Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH

Dr. Jennifer Gommerman: Targeting B cells in MS - understanding mechanisms of action.
2026-05-29 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
I will be presenting data on an animal model of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) progression, how we have used this model to better understand disease progression and to understand how MS treatments impact this process. By going back and forth between the animal model and MS tissues, we have learned about what can trigger so-called “compartmentalized inflammation” in MS, and have unveiled a potential fluid biomarker that reflects this inflammation.

Moving from Technological Colonialism to Technological Integration for the Future of Neuroscience
2026-05-25 15:30 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
This month, Dr. Judy Illes, Professor of Neurology, will present “Moving from Technological Colonialism to Technological Integration for the Future of Neuroscience.”
Zoom link if unable to attend in person:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/5936706150?pwd=[REDACTED]

Dr. Christian Ruff: Neurocomputational Underpinnings of Altered Mentalization in Autism
2026-05-15 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
A key behavioral characteristic of autistic individuals is difficulty with mentalization—the ability to understand and respond to the mental states of others. While these difficulties have important social and clinical consequences, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying them remain poorly understood. In this presentation, I will argue that one reason for this lack of progress is the limitation of standard experimental approaches used to study mentalization. These methods typically focus on the static application of fixed mentalization strategies and fail to capture a crucial feature of real-life social interactions: the fact that other people’s behaviors and mental states are constantly changing over time.
To address this, I will present a novel behavioral paradigm and computational model designed to assess adaptive mentalization — the ability to dynamically estimate an interaction partner’s level of behavioral sophistication and to flexibly adjust one’s own strategy in response. Using this approach in combination with fMRI, we identified a multivariate neural fingerprint that can predict, even in new individuals, how well they can update their mental models in response to changes in others’ behavior.
We have now applied this paradigm in a preregistered study of autistic individuals. Our findings show that higher levels of autistic traits are associated with both reduced capacity for adaptive mentalization and a weaker expression of the same neural fingerprint. These results demonstrate that it is possible to measure a specific, dynamic deficit in mentalization that is linked to autistic traits—both behaviorally and neurally. We hope this work contributes to a more nuanced theoretical understanding of both mentalization and autism, and may ultimately support improved methods for its assessment and diagnosis.

Dr. Kelsie Eichel: Building a polarized neuron: from C. elegans to humans
2026-05-08 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Neurons are defined by their remarkable polarity, a feature that is highly conserved across most nervous systems. A key neuronal structure, the axon initial segment (AIS), is essential for establishing and maintaining a functional, polarized neuronal architecture. As such, defects in the AIS and a loss of polarity are associated with neurological dysfunction and numerous disease states. Though critical for fundamental aspects of neuronal polarity and synaptic transmission, we have lacked the tools to define the molecular choreography that endows the AIS with such important functions until recently. My work has spearheaded approaches to visualize and uncover the dynamic cell biology at the AIS in both cultured mammalian neurons and living C. elegans animals. I will present our findings on how active cellular mechanisms at the AIS maintain neuronal polarity and drive nervous system function, bridging cellular and developmental neurobiology with the behavior of living animals.

Dr. Guillaume Dumas: Multi-Brain Neuroscience: from Generative Neurophenomenology to Inter-Personalized Psychiatry
2026-05-01 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Human cognition and mental health do not arise from the brain alone, but from continuous interactions among people, bodies, and social environments. This talk introduces a multi-brain perspective on neuroscience that connects research on consciousness with new directions in psychiatry. Using recent advances that enable multiple brains to be recorded simultaneously, we explore how everyday social interactions, such as conversation, cooperation, and shared attention, give rise to coordinated patterns of brain activity across individuals. These patterns reflect how people align emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally during real-world interactions.
Building on these insights, the talk argues for a shift in how we think about mental health. Rather than focusing solely on what happens inside an individual’s brain, we propose an embodied and relational view in which well-being and vulnerability depend on the quality of interactions with others. Changes in how brains coordinate during social exchanges have been linked to a range of psychiatric conditions, suggesting that mental health is shaped by relationships as much as by biology. Inter-personalized psychiatry extends this idea by considering diagnosis and intervention at the level of pairs, families, and groups, integrating brain mechanisms with lived social experience.
Overall, this work highlights how studying brains in interaction can deepen our understanding of consciousness, inform more socially grounded approaches to mental health, and open new paths for clinical research and practice.

Evelyn Young - BNS Seminar
2026-04-24 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for the UBC Behavioural Neuroscience Seminars (BNS), a lecture series featuring DMCBH trainees and professors in a casual setting. Talks take place from 3-4 pm every Friday in DMCBH 3402A-C.
This week’s speaker is Evelyn Young from the Interactive Mind and Motion Lab.
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Dr. Mypinder Sekhon: Characterizing The Human Dying Process for translational insights into in vivo Brain Ischemia
2026-04-24 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
The talk will undertake an overview of the physiology of the human dying process as an in vivo model of brain ischemia physiology. The talk will cover the feasibility of undertaking this work at VGH and the characterization of the physiology of circulatory arrest in humans. Additionally, I will describe preliminary insights into the changes of the proteome and metabolome of the human brain during brain ischemia and use of whole brain autopsies for insights into disease mechanisms.

Repairing the Mind: The Future of Brain Injury Research and Recovery
2026-04-20 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | UBC Robson Square Theatre (C300), 800 Robson Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6Z 3B7, Canada
Repairing the Mind brings together leading UBC researchers who are transforming how we detect, understand, and treat brain injuries and disorders. From simple blood tests that catch concussion and dementia earlier, to personalized treatments for spinal cord injuries, to new technologies that help patients communicate even when they appear unresponsive—this event will highlight how research is creating real possibilities for recovery. These breakthroughs are already reshaping how we support brain health through faster answers, more precise care, and renewed hope for patients and families.
UBC Connects at Robson Square, in partnership with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, presents leading UBC scholars Dr. Cheryl Wellington, Dr. Wolfram Tetzlaff and Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes in a conversation about the future of brain injury research and recovery.
Free and open to all.

Speaker bios:
Dr. Cheryl Wellington is Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC. Dr. Wellington’s lab takes a translational approach to researching brain health, focusing on both the fundamental biological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the clinical utility of fluid biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of neurological conditions. Dr. Wellington also holds multiple leadership positions in both the dementia and neurotrauma communities, and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Dr. Wolfram Tetzlaff is Professor in the Departments of Zoology and Surgery at UBC and former Director of ICORD (International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries). Dr. Tetzlaff’s research focuses on developing experimental strategies for neuroprotection and neural repair, with an emphasis on understanding why the spinal cord fails to regenerate after spinal cord injury. His ultimate goal is to combine multiple strategies to promote nerve cell growth and improve recovery, helping to advance new therapies for spinal cord and brain injury. He recently received the King Charles III Coronation Medals, recognizing him as a spinal cord injury research trailblazer.
Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes is an Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Occupational Sciences and Occupational Therapy at UBC. She leads the Biosignal Interaction and Personhood Technology (BIAPT) Lab, which aims to develop technologies to assess consciousness and sustain relationships with minimally communicative persons. Her research program has involved persons in disorders of consciousness and palliative care; adults with dementia, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and children with autism and severe disabilities. Recently, she was elected as a Member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists.
Moderator:
Dr. Shernaz Bamji is a Professor in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Co-Director of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health Her research is focused on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neural connectivity and synaptic plasticity. Her work has provided key insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying learning and memory, as well as how these processes are disrupted in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders such as intellectual disabilities, schizophrenia, autism and Alzheimer’s disease.

Innovative Approaches to Opioid Use Disorder Management in the Fentanyl Era
2026-04-17 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for a timely and thought-provoking interdisciplinary panel on “Innovative Approaches to Opioid Use Disorder Management in the Fentanyl Era,” co-sponsored by the MATRIX-N cluster and DMCBH. Leading experts will explore emerging solutions, from novel therapeutics and withdrawal management strategies to patient-centered research and cross-sector collaboration. Together, they will examine how the realities of the fentanyl era are reshaping treatment paradigms, exposing critical gaps in translation from research to practice, and challenging us to design more effective, scalable interventions to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes.
Whether you are a researcher, clinician, trainee, or community member, this event offers a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue on addressing one of today’s most pressing public health crises. Stay after the panel for a social hour with food and drinks to continue the conversations.
Panelists:

Dr. Kelly Dunn (University of Maryland)
Dr. Martha Ignaszewski (BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital, UBC)
Dr. Glenn Sammis (UBC Chemistry)
Dr. Adam Horowitz (MIT, Harvard)

Moderator:

Dr. Pouya Azar (Vancouver General Hospital, UBC)

Dr. Kelly Dunn: How Can Differences in Opioid Withdrawal Inform New Treatment Strategies?
2026-04-17 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
This presentation will review the need for a precision medicine approach to opioid withdrawal and illustrate how variability in withdrawal symptom expression would inform novel treatment strategies. Differences in withdrawal presentation as a result of illicit fentanyl exposure will be reviewed and results from a randomized trial comparison of a new medication for withdrawal management will be presented

Neuropizza with the Hariri lab
2026-04-15 17:00 - 18:00 UTC | Koerner Pavilion Conference Centre, F-106, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Come and learn about some cool science and hang out with your neuroscience colleagues over pizza and drinks!! Neuropizza takes place monthly in the Koerner conference room starting at 5:00pm and is open to everyone.

Dr. Mark Brandon: Stability and drift in neural representations
2026-04-10 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
How does the brain maintain stable internal representations of the world while also remaining flexible enough to learn, adapt, and predict the future? This is a central question in systems neuroscience. In this talk, I will present recent work from my lab that addresses this problem at both the level of network dynamics and the level of single-neuron coding.
First I will focus on the head direction system and the concept of network gain as a control parameter that regulates how strongly external landmarks can realign an internal directional attractor during reorientation. I will describe new data and models that begin to reveal the circuit mechanisms that may tune this gain signal in different behavioral contexts.
I will then turn to hippocampal representations across days. Using chronic recordings, we find that not all place cells drift. In one set of experiments, a majority of cells whose firing is constrained by environmental geometry can remain remarkably stable across sessions, whereas other cells show substantial drift. In a separate set of experiments, we identify a distinct population of reward coding neurons whose drift is not random but highly organized, showing a systematic backward shift over learning as an activity transitions from encoding current outcomes to predicting future reward locations. Together, these studies begin to specify when neural representations are stable, when they change, and how that change can follow precise trajectories rather than random wander, providing concrete constraints for models of long-term spatial memory and its disruption in disease.

Michelle Jung: Effects of maternal and offspring sucrose consumption on offspring hormones and behaviour
2026-03-27 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for the UBC Behavioural Neuroscience Seminars (BNS), a lecture series featuring DMCBH trainees and professors in a casual setting. Talks take place from 3-4 pm every Friday in DMCBH 3402A-C.
This week’s speaker is Michelle Jung from the Soma Lab.
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Dr. Zachary Pennington: An amygdala-hypothalamic circuit gates stress vulnerability.
2026-03-27 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
There is substantial individual variability in how individuals respond to stress, and a major predictor of this variance is the prior experience of stress. Here, I’ll share data showing that prior stress inflates negative valence signals in an amygdala-hypothalamic circuit and increases stress vulnerability.

Functional neuroimaging of spontaneous thought with relevance to addiction and craving
2026-03-23 15:30 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
This month, Dr. Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva, Professor in the Department of Psychology, will present “Functional neuroimaging of spontaneous thought with relevance to addiction and craving.”
Zoom link if unable to attend in person:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/5936706150?pwd=[REDACTED]

Neilan Tan: Effects of early life adversity on memory retention and anxiolytic phenotypes in mice
2026-03-20 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for the UBC Behavioural Neuroscience Seminars (BNS), a lecture series featuring DMCBH trainees and professors in a casual setting. Talks take place from 3-4 pm every Friday in DMCBH 3402A-C.
This week’s speaker is Neilan Tan from the Snyder Lab.
Learn more

Dr. Stephan Lammel: Neural Dynamics of Dopamine Neurons in Motivated Behavior
2026-03-20 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Despite decades of research on the properties of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons, the precise information encoded by these cells in reward learning and motivated behavior remains uncertain. In this talk, I will describe recent work investigating two distinct modalities of the midbrain dopamine system at different levels of investigation. First, I will present work leveraging an approach that combines Neuropixels recordings and optogenetics to examine dopamine neurons at the single-cell level. In conjunction with computational modeling, we explored the neural dynamics of dopamine subpopulations across different VTA subregions in mice performing a reward-seeking task. Second, I will discuss a neural mechanism that explains why a chronic high-fat diet paradoxically diminishes the desire for high-fat, sugary foods, even when these foods are easily accessible. We found that this reduction in desire is attributed to decreased neurotensin signaling from nucleus accumbens inputs to dopamine neurons in the lateral VTA. We propose that restoring this desire, either through dietary modifications or by enhancing neurotensin expression and release, can drive changes in eating behavior and promote weight loss. Together, our experiments are geared towards developing comprehensive frameworks for understanding dopamine’s diverse roles in behavior.

Karina Thiessen: The Effects of Cannabinoids on Acute Stress Response in Humans: An MRI Study
2026-03-13 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for the UBC Behavioural Neuroscience Seminars (BNS), a lecture series featuring DMCBH trainees and professors in a casual setting. Talks take place from 3-4 pm every Friday in DMCBH 3402A-C.
This week’s speaker is Karina Thiessen from the Schutz Lab.
Learn more

Dr. Keri Martinowich: Spatially-resolved molecular approaches for understanding human brain circuits and disease vulnerability
2026-03-13 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
This talk will highlight recent efforts to generate and analyze spatially resolved molecular datasets to better understand structure–function relationships in the human brain, particularly in the context of complex brain disorders. While single-cell and single-nucleus sequencing approaches have rapidly advanced our ability to define molecularly distinct cell populations, these methods often lack the spatial and circuit context necessary to interpret how cells interact within intact brain tissue. I will describe integrative strategies that combine spatial transcriptomics, single-cell genomics, and data-driven computational approaches to define molecularly distinct spatial domains within human brain regions, map cell–cell and circuit-level interactions across these domains, and identify enrichment of disease-associated molecular profiles in specific cellular and spatial contexts. Across examples from cortical and subcortical circuits, these approaches provide a framework for understanding how molecular heterogeneity is organized in space and how this organization may confer selective vulnerability in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disease.

Neuropizza with the Selvanathan & Miller labs
2026-03-11 17:00 - 18:00 UTC | Koerner Pavilion Conference Centre, F-106, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada

Peiying Wen: Optogenetic reactivation of electroconvulsive shock-impaired memory engram
2026-03-06 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for the UBC Behavioural Neuroscience Seminars (BNS), a lecture series featuring DMCBH trainees and professors in a casual setting. Talks take place from 3-4 pm every Friday in DMCBH 3402A-C.
This week’s speaker is Peiying Wen from the Snyder and NINET Lab.
Learn more

Dr. Cris Niell: Neural circuits for natural vision
2026-03-06 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Natural visual processing entails a complex interplay between sensory input, behavioral context, and on-going brain dynamics. Our lab seeks to understand how these processes give rise to goal-directed visual behaviors, by exploring the neural circuits mediating ethologically relevant behaviors that laboratory mice perform, including prey capture and distance estimation. We are also implementing novel experimental approaches to investigate neural coding of the visual scene as animals freely move through their environment. Finally, I will present a new research direction studying the completely different, yet largely unexplored, visual system of the octopus.

Jordan Hamden: The intestinal microbiome modulates brain development and degeneration
2026-02-27 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for the UBC Behavioural Neuroscience Seminars (BNS), a lecture series featuring DMCBH trainees and professors in a casual setting. Talks take place from 3-4 pm every Friday in DMCBH 3402A-C.
This week’s speaker is Jordan Hamden from the Ciernia Lab.
Learn more

Dr. Leah Mayo: Lost in translation? Exploring the endocannabinoid system as a novel pharmacotherapeutic target in PTSD
2026-02-27 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Dr. Mayo will talk about studies involving animal-to-human translational work highlighting how endocannabinoid function regulates stress reactivity and fear learning, leveraging human behavioral pharmacology and neuroimaging. She will also highlight outcomes from a recent clinical trial exploring how augmenting cannabinoid function impacts clinical, behavioral, and neural measures in people with PTSD.

Contributions of striatal astrocytes to drug addiction
2026-02-23 15:30 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
This month, Dr. Tristan Hynes (Assistant Professor of Psychology at SFU and Associate Member at the DMCBH) will present “Contributions of striatal astrocytes to drug addiction.”
Zoom link if unable to attend in person:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/5936706150?pwd=[REDACTED]

Salvatore Furfaro - BNS Seminar
2026-02-20 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMCBH Room 3402, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Join us for the UBC Behavioural Neuroscience Seminars (BNS), a lecture series featuring DMCBH trainees and professors in a casual setting. Talks take place from 3-4 pm every Friday in DMCBH 3402A-C.
This week’s speaker is Salvatore Furfaro from the Snyder Lab.
Learn more

Dr. Sheena Josselyn: Engrams and Memory in Mice
2026-02-20 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
Understanding how the brain encodes, stores, and uses information is a central goal of neuroscience. Many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Alzheimer’s disease, may arise from disrupted information processing. Thus, uncovering the neural mechanisms by which information is represented in the brain is not only key to understanding normal cognition but also essential for developing targeted therapeutic strategies.
Memory can be defined as the persistence of internal representations acquired through experience, and the capacity to reconstruct these representations across time. The enduring physical changes in the brain that encode such information are referred to as engrams. Although the idea of a physical memory trace can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophy, it was not formally articulated until 1904 when Richard Semon coined the term engram. Despite this long conceptual history, identifying the precise neural substrates of an engram has proven remarkably difficult, in part because memory is encoded across multiple levels; from epigenetic and synaptic modifications to coordinated patterns of neuronal ensemble activity.
Our laboratory seeks to understand how specific neurons are recruited, or allocated, to a given engram, and how membership within these neuronal ensembles may evolve with time, plasticity, or new learning. By combining molecular, imaging, and behavioral approaches in mice, we aim to link changes in neuronal excitability and network dynamics to the stability and flexibility of memory representations. In my lecture, I will describe our historic and recent findings toward mapping and manipulating memory engrams in the mammalian brain, and discuss their implications for understanding both healthy and disordered memory.

Decoding the Brain: How Different Cells Contribute to Disease
2026-02-18 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Forge, 208 Carrall St, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 2J1, Canada
Ever wondered what’s actually happening inside the brain when disease strikes, and how scientists figure it out?
Decoding the Brain: How Different Cells Contribute to Disease is a free, after-hours science event that brings you inside the world of modern neuroscience, without the textbooks or technical jargon.
Taking place at The Forge in Gastown, this evening features short, engaging talks from local brain researchers at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health who study the brain’s many cell types – from neurons to support and immune cells – and how their breakdown contributes to neurological disease. You’ll learn how scientists see, track, and test brain cells using innovative tools, and why these discoveries matter for brain health.
This event is designed for a general audience (no science background required). Talks are visual, and interactive, with plenty of time for questions and discussion.
The event is co-organized by the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and the Neuroscience Trainee Association, and will have a relaxed, after-hours atmosphere. Limited appetizers will be provided, and drinks will be available for purchase.

Speakers:
Dr. Annie Ciernia, Assistant Professor
From Clues to Cures: Finding the Cells That Drive Brain Disease
Andrew Thompson, PhD candidate
Seen and Sequenced: How We Study the Brain Cell at the Centre of Multiple Sclerosis
Dr. Mehwish Anwer, Postdoctoral Fellow
Google Maps for Brain Research
Jacqueline Palik, Master’s student
Motor Neurons: The Vulnerable Cells in ALS

UBC Kickstart Updates
2026-02-13 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada

Dr. Donna Rose Addis: The Prospective Brain: Past and Future
2026-02-06 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rudy North Lecture Theatre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
The human brain has the remarkable capacity to transport the self into the past and future. While previously thought of as distinct functions, recent research has shown that memory for past events and imagination of future events rely on the same brain networks. In this talk, I will present neuroimaging and neuropsychological research demonstrating the overlap between remembering and imagining, the unique properties of our ability to foresee the future, and how these abilities are affected by memory impairment.
