Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences

The Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences does world-class research aimed at understanding the fundamental workings of cells and organisms in an effort to identify the underlying causes of human diseases. The Department’s research is diverse, with Investigators working in a wide range of the leading invertebrate and vertebrate model systems and using biochemical, molecular genetic, cellular and physiological approaches.The Department has particular strengths in neuroscience, endocrinology, development and cancer. The robust collaborative spirit between the Department’s Investigators drives increasingly multidisciplinary research programs in each laboratory. This includes the incorporation of the latest technologies in molecular biology, genetics, next-generation genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, and genetically-engineered animal models to complement our expertise in cell biological and physiology. The research in the Department is also strengthened by our use of advanced imaging capabilities that includes EM, super-resolution, 2-photon, live-cell and high-throughput microscopy. Research in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences is providing insight into the fundamental biological processes and pathologies that lie behind many diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, to name just a few.

The research in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences is organized into six health themes:

  • Neuroscience
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular
  • Cell and Developmental Biology
  • Diabetes & Obesity
 
 

Research Supervisors

Name Research Interests
Accili, Eric molecular mechanisms responsible for cellular pacemaking behavior
Allan, Douglas Nervous system
Bamji, Shernaz Medical and biomedical engineering; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; neurodevelopmental disease; primary neuronal cultures; synapse biology; transgenic mouse models
Cembrowski, Mark Steven Molecular neuroscience; Mathematical modelling and simulation; Mechanisms of memory in the brain; Anxiety; Big Data; Bioinformatics; Cell types; Computation; Fear; Genetics; modeling; Neural circuits; neuroscience; Neuroscience of memory; PTSD; RNAseq
Haas, Kurt Medical and biomedical engineering; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Autism; Brain Circuit Development; Dendritogenesis; Epilepsy; Genetics of Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neurological diseases; Neuronal Communication and Neurotransmission; Neuronal Computation; Neuronal Modeling; Neuronal Systems; Neuronal and Synaptic Activity; Plasticity / Neuronal Regeneration; Synaptic Plasticity
Hilton, Brett Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; neuroscience; neuroplasticity; Axon regeneration; Spinal cord injury
John Peter, Arun
Johnson, James diabetes, hormones, cell biology, signal transduction, apoptosis or programmed cell death, heart failure, heart disease, calcium signalling, pancreatic cancer, obesity, longevity, imaging, Causes of type 1 and type 2 diabetes at a molecular level discovery of genes and associated gene networks linked to diabetes risk and by known risk factors that predispose individuals to diabetes
Kieffer, Tim Diabetes
Kopp, Janel Genomics; Modeling cancer; Pancreas; Pancreatic cancer; Pancreatic development
Loewen, Christopher Genomics; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); Autism; Cancer Cell Metabolism; Cell Biology; Cell polarity; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Genetic Networks; Golgi; Lipid Signalling; Lipid Traffic; Membrane Contact Sites; Membrane Diffusion Barriers; Membranes and Organelles; Super Resolution Microscopy; Systems Biology
Moore, Edwin D Cardiovascular
Moukhles, Hakima Muscle cells
Nabi, Ivan Robert Medical, health and life sciences; Cancer cell biology; Membrane domains; Organelle contact sites; Super-resolution microscopy; Machine Learning
O'Connor, Timothy Identification of small molecules that stimulate neurite outgrowth and regeneration Examination of the role of semaphorins during embryonic development
Rideout, Elizabeth Sex differences; Metabolism; Cell Signaling Pathways; Development; Lifespan and Aging; Stress responses; Drosophila melanogaster
Roskelley, Calvin Breast cancer, ovarian cancer
Tanentzapf, Guy How cell adhesion contributes to muscle function, and stem cell biology
Underhill, Michael Musculoskeletal diseases, transcription factors, growth, cytokines, retinoid signalling pathway in chondrogenesis, osteogenesis, phenotype
Viau, Victor Basic medicine and life sciences; Sex differences; Stress responses; Glucocorticoids; Inflammation; Behavior; Central Nervous System; Endocrinology
Weidberg, Hilla Other basic medicine and life sciences; Cell Biology; Genetics; Biochemistry; molecular biology; Organelle biology; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial stress; Protein quality control; Metabolism; Neurodegenerative diseases
West, Christopher Systems physiology; Animal physiology, circulation; Integrative physiology; Spinal cord injury; Animal models
 
 

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