Christopher Loewen

Christopher Loewen is a Professor in the Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine. He holds additional titles as a Tula Foundation Investigator at the Brain Research Centre, CIHR New Investigator, and MSFHR Scholar. His research focuses on membrane contact sites, lipid trafficking, and their roles in human health and diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.

• Education: PhD and BSc (Honors) from UBC, Postdoc at University College London
• Research Affiliations: Life Sciences Institute, BC Diabetes Research Network, Centre for Brain Health

His lab uses Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism to study ER-organelle communication, lipid metabolism, and conserved proteins like VAP. Key methodologies include yeast genetics, biochemistry, and emerging genomic/proteomic tools.

Research Trends: Recent publications emphasize MECP2 mutations in autism, PTEN variant functionalization, mitosis under stress, and lipid signaling in membrane traffic, reflecting interdisciplinary approaches spanning genetics, computational biology, and drug discovery.

Scientific Awards:

• Tula Foundation Investigator
• CIHR New Investigator
• MSFHR Scholar

Loewen actively recruits graduate students and collaborates with the Cell and Developmental Biology Research Group at the Life Sciences Institute. His work bridges fundamental cell biology with translational applications in neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases.