LEARNING. MEMORY. COGNITION.
Welcome to the Department of Neuroscience
We are a group of neuroscientists who approach the study of the brain from the point of view of the behavioural and cognitive function of distributed neural systems.
Our Department at the University of Lethbridge was the first established neuroscience department in the country and home to some of Canada’s most famous neuroscientists. Our faculty have a wide range of interests that span topics such as memory, neuroplasticity, comparative neurology, brain development, neurodegenerative disease, recovery after injury, decision making, gambling, play, sleep and stress. And all of our faculty have national and international reputations for their work. The Department is located in the Science Commons, Canada's more advanced faility for science education and research. This new $280-million facility truly puts science on display and will inspire the next generation of researchers, entrepreneurs and leaders. With open and flexible laboratories, makerspaces and specialized outreach spaces, students from kindergarten to PhD-level, faculty and community members will have boundless opportunities for hands-on learning, collaboration and discovery.
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Department Highlights
Introducing Assistant Professor, Chelsea Ekstrand
Dr. Majid Mohajerani named first recipient of Dr. Bryan Kolb Professorship/Chair in Neuroscience
A new professorship created at the University of Lethbridge honours the legacy of one of the most influential figures in establishing the study of neuroscience and neuropsychology. It’s first appointee is a rising star who continues to push the boundaries of the field.
Dr. Majid Mohajerani has been named the first recipient of the Dr. Bryan Kolb Professorship/Chair in Neuroscience, which carries a five-year term that may be renewed once for a second five-year term.
The award is an endorsement of the outstanding research Mohajerani has conducted since joining the U of L as part of the Government of Alberta’s Campus Alberta Innovation Program (CAIP) Chairs plan in 2014. At the time, Mohajerani had been serving as a research associate at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy and at the University of British Columbia, and selected the U of L above a number of suitors.
U of L researchers earn $918,000 CIHR grant to test a new idea in memory formation
Drs. Bruce McNaughton and Robert Sutherland, neuroscientists from the University of Lethbridge’s Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, will explore a hypothesis about memory formation thanks to a grant of $918,000 over five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
“The U of L’s nexus of research and academic programming in neuroscience is internationally renowned,” says Dr. Robert Wood, vice-president (research). “Our University’s reputation and impact in this area is a direct reflection of foundational and novel research being conducted by talented neuroscience colleagues such as Dr. McNaughton and Dr. Sutherland. The strength and importance of this project is further reflected in the fact that only about 15 per cent of applications in the national CIHR competition were successful.”
As age-related memory problems are on the rise, McNaughton and Sutherland are looking to unlock some of the mysteries of the memory-making process and, if successful, their research could open up new avenues for therapeutic treatments.
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Whether you’re looking for a more in-depth learning experience by assisting with research projects on campus or by testing your knowledge in a real-life work setting, we can help! The programs available in the Career Bridge office will provide you with a solid foundation for further studies and an excellent framework for a challenging and rewarding career — whatever direction you decide to go. Explore career options, participate in research and develop skills that complement your degree.