معرفی
Dr. Kiran Soma is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a member of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience. He investigates how steroid hormones regulate neural circuits, behavior, and immune function, with a focus on neurosteroids and immunosteroids.
- Education: PhD in Psychology from the University of Washington (2000), BA from Stanford University.
Research Interests: Dr. Soma’s work spans behavioural neuroscience, neuroendocrinology, and neuroethology, examining how hormones like glucocorticoids, estrogens, and androgens influence aggression, executive function, and stress responses. His lab employs advanced techniques such as LC-MS/MS for steroid profiling and collaborates with experts in immunology, nutrition, and cancer research.
Recent Publications highlight the impact of maternal diet on offspring steroid levels, the role of neurosteroids in aggression and brain function, and mechanisms of glucocorticoid synthesis in immune tissues. His studies often bridge comparative animal models (songbirds, rodents) with human applications, such as stress biomarker development.
Scientific Awards:
- Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring (2020)
- APS James McKeen Cattell Fellowship (2017)
- AAAS Fellow (2015)
- Killam Faculty Research Prize (2012)
- Killam Faculty Research Fellowship (2010)
Advising & Grants: Dr. Soma has mentored numerous PhD, Master’s, and undergraduate students, including AAAS Fellows and Killam recipients. His research is supported by CIHR, NSERC, CFI, and HHMI, with a focus on cutting-edge infrastructure like the lab’s LC-MS/MS system.
Labs & Collaborations: The Soma Laboratory at UBC studies neurosteroids and immunosteroids using multidisciplinary approaches. The lab collaborates with institutions globally, including the University of Rennes and NIH, and provides steroid analysis services via ultrasensitive LC-MS/MS.
