Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellow (2020-2025)
funded by The Cross Family and The Frank Alexander Charitable Trusts
Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
NHMRC RD Wright Career Development Fellow (2014-2019)
Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
NHMRC CJ Martin Overseas Biomedical Fellow (2008-2013)
Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, UK
Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research interests
It is important to understand signal organisation in cells because all physiological and pathological processes depend on cell signalling.
Cells contain the ‘machinery’ to receive an astoundingly diverse range of stimuli (light, odours, hormones, lipids) and relay this information to perform distinct and diverse functions (including sight, smell, cell migration and metabolism). Cells achieve this through large numbers of receptors expressed on the cell surface but interestingly, these receptors interact with a limited number of cell signalling pathways. This is well illustrated by the largest class of receptor proteins, the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In response to these stimuli, ~800 different GPCRs activate the same 4-5 canonical signalling pathways but initiate a variety of cell responses such as migration, contraction, gene transcription and metabolism. With >100 different types of GPCRs expressed on average on each cell, it has been difficult to rationalise how signalling can simultaneously coordinate a variety of cellular responses.
By measuring localised signals in live cells my team has shown that signals from GPCRs are highly localised and organised in both space and time. That is, the types of signals activated by the GPCR are dependent on receptor location and are often restricted to tightly regulated subcellular compartments. This is facilitated by their physical incorporation into extensive protein scaffolding networks. With our inter-disciplinary collaborators, this knowledge has driven cutting-edge drug development to target GPCRs in specific subcellular locations. This new generation of targeted therapeutics has much greater efficacy than current drugs which are designed to bind all receptors at the cell surface.
Supervision interests
Our research is focussed on understanding how receptors control localised signalling, how this can be hijacked by disease, and how we can target these signals to gain greater therapeutic efficacy.
We do this by combining high resolution microscopy and cell biology with advanced mass spectrometry and drug delivery approaches. Current projects include characterising novel properties of GPCRs when incorporated into protein complexes, defining how GPCR signalling is altered in highly metastatic cancer cells to drive invasion, and understanding how intracellular binding proteins can affect activation of nuclear hormone receptors.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Network
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Towards new therapeutics for neurofibromatosis-linked cancers and tumour growth
1/06/22 → 1/06/26
Project: Research
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Defining NF1 clinical variation at the microscale to discover new therapeutic targets
Ellisdon, A., Halls, M., Schittenhelm, R., Morand, E., Whisstock, J. & Sloan, E.
1/06/21 → 31/05/24
Project: Research
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Novel tools for probing changes in membrane protein organisation in breast cancer
Halls, M., Huang, E., Hammond, G., Cadarso Busto, V., Neild, A. & Sloan, E.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/21 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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Developing new tools for chemical biology
Scanlon, M., Porter, C., Halls, M. & Doak, B.
1/01/20 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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A lipid-anchored neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist prolongs pain relief by a three-pronged mechanism of action targeting the receptor at the plasma membrane and in endosomes
Mai, Q., Shenoy, P., Quach, T., Retamal Santibanez, J. S., Batista Gondin, A., Yeatman, H., Aurelio, L., Conner, J. W., Poole, D. P., Canals, M., Nowell, C., Graham, B., Davis, T. P., Briddon, S. J., Hill, S. J., Porter, C., Bunnett, N., Halls, M. L. & Veldhuis, N. A., 1 Jan 2021, In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. 296, 17 p., 100345.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Carvedilol blocks neural regulation of breast cancer progression in vivo and is associated with reduced breast cancer mortality in patients
Gillis, R. D., Botteri, E., Chang, A., Ziegler, A. I., Chung, N. C., Pon, C. K., Shackleford, D. M., Andreassen, B. K., Halls, M. L., Baker, J. G. & Sloan, E. K., 1 Apr 2021, In: European Journal of Cancer. 147, p. 106-116 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
10 Citations (Scopus) -
Development and Application of Subtype-Selective Fluorescent Antagonists for the Study of the Human Adenosine A1Receptor in Living Cells
Comeo, E., Trinh, P., Nguyen, A. T., Nowell, C. J., Kindon, N. D., Soave, M., Stoddart, L. A., White, J. M., Hill, S. J., Kellam, B., Halls, M. L., May, L. T. & Scammells, P. J., 16 Mar 2021, In: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 64, 10, p. 6670–6695 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Editorial: Recent Advances in G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signalling: Impact of Intracellular Location, Environment and Biased Agonism
Halls, M. L., Davenport, A. P. & Summers, R. J., 28 May 2021, In: Frontiers in Pharmacology. 12, 3 p., 707393.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Inhibition of the Proliferation of Human Lung Fibroblasts by Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists is Linked to a Sustained cAMP Signal in the Nucleus
Roberts, M. J., May, L. T., Keen, A. C., Liu, B., Lam, T., Charlton, S. J., Rosethorne, E. M. & Halls, M. L., 29 Apr 2021, In: Frontiers in Pharmacology. 12, 14 p., 669227.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists New Investigator Award
Halls, Michelle (Recipient), 2010
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Excellence in Research Future Research Leader Award
Halls, Michelle (Recipient), 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Excellent in Research Young Investigator Award
Halls, Michelle (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Molecular Pharmacology of GPCRs Early Career Researcher Award
Halls, Michelle (Recipient), 2010
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal
Halls, Michelle (Recipient), 2007
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
- 2 Contribution to conference
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2020 ASCEPT-drug discovery/respiratory and inflammation special interest groups student symposium
Emma van der Westhuizen (Organiser), Michelle Halls (Organiser), Lauren May (Organiser), Katie Leach (Organiser), Ross Vlahos (Organiser) & Stavros Selemidis (Organiser)
23 Nov 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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2019 ASCEPT-drug discovery/cardiovascular special interest groups student symposium
Emma van der Westhuizen (Organiser), Michelle Halls (Organiser) & Simon Foster (Organiser)
28 Oct 2019Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Press / Media
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Opioid receptors inside cells important for pain relief
Michelle Halls, Nigel Bunnett & Daniel Poole
22/06/20 → 23/06/20
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Relief in sight: Pain researchers announce breakthrough
Michelle Halls, Christopher Porter & Meritxell Canals
1/06/17
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Monash pain treatment a 'game changer'
Michelle Halls, Christopher Porter, Meritxell Canals & Nigel Bunnett
1/06/17
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Beta blockers may lead to new novel triple negative breast cancer treatments
1/03/16
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature