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Pascal Bernatchez

Associate Professor

About

Dr. Pascal Bernatchez has a long track-record of studying blood vessels. He earned his B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Montreal (1997). His graduate training was done in Dr. Martin G. Sirois’ laboratory at the Montreal Heart Institute where he obtained his M.Sc. (1999) and Ph.D. (2003) degrees in collaboration with the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Montreal, where he received 7 studentships and 12 academic awards. He then trained as a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. William C. Sessa laboratory at Yale University (2003-2007), where he studied novel molecular approaches to increase the synthesis of atheroprotective Nitric Oxide.

Since his relocation to the University of British Columbia in 2007, Dr. Bernatchez has received major research grants and awards. He was a Scholar from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR). His laboratory receives operations funding from CIHR, MSFHR, HSFC, NSERC, the Rare Disease Foundation, MITACS and the Jain Foundation. His current and past MSc and PhD students have received salary awards / graduate studentships from CIHR, NSERC, the BC Proteomics Network and the Governor General of Canada.

Education & Training

  • Post-doctoral fellow – Pharmacology Supervisor: William C. Sessa, Ph.D. Yale University New Haven (CT) U.S.A, 2003-2007
  • Ph.D. Pharmacology Montréal Heart Institute / University of Montréal Montréal (Qué) Canada, 1999- 2002
  • M.Sc. Pharmacology Montréal Heart Institute / University of Montréal Montréal (Qué) Canada, 1997-1999
  • B.Sc. Biochemistry University of Montréal Montréal (Qué) Canada, 1994-1997

Area of Interest

  • Exploring novel pharmacological approaches to treat and prevent endothelial dysfunction, as well as some of its consequences, such as hypertension and atherosclerosis.
  • Proteins that are essential to angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) in cancer.
  • Exploiting the molecular aspects of the Caveolin-1 protein in endothelial mechanosensing
  • Investigating lipid lipoprotein metabolism in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and others.
  • New types of cholesterol and lipoprotein dyslipidemia in chronic muscle wasting
  • Angiotensin 2 Receptor Blockers (ARBs) in vascular and non-vascular disease.

Publications