Dr. Mike Hildebrand completed his PhD in neurophysiology at UBC, followed by an industrial R&D fellowship at NeuroMed Pharmaceuticals in Vancouver. After this, Mike completed an academic postdoctoral fellowship at Sick Kids Hospital. Mike is now leading a translational pain research program as a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University and as an Affiliate Investigator at The Ottawa Hospital. His dynamic team of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers are studying mechanisms and potential treatment targets for pain using a combination of animal models and pioneering human spinal cord preclinical assays. Mike also serves as Associate Vice-Provost (Graduate Student Affairs) in the Office of Graduate Studies. He's also a runner and loves candy!
Eligible to supervise at the undergraduate and graduate level.
The Hildebrand Lab investigates spinal mechanisms of pain processing. They use a combination of molecular, pharmacological, electrophysiological, and behavioural approaches to identify the molecular pathways that regulate pain sensation in both acute and chronic pain states. The goals of the lab include:
Parnell J, Martin N, Dedek A, Rudyk C, Landrigan J, Bellevance J, Vanderloo S, Tsai EC, Hildebrand ME (2023) Cannabinoid CB1 receptor expression and localization in the dorsal horn of male and female human and rat spinal cord. Canadian Journal of Pain, Volume 7, Issue 2, Pages 1-16. Ronald Melzack, Canadian Journal of Pain Paper of the Year Award 2023
Dedek A, Xu J, Lorenzo LE, Kandegedara C, Godin AG, Glavina G, Landrigan J, Lombroso PJ, Tsai EC, De Koninck Y, Hildebrand ME (2022) Sexual dimorphism in a neuronal mechanism of spinal hyperexcitability across rodent and human models of pathological pain. Brain, Volume 145, Issue 3, Pages 1124-1138.
Harding EK*, Dedek A*, Bonin R, Salter MW, Snutch TP, Hildebrand ME (2021) The T-type antagonist, Z944, reduces spinal excitability and pain hypersensitivity. British Journal of Pharmacology, Volume 17, Pages 3517-3532.
Temi S, Rudyk C, Armstrong J, Landrigan J, Dedek C, Salmaso N, Hildebrand ME (2021) Differential expression of GluN2 NMDA receptor subunits in the dorsal horn of male and female rats. Channels, Volume 15, Issue 1, Pages 179-192.
Dedek A*, Xu J*, Kandegedara C, Lorenzo LE, Godin AG, De Konick Y, Lombroso PJ, Tai EC, Hildebrand ME. (2019) Loss of STEP61 couples disinhibition to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptop potentiation in rodent and human spinal pain processing. Brain, Volume 142, Issue 6, Pages 1535-1546.
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