USask Neuroscience

Faculty

Picture of Dr. Mohan Babu

Dr. Mohan Babu Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member

Dr. Babu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Regina. He is an internationally recognized leader in network biology, and a pioneer for mapping epistatic relationships and membrane-associated protein complexes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. His research excellence has been acknowledged with a CIHR-IG Maud Menten new investigator award. He is an advisory board member of the international mitochondrial (mt) human proteome initiative and a team leader of the mitoNET Canada. Building on years of groundwork using large-scale proteomics and quantitative genetics, his research work aims to address how mt protein dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS), and how these disease associated mt proteins organize and function in cellular pathways and macromolecular assemblies in human neurons. By focusing on these gaps, he aims to uncover causal mechanisms and mt protein-specific pathway targets to treat the underlying mt disorders.

Picture of Dr. Krista Baerg

Dr. Krista Baerg BA, MD, FRCPC, BSN, BScMed, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member

Picture of Dr. Lane Bekar

Dr. Lane Bekar BSc, MSc, PhD

Dr. Bekar has two primary research directions. One explores the role of inflammation, stress and diet on neurodegenerative processes in non-transgenic mice. The other explores the role of astrocytes in neuromodulator-mediated changes in sensory processing that are associated with our behavior and perceptions. Techniques in the lab consist of whole mouse behavior, extracellular/intracellular/ion-selective electrophysiology and basic biochemistry/histology.

Picture of Dr. Justin Botterill

Dr. Justin Botterill PhD, Neuroscience Cluster Executive Member
Assistant Professor Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology

The Botterill laboratory studies cells and circuits that contribute to health and disease. Our basic science pillar is focused on investigating circuits that regulate learning, novelty, and affective behvaiours. Our health sciences pillar is focused on studying the cellular and circuit mechanisms that contribute to temporal lobe epilepsy to identify novel therapeutic targets. To address these questions, we use transgenic mice, viral vectors for cell-type specific tracing and/or manipulations, electrophysiological recordings, rodent behavioural testing, biochemistry, and microscopy.  

Picture of Dr. Veronica Campanucci

Dr. Veronica Campanucci BSc, MSc, PhD, Neuroscience Cluster Executive Member

Dr. Campanucci explores the impact of diabetes and chronic inflammation on the nervous system. Interests: diabetes; patch-clamp electrophysiology; live imaging in vitro; inflammation; transgenic mice; mitochondrial morphology and traffic.

Picture of Dr. Francisco Cayabyab

Dr. Francisco Cayabyab PhD

Dr. Cayabyab works on adenosine receptor signaling in neurological diseases, and the biology of breast cancer and brain cancer. Interests: stroke; Parkinsons's disease; epilepsy; neurophysiology; confocal imaging; biochemistry; synaptic plasticity and behavior.

Picture of Dr. Jennifer  Chlan

Dr. Jennifer Chlan PhD
Faculty, Anatomy & Cell Biology

Dr. Chlan’s research focuses on the neurodevelopment of schizophrenia and Autism, the neuropathology of Alzheimer's Disease, and educational research. Interests: neurodevelopment; molecular neuropsychiatry; neuroanatomy.

Picture of Dr. Jeff Dong

Dr. Jeff Dong PhD
Assistant Professor Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

Dr. Dong’s research focuses on how immune cells such as macrophages regulate homeostasis, inflammation, repair, and fibrosis in the central nervous system and beyond. Our long term goal is to discover new therapeutic approaches for chronic diseases and to improve the health and wellbeing of both humans and animals. Specific interests: microglia, oxidized phospholipids, inflammageing, multiple sclerosis, lung-CNS axis

Picture of Dr. Thomas Fisher

Dr. Thomas Fisher

When we don’t drink enough water, two things happen – we get thirsty (of course) and a specific set of neurons in our brain release a hormone (vasopressin) that induces our kidneys to preserve water. Dr. Fisher's lab is interested in the processes by which those neurons sense insufficient water intake and start firing more action potentials and releasing more vasopressin. We propose that these osmosensitive neurons adapt to sustained water deficits by shifting excitatory ion channels from intracellular vesicles to the neuronal surface and that this is an essential mechanism to protect us from the harm caused by excessive dehydration.

Picture of Dr. Amanda Hall

Dr. Amanda Hall MD, PhD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor Surgery

Dr Amanda Hall is a pediatric general surgeon, working at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital. Her research focuses on bowel adaptation in neonates, following congenital malformations or surgical insult.

Picture of Dr. John Howland

Dr. John Howland BSc, MSc, PhD, Neuroscience Cluster Executive Member

Dr. Howland’s behavioural neuroscience laboratory is interested in animal models of schizophrenia, learning and memory, behavioural and electrophysiological effects of stress, limbic-cortical interactions, synaptic plasticity, epilepsy.

Picture of Dr. Michael Kelly

Dr. Michael Kelly PhD, MD, FRCPC, FACS, FAANS

Before joining the Division of Neurosurgery at the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Kelly Held fellowships at the Cleveland Clinic and Stanford University. At the UofS, his research includes use of Synchrotron Imaging of animal stroke models, assessing neurobiology of motor recovery after stroke using fMRI, and several clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of endovascular stent retrieval of cerebral blood clots.

Picture of Dr. Katherine Knox

Dr. Katherine Knox BA, MD, Associate Proffessor, Dept of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member

Dr. Knox is an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her clinical practice includes neuro-rehabilitation services, with a special interest in multiple sclerosis. Her clinical research focuses on gait, exercise behaviour, long-term outcomes, and quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis.

Picture of Dr. Anand Krishnan

Dr. Anand Krishnan PhD, MPharm, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member

Dr. Krishnan is an Assistant Professor at the Dept. of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology. He has research interests in nerve regeneration and cancer. There are two research themes in his lab; i) Identification of molecular targets for nerve regeneration and cancer by studying the nerve-tumor interface, ii) molecular and functional characterization of self-renewing resident macrophage in the nervous system to define their roles in nerve homeostasis and regeneration.

Picture of Dr. Robert  Laprairie

Dr. Robert Laprairie Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member
Assistant Professor and CIHR-GlaxoSmithKline Chair in Drug Discovery and Development

Dr. Laprairie’s molecular pharmacology laboratory is focused on the discovery and development of drugs targeting the cannabinoid receptors - the same receptors that are activated by ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from Cannabis. These cannabinoid drugs are derived from synthetic and natural sources and may be useful for the treatment of pain, anxiety, epilepsy, and movement disorders.

Picture of Dr. Michael Levin

Dr. Michael Levin MD, FAAN, FANA, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member

The long-term goal of research in the Levin Lab is to better understand the cause of neurodegeneration, a salient feature and cause of permanent disability in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. For more than 20 years, we have studied the function of the RNA binding protein heterogeneous nuclear ribonuclear protein A1 (hnRNP A1 -‘A1’), with a focus on ‘M9’. M9 is A1’s nucleocytoplasmic transport domain, and is required for transport of A1 between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Our lab has discovered that MS patients make antibodies to M9 and the brains and lymphocytes of MS patients contain somatic DNA mutations within M9

Picture of Dr. Gary Linassi

Dr. Gary Linassi BSc, MB BAO, FRCPC, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member

Dr. Linassi is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. His clinical research interests primarily concern neuro-rehabilitation with a focus on spinal cord injury, ALS, and amputations

Picture of Dr. Ivar Mendez

Dr. Ivar Mendez

Dr. Mendez’ research focus is in brain repair, functional neurosurgery, robotic neurosurgery and computerized systems in neurosurgical applications. Interests: Parkinson’s disease; stem cells; robotics; neuromodulation.

Picture of Dr. Darrell Mousseau

Dr. Darrell Mousseau Neuroscience Cluster Leader

Dr. Mousseau’s goal is to identify the neurochemical and biochemical overlaps between depression and Alzheimer's disease. Interests: monoaminergic dysfunctions in brain and peripheral tissues; Alzheimer's disease; breast cancer; prostate cancer.

Picture of Dr. Jonathan Norton

Dr. Jonathan Norton BSc, PhD, MRes, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member

Dr. Norton's clinical and research interests are in the application of neurophysiological methods to reduce neurological injuries during surgical procedures and the development of neural prosthesis and neuromodulation devices based on neurophysiology.

Picture of Dr. Phyllis Paterson

Dr. Phyllis Paterson

Dr. Paterson studies the role of nutrition in enhancing recovery mechanisms after stroke. Interests: nutrition; stroke; global brain ischemia; neuroinflammation; neuroplasticity; synchrotron-based techniques for brain imaging.

Picture of Dr. Lissa Peeling

Dr. Lissa Peeling BSc, MD, FRCPC

Picture of Dr. Alex Rajput

Dr. Alex Rajput

Dr. Rajput’s primary research employs analysis of frozen human brain tissue, clinicopathological correlations, genetics, and neurochemistry to examine movement disorders. Interests: Parkinson’s disease; essential tremor; progressive supranuclear palsy.

Picture of Dr. Changiz Taghibiglou

Dr. Changiz Taghibiglou PhD

Dr. Taghibiglou studies excitotoxicity in stroke and neurodegenerative diseases, and lipid neurobiology. Interests: stroke; epilepsy; traumatic brain injury; breast and prostate cancer; Cellular prion protein; lipid rafts; designing short bioactive peptides.