Dr. Catherine Hume
Post-doctoral Fellow
​(2019-present)

Contact: [email protected]

Research. ​​I am interested in the neuronal control of homeostatic and hedonic feeding behaviours and the modulation of these circuits by environmental factors that alter behaviour. I am currently investigating how cannabis stimulates food intake (a phenomenon commonly known as ‘the munchies’) with the aim of deciphering the neuronal mechanisms that underlie these cannabis-induced motivated feeding behaviours. This research involves the use of specialized cannabis vapour administration chambers combined with various behavioural paradigms (including operant conditioning), as well as pharmacological and circuit-based manipulations.

​Hobbies. ​​I like to cook, watch true crime documentaries, and drink margaritas :) ​​

Favourite paper. ​​​​Aponte et al. (2011). AGRP neurons are sufficient to orchestrate feeding behavior rapidly and without training. Nature Neuroscience, 14(3): 351-355. This paper has a special place in my heart as after reading it, I decided to carry out a PhD in feeding behaviour research. It is an exceptional study showing for the first time that feeding behaviours can be driven by the specific activation of a single hypothalamic circuit.

Publications

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

Baglot SL, Hume C, Petrie GN, Aukema RJ, Lightfoot SHM, Grace LM, Zhou R, Parker L, Rho JM, Borgland SL, McLaughlin RJ, Brechenmacher L, Hill MN. (2021). Pharmacokinetics and Central Accumulation of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its Bioactive Metabolites Are Influenced by Route of Administration and Sex in Rats. Scientific Reports, 11(1):23990.

Hume C, Sabatier N, Menzies J. (2017). High-Sugar, but Not High-Fat, Food Activates Supraoptic Nucleus Neurons in the Male Rat. Endocrinology, 158(7): 2200-2211.

Hume C, Jachs B, Menzies J. (2016). Homeostatic responses to palatable food consumption in satiated rats. Obesity (Silver Spring), 24(10): 2126-32.

FULL LIST OF PUBLICATIONS​
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Awards

Select Awards:

• Dr. Hubert van Tol Travel Fellowship (2023), Brain Canada
• J. Michael Walker Post-Doctoral Prize (2022), International Cannabinoid Research Society
• Postdoc Research Slam second place prize (2022), University of Calgary
• FENS Forum Award (2020), Society for Neuroscience

Funding:

• Cumming School of Medicine Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023-present), University of Calgary
• Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023-present), University of Calgary
• Harley Hotchkiss - Samuel Weiss Postdoctoral Fellowship (2021-2022), University of Calgary
• Eyes High Postdoctoral Recruitment Scholarship (2019-2021), University of Calgary

education

After completing my BSc in pharmacology, I remained at the University of Edinburgh (UK) to carry out my PhD in the Centre for Integrative Physiology with Professor Gareth Leng and Dr John Menzies. I investigated how the homeostatic energy balance system compensates for the hedonic consumption of palatable, high-sugar food to maintain body weight.
Following a short postdoc in the lab of Professor Mike Ludwig (Centre of Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh (UK)) investigating how retinal vasopressin regulates hypothalamic circuits controlling circadian rhythms, I moved to Dr. Matthew Hill’s lab at the University of Calgary to continue pursuing feeding behaviour-based research.