Dr Ray Cursons

Qualifications: MSc PhD (Massey)

Contact Details

• Calling +64 7 838 4466  then enter the extension
• Direct dialling +64 7 838  then extension (for extensions starting with 4)
• Direct dialling +64 7 858  then extension (for extensions starting with 5)
• Emailing username@waikato.ac.nz
• Using the campus map to locate their room

Research Interests

Dr Curson's focus of research is the relationship between host and pathogen. The focus of current research is the study of innate immune markers from patients in the intensive care unit at Waikato Hospital and the investigation of mastitis pathogens from bovines.

Students Supervised

PhD

• Deane, Jessica (in progress). The enigmatic function of the disappearing Rauber's layer
• Summers, Emma (in progress). The biochemistry and structural biology of Lsr2 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Bean, Amanda (submitted). Anti-inflammatory properties of honey.
• Cumming, Mathew (submitted). Structure and function of bacterially expressed soluble human ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (SoINTPDase1)
• Pryor, Shona (2008). Bovine mastitis and ecology of Streptococcus uberis

MSc

• Huitema, Nadine (in progress). How diet and genetics affect functional components in goat milk.
• Law, Tania (in progress). Detection of somatic mutations in EGFR and KRAS genes in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens from non-small cell lung cancer patients
• McGowan, Jacqueline (in progress). Immune function of thin and not-so-thin cows at calving
• Mulholland, Claire (in progress). Association of SNPs and EEG patterns with post-operative pain
• Patty, Olivia (in progress). The molecular identification and epidemiology of streptococcus equi subsp. equi
• White, Rebecca (in progress).  Do commensal bacteria of the outer ear canal contribute to middle ear infection in children?
• McCormick, Helen (submitted). Molecular studies in house mice hybrids in southern NZ
• Lobb, Richard (2011). Phase II trial of selenomethionine as a modulator of efficacy and toxicity of chemoradiation in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
• Singh, Niharika (2010). Identification, Isolation and Characterisation of virulence plasmids in Rhodococcus equi.
• Simpson, Talia (2010). Innate immunity in community acquired pneumonia and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : a role for vitamin D.
• Nickel, Jennifer (2009). The diversity of Hippocampus adbominalis in New Zealand.
• Urlich, Shelley (2009). Gene expression during cold shock : Escherichia coli O157:H7.
• Barnett, Catherine (2007). Association of SNP in SPA and SPD genes with middle ear disease.
• Moses, Kiriana (2007). A whole cord model for identification of mechanisms for the antivascular effects of DMXAA.

Expertise

Pathogenic free living amoebae; molecular microbiology; molecular diagnostics; gene expression using real time polymerase chain reaction; microbiology of mastitis; immune response to infection.

Recent Publications

• van Haren, F., Sleigh, J., Cursons, R., La Pine, M., Pickkers, P., van der Hoeven, J. (2011) The effects of hypertonic fluid administration on the gene expression of inflammatory mediators in circulating leucocytes in patients with septic shock; a preliminary study
  Refereed Journal Articles - Annals of Intensive Care
• Jacobson, G., Voss, L., Melin, S., Cursons, R., Sleigh, J. (2011) The role of connexin36 gap junctions in modulating the hypnotic effects of isoflurane and propofol in mice
  Refereed Journal Articles - Anaesthesia
• Jacobson, G., Voss, L., Melin, S., Cursons, R., Sleigh, J. (2011) The role of connexin36 gap junctions in modulating the hypnotic effects of isoflurane and propofol in mice
  Refereed Journal Articles - Anaesthesia
• Leow, L., Simpson, T., Cursons, R., Karalus, N., Hancox, R. (2010) Vitamin D, innate immunity and outcomes in community acquired pneumonia
  Refereed Journal Articles - Respirology

View All research publications by Ray Cursons

Science & Engineering - Creating the Future!