The Primate Database Team

We are a conglomerate of two laboratories at the Robarts Reasearch Institute, Western University, Canada. We brought the technical strengths of both of our groups to allow for the creation of this database.

Below are listed the PIs, and members categorized by roles.

Principle Investigators

Julio Martinez-Trujillo
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    Dr. Julio C. Martinez-Trujillo, MD, PhD
    Understanding the neurophysiological basis of cognition is one of the greatest challenges faced by neuroscientists. In the last decades we have made considerable progress searching for neural correlates of cognitive functions in the primate brain, however what we currently know is just the tip of the iceberg.
    The laboratory uses a combination of techniques such as behavioral measurements, extra-cellular single cell recordings and brain mapping in order to explore the physiology of cognition, more specifically, the physiology of attention, visuomotor transformations and motion perception. Ultimately, the results of our research will be applied to the study of diseases that affect human health.
Wataru Inoue
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    Dr. Wataru Inoue, PhD
    My current research aims to understand the mechanisms of stress-induced neural plasticity. To study this, we use patch clamp electrophysiology in brain slices prepared from laboratory animals subjected to various stress paradigms. We also combine optogenetics with ex vivo electrophysiology as well as in vivo stress paradigms in order to examine the roles of genetically and anatomically defined neural circuits in stress-associative synaptic plasticity and learning.
Shreejoy Tripathy
  • molecular
    Dr. Shreejoy Tripathy, PhD
    We aim to develop a multi-scale understanding of brain cell type diversity, bridging genetics and gene expression with cell and circuit physiology. We develop machine learning and statistical methods to help neuroscientists translate information at different levels of organization, like gene expression to neuron electrophysiology. Our long-term goal is to better understand the cellular changes that underlie psychiatric and neurological disorders and to ultimately develop approaches that can help guide tailored treatments for mental health patients.

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    Rogelio Luna, MD, PhD
    Postdoctoral Associate
    I am looking at the encoding of spatial working memory signals in the prefrontal cortex. My current goal is finding what is the spatial reference frame that prefrontal circuits might be basing on to represent/codify this spatial WM signal.
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    Benjamin W Corrigan, MSc
    PhD Student
    I study the effects of eye movements on neural activity in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex
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    Megan Roussy
    PhD Student
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    Borna Mahmoudian
    PhD Student
    My research concerns the role of the amygdala in primate social cognition. We are interested in learning about how gaze cues of conspecific is processed in primate amygdala.
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    Diego Buitrago-Piza, MD
    PhD Student
    Representation of 3D space in the hippocampus of freely behaving marmosets.
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    William JM Assis
    PhD Student
    Studying the role of the Hippocampus in recognition memory in new-world primates.
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    Kim Thomaes, RVT
    Registered Veterinary Technician
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    Rhonda Kersten, RVT
    Registered Veterinary Technician
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    Kristy Gibbs, RVT
    Registered Veterinary Technician
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    Michael Feyerabend, PhD
    Postdoctoral Associate
    My main interests are neocortical physiology and neuronal diversity as well as physiology of the neocortex with particular focus on GABAergic interneurons.
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    Julia Sunstrum, MSc
    PhD Student
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    Sam Mestern, MSc
    PhD Student
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    Michelle S. Jimenez-Sosa, MD
    MSc Student
    I am interested in the neuronal basis of cognitive processes in health and disease; my research focuses on fast spiking interneurons in the PFC.
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    Sara Matovic, MSc
    Former lab member of the Innoue group.
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    Meagan Wiederman, MSc
    Former lab member of the Innoue group.

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    Michael Feyerabend, PhD
    Postdoctoral Associate
    My main interests are neocortical physiology and neuronal diversity as well as physiology of the neocortex with particular focus on GABAergic interneurons.
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    Michelle S. Jimenez-Sosa, MD
    MSc Student
    I am interested in the neuronal basis of cognitive processes in health and disease; my research focuses on fast spiking interneurons in the PFC.
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    Nika Khajehdehi
    MSc Student
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    Michelle Everest, BSc

    Former research technician of the Poulter lab
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    Michael Feyerabend, PhD
    Postdoctoral Associate
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    Eric S Kuebler, PhD
    Postdoctoral Associate
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    Sam A Mestern, MSc
    PhD Student
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    William JM Assis
    PhD Student
    Studying the role of the Hippocampus in recognition memory in new-world primates.
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    Kartik S Pradeepan
    MSc Student
    Studying early network development of Autism patient iPSC-derived glutamatergic networks on multielectrode arrays.

In memoriam 

Memoriam courtesy of Schulich School of Medicine

Michael Poulter
  • Dr. Michael Poulter, PhD
    It is with great sadness that we share news of the unexpected passing of Michael Poulter, PhD, professor in Physiology and Pharmacology and scientist at Robarts Research Institute. Poulter was a devoted scientist and teacher whose contributions to the School and the research community will be greatly missed.
    Recruited to Robarts Research Institute in 2005 as a member of the Neurodegeneration Group, Poulter subsequently joined the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. His research was internationally recognized for contributing to the understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of epilepsy and depressive disorders. He was developing a new anti-epileptic drug through a start-up company he founded, and was committed to the advancement of science for the betterment of human health.
    He served as a member of the Robarts Executive Committee and was an active member of his research group and Robarts Research Institute. Throughout his career, he published more than 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and was successful in obtaining research funding from CIHR, NSERC, The Ontario Brain Institute, and other agencies. Poulter was also a dedicated teacher and mentor and made many valuable contributions to undergraduate and graduate training at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. He served as the Director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program from 2011 to 2014.
    Dr. Poulter is survived by his wife Caroline Schild-Poulter and two children.

We are recruiting 

The lab is always interested in hearing from passionate, dedicated, and inspired students or postdocs who would like to come work with us.

Contact Us

Western University - Robarts Research Institute
1151 Richmond St. N., London, Ontario, Canada
P: (519) 931-5777 F: (519) 931-5789
E: [email protected]

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