Marco Prado

Dr. Marco Prado is a Professor at Western University with joint appointments in the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology and Robarts Research Institute. His research focuses on neuronal communication mechanisms, particularly cholinergic signaling’s role in neurological and cardiovascular disorders. Key areas include Alzheimer’s disease, prion diseases, and cardiac dysfunction regulation. He holds prestigious awards such as the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship and has contributed to over 140 publications.

Education: Pharmacy (degree), MSc Biochemistry, PhD Biochemistry, Diploma in Cell Biology from UFMG, McGill University, and Duke University.

Research Interests: Cholinergic synapses in neurodegenerative diseases, prion protein’s role in Alzheimer’s, and autonomic nervous system effects on heart function. Uses genetically modified mice and molecular/cellular approaches to study chemical messenger roles in physiology.

Awards:

• John Simon Guggenheim Fellow (2005)
• IBRO Fellow (2003)
• Faculty Scholar Award (2013-2014)

Labs/Teams: Leads research at Robarts Research Institute, collaborating on translational neuroscience and pharmacology projects. Active in training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.