Dr. Robert Gendron

Biography

With a diverse background in immunology, developmental biology, cancer biology, vascular biology, and visual science, I have sustained a number of research programs in basic biomedical studies of health and disease for over 25 years. Much of this work would not be possible without a number of expert collaborators in the biomedical and clinical sciences. Most recently, in work funded by Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, my research has focused on unique anatomical and functional features of the visual systems of North Atlantic marine teleosts. Knowledge of how these systems might be important to the health and survival of these animals is relevant to biology, health, and disease in general and to ocean health on a broader scale. The exceptional level of diversity and adaptation in molecular and cellular pathways active in these animals can provide new insight that informs the basic knowledge of immunity, cancer, and a range of other diseases. Collaboration has been critically important to this multidisciplinary work and I am fortunate to have access to the infrastructure, resources, and expert teams at the Department of Ocean Science. I also benefit from colleagues in the clinical health sciences such as the Ophthalmology and Oncology disciplines. Finally, the training and career development of new young scientists through graduate training programs remains a key aspect of my research programs. Over more than two decades at Memorial University, I have led or participated in several research infrastructure grant awards from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Canada Foundation for Innovation.

Research Interests

Courses