Aung Aung Kywe Moe

I trained in medicine at the University of Medicine, Magway, Myanmar (Burma), with awards of Excellence in Physiology and distinctions in physiology, anatomy, pharmacology and medicine. Driven by my interests in advanced biomedical instruments, I completed my master degree in biomedical engineering at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore with the Certificate of Excellence. Since then I developed a strong interest in the brain and neuroscience in his career, continued my PhD studies in neuroscience and neurobiology at the Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia, with the award of UQ International Scholarship. During my PhD, I investigated how early exposure to antipsychotic drugs during adolescence could alter maturation changes of the adolescent brain, using behavioural assessments, magnetic resonance neuroimaging techniques and neurochemical assays. My current research interests are central nervous system control of behaviour and sensation, vagal stimulation and its applications in neurological disorders, respiratory sensory neurobiology, neuropharmacology, roles of dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in behaviour and neuropsychiatric disorders and use of state-of-the-art functional assay techniques to address the research questions related to these areas. Currently I am investigating central neural circuitry engaged in optogenetic vagal stimulation and respiratory sensation in order to identify novel therapeutic agents for treating cough in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases.