Dr. Pierre Drapeau

Biography

In 2006, Pierre Drapeau joined the Faculty of Medicine as the head of the Department of Cell Biology and Pathology. In 2013, he became part of the faculty at the newly established Department of Neurosciences, where he remained until his retirement in 2023. Drapeau's research focused on the formation and function of synapses and circuits, as well as the malfunctions associated with neurological diseases. His groundbreaking work includes the identification of neurogenic and synaptogenic factors, the exploration of early neural networks, and clinical mutations linked to psychiatric conditions and neurology drugs. A pioneer in zebrafish neurobiology in Canada, Drapeau was among the first to express human genes in zebrafish, validating human mutations in developmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. His genomic research revealed that de novo mutations in synaptic genes frequently cause autism and schizophrenia. Drapeau also developed genetic models for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and identified potential neuroleptics for treatment. Over his career, he secured 40 grants totaling $40 million and received numerous accolades, including leadership of a Canadian research chair. Drapeau has published over a hundred widely cited articles and delivered approximately 300 lectures nationally and internationally. In teaching, he provided around 30 hours of lectures annually and trained about a hundred researchers, contributing to the development of several courses during the creation of the undergraduate program in neuroscience.

Research Interests