Dr. Chris Shaw

I am currently the principal investigator and Professor of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, at UBC. I hold associate member status in Experimental Medicine and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience and am a non-resident member of Green College.  I began my post-secondary education in California with a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of California Irvine. I continued my education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a M.Sc. in Medical Physiology and a Ph.D. in Neurobiology. I then spent eight years at Dalhousie University (Psychology), first as a post-doctoral fellow, and then as a research associate, before beginning my affiliation with UBC in 1988. My research over the years has focussed on two key areas: neuroplasticity and neuropathology. When I first arrived at UBC, most of my work was directed toward an understanding of the mechanisms underlying receptor regulation. This work resulted in numerous journal articles and reviews. The outcome of these studies laid the groundwork for a re-evaluation of current theories of neuroplastic phenomenon such as long-term potentiation, and for the role that abnormal receptor regulation may play in some neurodegenerative disorders. An ongoing research focus of my laboratory is on ALS-parkinsonism dementia complex. Most of our past and current studies target various facets of this neurodegenerative disease through our mouse model using identified neurotoxins (various phtyosteryl glucosides and aluminum). Our more recent work has begun to look at aluminum toxicity from vaccine adjuvants and the impact on the developing and mature nervous system.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

NAME Christopher A. Shaw		POSITION TITLE Professor University of British Columbia
EDUCATION /TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION	DEGREE (if applicable)		YEAR(s)	FIELD OF STUDY
University of California, USA	B. Sc.		1971	Biological Sciences
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel	M. Sc.		1974	Medical Physiology
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel	Ph.D.		1979	Neurobiology
Dalhousie University, Canada	PDF		1984	Neuroscience/Psychology

A. Professional Positions and Honors

Professional Positions

1. Dalhousie University. Research Associate. 1986-1988.

2. University of British Columbia. Assistant Professor. 1988-1993.

3. University of British Columbia. Associate Professor. 1993-2004.

4. University of British Columbia. Professor. 2005-present.

Awards and other activities

1. Scholarship. Friends of the Hebrew University Scholarship. 1971-1973.

2. Scholarship. Hebrew University Graduate Scholarship. 1974-1976, 1978-1979.

3. Scholarship. Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship. 1979-1981.

4. Scholarship. NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship. 1981-1983.

5. Scholarship. BC Health Research Scholarship. 1988-1992.

6. Award for service. 39 Brigade Commander's Commendation. 1999.

7. William Evans Visiting Fellowship, Otago University, Dunedin, NZ, 2005

B. Selected peer-reviewed publications (last 3 years in chronological order)

1. Shaw CA, Tomljenovic L. Aluminum in the central nervous system (CNS): toxicity in humans and animals, vaccine adjuvants, and autoimmunity. Immunol Res. DOI 10.1007/s12026-013-8403-1. (2013).

2. Shaw CA, Li Y, Tomljenovic L. Administration of aluminum to neonatal mice in vaccine in vaccine-relevant amounts is associated with adverse long term neurological outcomes. J Inorg Chem. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2013.07.022. (2013).

3. Shaw CA & Petrik MS. Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits and motor neuron degeneration. J Inorganic Biochem. 103 (11): 1555-65. (2009).

4. Shaw, C.A. & Höglinger, G.U. Neurodegenerative diseases: neurotoxins as sufficient etiologic agents? J Neuromolecular Medicine. 10(1): 1-9, (2008).

5. Tabata, R.C., Wilson, J.M.B., Van Kampen, J.M., Cashman, N., & Shaw, C.A. Dietary sterol glucosides are neurotoxic to motor neurons and induce an ALS-PDC phenotype. J Neuromolecular Medicine. 10(1): 24-39, (2008).

6. Petrik, M.S., Wilson, J.M.B., Grant, S.C., Blackband, S.J., Tabata, R.C., Shan, X., Krieger, C., & Shaw, C.A. Magnetic resonance microscopy and immunohistochemistry of the CNS of the mutant SOD murine model of ALS reveals widespread neural deficits. J Neuromolecular Medicine. 9(3): 216-229, (2007).

7. Ly, P.T.T., Singh, S., & Shaw, C.A. Novel environmental toxins: steryl glucosides as a potential etiological factor for age-related neurodegenerative diseases. J Neurosci. Res. 85(2): 231-237, (2007).

8. Cruz-Aguado, R., Winkler, D., & Shaw, C.A. Lack of behavioral and neuropathological effects of dietary b-methylaminoalanine (BMAA) in mice. Pharmacol, Biochem, Behav. 84: 294-299, (2006).

9. Wilson, J.M.B. & Shaw, C.A. Commentary on Return of the cycad hypothesis – does the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism dementia complex (ALS/PDC) of Guam have new implications for global health? Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology 32: 341-343, (2006).

10. Marler, T.E., Lee, V., & Shaw, C.A. Cycad toxins and neurological diseases in Guam: defining theoretical and experimental standards for correlation human disease with environmental toxins. Horticultural Science 33: 1598-1606 (2005).

11. Schulz, J.D., Hawkes, E.L., & Shaw, C.A. Cycad toxins, helicobacter pylori and parkinsonism: cholesterol glucosides as the common denominator. Medical Hypothesis 40: 1598-1606, (2005).

C. Research Support (Grants held within the past 6 years)

Source of Funds	Title of Project & /or Grant ID	$ Amount/year	# Yrs
Estate Grant (Luther Allyn Shourds Dean Bequest)	Impacts of environmental toxicity on children and across the lifespan	862,280.14	2013-
Dwoskin Foundation through the American Foundation for UBC	Aluminum vaccine adjuvants and neurodevelopment outcomes in an animal model of autism spectrum disorder	364,239	2013
Dwoskin Foundation through the American Foundation for UBC	Aluminum vaccine adjuvants and neurodevelopment outcomes in an animal model of autism spectrum disorder	244, 919	2012
Katlyn Fox Foundation	Neurotoxic impacts of aluminum in CNS	6,000	2012
Katlyn Fox Foundation	Neurotoxic impacts of aluminum in CNS	17,000	2010-2011
Dwoskin Foundation through the American Foundation for UBC	Aluminum vaccine adjuvants and neurodevelopment outcomes in an animal model of autism spectum disorder	250,000	2011
Lotus Foundation through the American foundation for UBC	The toxicity of polysorbate 80, sodium borate, and aluminum at clinically relevant concentrations in an in vivo animal model	150,000	2011-2012
ALS Society of Canada	Progranulin as a novel therapeutic for motor neuron rescue in an animal model of ALS	50,000	2010-2011
NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke	Time-lines of neural degeneration in ALS-PDC mouse model	215,200	2006-2011
NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke	Neurotoxicity of sterol glucosides: role in ALS-PDC	33,200	2007-2009
Pacific Alzheimer Research Foundation	Role of progranulin in brain function and neuroprotection	69,000	2006-2009
ALS Association	Role of sterol glucoside neurotoxicity in ALS-PDC	75,000	2006-2009
Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation	Sterol glucoside neurotoxicity in mSOD mice and the role of progranulin in neuroprotection	10,000	2008-2010
Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation	Neurological basis of cycad toxicity in mouse model of ALS-PDC (Student Award to Grace Lee)	10,000	2006-2008
US Department of Defense	Implications of cycad neurotoxicity for ALS-PDC	198,420	2002-2007

TEACHING

(a) Areas of special interest and accomplishments

Special interests in teaching include:

-Founder, ‘Creativity’ Study Group, Green College, UBC, 1994.

-Co-PI (with A. Kindler) on application to the Peter Wall Institute of

   Advanced Studies to organize a workshop on the subject of the 

neurobiology of creativity, 2000.

-Co-PI (with S. Goble and A. Kindler) for Thematic Lecture Series, “The   

Nature of Creativity: History, Biology, and Socio-Cultural Dimensions”,

Green College, 2001/02.

-Thematic Lecture Series: “The Olympic Games in Myth and Reality”, Green

      College, Fall 2009.

(b) Courses Taught at UBC

Session	Course	Scheduled	Class	Hours Taught
	Number	Hours	Size	Lectures	Tutorials	Labs	Other
1990	Phys 510	30	30	30
1991	Phys 510	30	30	30
1991	Gross Anatomy	220	100			220
1992	Phys 510	30	30	30
1998	PBL	30	8		30		10
1999	PBL	30	8		30		10
2000	PBL	30	9		30		10
2001	PBL	30	8		30		10
2002	PBL	30	9		30
2003	PBL	30	8		30
2004	PBL	30	8		30
2005	PBL	60	8		60		20
2006	PBL	60	8		60		20
2007	PBL	30	8		30		10
2008	PBL	30	8		30		10
2009	PBL	30	8		30		10
2010	PBL	30	8		30		10
2011

(c) Graduate Students Supervised and/or Co-Supervised

(PDFs also listed)

Student Name	Program Type	Year		Principal	Co-Supervisor(s)
		Start	Finish	Supervisor
Ningning Guo	M.Sc.	1990	1992	CA Shaw
Steven Bowlsby	M.Sc.	1990	1992	CA Shaw
Ruth Lanius	Ph.D	1992	1996	CA Shaw
Allen J. Billy	PDF	1990	1992	CA Shaw
Jaswinder S. Bains	PDF	1996	1999	CA Shaw
Margaret Wong	M. Sc.	2001	2005	CA Shaw
Jason Wilson	M.Sc, Ph.D	2001	2007	CA Shaw
Jeff Schulz	M. Sc.	2002	2005	CA Shaw
Erin Hawkes	M. Sc.	2003	2005	CA Shaw
Swaraj Singh	M.Sc.	2003	2005	CA Shaw
Reyniel Cruz-Aguado	PDF	2003	TBD	CA Shaw
Michael Petrik	M.Sc.	2004	2006	CA Shaw
Philip Ly	M.Sc.	2005	2007	CA Shaw
Rena Tabata	M.Sc.	2006	2008	CA Shaw
Grace Lee	Ph.D.	2005		CA Shaw
Yemi Banjo	M.Sc.	2007	2009	CA Shaw
Trisha Kostesky	M. Sc	2009		CA Shaw
Darryl Bannon	Ph.D.	2009		CA Shaw
Lucija Tomljenovic	PDF	2010		CAShaw
Pierre Zwiegers	M.Sc	2012		CAShaw
Sneha Seth	M.Sc	2012		CAShaw
Alice Liu	PDF	2013		CAShaw

Awards held by students and PDFs:

Ruth Lanius: MRC Studentship

Bryce Pasqualotto: McLeod Studentship (Alberta Heritage

                                 Foundation)

Jill McEachern: Epilepsy Canada Studentship

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Council of

Canada Studentship MITACS Centre of

Excellence Studentship

Erin Hawkes: NSERC Studentship

(also awarded Parkinson’s Disease Foundation 

Scholarship, but unable to use it at specified

time)

Jeff Schulz: Parkinson's Disease Foundation Scholarship

Jason Wilson: 1^st prize, VGH Research Awareness week poster

                            competition: graduate student division; Travel

award to CIHR national poster competition, 

2003. Award of Excellence, Gold category, CIHR

national poster competition, 2003.

Jason Wilson & Margaret Wong: Best Science Presentation at

the 18^th annual UBC

                                                          Ophthalmology Research and

Alumni  Day May 2003

Jeff Schulz: Second Place Science Presentation at the 19^th

annual UBC Ophthalmology Research and

Alumni Day, May 2003

Michael Petrik: Best Presentation at the 4^th annual VGH Summer

Student Symposium, 2003; Honor Mention in the 

2005 CIHR National Student Research Poster

Competition

Reyniel Cruz-Aguado: Best oral presentation, travel award,

International Society for Neurochemistry, 

2004

Daniella Winkler: NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research

Award, 2005

Jason Wilson: Gold Prize in the 2005 CIHR National Student

Research Poster Competition.

Philip Ly: Parkinson’s Disease Foundation Summer Studentship,

2005

Benedict Wong: Parkinson’s Disease Foundation Summer

Studentship, 2006

Pierre Zwiegers: Parkinson’s Disease Foundation Summer

Student Fellowship, 2007

Grace Lee: Student Award, Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation,

      2007-2010.

Additional graduate students supervised, but not graduated (see note below):

Marianne McCashin, 1988-1990 (Graduate Programme in Neuroscience).

Derrick March, 1990-1993 (Physiology).

Bryce Pasqualotto, 1993-1998 (Physiology)

Jill McEachern, 1993-2002 (Physiology)

Concerning the above students who did not graduate, please note the following: With the exception of M. McCashin who changed to another laboratory before withdrawing from the program, the other three students produced numerous papers between them. D. March was an author on 2 peer-reviewed publications and on a number of abstracts; B. Pasqualotto wrote and co-wrote a number of papers (13 full length) and additional abstracts, even sharing with me an invited editorship in a special issue of Cellular and Molecular Life Science; J. McEachern was a co-author on 6 major reviews, a number of abstracts, and co-edited Toward a Theory of Neuroplasticity (2000). She had additional publications during her tenure in the laboratory with various UBC collaborators. While it is regrettable that these students did not complete their degrees due to outside issues, it is nevertheless clear that each of these students was highly productive while in my laboratory, and at least 2 of these students (Pasqualotto and McEachern) achieved international recognition for their work.

Medical resident co-supervised:

Dr. Michele Mezei, 1994-1995 (C. Krieger, Principal supervisor).

The current status of the listed students/PDFs who have moved on is as follows:

Dr. Ningning Guo: Research Associate, Cornell University School of Medicine, NY.

Mr. Steven Bowlsby: science writer

Dr. Ruth Lanius: Assoc. Professor, Psychiatry, Western Univ., London, ON.

Dr. Allen Billy: lecturer, Langara Community College.

Dr. Jaswinder Bains: practicing optometry, Vancouver.

Ms. Margaret Wong: Medical School, UBC

Mr. Jeff Schulz: Medical student

Dr. Swaraj Singh: Resident in Neurology, University of Arkansas

Ms. Erin Hawkes: Doctoral student

Dr. Jason Wilson: Resident in radiology

Dr. Reyniel Cruz-Aguado, lecturer, Douglas College

Michael Petrik, Optometry

The following undergraduate students have gone on to achieve professional degrees:

Dr. Brian Scarth: Psychiatrist, West Vancouver.

Dr. Lynn Huff: general practice, Vancouver.

Dr. John Bining, general practice, Vancouver.

Dr. Twyla Bergman, graduated UBC Medical School.

Mr. Michael Tjandrawijaja: Graduated, Calgary Medical School

Mr. Joseph Cheung: Genomics, University of Toronto, Ph.D.

Ms. Mandeep Mahay: graduated UBC Pharmacy.

Arash Seyedalikhani, graduate Univ. Calgary nursing school, Currently: RCMP officer

(d) Continuing Education Activities

(i) Green College, UBC: Associate Member, 1994-1996, 2000-present

(ii) Tutor observer, PBL program, 1998-present

(iii) UBC Faculty of Medicine Academic Advisor (‘Mentor’), Class of 2004

(iv) Supervisor for students in the following categories:

1. Undergraduate honours thesis projects, 1988-present

2. Workstudy projects, 1988-present

3. 1^st Job in Science and Technology (provincial program),

2000

4. Student Summer Works (provincial program), 1997-2000

5. Summer Career Placement Program, (Human Resources Canada), 2000

(v) Grand rounds, Dept. of Ophthalmology, 1989, 1994, 2009

(vi) Participant, Ophthalmology Research Day, 1988-present 

       (either I and/or members of my laboratory have presented

       at each Ophthalmology Research Day