Author: Julie

Men and women process pain signals differently

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Drs. Annemarie Dedek, Eve Tsai, Mike Hildebrand and colleagues have discovered that neurons in the spinal cord process pain signals differently in women compared to men. Image courtesy of Justin Tang.
Drs. Annemarie Dedek, Eve Tsai, Mike Hildebrand and colleagues have discovered that neurons in the spinal cord process pain signals differently in women compared to men. Image courtesy of Justin Tang.

A new study published in the journal BRAIN shows for the first time that neurons in the spinal cord process pain signals differently in women compared to men. The finding could lead to better and more personalized treatments for chronic pain, which are desperately needed, especially in light of the opioid epidemic.

Although it has long been known that women and men experience pain differently, most pain research uses male rodents. The new study is unique because it used female and male spinal cord tissue from both rats and humans (generously donated by deceased individuals and their families). Continue reading →

Research lead – Huntington Society of Canada

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Research Lead
(Full-time Permanent)

Are you:

  • Passionate and excited about research?
  • Ready to support HSC as it continues to grow and become a more formidable and recognized leader in the global Huntington Disease (HD) space?
  • Organized and able to juggle competing priorities?

The Huntington Society of Canada (HSC) is a leading Canadian charity dedicated to a world free from HD. Our team is in search of a Research Lead to assist the organization in furthering its mission and strategic objectives related to research. This newly created position reports to the Chief Executive Officer.

Key Accountabilities:

  • Provide program support for all cl inical and scientific projects and corresponding relationships with patients, families, industry, academic institutions, government agencies, and research donors to further the mission of the organization
  • Manage HSC’s existing network of scientists in basic, translational and clinical science to enable them to advance new treatments for HD
  • Work with HSC’s Family Services Team to develop and maximize impact of care for individuals with Huntington Disease

Specific Requirements:

  • Passion for HSC’s mission and demonstrated commitment to the non-profit sector and patient population
  • A Master’s Degree (or equivalent)) in life sciences is required
  • An advanced degree (PhD, or PharmD) is desired
  • Solid understanding of biology and research is required
  • Knowledge of Huntington’s disease and/or other neurodegenerative disorders is preferred
  • Experience translating and communicating complex scientific and medical information in understandable
    language to educate all constituencies of the organization
  • Proficiency in English with excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Proficiency in French is an asset
  • Superb interpersonal skills and collaborative style
  • Willingness to travel, as well as able to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and products
  • Experience working with videoconference software

Resumes with cover letters can be emailed by end of day on April 22, 2022 to:
HR@huntingtonsociety.ca

Please enter “Research Lead” in the subject line of your email.

Thank you for your interest – only qualified candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.
HSC will provide reasonable accommodations for any applicant, as requested during the hiring process.

Contact information

HR@huntingtonsociety.ca

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March 21 – 25, 2022 is CAN Parliament Hill Week

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Canadian neuroadvocates are meeting with members of Parliament, Senators and Parliamentary staff this week for CAN Parliament Hill Week!

We are advocating for increased funding for basic research in Canada, provided through CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. Our specific asks are:

Recommendation 1: That the government of Canada provide a one-time 25% increase in investment in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for research restart and recovery from the setback of the COVID-19 pandemic to research laboratories in Canada.

Recommendation 2: The government should commit to providing robust and predictable funding for basic discovery research to sustain and grow Canada’s scientific community. Funding to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) should be increased by at least 10% yearly. This recommendation is in accordance with the 2017 Fundamental Science Review and will ensure Canada’s research ecosystem is healthy and resilient to face any future challenge.

Read more in our

Follow us on social media this week #CANHillWeek #NeuroAdvocate

CIHR Faces of Health Research 2022: Dylan Smith

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Dylan Smith

All humans require sleep daily to be physically and mentally healthy. Sleep is known to play a role in solidifying new memories and learning. However, researchers do not fully understand the processes in the brain that underlie the consolidation of newly acquired information and skills during sleep.

With the support of a CIHR Fellowship, Dr. Dylan Smith from University of Ottawa Institute for Mental Health Research is combining electroencephalography (EEG) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to peer inside the brains of healthy volunteers and study these processes at work.

Study participants are placed inside an MRI brain scanner wherein they are instructed to solve a visual puzzle before falling asleep. Dr. Smith is analyzing the data from these brain scans with a focus on sleep spindles – fast bursts of brain activity linked to sleep and memory – in parts of the brain associated with learning, such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. This research is providing new insight into how our brains integrate new learning while we’re sleeping.

Learn more about the Faces of health research 2022 on the CIHR website.

Related reading:

UCalgary researchers use computer modelling to simulate impact of Alzheimer’s on the brain

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SumaLateral Whole Brain Image - NIH image gallery

New way to model neural disease could lead to better understanding

Author: Shea Coburn, Hotchkiss Brain Institute

A deep neural network is a computerized brain-inspired machine learning model, which uses many layers of simulated neurons to mimic the function of the cerebral cortex. Each layer in the network creates more complex activity, which simulates the way information is processed in the human brain. These networks can be designed to replicate structures in the brain, allowing researchers and scientists to model specific brain functions more easily.

University of Calgary researchers have taken a new approach to using these networks for modelling of the human brain. Most studies, to date, have used deep neural networks to look at healthy brain function. These investigators wanted to know if these models could be applied to better understand brain function in a diseased brain. In this case, looking at posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), an atypical form of Alzheimer’s disease affecting the visual cortex.

“Using these artificial networks to model dementia could enable an improved understanding of the disease,” says Dr. Nils Forkert, PhD, an associate professor in the Cumming School of Medicine and principal investigator. “It allows us to have one well-established reference model that can be damaged in many different ways versus having to image hundreds of patients with different neurodegeneration patterns to obtain similar information.”

In the findings published in Frontiers in Neuroinformatics, Forkert, along with Dr. Anup Tuladhar, PhD, Dr. Zahinoor Ismail, MD, and PhD student Jasmine A. Moore used a standard neural network for automatic object recognition in images, titled VGG19, to simulate a brain with dementia symptoms. The researchers progressively damaged connections between neurons in the network, to mimic neurodegeneration in the visual system of the human brain.

Read the full story on the University of Calgary website

Canadian Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Metabolism and the Brain, McGill University

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McGill Faculty f Medicine and Health Sciences logoThe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University is seeking to recruit an internationally recognised scientist with a strong track record in innovation and research leadership to direct a new program in “Metabolism and the Brain” that is supported by a prestigious CERC award. The CERC Program supports Canadian universities in their efforts to build upon Canada’s reputation as a global leader in research and innovation through recruitment of world-leading researchers to Canada. CERC awards are amongst the most prestigious and generous available globally.

The CERC chair-holder will be mandated to build a multidisciplinary research team encompassing a diversity of lived experiences, identifies and career stages in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences with expertise at the intersection of metabolic disorders and neuroscience. The goal of this CERC is to establish a cutting-edge research program at this interface. This program will study the critical role of the brain in the development of obesity and diabetes and address the important roles of disordered metabolism in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The chair-holder will be expected to create links with industrial partners to accelerate translation of research results into improved health outcomes, while ensuring equitable access to the knowledge produced and to the social and health benefits that will flow from that knowledge.

The CERC program will build on existing strengths in the Metabolic Disorders and Complications (MeDiC) Program of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and those in Neuroscience at the RI-MUHC, the Montreal Neurological Institute, and other McGill-affiliated sites. The chair-holder will be based at the RI-MUHC. The program will benefit from a dynamic environment that involves strong collaborative links between investigators working in central nervous system control of energy metabolism, neuroimaging, cognitive determinants of feeding, cognitive neuroscience and psychology of self-control, nutrition, aging, clinical and fundamental aspects of neurodegenerative disorders, and computational neuroscience from the Faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and Science. This vibrant research and translational ecosystem is further enhanced by several McGill Research Centres and three McGill-affiliated hospitals. Technology platforms at these sites provide state of the art equipment and facilities for conducting leading edge research in fundamental science, clinical investigation and trials, health outcomes and epidemiology.

 

The successful candidate is expected to:

  • Possess a PhD and/or MD degree.
  • Be qualified to hold an academic position at the rank of Full Professor or be an Associate Professor who is expected to be promoted to Full Professor within one or two years of the nomination.
  • Have expertise at the interface of metabolic disorders and neuroscience research, in areas such as: obesity, diabetes, metabolism, neurodegenerative disorders, neuroimaging, or cognitive neuroscience as demonstrated by an excellent record of publications in internationally recognised scientific journals, success in obtaining external funding, and prior leadership roles in large-scale, interdisciplinary projects.
  • Familiarity with directing or collaborating on research employing varied methods at different levels of resolution, ranging from bench science to animal models, to studies in humans, including clinical-translational approaches, will be an asset.
  • Understand and personally champion equity, diversity and inclusion through the development of research relevant to marginalized communities, and the creation and coordination of teams in which members are from different backgrounds and areas of expertise.
  • Have the skills to promote a shared vision that will engage and motivate diverse collaborators and stakeholders in support of the program.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work well with internal and external partners and potential stakeholders, such as funding agencies, charities, patient advocacy groups, private companies, and the public.
  • Participate in all aspects of McGill’s academic mission, including teaching, supervision of graduate students, and service.

A further important role of the CERC chair holder will be to contribute to strong and innovative training in metabolism and neuroscience at McGill. Candidates will be expected to possess the skills needed to recruit, teach, and mentor a diverse group of researchers and trainees, reflecting McGill’s commitments to equity and diversity as set out in core institutional documents including McGill’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Plan, Taskforce on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education and Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism.

Finally, all McGill faculty members are expected to contribute to service activities within their units, the University, and the wider scholarly community.

The appointment will be at the rank of Full Professor or Associate Professor. The successful applicant will be eligible for a tenure stream position. If appropriate, the successful applicant may also be considered for the Garfield Weston Chair in Nutrition. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

 

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online at: https://mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill_Careers/job/MUHC-GLEN/Canadian-Excellence-Research-Chair–CERC–in-Metabolism-and-the-Brain–L001753-_JR0000023377

The following supporting documents are required:

  • Cover letter and curriculum vitae
  • Statement of research interests
  • Names and contact information of three referees

CERC guidelines state that researchers who are currently at another Canadian institution are eligible as candidates if there is demonstrable net benefit to the country in moving the researcher from one Canadian institution to another.

 

Date of publication: March 3, 2022

Please submit your application within 30 days of the publication date.

Use a personal email address when creating an account in Workday to submit your application. Do not use @mail.mcgill.ca or @mcgill.ca email accounts to apply.

Commitment to Equity and Diversity

McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigor and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.

At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry.

McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and through accommodation policies and procedures. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, this email or phone at 514-398-2477.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

 

Contact information

Applications must be submitted online at: https://mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill_Careers/job/MUHC-GLEN/Canadian-Excellence-Research-Chair–CERC–in-Metabolism-and-the-Brain–L001753-_JR0000023377

If you have any questions, please contact the Academic Affairs Office, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University: Email: academicaffairs.med@mcgill.ca

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Memorial University – Tenure track faculty position: Assistant Professor of BioMedical Sciences – Cardiovascular and Renal Science

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REFERENCE: F04023-2021-21

Applications are invited for a tenure track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.
All candidates whose training and research interests are strongly focused on cardiovascular or renal systems are encouraged to apply. The successful applicant will be expected to develop an active, independent, and externally funded research program in an area of Cardiovascular and/or Renal Sciences. The successful candidate’s research program will contrast, complement, and/or contribute to existing strengths in the Cardiovascular and Renal Sciences group. Applicants whose research interests logically intersect with other Divisional groups (Cancer and Development, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Neuroscience, and Human Genetics) will be given additional consideration. The successful applicant will contribute to teaching in undergraduate, graduate, and Doctor of Medicine programs in the Faculty of Medicine.

Applicants are required to have a PhD (or equivalent) and successful postdoctoral research experience supported by a relevant publication record, and demonstrate great promise of high quality, impactful, externally funded research, and should demonstrate their capacity and commitment for excellence in teaching.
The Division of BioMedical Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine, and Memorial University offer an attractive research environment, with several new and recently updated facilities including animal care facility, a fluorescence- activated cell sorting facility, and state-of-the-art technologies in microscopy. In addition to rodent research models, researchers have access to large animal models through a breeding colony of Yucatan swine, modern surgical and monitoring equipment, and full veterinarian support. Large computational capacity is also available through the Atlantic Computing Excellence network and the Centre for Health Informatics and Analytics. Collaborative opportunities exist and are encouraged with research groups in the Faculties of Science, Engineering, Computer Science, and the Ocean Sciences Centre. Additional information regarding the Faculty of Medicine, the Division of BioMedical Sciences, and Memorial University of Newfoundland may
be found at www.med.mun.ca, www.med.mun.ca/biomed, and www.mun.ca.

The application package should be submitted in one pdf file and include a cover letter (including a statement regarding Canadian citizenship/permanent resident status), a curriculum vitae, a statement of research, a statement of teaching interest and experience, a statement of experience in promotion of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and names and contact details for three referees.

Applications should be addressed under reference number F04023-2021-21 to:

Dr. Michael Grant, Associate Dean of BioMedical Sciences
Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, NL, Canada, A1B 3V6

Electronic submissions via email bms202121@mun.ca are preferred.

The closing date for receipt of applications is April 30, 2022

Memorial University is the largest university in Atlantic Canada. As the province’s only university, Memorial plays an integral role in the education and cultural life of Newfoundland and Labrador. Offering diverse undergraduate and graduate programs to over 18,000 students, Memorial provides a distinctive and stimulating environment for learning in St. John’s, a safe, friendly city with great historical charm, a vibrant cultural life and easy access to a wide range of outdoor activities. Memorial University is committed to employment equity and diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates including women; people of any sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; Indigenous peoples; visible minorities, and racialized people; and people with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

As part of Memorial University’s commitment to employment equity, applicants are invited to identify themselves as a member of a target group(s) as appropriate. Applicants cannot be considered as a member of a target group(s) unless they complete an employment equity survey. If you do not receive a survey or have any questions, please contact equity@mun.ca. We acknowledge that the lands on which Memorial University’s campuses are situated are in the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu and Inuit of the Province.

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Brain Prize 2022: Pioneering work on how the nervous system controls movement awarded world’s top brain research prize

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Three internationally renowned professors in neuroscience have transformed our understanding of the specific cell types and circuits that control movement: Silvia Arber (Switzerland), Ole Kiehn (Denmark) and Martyn Goulding (USA/New Zealand).

Their work has revolutionized our understanding of how we move, research now recognised with the award of the 2022 Brain Prize – the world’s most prestigious prize in neuroscience.

Learn more about the Brain Prize winners on the Lundbeck Foundation website here: Pioneering work on how the nervous system controls movement awarded world’s top brain research prize

Assistant or Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics – University of Manitoba

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ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS,
MAX RADY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, RADY FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES,
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
Position #31243

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (DPT), Rady Faculty of Health Sciences (https://umanitoba.ca/health-sciences/) at the University of Manitoba (https://umanitoba.ca) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track or tenured position with a research focus on the neurosciences, commencing on September 1, 2022, or on a date that is mutually agreed upon. The appointment will be made at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. Salary and rank will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences is a major center of interdisciplinary health sciences education and research in Canada, offering a full range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in biomedical sciences and health professions. The DPT has a rich history of excellence in research and education in biomedical and clinical pharmacology and is committed to providing high quality programming at the graduate and undergraduate levels across all Rady Faculty of Health Sciences constituent Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Rehabilitation Sciences, Dentistry and Nursing. The DPT also contributes heavily to undergraduate programming in the Faculty of Science (BSc) and the Interdisciplinary Health program Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) curriculum.

DPT faculty members maintain robust, internationally recognized research programs maintained by extramural operating and infrastructure grants from local, national and international sources. Foundational DPT research themes include neurosciences, cancer biology, clinical pharmacology, and cardiovascular and metabolic sciences. Research strengths are cultivated by leveraging partnerships between DPT and partner research institutes in Manitoba, including the Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, St. Boniface Hospital Research, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba and the CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute. DPT neuroscience theme members and their trainees are closely networked with other neuroscientists across several departments by the Manitoba Neuroscience Network (http://manitobaneuroscience.ca), which serves as a virtual institute that unites the research, training and outreach activities of over 70 principal investigators of neuroscience in Manitoba.

The successful candidate will have an MD and/or PhD, a minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience and a highly productive track-record of impactful scholarly activity in the neurosciences. Applicants with expertise across all neurosciences are encouraged to apply but preferred areas of research that may allow commitment of additional institutional resources include mechanisms underpinning synaptic function and brain development in Autism Spectrum Disorders, and the neurobiology of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or speech and related disorders. Research programs that investigate mechanisms at the single cell level, scaling up to whole animal and behavioral outcomes are encouraged. The appointed candidate is expected to teach in graduate and undergraduate DPT educational programs and develop a rigorous, well-funded research program. The appointee will integrate into the vibrant DPT neurosciences theme, which currently consists of 8 principal investigators at the Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine and the St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre. These sites offer state-of-the-art capabilities in live cell imaging (ex vivo and in vivo), electrophysiology, optogenetics, multimodal small animal neuroimaging, human PET and MRI, rodent genetic model creation, behavioral investigation and molecular neurobiological approaches. A generous startup package will be available to establish a world-class research program. Additionally, the University of Manitoba has a long track-record of reserving institutional infrastructure funding opportunities (e.g. Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leadership fund) for early career investigators.

The City of Winnipeg, located where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet, is recognized for its vibrant, multicultural community and diverse culture. The city, with a growing population of more than 766,000, is home to internationally renowned festivals, galleries and museums, the historic Exchange District and The Forks, and ever-expanding research, education, and business sectors. From the Hudson Bay waters, across the farmland fields, to the pulse of the cities and towns, The Province of Manitoba’s people and places – its 100,000 lakes, 92 provincial parks, winding river valleys and storied prairie skies – inspire.

Applicants are requested to submit the following materials, preferably via email as a single PDF file:

  1. Cover letter concisely describing suitability for the position
  2. Curriculum Vitae
  3. Five-year research plan (max 5 pages) outlining background, rationale, aims and experiments
  4. Statement of teaching philosophy documenting experience and approach to training and mentoring students
  5. Names of three referees in confidence (contacted only if short-listed)

Submit all materials to:

Chris Anderson
Chair, Faculty Search Committee
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Manitoba
A205 Chown Building, 753 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3E OT6
Tel: (204) 789-3405
Email: Karen.Donald@umanitoba.ca

Review of applications will commence starting April 18, 2022 and will continue until the position has been filled. Materials may be shared with participating members of the search process. All materials, including reference letters, will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Manitoba).

The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities). All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact UM.Accommodation@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

Equity and diversity are essential to excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. To address the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, in recognition of the underrepresentation of members of historically and currently under‐represented groups, and pursuant to the Manitoba Human Rights Commission Policy I‐7, preference will be given to applicants who self‐identify as women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, as well as other historically underrepresented groups such as 2SLGBTQIA+.

All members of the University of Manitoba community are required to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination. For more information, please visit the University of Manitoba COVID website.

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