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Dr Sab Ventura

Photo of Dr Ventura

Senior lecturer
Group leader, Functional biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

BSc(Hons) Monash University
PhD in Pharmacology Monash University
GradCertHigherEd Monash University

Telephone: +61 3 9903 9566
Fax:     +61 3 9903 9566
email: Sab.Ventura@pharm.monash.edu.au

Functional biology group leader, Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Research interests

  • Pharmacotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
  • Mechanisms of action of drugs which relax the prostate gland
  • Pharmacology of neurotransmission to the prostate gland and other male reproductive organs
  • Immunohistochemistry of the prostate gland and other male reproductive organs
  • Genetically modified receptor knockout mice
  • Drug target identification

Education

  • Senior lecturer to undergraduate BPharm and BPharmSc students
  • Supervisor of PhD and BPharmSc(Hons) graduate research students
  • Co-ordinator of BPharm physiology and BPharmSc Drug Action units
  • Development of curriculum for teaching of undergraduate pharmacology to health science students

Representative publications

  1. Gray KT, Short JL,  Ventura S. The 1A-adrenoceptor gene is required for the 1L-adrenoceptor-mediated response in isolated preparations of the mouse prostate. Br J Pharmacol. 2008; 155:103-9.
  2. Gray KT, Short JL, Ledent C, Ventura S. Targeted disruption of the A2A adenosine receptor reduces in vitro prostate contractility in mature mice. Eur J Pharmacol. 2008; 592:151-7.
  3. Gray KT, Short JL, Simpson E, Ventura S. The effects of targeted deletion of the aromatase enzyme on prostatic contractile responses to noradrenaline in mice. J Endocrinol. 2007; 195:495-502.
  4. Tokanovic S, Malone DT, Ventura S. Stimulation of epithelial CB1 receptors inhibits contractions of the rat prostate gland. Br J Pharmacol. 2007; 150:227-34.
  5. Gray KT, Ventura S. 1L-Adrenoceptors mediate contractions of the isolated mouse prostate. Eur J Pharmacol. 2006; 540:155-61.
  6. Cao N, Haynes JM, Ventura S. Saw palmetto is an indirectly acting sympathomimetic in the rat isolated prostate gland. Prostate. 2006; 66:115-23.
  7. Gray KT, Ventura S. Evaluation of the mouse prostate as a suitable model for the study of human prostate function. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods. 2006; 51:41-50.
  8. Haynes JM, Ventura S. Current models of human prostate contractility. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2005; 32:797-804.
  9. Buljubasich R, Ventura S. Adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) and noradrenaline are excitatory cotransmitters to the fibromuscular stroma of the guinea-pig prostate gland. Eur J Pharmacol. 2004; 499:335-44.
  10. Ventura S, Dewalagama RK, Lau LCL. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) is an excitatory cotransmitter with noradrenaline to the smooth muscle of the rat prostate gland. Br J Pharmacol. 2003; 138:1277-84.
  11. Ventura S, Pennefather JN, Mitchelson FJ. Cholinergic innervation and function in the prostate gland. Pharmacol Ther. 2002; 94:93-112.
  12. Ramasamy S, Hodgson WC, Ventura S. Protein kinase C and the sub-sensitivity and sub-reactivity of the diabetic rat prostate gland to noradrenaline. Eur J Pharmacol. 2002; 434:151-61.
  13. Ventura S, Salamoussa A. Big endothelin-1 but not endothelin-1 is present in the smooth muscle stroma of the prostate gland of the rat. J Anat. 2002; 200:153-8.
  14. Kalodimos PJ, Ventura S. 2-adrenoceptor mediated inhibition of field stimulation induced contractile responses of the smooth muscle of the rat prostate gland. Eur J Pharmacol. 2001; 431:81-9.
  15. Pennefather JN, Lau WAK, Mitchelson FJ, Ventura S. The autonomic and sensory innervation of the smooth muscle of the prostate gland: a review of pharmacological and histological studies. J  Autonomic Pharmacol. 2000; 20:193-206.
  16. Ventura S, Lau WAK, Buljubasich S, Pennefather JN. Species differences in the actions of sensory neuropeptides on contractility of the smooth muscle of the rat and guinea-pig prostate. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2000; 27:917-21.
  17. Preston A, Lau WAK, Pennefather JN, Ventura S. Effects of adenine nucleosides and nucleotides on neuromuscular transmission to the prostatic stroma of the rat. Br J Pharmacol. 2000; 131:1073-80.
  18. Salamoussa A, Lau WAK, Pennefather JN, Ventura S. The contractile effects of endothelin on the smooth muscle of the rat prostate gland. Eur J Pharmacol. 2000; 403:139-45.
  19. Ventura S, Lau WAK, Buljubasich S, Pennefather JN. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibits contractions of the prostatic stroma of the rat but not the guinea-pig. Reg Pept. 2000; 91:63-73.

External appointments

  • National treasurer, Australian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) (2005 – present).
  • Member, NHMRC grant review panel (pharmacology 6B) (2007-2009).