Faculty
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.
Dr. Krista Baerg BA, MD, FRCPC, BSN, BScMed, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member
Dr. Krista Baerg is a consultant pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Saskatchewan and is the physician lead of the Interdisciplinary Pediatric Complex Pain Clinic. She is the local principal investigator for the Chronic Pain Network, a CIHR SPOR chronic disease network and an active member of the Pediatric Pain Interprofessional Practice Council and Newborn Jaundice Working Group for Saskatchewan children’s services. Dr. Baerg’s research focuses on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, chronic pain, pediatric pain management, and Interprofessional collaboration.
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.
Dr. Justin Botterill PhD 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.
Dr. Veronica Campanucci BSc, MSc, PhD
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.
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.
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.
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
Dr. Humphrey Fonge PhD Assistant Professor, Medical Imaging
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.
Dr. John Howland BSc, MSc, PhD
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Dr. Phyllis Paterson Neuroscience Cluster Executive
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.
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.
Dr. Changiz Taghibiglou PhD, Neuroscience Cluster Executive
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.