Rate My Professor Michael Garelja

Dr. Michael Garelja serves as a Research Fellow in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Otago's School of Pharmacy. He earned his PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Auckland in 2020, focusing his doctoral research on the molecular pharmacology of adrenomedullin, a peptide hormone essential for cardiovascular development and maintenance. Late in 2020, Garelja joined the University of Otago to conduct postdoctoral work in Professor Debbie Hay's laboratory, shifting his attention to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide strongly associated with migraine pathophysiology. He recently completed a First Fellowship awarded by the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand, which funded investigations into the distribution of CGRP, its related peptides, and their receptors in the context of migraine.

Garelja's research interests encompass the molecular basis of migraine, employing molecular biology, microscopy, and pharmacological signaling assays. His studies extend to applications in diabetes and the evolutionary biology of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Key publications include 'A narrative review of the calcitonin peptide family and associated receptors: Implications for migraine' (2022, Headache), 'Calcitonin gene-related peptide and headache: Comparison of two commonly used assay kits highlights the perils of measuring neuropeptides with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays' (2025, Headache), 'Where are we now? Biased signalling of Class B G protein-coupled receptor-targeted therapeutics' (2025, Pharmacology & Therapeutics), 'Pharmacological characterisation of erenumab, Aimovig, at two calcitonin gene-related peptide responsive receptors' (2023, British Journal of Pharmacology), 'Molecular Mechanisms of Class B GPCR Activation: Insights from Adrenomedullin Receptors' (2020), and contributions to 'The Concise Guide to Pharmacology 2025/26: G protein-coupled receptors' (2025, British Journal of Pharmacology). His scholarship has garnered over 1,200 citations, contributing to advancements in GPCR signaling bias and migraine therapeutics. Garelja teaches courses including PHAL303, PHAL421, PHAL423, and PHAL431 on molecular pharmacology of GPCRs and neuroscience. He is a member of the Otago Medical School Research Society Editorial Board, the Division of Health Sciences Early and Mid-Career Researchers Group, and the Biomedical Research Facility Users Group. He has presented at conferences such as the BMS Postgraduate Symposium (2024) and the ASCEPT/APFP/APSA Joint Congress (2024).