Dr João Paulo Coimbra

Senior Lecturer
Name: João Paulo Coimbra
Location: 2304O John Orr Building Doornfontein Campus
Human Anatomy and Physiology Staff  Staff Members

Contact Details:
Tel: +27 11 559 9000

Email: jpcoimbra@uj.ac.za

About Dr João Paulo Coimbra

Dr Coimbra is a biologist holding a Bachelor in Biological Sciences (Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil), a Masters in Neuroscience and Cell Biology (Federal University of Pará, Brazil) and a PhD in Neuroscience and Animal Biology (University of Western Australia, Australia). He has extensive experience lecturing Human/Comparative Physiology, Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology to Health and Biological Sciences courses. He has conducted research and supervised students at leading Universities in four countries: Brazil, Australia, Sweden and South Africa. Using a comparative approach, the central aim of his research is to uncover the architecture and the neural building blocks of visual specialisations in the eyes of different animals. Outcomes of this research reveal how animals use vision in their ecology and behaviour. This research offers insights on the evolution of vision, in addition to potentially identifying novel animal models for studying visual function and dysfunction.

Research Focus Areas:

Comparative visual neuroscience

Publications:

1. Coimbra JP, Pettigrew JD, Kaswera-Kyamakya C, Gilissen E, Collin SP, Manger PR (2017) Retinal ganglion cell topography and spatial resolving power in African megachiropterans: Influence of roosting microhabitat and foraging. J Comp Neurol 525: 185-203.
2. Coimbra JP, Collin SP, Hart NS (2015) Variations in retinal photoreceptor topography and the organization of the rod-free zone reflect behavioral diversity in Australian passerines. J Comp Neurol 523: 1073-94.
3. Coimbra JP, Collin SP, Hart NS (2014) Topographic specializations in the retinal ganglion cell layer correlate with lateralized visual behavior, ecology, and evolution in cockatoos. J Comp Neurol 522: 3363-85.
4. Coimbra JP, Hart NS, Collin SP, Manger PR (2013) Scene from above: retinal ganglion cell topography and spatial resolving power in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). J Comp Neurol 521: 2042-57.
5. Coimbra JP, Trévia N, Marceliano ML, da Silveira Andrade-da-Costa BL, Picanço-Diniz CW, Yamada ES (2009) Number and distribution of neurons in the retinal ganglion cell layer in relation to foraging behaviors of tyrant flycatchers. J Comp Neurol 514: 66-73.