Dr. Joana M. Gil-Mohapel
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Biography
Dr. Joana M. Gil-Mohapel obtained her B.Sc. in Biochemistry and her M.Sc. in Cell Biology at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. She then completed her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Lund University, Sweden, followed by four years of post-doctoral training and two years as a Research Associate at the University of Victoria, Canada. She is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor and the Associate Director of Curriculum Years 1 and 2 for the Undergraduate Medical Program at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Her research interests include gaining a better understanding of how the brain is affected by neurodevelopmental disorders such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Fragile-X Syndrome, neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington’s disease, aging, and whether different therapies aimed at promoting brain function (such as the use of endogenous stem cells) can be of therapeutic value. Her research has been funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and the Brazilian Federal Government Science Without Borders Program. She has co-authored over 70 publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, 22 book chapters, and 30 conference abstracts on these topics.
Affiliations
Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Honors and Awards
Presentation of the Best Poster at International Symposium
Int. Symposium: Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species: Diagnostic, Preventive and Therapeutic Values
Presentation of the Best Poster at the International Symposium: “Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species: Diagnostic, Preventive and Therapeutic Values”: St. Petersburg, RU, 2002
Presentation of the Best Project at International Workshop
Int. Workshop on Early Pathogenetic Markers of Slow Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPSND)
Presentation of the Best Project at the Workshop on Early Pathogenetic Markers of Slow Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPSND), 2002
Presentation of Best Poster at International Conference
Int. Conference: Pacific Northwest Chapters Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
Presentation of Best Poster at the Pacific Northwest Chapters Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN): Victoria, BC, CA, 2010
2018 Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME) Certificate of Merit Award
Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME)
2018 Dr. Bruce Crawford Award of Excellence
Island Medical Program, UBC Undergraduate Medical Program
Island Medical Program, Victoria, BC, Canada, 2018
2017/2018 Oscar G. Casiro Teaching Award in Medical Sciences (TAMS)
Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria
Division of Medical Sciences and Island Medical Program, Victoria, BC, Canada, 2018
Marie-Curie Exchange Scholarship for Graduate Students
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, European Commission
Project: Characterisation of the dopaminergic dysfunction in Huntington’s Disease transgenic mice of the R6/2 line. Lund University, Sweden, 2002 (9 months)
PhD Scholarship
Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, FCT)
Project: Evaluation of multiple mechanisms of neurodegeneration in transgenic models of Huntington’s disease. Lund University, Sweden, 2003-2007. GRANT_NUMBER: SFRH/BD/6068/2001
Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, FCT)
Project: Evaluation of the effects of exercise on the structural and functional damage induced by prenatal ethanol exposure in the rat brain. University of Victoria, BC, Canada. 2007. GRANT_NUMBER: SFRH/BPD/28799/2006.
Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Project: Evaluation of the effects of exercise on the structural and functional damage induced by prenatal ethanol exposure in the rat brain. University of Victoria, BC, Canada. 2007-2009. GRANT_NUMBER: PDF-373836-2009
Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR)
Project: Mitigation of hippocampal dysfunction and cognitive deficits in early-symptomatic YAC128 transgenic mice for Huntington's disease. University of Victoria, BC, Canada. 2011-2012. GRANT_NUMBER: ST-PDF-03254(11-1)BM.
Special Visiting Scientist
Science Without Borders, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Brazil
Project: Modulation of Hippocampal Function in the YAC128 Transgenic Model of Huntington’s Disease. Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil. 2013-2018. GRANT_NUMBER: 403120/2012-8.
University of Victoria (Canada) and Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP, Brazil) Partnership Grant
University of Victoria (UVic) – São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) SPRINT 1/2018 Grant
Project: Age-related Mitochondrial Metabolism and its Relationship with Neurogenesis in an Animal Model of Schizophrenia. University of Victoria, BC, Canada. 2018-2022. GRANT_NUMBER: 2018/08399-3.
Experience
University Educator/Researcher
Island Medical Program and UBC Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
01 Sep 2012 - present
University Lecturer
Departments of Biology and Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
01 Sep 2013 - 01 May 2016
Senior Scientist or Principal Investigator
Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
01 Sep 2012 - 01 Sep 2014
Post Doctoral Researcher
Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
01 Jul 2008 - 01 Sep 2012
Graduate Student or Post Graduate
Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
01 May 2003 - 01 Apr 2007
Graduate Student or Post Graduate
Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
01 Sep 2000 - 01 Apr 2003
Undergraduate Student
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
01 Sep 1995 - 01 Jun 2000