Rate My Professor Julia Shaw

Dr Julia Shaw is a researcher at the University of Newcastle, within the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing. She completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Pharmacology at the University of Newcastle in 2017, following Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Honours) and Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences degrees from the same institution. In her current role as a postdoctoral researcher in the Pregnancy Compromise and Neuroprotection group of the Mothers and Babies Research Centre, she examines the impact of endocrine disruption following preterm birth on offspring brain development. She also serves as a Casual Academic in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy and Research Liaison Librarian at the University Library.

Shaw's research focuses on neurosteroid loss in preterm fetuses, which disrupts brain development during the critical third trimester, leading to white matter injury, GABAergic system impairments, and behavioral disorders like ADHD and anxiety. Her PhD identified key vulnerabilities in the hippocampus and cerebellum. She develops postnatal neurosteroid-replacement therapies to restore brain trajectories. Notable publications, co-authored with Pavy CL, Palliser HK, Hirst JJ, and others, include: "Neurosteroid replacement therapy using tiagabine and zuranolone restores cerebellar neurodevelopment and reduces hyperactive behaviour following preterm birth" (2025); "Ganaxolone Therapy After Preterm Birth Restores Cerebellar Oligodendrocyte Maturation and Myelination in Guinea Pigs" (2024); "Neuropeptide Pathways Controlling the Timing of Birth" (2024); and "Ongoing effects of preterm birth on the dopaminergic and noradrenergic pathways in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of guinea pigs" (2024). Awards include Best Poster Presentation at the ASMR Newcastle Satellite Meeting (2017) and Best Early PhD Oral Presentation at the Fetal and Neonatal Workshop of Australia and New Zealand (2014). Her work addresses the 10% global preterm birth rate, aiming to prevent lifelong neurodevelopmental issues through targeted interventions.