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For a list of previous lab members: Past Members
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DR. MATTHEW HILL
Principal Investigator
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research interests
My research career has largely focused on the intersection between cannabinoids and the stress response. My lab has 3 primary research streams, all of which are independently funded, which focus on 1) stress and endocannabinoids; 2) cannabinoid regulation of feeding and metabolism; 3) the neurodevelopmental and behavioral impacts of cannabis exposure education
I began working in the laboratory of Dr. Boris Gorzalka as a 2nd year undergraduate in 1999. My initial projects were at looking at the behavioural effects of the hormones corticosterone and melatonin on stress coping behaviour. I continued graduate work in the Gorzalka lab where I transitioned into exploring the endocannabinoid system, how it interacts with stress hormones and how these changes contribute to alterations in affective and cognitive behaviour. The focus of my thesis was examining the impacts of chronic stress and antidepressant treatments on the endocannabinoid system. I also spent a large portion of my graduate training in two other labs, those of Dr. Cecilia Hillard and Dr. Victor Viau, where I honed skills in the neuropharmacology of cannabinoids and the psychoneuroendocrinology of stress, respectively. In 2008, I finished my PhD and left UBC to join the laboratory of Dr. Bruce McEwen at Rockefeller University in New York City. I finished my postdoctoral fellowship and started my own lab at the University of Calgary in the summer of 2011. hobbies
Personally, I love to cook and travel and am an avid dog fan, especially those of the bulldog breed. I like to ski and hike in the rocky mountains nearby favorite paper
Favourite paper: I am going to select 3 papers, as there were 3 key papers that got the entire field of stress, affective behavior and endocannabinoids rolling: 1) Marsicano G, Wotjak CT, Azad SC, Bisogno T, Rammes G, Cascio MG, Hermann H, Tang J, Hofmann C, Zieglgänsberger W, Di Marzo V, Lutz B. (2002) The Endogenous Cannabinoid System Controls Extinction of Aversive Memories. Nature 418(6897): 530-4. 2) Di S, Malcher-Lopes R, Halmos KC, Tasker JG. (2003). Nongenomic glucocorticoid inhibition via endocannabinoid release in the hypothalamus: a fast feedback mechanism. J Neurosci. 23(12): 4850-7. 3) Patel S, Roelke CT, Rademacher DJ, Cullinan WE, Hillard CJ. (2004). Endocannabinoid signaling negatively modulates stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Endocrinology 145(12): 5431-8. publications
SELECT PUBLICATIONS Stress-induced Modulation of Endocannabinoid Signaling Leads to Delayed Strengthening of Synaptic Connectivity in the Amygdala. Yasmin F, Colangeli R, Morena M, Filipski S, Pittman QJ, van der Stelt M, Hillard CJ, Teskey GC, McEwen BS, Hill MN*, Chattarji S*. (2020) Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences USA 117(1), 650-655. * = co-senior authorship LINK Neurobiological Interactions Between Stress and the Endocannabinoid System Morena M, Patel S, Bains JS, Hill MN (2016) Neuropsychopharmacology 41(1), 80-102 LINK Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Drives Anandamide Hydrolysis in the Amygdala to Promote Anxiety. Gray JM, Vecchiarelli HA, Morena M, Lee TT, Hermanson D, Kim AB, McLaughlin RJ, Hassan K, Kuhne C, Wotjak CT, Deussing JM, Patel S, Hill MN (2015) Journal of Neuroscience 35(9), 3879-3892 LINK Full list of publications awards
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Contact: mnhill@ucalgary.ca
MIN QIAO
Lab Manager & Technician (2015 - present)
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role
I am the lab manager and research technician in the lab. I joined the lab in 2015 and has been responsible for lab safety and supplies procurement. I provide routine technical assistance in the lab and have many years of expertise in immunohistology, Westen Blot and rodent surgeries. education
I completed my Medical degree from Southwest Medical University, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (1988-1996). I moved to Canada and received my Msc in Neurophysiology from University of Manitoba in 1999 under the supervision of Dr. Ursula Tuor. After graduation, I worked for 10 years at Institute for Biodiagnostics, National Research Council Canada in the research of magnetic resonance imaging on rodent models of stroke before working at the University of Calgary. hobbies
In my free time, I like to cook and play sports such as ping-pong, badminton, and soccer with my family. publications
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Contact: mqiao@ucalgary.ca
DR. GEORGIA BALSEVICH
Postdoctoral Fellow (2016 - present)
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research interests
I am interested in understanding the crosstalk between energy balance and stress regulation by identifying underlying shared mechanisms. In the Hill lab, I am specifically investigating glucocorticoid-endocannabinoid signaling mechanisms that regulate whole body energy metabolism by using a combination of molecular, genetic, and pharmacological approaches. education
I completed my BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Saskatchewan before receiving my MSc in Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia. I then moved to Munich, Germany for my PhD in order to work with Dr. Mathias Schmidt at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry where I investigated molecular mechanisms contributing to disease susceptibility. Indeed my current research interests have been shaped by my past research experience, which span molecular, cellular, and systems-level examination of stress-related pathophysiologies. hobbies
In my free time, I love to be on the move, be it in the city running and cycling, or in the mountains hiking and skiing. favorite paper
I cannot pick just one because too many papers have inspired my research over the years, which is continuously evolving. However, a favourite pick from the last two years is “Activation of AMPK-Regulated CRH Neurons in the PVH is Sufficient and Necessary to Induce Dietary Preference for Carbohydrate over Fat” (Okamoto et al, 2018; PubMed link). I like this paper because the authors pinpoint a cell-specific molecular mechanism to explain a highly complex behaviour in order to help us understand why food preference shifts in response to the environmental context (i.e. metabolic states and stress). publications
SELECT PUBLICATIONS A Role for Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) in the Leptin-mediated Effects on Feeding and Metabolism Balsevich G, Sticht MA, Bowles NP, Singh A, Lee TT, Li Z, Chelikani P, Lee FS, Borgland SL, Hillard CJ, McEwen BS, Hill MN (2018) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 115(29), 7605-7610. LINK Stress-responsive FKBP51 regulates AKT2-AS160 signaling and metabolic function Balsevich G, Häusl AS, Meyer CW, Karamihalev S, Feng X, Pöhlmann ML, Dournes C, Uribe-Marino A, Santarelli S, Labermaier C, Hafner K, Mao T, Breitsamer M, Theodoropoulou M, Namendorf C, Uhr M, Paez-Pereda M, Winter G, Hausch F, Chen A, Tschöp MH, Rein T, Gassen NC, Schmidt MV (2017) Nature Communications, 8(1), 1725 LINK Endocannabinoids: Effectors of Glucocorticoid Signaling Balsevich G, Petrie GN, Hill MN (2017) Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology 47, 86-108 LINK Full list of publications awards
- 2019: Awarded Alberta Innovates Postgraduate Fellowship - 2018: Awarded Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, most prestigious and competitive fellowship of those offered by the Canadian Federal Government - 2018: Awarded Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Postdoctoral Fellowship, ranked 1st out of 1071 applications submitted, declined - 2017 – 2018: Elected Director of Events, The Postdoctoral Association, University of Calgary, Calgary - 2017: Awarded Postdoctoral Presentation Award, International Cannabinoid Research Society - 2016: Awarded Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship - 2015 – 2016: Elected PhD representative for the Max Planck Society, Munich, Germany - 2014: Awarded Young Investigator Award at the 27th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress Berlin - 2012: Selected member of the International Max Planck Research School-LS, Munich, Germany - 2011: Awarded NSERC CGSM Scholarship |
Contact: georgia.balsevich@ucalgary.ca
DR. CATHERINE HUME
Postdoctoral Fellow (2019 - present)
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research interests
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 vapor administration chambers combined with various behavioural paradigms (including operant conditioning), as well as pharmacological and circuit-based manipulations. 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. hobbies
I like to cook, pet dogs, watch true crime documentaries and drink margaritas :) favorite paper
‘AGRP neurons are sufficient to orchestrate feeding behavior rapidly and without training’ (Aponte et al 2011 Nat Neurosci; PubMed link). 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 Effects of optogenetic stimulation of vasopressinergic retinal afferents on suprachiasmatic neurones Hume C, Allchorne A, Grinevich V, Leng G, Ludwig M (2019) Journal of Neuroendocrinology 31(12):e12806 LINK High-Sugar, but Not High-Fat, Food Activates Supraoptic Nucleus Neurons in the Male Rat Hume C, Sabatier N, Menzies J Endocrinology 158(7):2200-2211 LINK Homeostatic responses to palatable food consumption in satiated rats Hume C, Jachs B, Menzies J Obesity (Silver Spring) 24(10):2126-32 LINK Maternal-fetal transmission of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its metabolites following inhalation and injection exposure during pregnancy in rats Baglot SL, VanRyzin JW, Marquardt AE, Aukema RJ, Petrie GN, Hume C, Reinl EL, Bieber JB, McLaughlin RJ, McCarthy MM, Hill MN. (2021) Journal of Neuroscience Research, published ahead of print LINK Full list of publications awards
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Contact: catherine.hume1@ucalgary.ca
ROBERT AUKEMA
PhD Candidate (2016 - present)
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research interests
I am interested in understanding basolateral amygdala circuitry during exposure to stress. Broadly, I am investigating the anatomy (topographical distribution) and the functionality of projection neuron populations in the basolateral amygdala to understand the contribution of each population to physiological and behavioral responses to stress challenge. To answer these questions, I use retrograde tracing, immunohistochemistry, Gi DREADDs, optogenetics, fiber photometry, and behavioral tests. education
I received my undergraduate degree (B.Sc. 2012-2016) at Carleton University in Ottawa, ON, where I completed an Honor’s Thesis in Dr. Alfonso Abizaid’s lab – a place that first truly fuelled my interest in neuroscience. hobbies
Outside of the lab, I am a whole-hearted fan of the mountains, my 2006 Hyundai Sante-Fe, the squash court, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. favorite paper
“Organization of valence-encoding and projection-defined neurons in the basolateral amygdala” (Beyeler et al, 2018; PubMed link). A beautiful and detailed anatomical description of three projection neuron populations in the amygdala, and how they interact to encode valence of stimuli. publications
SELECT PUBLICATIONS Endocannabinoids, cannabinoids and the regulation of anxiety Petrie GN, Nastase AS, Aukema RJ, Hill MN (2021) Neuropharmacology 195:108626 LINK Up-regulation of Anandamide Hydrolysis in the Basolateral Complex of the Amygdala Reduces Fear Memory Expression and Indices of Stress and Anxiety. Morena M, Aukema RJ, Leitl K, Rashid A, Vecchiarelli HA, Josselyn SA, Hill MN (2019). Journal of Neuroscience 39(7), 1275-1292. LINK Protective Effects of Elevated Anandamide on Stress and Fear-related Behaviors: Translational Evidence from Humans and Mice Mayo LM, Asratian A, Linde J, Holm L, Natt D, Augier G, Stensson N, Vecchiarelli HA, Balsevich G, Aukema RJ, Ghafouri B, Spagnolo PA, Lee FS, Hill MN, Heilig M (2020) Molecular Psychiatry 25(5):993-1005 LINK Full list of publications Awards
I am extremely grateful to have received funding support from:
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Contact: robert.aukema1@ucalgary.ca / Twitter: @robertaukema
GAVIN PETRIE
PhD Candidate (2016 - present)
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research interests
My research investigates how the endocannabinoid system gates the stress response. Specifically, I am investigating how both tonic and phasic endocannabinoid signalling regulate stress-responsivity by measuring HPA axis activation and self-directed grooming behaviors. I am harnessing a wide range of techniques to answer these questions: pharmacology, optogenetics, fiber photometry and immunohistochemistry. education
I earned my Undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Guelph (B.A. 2016). My passion for cannabinoids began while completing an honors thesis in Linda Parker’s lab on how the endogenous cannabinoid, Oleoyl Glycine, can be used to treat morphine withdrawal. hobbies
My recreational passions include mountain biking, skiing and having a pint with my buddies. favorite paper
Favorite paper: “Nongenomic Glucocorticoid Inhibition via Endocannabinoid Release in the Hypothalamus: A Fast Feedback Mechanism” (Di et al., 2003; PubMed link). This is the first paper to suggest a role for endocannabinoids in the stress response by showing the necessity of cannabinoid signalling during glucocorticoid negative feedback in the PVN. publications
SELECT PUBLICATIONS Endocannabinoids, cannabinoids and the regulation of anxiety Petrie GN, Nastase AS, Aukema RJ, Hill MN (2021) Neuropharmacology 195:108626 LINK Oleoyl glycine: interference with the aversive effects of acute naloxone-precipitated MWD, but not morphine reward, in male Sprague-Dawley rat Petrie GN, Wills KL, Piscitelli F, Smoum R, Limebeer CL, Rock EM, Humphrey AE, Sheppard-Perkins M, Lichtman AH, Mechoulam R, Di Marzo V, Parker LA Psychopharmacology (Berlin), 236(9):2623-2633 LINK Discovery of a NAPE-PLD inhibitor that modulates emotional behavior in mice. Mock ED, Mustafa M, Gunduz-Cinar O, Cinar R, Petrie GN, Kantae V, Di X, Ogasawara D, Varga Z, Paloczi J, Miliano C, Donvito G, van Esbroeck ACM, van der Gracht AMF, Kotsogianni L, Park JK, Martella A, van der Wel T, Soethoudt M, Jiang M, Wendel TJ, Janssen APA, Bakker AT, Donovan CM, Castillo LI, Florea BI, Wat J, van den Hurk H, Wittwer M, Grether U, Holmes A, van Boeckel CAA, Hankemeier T, Cravatt BF, Buczynski MW, Hill MN, Pacher P, Lichtman AH, van der Stelt M (2020) Nature Chemical Biology 16(6):667-675 LINK Full list of publications awards
Awards
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Contact: gavin.petrie@ucalgary.ca
SAMANTHA BAGLOT
PhD Candidate (2018 - present)
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RESEARCH INTERESTS
Overall, my research investigates the endocrine, immune, and behavioural effects of developmental exposure to cannabis. Utilizing cannabis vapour administration chambers my research specifically examines the effects of either prenatal or adolescent exposure to cannabis on stress and immune system development and functioning, as well as social behaviour. EDUCATION
I completed my BA in Psychology (2011-2015) and MSc in Neuroscience (2015-2018) from the University of British Columbia. During my MSc degree I was co-supervised by Drs. Joanne Weinberg and Liisa Galea and I investigated a possible role for oxytocin in attenuating the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on adult stress functioning, hippocampal neurogenesis, and anxiety-like behaviour. HOBBIES
In my free time, I love to cycle (both outdoors or in a spin class), hike, practice yoga, and ski. I am a second-degree black belt in Meibukan Go-Ju Ryu Karate and a first-degree in Kobudo (Weapons). FAVORITE PAPER
Favorite paper: “Microglial Phagocytosis of Newborn Cells Is Induced by Endocannabinoids and Sculpts Sex Differences in Juvenile Rat Social Play” (VanRyzin et al., 2019; PubMed link). This paper highlights the developmental and sex-specific role of the endocannabinoid system in promoting the immune system to shape the circuity underlying social play behaviour - and is the first paper that got me interested in how prenatal cannabis exposure would alter immune system development and social behaviour functioning. PUBLICATIONS
SELECT PUBLICATIONS Pharmacokinetics and Central Accumulation of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its Bioactive Metabolites Are Influenced by Route of Administration and Sex in Rats 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) Scientific Reports 11(1):23990 LINK Maternal-fetal transmission of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its metabolites following inhalation and injection exposure during pregnancy in rats Baglot SL, VanRyzin JW, Marquardt AE, Aukema RJ, Petrie GN, Hume C, Reinl EL, Bieber JB, McLaughlin RJ, McCarthy MM, Hill MN. (2021) Journal of Neuroscience Research, published ahead of print LINK Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on social competence: Asymmetry in play partner preference among heterogeneous triads of male and female rats Holman PJ, Baglot SL, Morgan E, Weinberg J (2019) Developmental Psychobiology 61(4):513-524 LINK Full list of publications Awards
Awards
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Contact: samantha.baglot@ucalgary.ca / Twitter: @s_baglot
ANDREI SABIN NASTASE
PhD/MD Candidate (2018 - present)
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RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research focuses on how the endocannabinoid system acts to regulate valence processing and coordinate behavioral invigoration during stress and homeostatic need. My approach is rooted in an ethological framework; by evaluating behavioral repertoires in a semi-naturalistic approach/avoidance task, I seek to answer my question in an evolutionarily relevant way. EDUCATION
I earned my Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours Degree in Neuroscience at the University of Calgary. My first exposure to research was at the Alberta Children’s Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Daniele Pacaud, where I studied the effectiveness of Corneal Confocal Microscopy in predicting and detecting pediatric diabetic neuropathy. My passion for research blossomed during my honours thesis under the supervision of Dr. Matt Hill and Dr. Maria Morena, with whom I investigated the influence of the endocannabinoid system in regulating fear memory dynamics. I am currently enrolled in the Leader's in Medicine Program at the University of Calgary. HOBBIES
I love playing frisbee, riding my bike, reading classics, and engaging in as much banter as I can. FAVORITE PAPER
Favorite paper: “Amygdala Signaling during Foraging in a Hazardous Environment” (Amir et al., 2015). Great use of an ethological model to explore the behavioral correlates of neuronal activity in a sub-section of basolateral amygdala neurons. Publications
Sex dependent effects of endocannabinoid modulation of fear extinction in rats. Morena M, Nastase AS, Santori A, Cravatt BF, Shansky RM, Hill MN. (2021) British Journal of Pharmacology 178(4), 983-996 LINK Endocannabinoids, cannabinoids and the regulation of anxiety Petrie GN, Nastase AS, Aukema RJ, Hill MN (2021) Neuropharmacology 195:108626 LINK Amygdalar endocannabinoids are affected by predator odor stress in a sex-specific manner and modulate acoustic startle reactivity in female rats Albrechet-Souza L, Nastase AS, Hill MN, Gilpin NW (2021) Neurobiology of Stress 15:100387 LINK Full list of publications AWARDS
Funding
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Contact: andrei.nastase@ucalgary.ca
