معرفی
Dr. Vania F. Prado is a Professor at The University of Western Ontario, with cross appointments in Physiology and Pharmacology and affiliation with the Robarts Research Institute. Her research focuses on understanding cholinergic system dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s, and developing therapeutic interventions through genetically modified mice and spider venom-derived recombinant proteins.
Education: She holds a Dentistry degree from UFMG (Brazil) and a PhD in Biochemistry from McGill University and Duke University. Her training spans institutions in Brazil, Canada, and the United States. She has been recognized with a Junior Research Fellowship (1994–2003) and Senior Research Fellowship (2003–2008) from Brazil's National Research Council.
Research Interests: Dr. Prado’s work centers on cholinergic neurotransmission and its role in cognitive deficits during aging and disease. Key areas include cholinergic transporter biology, drug target identification for dementia, and the therapeutic potential of recombinant toxins. She investigates how acetylcholine interacts with other neurotransmitters like glutamate to influence brain functions.
Publications: Her research has been widely published, with notable contributions to understanding cholinergic systems, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease mechanisms. Visit her Google Scholar page or PubMed for a full list.
Advising & Grants: While no explicit student advisees are listed, Dr. Prado collaborates extensively with researchers such as Marco Antonio Prado, Flavio Beraldo, and Valeriy Ostapchenko. Her work is supported by institutions like the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Robarts Research Institute.
Labs & Teams: Her laboratory at Robarts Research Institute explores molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on cholinergic systems and novel therapeutic molecules derived from biological toxins.
