Science, Technology and Engineering

Staff profile

Dr Bert De Groef

Lecturer, Postgraduate Coordinator

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Life Sciences
Department of Agricultural Science
AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience

AgriBio, room 1.2.16, Melbourne (Bundoora)

T: +61 3 9032 7436
F: +61 3 9471 0224
E: b.degroef@latrobe.edu.au

Qualifications

Candidate in Biology (KU Leuven), Licentiate in Biology (KU Leuven), Doctor in Sciences: Biology (KU Leuven)

Area of study

Agricultural Sciences
Animal and Veterinary Bioscience
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biology
Biomedical Science
Genetics
Physiology
Zoology

Brief profile

Bert De Groef obtained his degrees of Candidate in Biology and Licentiate in Biology at the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium, in 1997 and 1999 respectively. He was awarded a Ph.D. degree (Doctor in Sciences) from the same university in 2003 for his work on the hypothalamic control of thyrotropin secretion in the chicken. Between 2003 and 2010 Bert worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology (Department of Biology) and the Leuven Center for Bioscience, Bio-engineering and Biotechnology of the KU Leuven. During this period he also joined the Laboratory of Developmental Neuroendocrinology at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, USA) in 2007-2008, and wrote two books (“The Science of Life” and “The Biology of Sex”, both in Dutch). Bert took up the position of lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Sciences at La Trobe University in 2011. He is currently the Postgraduate Coordinator of the Department.

Bert’s research focuses on the role of (neuro)hormones in vertebrate embryonic development, birth, and growth, using the chicken and mouse as the main animal models.Emphasis is on the hormones of the brain (hypothalamus) and pituitary gland and their interactions with hormones of other endocrine systems such as the thyroidal, adrenal (stress) and growth hormone system. We study hormonal actions at the molecular level (DNA, RNA, protein), at the tissue/organ level and at the organismal level. Commonly used techniques include real-time RT-PCR, gene cloning, combined in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry, and in vitro perifusion. This research provides a basis for applications in both medicine and animal production.

Keywords: endocrinology; hormones; gene expression; comparative physiology; animal growth and development; neurobiology

Teaching units

AGR1AAS Introduction to Animal and Agricultural Sciences

GEN3EEG Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics

Recent publications

Papers in refereed journals

De Loof A., Lindemans M., Liu F., De Groef B. & Schoofs L. (2012) Endocrine archeology: Do insects retain ancestrally inherited counterparts of the vertebrate releasing hormones GnRH, GHRH, TRH and CRF? General and Comparative Endocrinology 177: 18-27
Darras V.M., Van Herck S.L.J., Heijlen M. & De Groef B. (2011) Thyroid hormone receptors in two model species for vertebrate embryonic development: chicken and zebrafish. Journal of Thyroid Research Volume 2011, Article ID 402320, 8 pages
Grommen S.V.H., Iwasawa A., Beck V., Darras V.M. & De Groef B. (2011) Ontogenic expression profiles of thyroid-specific genes in the embryonic and hatching chick. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 40, 10-18.
Grommen S.V.H., Geysens S., Darras V.M. & De Groef B. (2009) Chicken folliculo-stellate cells express thyrotropin receptor. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 37: 236-242
De Groef B., Grommen S.V.H. & Darras V.M. (2008) The chicken embryo as a model for developmental endocrinology: development of the thyrotropic, corticotropic and somatotropic axes. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 293: 17-24 (IF 3.611)
Grommen S.V.H., Taniuchi S., Darras V.M., Takahashi S., Takeuchi S. & De Groef B. (2008) Identification of unique thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) splice variants in the chicken: the chicken TSHR gene revisited. General and Comparative Endocrinology 156: 460-463
Grommen S.V.H., Arckens L., Theuwissen T., Darras V.M. & De Groef B. (2008) Thyroid hormone receptor b2 is strongly up-regulated at all levels of the hypothalamo-pituitary thyroidal axis during late embryogenesis in chicken. Journal of Endocrinology 196: 519-528
De Groef B., Grommen S.V.H. & Darras V.M. (2007) Feedback control of thyrotropin secretion in the chicken: thyroid hormones increase the expression of hypophyseal somatostatin receptor types 2 and 5. General and Comparative Endocrinology 152: 178-182
Okada R., Miller M.F., Yamamoto K., De Groef B., Denver R.J. & Kikuyama S. (2006) Involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) type 2 receptor in CRF-induced thyrotropin release by the amphibian pituitary gland. General and Comparative Endocrinology 150: 437-444
Van As P., Janssens K., Pals K., De Groef B., Onagbesan O.M., Bruggeman V., Darras V.M., Denef C. & Decuypere E. (2006) The chicken pituitary-specific transcription factor Pit-1 is involved in the hypothalamic regulation of pituitary hormones. Acta Veterinaria Hungarica 54: 455-471
Grommen S.V.H., Taniuchi S., Janssen T., Schoofs L., Takahashi S., Takeuchi S., Darras V.M. & De Groef B. (2006) Molecular cloning, ontogenic thyroidal expression and tissue distribution of the thyrotropin receptor in the chicken. Endocrinology 147: 3943-3951
De Groef B., Decallonne B., Van der Geyten S., Darras V.M. & Bouillon R. (2006) Perchlorate versus other environmental sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) inhibitors: potential thyroidal health effects. European Journal of Endocrinology 155: 17-25
De Groef B., Grommen S.V.H. & Darras V.M. (2006) The increasing plasma thyroxine levels during late embryogenesis and hatching in the chicken are not caused by an increased sensitivity of the thyrotropes to hypothalamic stimulation. Journal of Endocrinology 189: 271-278
De Groef B., Van der Geyten S., Darras V.M. & Kühn E.R. (2006) Role of corticotropin-releasing hormone as a thyrotropin-releasing factor in non-mammalian vertebrates. General and Comparative Endocrinology 146: 62-68
Kühn E.R., De Groef B., Van der Geyten S. & Darras V.M. (2005) Corticotropin-releasing hormone-mediated metamorphosis in the neotenic axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum: Synergistic involvement of thyroxine and corticoids on brain type II deiodinase. General and Comparative Endocrinology 143: 75-81
De Groef B., Vandenborne K., Van As P., Darras V.M., Kühn E.R., Decuypere E. & Geris K.L. (2005) Hypothalamic control of the thyroidal axis in the chicken: over the boundaries of the classical hormonal axes. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 29: 104-110
Grommen S.V.H., De Groef B., Kühn E.R. & Darras V.M. (2005) The use of real-time PCR to study the expression of thyroid hormone receptor b2 in the developing chicken. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1040: 328-331
Vandenborne K., De Groef B., Geelissen S.M.E., Kühn E.R., Darras V.M. & Van der Geyten S. (2005) Corticosterone-induced negative feedback mechanisms within the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis of the chicken. Journal of Endocrinology 185: 383-391
Vandenborne K., De Groef B., Geelissen S.M.E., Boorse G.C., Denver R.J., Kühn E.R., Darras V.M. & Van der Geyten S. (2005) Molecular cloning and developmental expression of corticotropin-releasing factor in the chicken. Endocrinology 146: 301-308

Books

De Groef B. (2009) De Biologie van Seks. Acco, Leuven. ISBN 9789033477836 [in Dutch; "The Biology of Sex"]
De Groef B. & Roels P. (2009) De Wetenschap van het Leven. Over Eenheid in Biologische Diversiteit. Acco, Leuven. ISBN 9789033475382 [in Dutch; "The Science of Life. On Unity in Biological Diversity"]

Chapters in books

De Groef B., Geris K.L., Vandenborne K., Darras V.M. & Kühn E.R. (2005) CRH control of thyroid function in the chicken. Functional Avian Endocrinology (Dawson A. & Sharp P.J., Eds), Narosa Publishing House, p. 415-426

Older publications