Dr Kelly Clemens | Brain Sciences UNSW

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University role:

Scientia Fellow (Level C)

Phone:

02 9385 8250

Email:

k.clemens@unsw.edu.au

Dr Kelly Clemens is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, UNSW.

She has studied at the University of Otago and University of Sydney, with post-doctoral experience at the University of Bordeaux, France, and Macquarie University, Sydney, before establishing her own laboratory at UNSW in 2012.

Grants:

Project Grants

NHMRC Ideas Grant (2020-2022) Clemens K, Waters P
ARC Discovery Project (2020-2022) Clemens K

Awards, Fellowships

UNSW Scientia Fellowship (2018-2022)
Faculty of Science Research Grant (2013, 2017, 2018)
Faculty of Science Visiting Academic Fellowship (2013) Prof. Serge Ahmed
Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) (2012-2015)
Macquarie University Research Fellowship (2010-2012)

Research

Research activities:

My first major focus asks - why is it so hard to stop taking addictive drugs? Despite knowing that drugs are dangerous to their wellbeing, many people continue their use - they find it extremely difficult to cut down or stop, despite significant health or social consequences. My research focuses on the changes that occur in the brain following drug use and what the implications for quitting. We find that what is learned under the influence of drugs of addiction is different. That is, people, places and paraphernalia present when drugs are ingested, take on an exaggerated meaning to the drug user. These cues can maintain drug seeking in the absence of the drug itself, or lead to strong cravings and ultimately relapse. To address this question we use sophisticated behavioural studies in combination with photometry to assess time-specific changes in brain activity.

A second theme in my lab asks how these drug-cue associations are formed in the brain and how they can persist for such a long time. Research has shown that not only are drugs present at the same time as these cues, but that many drugs of abuse are actually changing the way the brain learns about these cues. Through interacting with DNA itself, many drugs 'switch on' genes that are important for learning. When the user is learning about what predicts or accompanies drug use, this information is stored so much more robustly than normal. Our current focus is on identifying histone modifications present after nicotine exposure, and assessing the potential involvement of long non-coding RNA in addiction.

A third major theme in my laboratory addresses the consequences of prenatal drug exposure and the long-term outcomes for offspring. Working closely with Neonatologists at the Royal Hospital for Women, we are characterising changes in the brain and behaviour of rats prenatally exposed to opioids, with a particular focus on possible preventative or treatment measures. We are investigating the potential role of inflammation in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), and whether epigenetic changes incurred across the prenatal period may underlie the behavioural deficits observed in adolescence and adulthood.

Field of Research (FOR) Tag:

Biological Psychology (Neuropsychology, Psychopharmacology, Physiological Psychology)

Neurosciences

Epigenetics (incl. Genome Methylation and Epigenomics)

Socio-economic Objective (SEO) tags:

Expanding Knowledge

Mental Health

Teaching & Supervision

I am available to supervise:

Yes

Areas of supervision:

I am open to supervising students in Neuroscience Honours, Psychology Honours, Psychology Masters (Forensics) and PhDs (including combined).

Currently supervising:

Caspar Muenstermann (PhD)

Timothy Hill (PhD)

Isobel Williams (PhD)

Rinjani Soengkoeng (PhD/Clinical Masters combined)

Psychology Honours (3/year)

Neuroscience Honours (1/year)

Teaching:

PSYC 3051 Physiological Psychology

NEUR 4411 Neuroscience Honours: Behavioural Neuroscience (Course Convenor)

Media

LinkedIn:

http://au.linkedin.com/pub/kelly-clemens/37/141/454

Twitter Account:

https://twitter.com/KellyClemens9

Publications related to this Person

Book Chapters

Journal articles

Finney CA; Proschogo NW; Snepvangers A; Holmes NM; Westbrook RF; Clemens KJ, 2020, 'The effect of standard laboratory diets on estrogen signaling and spatial memory in male and female rats', Physiology and Behavior, vol. 215, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112787

Kyme AZ; Angelis GI; Eisenhuth J; Fulton RR; Zhou V; Hart G; Popovic K; Akhtar M; Ryder WJ; Clemens KJ; Balleine BW; Parmar A; Pascali G; Perkins G; Meikle SR, 2019, 'Open-field PET: Simultaneous brain functional imaging and behavioural response measurements in freely moving small animals', NeuroImage, vol. 188, pp. 92 - 101, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.11.051

Clemens KJ; Stuart A; Ferguson SG, 2019, 'Pre-quit nicotine decreases nicotine self-administration and attenuates cue- and drug-induced reinstatement', Journal of Psychopharmacology, vol. 33, pp. 364 - 371, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881118822074

Holmes NM; Pan J; Davis A; Panayi MC; Clemens KJ, 2019, 'Rats choose high doses of nicotine in order to compensate for changes in its price and availability', Addiction Biology, vol. 24, pp. 849 - 859, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/adb.12637

Khoo SYS; Clemens KJ; McNally GP, 2018, 'Palatable food self-administration and reinstatement are not affected by dual orexin receptor antagonism', Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, vol. 87, pp. 147 - 157, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.06.028

Clemens KJ; Holmes NM, 2018, 'An extended history of drug self-administration results in multiple sources of control over drug seeking behavior', Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, vol. 87, pp. 48 - 55, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.11.011

Castino MR; Baker-Andresen D; Ratnu VS; Shevchenko G; Morris KV; Bredy TW; Youngson NA; Clemens KJ, 2018, 'Persistent histone modifications at the BDNF and Cdk-5 promoters following extinction of nicotine-seeking in rats', Genes, Brain and Behavior, vol. 17, pp. 98 - 106, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gbb.12421

Khoo SY; McNally GP; Clemens KJ, 2017, 'The dual orexin receptor antagonist TCS1102 does not affect reinstatement of nicotine-seeking', PLoS One, vol. 12, pp. e0173967 - e0173967, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173967

Clemens KJ; Lay BPP; Holmes NM, 2017, 'Extended nicotine self-administration increases sensitivity to nicotine, motivation to seek nicotine and the reinforcing properties of nicotine-paired cues.', Addiction Biology, vol. 22, pp. 400 - 410, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/adb.12336

Huynh C; Fam J; Ahmed SH; Clemens KJ, 2017, 'Rats quit nicotine for a sweet reward following an extensive history of nicotine use', Addiction Biology, vol. 22, pp. 142 - 151, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/adb.12306

Macnamara CL; Holmes NM; Westbrook RF; Clemens KJ, 2016, 'Varenicline impairs extinction and enhances reinstatement across repeated cycles of nicotine self-administration in rats', Neuropharmacology, vol. 105, pp. 463 - 470, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.023

Sharpe MJ; Clemens KJ; Morris MJ; Westbrook RF, 2016, 'Daily Exposure to Sucrose Impairs Subsequent Learning About Food Cues: A Role for Alterations in Ghrelin Signaling and Dopamine D2 Receptors', Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 41, pp. 1357 - 1365, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.287

Castino MR; Cornish JL; Clemens KJ, 2015, 'Inhibition of histone deacetylases facilitates extinction and attenuates reinstatement of nicotine self-administration in rats', PLoS ONE, vol. 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124796

Clemens KJ; Castino MR; Cornish JL; Goodchild AK; Holmes NM, 2014, 'Behavioral and Neural Substrates of Habit Formation in Rats Intravenously Self-Administering Nicotine', Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 39, pp. 2584 - 2593, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npp.2014.111

Castino M; Cornish J; Goodchild A; Clemens K, 2013, 'THE ROLE OF HISTONE ACETYLATION IN THE ACQUISITION, EXTINCTION AND REINSTATEMENT OF NICOTINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION IN RATS', BEHAVIOURAL PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 24, pp. E50 - E50, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.fbp.0000434849.25290.97

Motbey CP; Clemens KJ; Apetz N; Winstock AR; Ramsey J; Li KM; Wyatt N; Callaghan PD; Bowen MT; Cornish JL; McGregor IS, 2013, 'High levels of intravenous mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) self-administration in rats: Neural consequences and comparison with methamphetamine', Journal of Psychopharmacology, vol. 27, pp. 823 - 836, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881113490325

Pardey MC; Kumar NN; Goodchild AK; Clemens KJ; Homewood J; Cornish JL, 2012, 'Long-term effects of chronic oral ritalin administration on cognitive and neural development in adolescent Wistar Kyoto rats', Brain Sciences, vol. 2, pp. 375 - 404, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/brainsci2030375

Holmes N; Clemens KJ, 2011, 'Multiple interpretations of cocaine-seeking behaviour after prolonged self-administration training.', Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 31, pp. 3935 - 3936, http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6354-10.2011

Vendruscolo LF; Gueye AB; Vendruscolo JCM; Clemens KJ; Mormède P; Darnaudéry M; Cador M, 2010, 'Reduced alcohol drinking in adult rats exposed to sucrose during adolescence', Neuropharmacology, vol. 59, pp. 388 - 394, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2010.05.015

Clemens KJ; Caillé S; Cador M, 2010, 'The effects of response operandum and prior food training on intravenous Nicotine self-administration in rats', Psychopharmacology, vol. 211, pp. 43 - 54, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1866-z

Clemens KJ; Caillé S; Stinus L; Cador M, 2009, 'The addition of five minor tobacco alkaloids increases nicotine-induced hyperactivity, sensitization and intravenous self-administration in rats', International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 12, pp. 1355 - 1366, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1461145709000273

Hamlin AS; Mcnally GP; Choi EA; Clemens KJ, 2009, 'Paraventricular thalamus mediates context-induced reinstatement (renewal) of extinguished reward seeking', European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 29, pp. 802 - 812, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06623.x

Clemens KJ; Vendruscolo LF, 2008, 'Anxious to drink: Gabapentin normalizes GABAergic transmission in the central amygdala and reduces symptoms of ethanol dependence', Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 28, pp. 9087 - 9089, http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2928-08.2008

Cornish JL; Clemens KJ; Thompson MR; Callaghan PD; Dawson B; McGregor IS, 2008, 'High ambient temperature increases intravenous methamphetamine self-administration on fixed and progressive ratio schedules in rats', Journal of Psychopharmacology, vol. 22, pp. 100 - 110, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881107082286

Hamlin AS; Clemens KJ; Mcnally GP, 2008, 'Renewal of extinguished cocaine-seeking', Neuroscience, vol. 151, pp. 659 - 670, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.11.018

Clemens KJ; Cornish JL; Hunt GE; McGregor IS, 2007, 'Repeated weekly exposure to MDMA, methamphetamine or their combination: Long-term behavioural and neurochemical effects in rats', Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 86, pp. 183 - 190, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.06.004

Clemens KJ; McGregor IS; Hunt GE; Cornish JL, 2007, 'MDMA, methamphetamine and their combination: Possible lessons for party drug users from recent preclinical research', Drug and Alcohol Review, vol. 26, pp. 9 - 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09595230601036945

Clemens KJ; Cornish JL; Hunt GE; McGregor IS, 2006, 'Intravenous methamphetamine self-administration in rats: Effects of intravenous or intraperitoneal MDMA co-administration', Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, vol. 85, pp. 454 - 463, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2006.09.015

McGregor I; Clemens K; Cornish J; Thompson M; Li K; Hunt G, 2005, 'MDMA, methamphetamine and their combination: Comparison of long-term behavioural and neural effects in rats', BEHAVIOURAL PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 16, pp. S11 - S11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00008877-200509001-00033

Clemens KJ; Cornish JL; Li KM; Hunt GE; McGregor IS, 2005, 'MDMA ('Ecstasy') and methamphetamine combined: Order of administration influences hyperthermic and long-term adverse effects in female rats', Neuropharmacology, vol. 49, pp. 195 - 207, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2005.03.002

Cornish JL; Lontos JM; Clemens KJ; McGregor IS, 2005, 'Cocaine and heroin ('speedball') self-administration: The involvement of nucleus accumbens dopamine and μ-opiate, but not δ-opiate receptors', Psychopharmacology, vol. 180, pp. 21 - 32, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-004-2135-9

Clemens KJ; Van Nieuwenhuyzen PS; Li KM; Cornish JL; Hunt GE; McGregor IS, 2004, 'MDMA ("ecstacy"), methamphetamine and their combination: Long-term changes in social interaction and neurochemistry in the rat', Psychopharmacology, vol. 173, pp. 318 - 325, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-004-1786-x

Thompson MR; Li KN; Clemens KJ; Gurtman CG; Hunt GE; Cornish JL; McGregor IS, 2004, 'Chronic fluoxetine treatment partly attenuates the long-term anxiety and depressive symptoms induced by MDMA ('Ecstasy') in rats', Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 29, pp. 694 - 704, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.npp.1300347

McGregor IS; Gurtman CG; Morley KC; Clemens KJ; Blokland A; Li KM; Cornish JL; Hunt GE, 2003, 'Increased anxiety and "depressive" symptoms months after MDMA ("ecstasy") in rats: Drug-induced hyperthermia does not predict long-term outcomes', Psychopharmacology, vol. 168, pp. 465 - 474, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1452-8

McGregor IS; Clemens KJ; Van Der Plasse G; Li KM; Hunt GE; Chen F; Lawrence AJ, 2003, 'Increased anxiety 3 months after brief exposure to MDMA ('Ecstasy') in rats: Association with altered 5-HT transporter and receptor density', Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 28, pp. 1472 - 1484, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.npp.1300185

Conference Abstracts

Clemens K; Lay B; Holmes N, 2015, 'The effect of the partial receptor agonist varenicline on responding maintained by nicotine-associated cues', in JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, Vol. 134, pp. 349 - 350, presented at 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, 23 August 2015 - 27 August 2015, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000360206300899&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Castino M; Youngson N; Baker-Andresen D; Ratnu V; Bredy T; Clemens K, 2015, 'Transcriptional and epigenetic factors underlying the extinction of nicotine-seeking behaviour in the rat', in JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, Vol. 134, pp. 349 - 349, presented at 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, 23 August 2015 - 27 August 2015, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000360206300896&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Khoo SY; McNally GP; Clemens KJ, 2015, 'effect of the dual orexin receptor antagonist TCS1102 on intravenous nicotine self-administration and reinstatement in the rat', in JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, Vol. 134, pp. 215 - 215, presented at 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, 23 August 2015 - 27 August 2015, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000360206300525&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Working Papers

Youngson N; Castino M; Stuart A; Kershaw K; Holmes N; Waters P; Morris K; Clemens K, 2019, A natural antisense to brain-derived neurotrophic factor impairs extinction of drug seeking, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/851949

Preprints

Amanda Tan RP; Kozlova I; Su F; Sah S; Keable R; Hagan DW; Bustamante S; Du X; Osborne B; Turner N; Clemens KJ; Begg D; Phelps EA; Yang H; Leshchyns’ka I; Sytnyk V, 2022, Neuronal growth regulator 1 (NEGR1) promotes synaptic targeting of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65), http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.08.479601

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