracellular cGMP, the downstream effector released in response to linaclotide-induced activation of guanylate cyclase-C, reduces excitability of murine and human dorsal root ganglion neurons. Poster session presented at the meeting of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. Guangzhou, China: John Wiley and Sons.
DOI WoS1
2014 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Young, R. L., Kurtz, C. B., Silos-Santiago, I., Nguyen, N. Q., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2014). Distinct Alterations in the Guanylate Cyclase-C (GC-C)/Cyclic GMP (cGMP) Pathway Are Evident Across Different Subtypes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Patients. Poster session presented at the meeting of GASTROENTEROLOGY. Chicago, IL: W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC.
WoS3
2013 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., Young, R. L., Kurtz, C., Silos-Santiago, A., Nguyen, N., . . . Brierley, S. M. (2013). The guanylatecyclase-c/CGMP pathway is altered in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Poster session presented at the meeting of NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY. WILEY-BLACKWELL.
DOI
2013 Hannig, G., Castro, J., Harrington, A., Ge, P., Jin, H., Kessler, M. M., . . . Silos-Santiago, I. (2013). Activation of the guanylate cyclase-C/cGMP pathway decreases gastrointestinal pain. Poster session presented at the meeting of Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Shanghai, China: Wiley.
DOI
2013 Harrington, A. M., Castro, J., & Brierley, S. M. (2013). Peripheral modulation of TRPA1 alters dorsal horn neuron activation to colorectal distension. Poster session presented at the meeting of NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY. WILEY.
2013 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., & Brierley, S. M. (2013). TRPV3 contributes to chronic visceral mechanical hypersensitivity. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 17th American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society Annual Scientific Meeting, as published in Neurogastroenterology & Motility. Huntington Beach, California: Wiley-Blackwell.
DOI
2013 Castro, J., Harrington, A. M., Mann, E., Cohen, M. B., Kurtz, C., Silos-Santiago, A., & Brierley, S. M. (2013). Mechanisms of linaclotide-induced inhibition of colonic nociception. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 17th American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society Annual Scientific Meeting, as published in Neurogastroenterology & Motility. Huntington Beach, CA: Wiley-Blackwell.
DOI
2013 Brierley, S. M., Castro, J., Harrington, A., Hughes, P., Martin, C., Silos-Santiago, A., . . . Blackshaw, A. (2013). MECHANISM OF ACTION FOR LINACLOTIDE-INDUCED ABDOMINAL PAIN RELIEF. Poster session presented at the meeting of GUT. Glasgow, SCOTLAND: BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP.
DOI
2011 Castro, J., Hughes, P. A., Martin, C. M., Silos-Santiago, A., Kurtz, C., Black-Shaw, L. A., & Brierley, S. M. (2011). Extracellular cGMP has contrasting effects on colonic afferent mechanosensitivity in control and tnbs-treated mice. Poster session presented at the meeting of NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY. WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2010 Brierley, S., Castro Kraftchenko, J., Martin, C., Harrington, A., Hughes, P., & Blackshaw, L. (2010). Differential regulation of TRP channel function in acute and chronic mechanical hypersensitivity. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstract of theJoint International Neurogastroenterology and Motility Meeting, as published in Neurogastroenterology and Motility. Boston, MA, USA: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
DOI
2008 Castro, J., Aromataris, E., Barritt, G., & Rychkov, G. (2008). Differential effects of cholestatic and choleretic bile acids on store-operated Ca2+ channels in liver [Abstract]. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the sixty-second annual meeting of the Society of General Physiologists in Journal of General Physiology. Massachusetts, USA: Rockefeller University Press.
2008 Aromataris, E. C., Castro, J., Rychkov, G. Y., & Barritt, G. J. (2008). Bile acids modulate store-operated CA2+ channels and stromal interaction molecule1 (STIM1) distribution in liver cells. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, as published in Journal of Hepatology. Milan, Italy: Elsevier Science.
DOI

Year Citation
2025 Venkataraman, A., Figueroa, E. E., Castro, J., Navarro, F. M. C., Soota, D., Brierley, S. M., . . . Ingraham, H. A. (2025). A Cellular Basis for Heightened Gut Sensitivity in Females..
DOI
2022 Castro, J., Maddern, J., Chow, C. Y., Tran, P., Vetter, I., King, G., & Brierley, S. (2022). The voltage-gated sodium channel Na<sub>V</sub>1.7 underlies endometriosis-associated chronic pelvic pain.
DOI
2022 Bayrer, J., Castro, J., Venkataraman, A., Touhara, K., Rossen, N., Morrie, R., . . . Julius, D. (2022). Gut Enterochromaffin Cells are Critical Drivers of Visceral Pain and Anxiety.
DOI
2020 Grundy, L., Caldwell, A., Garcia-Caraballo, S., Grundy, D., Spencer, N., Dong, X., . . . Brierley, S. (2020). Activation of MrgprA3 and MrgprC11 on bladder-innervating afferents induces peripheral and central hypersensitivity to bladder distension.
DOI

As a principal investigator:

  • 2024-2027: NHMRC Ideas Grant APP2029332 (Castro, PI). “Validation of a novel immunotherapeutic approach to treat chronic pelvic pain in endometriosis ”. Goal: Pre-clinical studies to validate of a new treatment for endometriosis based on a monoclonal antibody clinically approved to treat ovarian cancer.
  • 2020-2024: NHMRC Ideas Grant APP1181448 (Castro, PI). “Decoding the pathophysiology of chronic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis and related visceral comorbidities”. Goal: Using clinically relevant models of endometriosis in combination with human samples, to identify novel mechanisms driving chronic pelvic pain in endometriosis.
  • 2021-2022: Endometriosis Australia Foundation Research Grant (Castro, PI). “Identifying inflammatory mediators secreted by the endometrium of women with endometriosis, relevant to pain transmission from visceral organs”. Goal: Using clinically relevant models of endometriosis in combination with human samples, to identify novel mechanisms driving chronic pelvic pain in endometriosis.
  • 2020-2021: Flinders Medical Foundation Grant as sole CIA (Castro, PI). “Developing a in vivo technique to investigate endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain”. Goal: Seed grant to help developing an assay to measure the activity of sensory neurons within intact Dorsal Root Ganglia in vivo (intra-vital imaging)

As a Co-investigator:

  • 2022-2024: Pain Management Grant with The Hospital Research Foundation Group (Wardill, Mrozik, Lynn, and Castro). “Does the gut microbiota play an important role in mediating the painful side effects of cancer treatment?”
  • 2021-2022: Innovation Grant Scheme. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne CIs: Sarah Holdsworth-Carson, A/Prof. Joel Castro, A/Prof Berin Boughton, Dr Jane Girling.
  • 2020-2021: H.S and J.C Anderson Charitable Trust. Dr Jane Girling, A/Prof Rebecca Campbell, A/Prof. Joel Castro, A/Prof. Sarah Holdsworth-Carson
  • 2010-present: Industry support from Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, to determine novel treatments for chronic abdominal pain associated with IBS.

Research Only

Masters and PhD students are welcome

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2015 - 2019 External Supervisor Role of Voltage-gated Sodium Channel Isoforms in Electrophysiological Properties of Neurons Innervating the Viscera in Mice Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Andelain Erickson

Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links