Dr. Brian Mark

Biography

Brian Mark was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba in 2021. Prior to this role, he served as Associate Dean Research from 2018 to 2021 while remaining a full Professor in the Department of Microbiology, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics. He holds a Doctorate in Biochemistry from the University of Alberta, a Master’s degree from the University of Manitoba, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Winnipeg. As Associate Dean Research, Dr. Mark created opportunities for students and faculty by building relationships with local industry and government, promoting the value of science, and initiating new research partnerships. His personal research focuses on infectious diseases. After completing his Ph.D. in 2003, he conducted postdoctoral research at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he helped develop a molecular biology platform to identify new drug targets for treating Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. Since joining the University of Manitoba in 2005, he has developed therapeutic strategies to combat antibiotic resistance in bacteria and has worked on creating new antiviral and vaccine-based approaches to protect animals and plants from viral infections. He is also involved in academic-industry collaborations aimed at developing treatments for human genetic disorders such as Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease.

Research Interests