Post-doctoral fellows
Prospective post-doctoral fellows: Are you interested in doing post-doctoral research with one of our faculty? If you have recently completed or are near completion of a PhD, you may want to contact UVic faculty members to discuss your interests and see if they have any PDF positions available through their grant funding.
Information for prospective post-doctoral fellows at UVic.
| DMSC Post-docs | |
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Patrick Reeson (Brown Lab) Dr Reeson received a BSc in Biology from the University of Calgary and a PhD from the University of Victoria studying microvascular plasticity in the healthy and diseased cerebral cortex. Dr. Reeson then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF in the lab of HHMI investigator Massimo Scanziani, studying cortical circuits that underlie sensory processing, before returning to the University of Victoria. |
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Sorabh Sharma (Brown Lab) My primary interest is to study how diabetes alters the neurological function. Recently, increased prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases have been reported in patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes. However, the underlying mechanisms of association between these conditions are still elusive. During my doctorate, I explored the possible involvement of epigenetic modifications in diabetes induced neurodegeneration. We reported that dysregulation of epigenetic pathways leads to cognitive deficit and amyloid-β accumulation in hippocampus of mice. We also examined the therapeutic potential of histone deacetylases inhibitors, during these co-morbid conditions. As a Post doc in the Brown lab, I will be studying how diabetes affects the rates of capillary obstruction and/or pruning. Further, we will focus to elucidate mechanistic understanding of how obstructions are cleared. This could be used in a therapeutic manner to preserve brain micro-circulation and function throughout the lifespan. |
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Crystal Acosta (Christie Lab) Crystal holds degrees in Microbiology (BSc), Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSc), and Pharmacology & Therapeutics (PhD) from the University of Manitoba. Her early works studied neuroinflammatory mechanisms in Multiple Sclerosis and investigated cerebrovascular mechanics, structure and function in hypertension and heart-failure. She currently studies neural and electrophysiological mechanisms of cannabis and alcohol using animal models of prenatal cannabis and/or alcohol exposure. |
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Shima EbrahimiKhonacha (Christie Lab) I hold degrees in Biology (BSc), Hommen Physiology (MSc), and Neuroscience (PhD) from my country, Iran. My research focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms involved in various neurological disorders. This includes investigating the functioning of neural circuits in both healthy and diseased states and examining the roles of neurodegeneration and neural plasticity in these conditions. Additionally, I am interested in exploring how sex influences neurodegeneration. Electrophysiology is a key tool in my research, as it allows for the recording and analysis on neuronal electrical activity, providing valuable insights into inter-neuronal communication. Google Scholar |
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Eric Eyolfson (Christie Lab) The mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) field is steeped in a cloud of confusion. What factors are associated with individuals experiencing more symptomologies than others? Why are some individuals seemingly more susceptible to injury than others? The core of my research interests involves understanding the heterogeneity associated with mTBI. One potential source of this heterogeneity involves the brains resident immune cell, microglia. While being critical responders following injury, microglia are also actively involved in brain maturation especially during critical developmental periods (i.e. adolescence). I am interested in determining the influence of adolescent mTBI on the homeostatic functioning of microglia and investigating the potential long-term outcomes. Additionally, the majority of previous mTBI research had focused on adult males, but it is becoming ever clearer that understanding the pathophysiology of underrepresented groups (females and adolescents) may help us fully appreciate the sequelae of mTBI. |
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Ifeoluwa (Hiphy) Awogbindin (Tremblay Lab) Dr. Ifeoluwa Awogbindin has honors and graduate degrees from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is passionate about the intersection of neurotropic infections and neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on microglia roles. During his PhD, he studied the pharmacological effects of kolaviron, an anti-inflammatory agent from Garcinia kola seeds, in mice infected with influenza A virus. The study was top-rated and earned the best PhD thesis prize in 2018. Further, he committed to studies in animal models of Parkinson’s disease, validating the folkloric claim that Garcinia kola seeds enhance healthy aging. He held several training and travel awards, including an NIH-funded UI-MEPIN-J mentored grant, IBRO-ARC Bursary and ISN International Travel Support. In the Tremblay Lab, Dr. Awogbindin is investigating whether alterations of microglial structure and function during infections with SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 predispose to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, respectively. |
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Benneth Ben-Azu (Tremblay Lab) Dr. Ben-Azu obtained his first degree training in Science Laboratory Technology with specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology in 2010 and graduated as the best graduating student from the set. During his postgraduate studies (MSc: 2014; PhD: 2018), Dr Ben-Azu specialized in neuropharmacology specifically looking at single or two-hit mouse models of schizophrenia, the patho-mechanisms involved and the constructive validity with antipsychotic drugs. Dr Ben-Azu has received different travel grants and fellowships, including the IBRO-ARC and Michael Smith Health Research Postdoctoral awards. As a Post-doc in Tremblay’s Lab, Dr Ben-Azu’s research goal is focused on how different epigenetic hit-factors such as dietary lifestyle, stress and infection affect microglia reserves in health, and in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease states. |
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Adriano Chaves (Tremblay Lab) Dr. Chaves received his Medical Degree (2018), followed by his MSc (2020) and Ph.D. (2023), from the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil with an internship at Aarhus University, Denmark. During his graduation, Dr. Chaves studied how antidepressants modulate microglia interactions with synapses. In his postdoctoral research, his main goal is to investigate microglia-stimulating strategies to reinstate brain plasticity by the remodelling of the extracellular matrix. He is interested in approaches that boost brain gamma waves, which are associated with the impressive antidepressant effect of ketamine. He was awarded the prestigious UVic-Aspiration Postdoctoral Fellowship. Dr. Chaves combines his clinical background in psychiatry and fundamental knowledge in neuropharmacology/neuroimmunology to assess microglial states associated with depression and outcomes for plasticity. He uses translational animal models, advanced microscopy (confocal, electron microscopy, and in vivo imaging), and molecular biology to discover promising therapeutics for depression. |
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Marianela E. Traetta (Tremblay Lab) Dr. Marianela Traetta obtained her Ph.D. from Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 2020. Her research interest focuses on different microglial states and functions during normal development and their involvement in neurodevelopmental disorders. As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Marie-Ève Tremblay's laboratory, she will study the role of dark microglia during normal development and following brain inflammation in a model of maternal immune activation. |
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Haley Vecchiarelli (Tremblay Lab) Dr. Haley Vecchiarelli obtained her PhD from the University of Calgary in 2020. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Marie-Ève Tremblay's lab. Her research interest is broadly how the immune system affects the brain to influence behaviour. Her current work looks at how chronic stress influences microglia to produce cognitive deficits. She is investigating this using in-vivo 2-photon imaging, electron microscopy and behavioural analysis.
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