Dr Stella Koutsikou

Dr Stella Koutsikou graduated with an MSc in Neuroscience (1999) from the University of Edinburgh, she completed her PhD in Physiology (2004) from the University of Bristol, under the supervision of Professor Sally Lawson.

Stella’s initial postdoctoral work at the University of Bristol, with Professor Bridget Lumb and Dr. Frankie MacMillan, focused on midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG) descending control of pain processing at the level of the spinal cord. In subsequent years, through collaboration with Professor Richard Apps, the research expanded into investigating how the PAG interacts with spinal and supraspinal motor circuits to co-ordinate behavioural responses essential to survival. During this time, Stella developed a strong interest for the role of midbrain and brainstem in survival behaviours. Her most recent work with Dr Steve Soffe and Professor Alan Roberts enabled her to study midbrain single cell contributions to behaviour utilising the Xenopus laevis tadpole.

Dr Stella Koutsikou joined the Medway School of Pharmacy in June 2017 as a Lecturer in Biological Sciences. She holds an Honorary Senior Research Fellow position at the University of Bristol, where she collaborates with colleagues in the Schools of Biological Sciences, Physiology Pharmacology & Neuroscience and Veterinary Sciences.

Specialist Areas
Midbrain & Brainstem; Xenopus tadpole neurobiology; Behavioural Neuroscience; Defence/Arousal system; Survival Behaviours

General principles of the Central Nervous System (CNS) in translating biologically relevant stimuli into natural survival behaviour.

Dr Koutsikou’s research group are focused on exploring the mechanisms by which sensory information is weighted and integrated by the central nervous system and subsequently shapes decision-making and guides survival behaviour. This sensory information can derive from a range of environmental stressors, such as pain, inflammation, prey-predator encounter and chronic disease states.

Current projects
1) Neural substrates underlying simple decision-making in the hatchling Xenopus laevis tadpole.

All animals, whatever their level of cognition, need to make behavioural decisions constantly. These decisions are dependent on various external (e.g. presence of a predator) and internal (e.g. hunger, thirst) cues. Animals making the ‘right’ behavioural choices are able to adapt and survive within their environment, and ultimately reproduce. The ability to respond appropriately to challenging environments requires detection and processing of sensory information within the brain. Mammalian research has shown that decision-making processes in complex brain areas, like the primate cortex, include incoming sensory signals that build slowly to a threshold of neuronal excitability, prior to the initiation of a behaviour. Curiously, our recent studies of skin touch-evoked responses in hatchling Xenopus tadpoles have shown a similar, slow and variable built-up of excitation before the initiation of swimming. Therefore, in this simple animal, the decision to swim shares fundamental characteristics with mechanisms proposed for decision-making in higher vertebrates. In this project, we propose to identify the neurons responsible for the origin of this mechanism underlying decision-making in the Xenopus tadpole’s hindbrain and re-evaluate its fundamental importance in respect to the complex mammalian brain.

This project is funded by The Physiological Society UK: Research Grant (1st October 2019 – 31st March 2021).

2) Simple motor decision-making with the hindbrain of the Xenopus laevis tadpole.

This project is funded by a University of Kent Vice-Chancellor PhD Scholarship awarded to Giulia Messa.

3) Midbrain control of motor circuits in the Xenopus laevis tadpole.

This project is currently funded by The Physiological Society UK Undergraduate Summer Scholarship awarded to Obed Agyemang Duah (BSc Physiology & Pharmacology at Medway School of Pharmacy)

4) Bone marrow – brainstem neural pathways essential in cardiovascular homeostasis. This project is supported by the University of Kent Deputy Vice-Chancellor Partnership Award and it is run in collaboration with Dr Jasenka Zubcevic (University of Florida).

PHAR1041 – Advanced Neuropharmacology (Module Convenor)
PHAM1003 – Cardiovascular Physiology
PHAM1127 – Revision of Cardiovascular Physiology
PHAR1032 – In vivo animal models in Pharmacology research