Patrick Nahirney

Dr. Patrick Nahirney is a Professor of Anatomy and Histology at the University of Victoria (UVic), affiliated with the Division of Medical Sciences. He teaches human gross anatomy and histology to medical students in the Island Medical Program and conducts research on neurogenesis, neuromuscular diseases, and synaptic ultrastructure. His work focuses on Alzheimer’s disease, stress-induced memory loss, and muscle/nerve tissue regeneration.

Education:

• BSc from Washington State University
• MSc and PhD from University of British Columbia (UBC)

Research Interests: Synapse ultrastructure, myogenesis, live-cell imaging, electron microscopy. Current projects include studying prenatal stress effects on hippocampal synapses, ethanol-induced neurodevelopmental disorders, and applicability of exercise therapy. His lab uses high-resolution microscopy to explore structural changes in neurological conditions like autism and schizophrenia.

Grants & Funding:

• $662,490 CIHR Grant (2018-2023) examining cholinergic nuclei in Parkinson’s-like conditions
• $375K CFI-BCKDF Leaders Opportunity Fund for a new transmission electron microscope
• NSERC Discovery Grant investigating prenatal stress impacts on synapse ultrastructure

Students & Advising: Supervised over a dozen graduate and honours students in areas like traumatic brain injury, Fragile X syndrome, and muscle cell fusion. Current MSc student Charlotte Copas is investigating microvascular damage post-TBI.

Labs/Teams: Leads microscopy research using advanced electron tomography and immunocytochemical techniques. Collaborates internationally on cannabinoid receptor localization and neurodevelopmental studies. Co-director of UVic’s Centre for Biomedical Research.