Rate My Professor Kirstan Vessey

Dr. Kirstan Vessey is an Associate Professor in the School of Science and Technology at the University of New England, where she serves as Senior Lecturer in Clinical Neuroscience since joining in 2024. She earned her Bachelor of Science with Honours in Pharmacology from the University of Melbourne, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy in Optometry and Vision Sciences from the same institution in 2003, and a Specialist Certificate in Biomedical Research Management in 2009. Post-PhD, she undertook research fellowships in neuronal degeneration across Canada, the United States, and Australia, and holds an honorary appointment in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Melbourne.

Vessey's research specializes in clinical neuroscience, with a focus on visual neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases, investigating mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction and degeneration to develop treatments that slow progression. Her expertise includes electrophysiology, histological analysis, and molecular biology. She has secured funding as principal investigator on NHMRC Ideas grants, philanthropic sources, and university grants, and as co-investigator on additional NHMRC projects and grants from Macular Degeneration Australia. With over 70 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals such as PNAS, Neuron, Current Biology, and The Journal of Neuroscience, her work has garnered more than 3,000 citations. Notable publications include Ma JYW et al., "Aging induces cell loss and a decline in phagosome processing in the mouse retinal pigment epithelium" (Neurobiol Aging, 2023); Wong JHC et al., "Exploring the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration" (Front Neurosci, 2022); and Mills SA et al., "Fractalkine-induced microglial vasoregulation occurs within the retina" (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2021). Vessey has been honored with the Australian and New Zealand Purinergic Meeting Presentation Award (2019), NIH-funded Young Investigator Travel Fellowship (2012), Retina Research Foundation Travel Award (2004), and an Early Career Researcher Grant from the University of Melbourne (2012). As part of the Brain-Behaviour Research Group, she teaches courses in clinical neuroscience, research topics in neuroscience, and the aging brain, while mentoring emerging scientists.