Pre‑Clinical Expertise & Resource Database
This database was developed and is maintained by NMD4C as a centralized resource highlighting the specialized techniques, expertise, training capacity, and resources available across neuromuscular research laboratories in Canada. We envision this resource as a tool to support research collaborations, facilitate the sharing of expertise, and help trainees identify mentorship and training opportunities in specific techniques and areas of neuromuscular research.
| Laboratory | Contact | Site | City | Province | NMDs Studied | Key Words / Specialization | Techniques | Host Short-Term Visits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blais Lab | Alexandre Blais | University of Ottawa | Ottawa | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies | Bioinformatics; Gene Expression; Gene Regulation; Genomics; Muscle Regeneration; Muscle Stem Cells; Progressive muscular dystrophies; Skeletal Muscle Biology; Transcription Factors. | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Genome Editing; Molecular Biology. | Bioinformatics resources |
| Bui Lab | Tuan Bui | University of Ottawa | Ottawa | Ontario | Genetic disorders of the neuromuscular junction | Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes (CMS); Clinical Trials; GNE Myopathy (GNEM); Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1); Neuromuscular Junction Disorders; Rare Disease Diagnosis; Riboflavin Transporter Deficiency (RTD). | AI and modeling; Behaviour analysis; Electrophysiology; Optogenetics; | Electrophysiology |
| Chang Lab | Natasha Chang | McGill University | Montreal | Québec | Progressive muscular dystrophies | Mouse Models; Cell Lines; Muscle Stem Cells; Muscle Regeneration | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Molecular Biology; Omics (proteomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics); Single Cell Transcriptomics | Muscle Stem Cell Isolation; Ex Vivo Differentiation |
| Côté Lab | Jean-François Côté | IRCM (Clinical Research Institute of Montreal) | Montreal | Québec | Progressive muscular dystrophies | Cell Lines; Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD); Live Imaging; Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms; Mouse Models; Myoblast Fusion; Progressive muscular dystrophies. | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Flow Cytometry; Genome Editing; Histopathology; Live Imaging; Molecular Biology; Single Cell Transcriptomics; Single Myofiber Isolation. | |
| Dick lab | Sarah Dick | Queen’s University | Kingston | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies | Chronic Inflammation; Macrophage-Fibroblast Interactions; Tissue-Resident Macrophage Biology. | Bioinformatics; Live Imaging; Molecular Biology. | Single cell RNA-seq (library prep and analysis); Single myofiber isolation; Flow cytometry / immune phenotyping on mouse and human tissue. |
| Dort Lab | Junio Dort | University of Ottawa | Ottawa | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies | Chronic Inflammation; Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD); Muscle Injury; Muscle Stem Cell (MuSC) Dysfunction; Skeletal Muscle Regeneration; Translational Research. | Electrophysiology; Histopathology; Live Imaging; Molecular Biology. | |
| Duchesne Lab | Elise Duchesne | Université Laval | Québec | Québec | Genetic peripheral neuropathies; Progressive muscular dystrophies; | Biomarkers; Clinical Outcome Measures; Clinical Phenotyping; Clinical Trial Readiness; Digital Biomarkers; Disease Progression; Molecular Analysis; Neuromuscular Diseases (NMDs); Quantitative Muscle Testing; Transcriptomics | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Histopathology; Molecular biology; | |
| Dumont Lab | Pauline Garcia | CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center / Université de Montréal | Montreal | Québec | Congenital muscular dystrophies; Progressive muscular dystrophies; Satellite Cell-Opathies | 3D modelling; Animal Models; Cell Lines; Human Tissues / Cells; Fibrosis; Inflammation; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; iPSC Modeling; Muscle Contractility (in Vitro, ex Vivo, in Vivo); Mouse Models; Mouse Models; MDX; MDX-utrn dKO, DMSXL; Conditional Knockouts; Myogenesis; Organoid Cultures; Single Cell; RNAseq; Single Myofiber Culture; Stem Cells; Stem Cell Transplantation; Spatial Transcriptomics; Regeneration; | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Cell transplantation; Electrophysiology; Histopathology; Live Imaging; Molecular Biology; Mitochondria Analysis; Myofiber Isolation; Muscle Force; Muscle Regeneration; Single nuclei-RNA seq; Single cell RNA-seq; Seahorse; Spatial Transcriptomics | Muscle Function; iPSC Modelling; Mitochondrial Analysis; Spatial Transcriptomics |
| Dupré Lab | Mathieu Blais | CHU de Québec université Laval | Québec | Québec | Congenital muscular dystrophies; Genetic peripheral neuropathies; Progressive muscular dystrophies; | Neurogenetics; Neuromuscular Diseases (NMDs). | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Electrophysiology; Genome editing; Molecular biology; | |
| Durcan Lab | Thomas Durcan | McGill University | Montreal | Quebec | Genetic peripheral neuropathies; ALS | CRISPR Genome Editing; Disease Modelling; Flow Cytometry; High-Content Imaging; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs); Neural Cell Differentiation | Live imaging; Genome editing; Molecular biology | working with iPSCs, derivation of motor neurons or glial cells from iPSCs, high content imaging, flow cytometry. |
| Fajardo Lab | Val Fajardo | Muscle Plasticity in Health and Disease Lab; Brock University | St. Catharines | Ontario | Metabolic myopathies; Progressive muscular dystrophies; | Animal Models; Cell Lines; Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD); Environmental Interventions; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3); Mouse Models; Muscle and Metabolic Health; Muscle Stem Cells (MuSCs); Oxidative Fibre Type; Pharmacological Interventions; Pre-Clinical mdx Mouse Models. | Behaviour Analysis; Biochemistry; Molecular biology; | Body Composition Analysis; Calcium Uptake Assays; Diaphragm Strip Contractility; Ex Vivo Contractile Rig Training; High-Frequency Ultrasound Measurements; Metabolic Caging; Muscle Contractility Training; Portable High-Frequency Ultrasound; SERCA Activity Assays; Ultrasound for Cardiac Measurements; Whole Muscle Strip Contractility. |
| Girad Lab | Simon Girard | Université du Québec à Chicoutimi | Chicoutimi | Québec | Congenital muscular dystrophies; Genetic peripheral neuropathies; | Bioinformatics; Population Genetics. | AI and modeling; Bioinformatics; | Bioinformatics |
| Hawke Lab | Thomas Hawke | McMaster University | Hamilton | Ontario | Diabetic myopathy; Other myopathies; | Muscle Metabolism; Muscle Regeneration; Regenerative Medicine; Satellite Cell Biology; Skeletal Muscle Health | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Flow Cytometry; Functional Testing; HD-sEMG; Histopathology; Live Imaging; Molecular Biology; Muscle Biopsy; Ultrasound Analysis of Muscle.; Transcriptomics | Primary murine satellite cell isolation; Histology and Muscle analysis. |
| Hood Lab | David A Hood | York University | Toronto | Ontario | Mitochondrial; | Exercise; Lysosomal Dysfunction; Mitochondrial Dysfunction; Nutraceuticals. | Biochemistry; Molecular biology; Physiology; | |
| Jasmin Lab | Jonathan Gobin | University of Ottawa (uOttawa) | Ottawa | Ontario | Neuromuscular Junction Formation; Progressive muscular dystrophies; Rhabdomyosarcoma; Skeletal Muscle Atrophy | Animal Models; Cell Lines; Human Tissues / Cells; Neuromuscular Junction Formation; Stability and Plasticity | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Cell Biology; Live Imaging; Molecular Biology; | |
| Khacho Lab | Mirielle Khacho | University of Ottawa (uOttawa) | Ottawa | Ontario | Immune-mediated myopathies/Myositis; Progressive muscular dystrophies; | Animal Models; Cell Lines; Human Tissues / Cells; Metabolism; Metabolomics; Muscle Stem Cells; Muscle Regeneration; Mitochondria; Metabolomics; Single Myofiber Culture; | Biochemistry;Molecular biology; Omics (proteomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics); Metabolomics; Metobolomics Mass spectrometers; Resipher (Continuous Cell Culture Oxygen Consumption Reader); Single Myofiber Culture; | Single Myofiber Culture, Metabolomics; Resipher (Continuous Cell Culture Oxygen Consumption Reader); Metobolomics Mass Spectrometers |
| Kothary Lab | Ariane Beauvais | Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) | Ottawa | Ontario | Genetic Lower Motor Neuron Disorders; | Animal Models; AAV Gene Therapy; Basic Research; Delivery Approaches; Gene Therapy; Knockout Mice; Mouse Models; Mouse Genetics; Model Characterization; Neuromuscular Pathogenesis; Pathogenesis; Transgenic Mice; Translational Research; | Bioinformatics; Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; Biochemistry; Behavior Analysis; Live Imaging; Laser Capture Dissection; Omics (proteomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics); Pre-Clinical Mouse Models of SMA | Mouse Model Usage; Gene Therapy Approaches; Histological Techniques |
| Lala-Tabbert Lab | Neena Lala-Tabbert | CHEO Research Institute | Ottawa | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies; | Muscle Regeneration; Muscle Stem Cells; Skeletal Muscle Biology | Behaviour analysis; Biochemistry; Histopathology; Molecular biology; | |
| Leduc-Gaudet Lab | Jean-Philippe Leduc-Gaudet | Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) | Trois-Rivières | Québec | Progressive muscular dystrophies; | Animal Models; Human Tissues / Cells; Molecular; Cellular; Physiological; Multidisciplinary Approaches; Protein Breakdown and Synthesis; Organelle Quality Control; Mitochondrial Biology; Signaling Pathways Regulating Skeletal Muscle Health; D2-mdx Mouse Model; AAV-Based Gene Targeting Approaches | Behaviour Analysis; Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Electrophysiology; Histopathology; Molecular Biology; Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM); Immunohistochemistry (IHC); Mitochondrial Function; Mitochondrial Respiration (O2k-Fluo); Muscle Contractility Testing (Aurora Scientific); Force Measurements; In Situ, Ex Vivo and In Vivo Muscle Analyses; Human Skeletal Muscle Biopsies | Mitochondrial Respiration Assessment (O2k-Fluo); Rodent Muscle Contractility Testing; TEM Analyses; IHC Staining; Human Skeletal Muscle Tissues; Post-Mortem Human Skeletal Muscle |
| Nederveen Lab | Joshua Nederveen | McMaster University | Hamilton | Ontario | Dysferlin; Dystrophin; RYR1 deficient mouse models; Patient-derived fibroblasts containing the patients mutations | |||
| Patten Lab | Kessen Patten | Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) | Laval | Québec | Genetic Lower Motor Neuron Disorders; Genetic Motor Neuron Disorders | Animal Models; Human Tissues / Cells; Genetics of Rare Diseases Affecting The Neuromuscular System; | Behaviour Analysis; Electrophysiology; Gene Editing; Genome Editing; Live Imaging; Molecular Biology; NMJ Imaging; Omics; Patch-clamp Recording; Zebrafish Genetics; | Gene KO in Zebrafish; NMJ Analysis (Imaging) |
| Perkins Lab | Theodore J. Perkins | Ottawa Hospital / University of Ottawa | Ottawa | Ontario | Congenital muscular dystrophies; Progressive muscular dystrophies; Immune-mediated myopathies/Myositis; Genetic disorders of the neuromuscular junction; | ALS; Bioinformatics; Congenital Myopathies; Genetic Peripheral Neuropathies; Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; Muscle Biology; Muscle Tissue; Muscular Dystrophies; Myoblasts; Neuromuscular Diseases (NMDs); OPMD | AI and modeling; Bioinformatics; | Computational Expertise; Omics Data Analysis Workshop; Research design Workshop |
| Perry Lab | Christopher Perry | York University | Toronto | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies; Immune-mediated myopathies/Myositis | Autoimmune myositis; Cancer cachexia; Clinical partnerships; Diabetes; Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD); Industry partnerships; Knowledge translation; Metabolic dysfunction; Muscle and metabolic health; Neuromuscular Diseases (NMDs); Pre-clinical therapeutic development | Behaviour analysis; Biochemistry; Calcium cycling assays; Cardiac invasive hemodynamics and echocardiography; Electrical stimulation-induced force assessments; Electrophysiology; High-resolution mitochondrial respiration; Histopathology; Live imaging; Metabolic assessment techniques; Molecular biology; Reactive oxygen species assays | Cancer mouse model protocols; D2.mdx behavioural assessment techniques; Dermatomyositis protocols; Histology including muscle fibre typing; Mitochondrial assessment techniques; Muscle force assessments in mice |
| Pfeffer Lab | Gerald Pfeffer | University of Calgary | Calgary | Alberta | Distal Myopathies; Laing distal myopathy; Genetic lower motor neuron disorders; Progressive muscular dystrophies; Other myopathies; | Biomarkers; Bioinformatics; Genomics; Microbiome; Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing; Transcriptome Profiling | Bioinformatics;Histopathology;Genetics/genomics; Single nucleus RNA sequencing (muscle) | Collaborate with biosamples, analysis, and sharing of expertise as appropriate. |
| Pilon Lab | Nicolas Pilon | Université du Québec à Montréal | Montreal | Québec | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) | Animal Models; Autism; Enteric Nervous System; Neural Crest Cells; Central and Peripheral Nervous System; Cerebellum; Developmental Biology | Behavior Analysis; Biochemistry; Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; Live Imaging; Omics (proteomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics); | Staining and Functional Analyses of the Enteric Nervous System |
| Ravel-Chapuis Lab | Aymeric Ravel-Chapuis | University of Ottawa | Ottawa | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies | Myotonic Dystrophy | Behaviour analysis; Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Histopathology; Live imaging; Molecular biology | |
| Rossi Lab | Fabio Rossi | University of British Columbia | Vancouver | British Columbia | Progressive muscular dystrophies; Immune-mediated myopathies/Myositis | Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Histopathology; Molecular Biology. | Training in flow cytometry; Production of functional recombinant proteins (e.g., cheap bFGF, LIF, multiple interleukins, custom preps possible) | |
| Rudnicki Lab | Michael Rudnicki | Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) | Ottawa | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies; Sarcopenia; Satellite Cell-Opathies; | Animal Models; Cell Lines; Human Tissues / Cells; MuSCs | Biochemistry; Electrophysiology; Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; Live Imaging; | |
| Sato Lab | Sachiko Sato | CHU de Québec Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University | Québec | Québec | Progressive muscular dystrophies | Glycobiology; Myogenesis; Skeletal Muscle Biology; Therapeutic Development | Behaviour analysis; Biochemistry; Live imaging; | |
| Sincennes Lab | Marie-Claude Sincennes | Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) | Chicoutimi | Québec | Progressive muscular dystrophies; | Animal Models; Cell Lines; Cell sorting; Culture of Primary Myoblasts; Epigenetics; Flow Cytometry; Functional Genomics; Molecular and Cellular Biology; Muscle Stem Cells; Muscle Regeneration; Protein-Protein Interactions; Single Myofiber Culture; Transcriptomics; | Bioinformatics; Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; Biochemistry; Live Imaging; Laser Capture Dissection; Omics (proteomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics); | Flow Cytometry (muscle stem cell sorting, proliferation and cell survival assays, etc) |
| Tetreault Lab | Martine Tetreault | Université de Montréal/CRCHUM | Montreal | Québec | Congenital muscular dystrophies; Congenital Myopathies; Distal Myopathies; Other myopathies; Genetic peripheral neuropathies | Bioinformatics; Cellular Models; Functional Genomics; Genetics; Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; Omics; Variant-Specific Models | Bioinformatics; Genome editing; Molecular biology; | |
| Tremblay Lab | Jacques Tremblay | Laval University | Québec | Québec | Progressive muscular dystrophies; Congenital Myopathies; | Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; | Genome Editing; Molecular Biology; | Prime Editing Technology |
| Wiper-Bergeron Lab | Nadine Wiper-Bergeron | University of Ottawa | Ottawa | Ontario | Progressive muscular dystrophies; Satellite cell-opathies; Cancer cachexia; Drug myopathy; | Bioinformatics; Histopathology; Molecular biology; | Bioinformatics; Histopathology; Molecular biology; | |
| Picher-Martel Lab | Mathieu Blais | CHU de Québec université Laval | Québec | Québec | Congenital Myopathies; Genetic peripheral neuropathies; Progressive muscular dystrophies | Genome editing; Molecular biology; Bioinformatics | Genome editing; Molecular biology; Bioinformatics | myoblasts |
NMD Descriptions
Click the listed NMDs below to learn more:
Congenital Muscular Dystrophies
Collagenopathies, Dystroglycanopathies, Laminopathies, Merosinopathies, SELENON/SEPN1, etc.
Distal Myopathies
Udd myopathy/Tibial myopathy, Nonaka myopathy (Inclusion body myopathy (inherited), GNE Myopathy (Nonaka Distal Myopathy), Laing Distal Myopathy (Distal Myopathy Type 1), Welander Distal Myopathy.
Genetic Disorders of the Neuromuscular Junction
Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes (CMS) (including defects in NMJ formation, maintenance, and synaptopathies), Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS), Myasthenia Gravis (MG).
Genetic Lower Motor Neuron Disorders
dHMN/dSMA dominant, dHMN/dSMA recessive, dHMN/dSMA X-linked, Proximal SMA dominant, Proximal SMA recessive, Spinobulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA).
Genetic Peripheral Neuropathies
Amyloid peripheral neuropathy, Andermann Syndrome / Agenesis of the corpus callosum with peripheral neuropathy, Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency, Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT, all subtypes), Friedreich Ataxia (FA), Neuropathy/Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy, Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to Pressure Palsies (HNPP), Giant Axonal Neuropathy, Hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy, Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies (HSAN), Tangier disease.
Immune-Mediated Myopathies/Myositis
Phosphofructokinase deficiency, Dermatomyositis, Immune-mediated necrotizing myositis, Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM), Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy (IMNM), Polymyositis, Vasculitis related myopathies.
Immune-Mediated Peripheral Neuropathies
Antibody mediated paraneoplastic neuropathy, Critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy, Chronic inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), Neuropathy due to monoclonal gammopathy, Parsonage-Turner syndrome.
Metabolic Myopathies
Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II) Deficiency, McArdle Disease (Glycogen Storage Disease Type V), Myoadenylate deaminase deficiency, Pompe Disease (Glycogen Storage Disease Type II), Other Glycogen storage disease(s).
Muscular Ion Channel Disorders
Andersen-Tawil Syndrome, Brody myopathy, Genetic periodic paralysis, Myotonia Congenita, Neuromyotonia Isaac syndrome, Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome, Paramyotonia cCngenita, Potassium Aggravated Myotonia, Thomsen / Becker Myotonia.
Motor Neuron Disorders
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), Progressive Muscular Atrophy (PMA), Progressive Bulbar Palsy.
Progressive Muscular Dystrophies
Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD), Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy (EDMD), Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD), Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophies (LGMD, all subtypes), Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1), Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2 (DM2), Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD).
Satellite Cell-Opathies
Affecting directly muscle stem cells, MYOSCO
Other Myopathies & Wasting Conditions
Myofibrillar myopathies, Reducing body myopathy, Hereditary distal arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, Rippling muscle disease, Vacuolar aggregate myopathy, Skeletal Muscle Atrophy (including Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Disuse Atrophy).