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DEPARTMENTAL
OVERVIEW
The
Department
The
Department has interests in both basic and clinical
areas of research, although its emphasis is on the
basic sciences. The Department is constantly adding
to its expertise by attracting new or
affiliated members to its growing staff. Of the
present 38 full or affiliated staff members, the
repertoire of its research specialties includes neuropharmacology, reproductive, endocrine,
receptor, cardiovascular, cancer, developmental,
clinical, autonomic and biochemical pharmacology,
molecular biology, proteomics, genomics and toxicology.
Neuropharmacology involves the study and treatment
of debilitating diseases of the nervous system, such
as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, epilepsy,
multiple sclerosis, mental depression and drug
abuse. Investigations in this field are by
definition multidisciplinary in nature. They address
the fundamental mechanisms underlying drug action in
the nervous system, and the knowledge already gained
through the research of several of our staff members
should lead to the discovery of novel treatments for
these disorders.
Other colleagues are studying how certain drugs act
to combat arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).
Infertility, a serious medical problem affecting
250,000 Canadians, is also under investigation in
the Department. In focusing on male infertility,
research being undertaken is aimed at improving our
understanding of this condition. It also includes
the development of strategies to improve methods of
contraception with fewer side effects, including a
male contraceptive pill. As well, toxic effects of
drugs on animal models, particularly in pregnancy
and in the developing embryo are being studied. Using
molecular biological approaches, we are studying the
mechanisms triggering pathological cell changes
which cause cancer and many other diseases, to
discover ways to control them. The possibility of
using genetic elements as a new class of therapeutic
agents is also being investigated.
The
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics is
located in the McIntyre Medical Sciences Building.
Specialized facilities include an electron
and confocal microscope, image analysis systems,
tissue culture facilities and phosphorimaging facilities.
Thus,
research in the Department encompasses a wide
variety of areas ranging from basic to clinical,
using methodologies which are classical and/or
technologically state-of-the-art. Research facilities
are located at the McIntyre Medical Sciences
Building and also a variety of laboratories located
in hospitals, institutes and industry in the
Montreal area, including the Douglas Hospital
Research Centre, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the
Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General
Hospital, the Montreal Heart Institute, the Lady
Davis Research Institute, AstraZeneca R&D
Montreal, Pfizer and Merck Frosst Canada Inc. One of the
strengths of our training program is the exposure to
the wealth of opportunities which it offers, and the
extent of the collaborative interactions among the
various laboratories which it engenders.
The
University
McGill
University is located close to downtown Montreal.
The area is relatively safe and very pleasant and is
within walking distance of a wide variety of
cultural and recreational facilities. Montreal is a
cosmopolitan and sophisticated city with a
population of about three million with a marked
European atmosphere. While knowledge of French is
not essential, it greatly enhances a student's
appreciation of the cultural opportunities offered
by Montreal. McGill's Faculty of Medicine, one of
the oldest medical schools in Canada, is proud of
its international reputation as an academic and
research institution. The Faculty is on the main
campus of the University, close to a number of large
teaching hospitals and specialized medical research
institutions. Academic excellence is pursued in an
atmosphere that is relaxed, cooperative, and
exciting.
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