Liisa Anne Margaret Galea

Liisa Galea is the inaugural womenmind Treliving Family Chair in Women’s Mental Health, Senior Scientist at CAMH, and leads the Women’s Health Research Cluster. She comes to CAMH after being a Professor at University of British Columbia. Her PhD in Neuroscience (Western University) was followed by postdoctoral training at the Rockefeller University. Dr. Galea was a Distinguished University Scholar, NSERC Discovery Accelerator Award holder (2x), a Fellow at International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, Mortyn Jones Prize, and the Vancouver YWCA Women of Distinction award winner. She is the Principal Editor of Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, the President of Organization for the Study of Sex Differences and co-Vice-President of Canadian Organisation for Sex and Gender Research. She serves on advisory boards, editorial boards, and peer review panels internationally and nationally. Dr. Galea is a tireless advocate for women’s health research and for sex and gender-based analyses to improve mental health for all.

Degree/Qualifications

1994-1996                                    Post-Doctoral Fellow, Rockefeller University, New York City, New York, USA

1991-1994                                    Doctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Supervisors: Dr. Martin Kavaliers and K.-Peter Ossenkopp.

1989-1991                                    Master of Arts, Psychobiology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

1984-1989                                    Bachelor of Science (Hons.), Psychology/Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Professional Memberships

2019-                     Member, Sex and Gender Theme, Canadian Consortium of Neurodegenerative Association

2017-                     Member, College of Reviewers, CIHR

2014-                     Member,  Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD)

2010                       Member, International Behaviorial Neuroscience Society (IBNS)

2002-                    Member,  Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN)

2001-                    Member, Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (SBN)

1991- current     Member  Society for Neuroscience (SfN)

1991-2002            Member, Brain, Behavior & Cognitive Science (BBCS)

Appointments

2022-current                            Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

2021-current                               Health Research Advisor (CIHR) to Vice President Research and Innovation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

2017-2022                                    Scientific Advisor, Women’s Health Research Institute, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

2017-2021                                    Director, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

2008-current                               Professor, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Research Interests

Although sex differences exist in many diseases, research targeting sex as a factor in brain health is scarce. Dr. Galea’s research is vital in filling this knowledge gap, specifically in understanding how sex and hormones influence neuroplasticity in females. Dr. Galea is a world-renowned expert in sex hormone influences on brain and behaviour in both health and disease states, with a focus on dementia and stress-related psychiatric disorders. Her preclinical work is essential for developing tailored treatments for brain disease in both women and men. 

Her research examines the intersection of hormones, sex and stress on brain plasticity. Her research reveals novel insight into the mechanisms by which pregnancy impacts risk for psychiatric disorders in the short term and the trajectory of cognitive ageing in the long term. Her work targets diseases that show greater prevalence in women, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression. 

Grants

2022                                               Principal Investigator. Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and the Brain. Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research- C2 Convening and Collaborating Grant. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Katherine Moore, Jesse Lacasse $15,000.

 

2022                                               Principal Investigator. Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and the Brain. CIHR- Planning and Dissemination Grant. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Ahmed, Chen, Einstein, Hampson, Ismail, Lacasse, Macdonald, Williams. $10,000.

 

2022                                               Principal Investigator. Women’s Health Research Cluster. UBC-VPRI. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Marina Adshade, Lori Brotto, Suzanne Campbell. $200,000.

 

2021-2023                                    Principal Investigator. Sex Matters: Understanding the influence of sex and APOE genotype on hippocampal plasticity and cognition. Alzheimer Society of Canada. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Annie Ciernia, Lisa Saksida, Staci Bilbo, Jonathan Epp, Cheryl Wellington. $50,000.

 

2021                                               Principal Investigator. Women’s Health Research Cluster. UBC-VPRI. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Marina Adshade, Lori Brotto, Suzanne Campbell, Judy Segal. $100,000.

 

2021                                               Principal Investigator. Reach Award - Women’s Health Knowledge Translation Initiative & Science Communication Training Program. MSFHR. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Sarah Munro, Shirley Weir, Lori Brotto, Suzanne Campbell, Marina Adshade. $15,000.

 

2021                                               Principal Investigator. Sex Matters: Understanding the influence of sex and APOE genotype on hippocampal plasticity and cognition. Dawn Shaw Alzheimer’s Research Award. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Staci Bilbo, Annie Ciernia, Jonathan Epp, Lisa Saksida, Cheryl Wellington. $50,000.

 

2021-2023                                    Principal Investigator. Sex Matters: Understanding the influence of sex and APOE genotype on hippocampal plasticity and cognition. Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Staci Bilbo, Annie Ciernia, Jonathan Epp, Lisa Saksida, Cheryl Wellington. $172,500USD.

 

2020-2025                                    Principal Investigator. Motherhood and Brain Aging: The effects of Hormone Therapy, Immune and Metabolic Challenges later in life. CIHR Project Grant. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Arianne Albert, George Barreto, Paula Duarte-Guterman, Bonnie Lee, Yvonne Lamers. $176,837.

 

2020       Principal Investigator. The impact of Motherhood on Cognitive Health in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. Dawn Shaw Alzheimer’s Research Award.

2020                                               Principal Investigator. Healthy Aging: The effects of Parenthood and APOE Genotype on Cognitive Decline. CIHR Catalyst Grant. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Arianne Albert, Paula Duarte-Guterman, Tanvi Puri. $63,000.

 

2020-2025                                    Principal Investigator. Sex Matters: Understanding Sex Differences in Exercise Efficacy on Brain Health in Mild Cognitive Impairment. CIHR. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Jennifer Davis, Hsiung Ging-Yuek, Eli Puterman, Joel Singer, Louis Behrer, Cindy Barha, Arthur Kramer. $165,431.

 

2019                                               Principal Investigator. Planning and Dissemination. CIHR. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Sofia Ahmed, Lori Brotto, Suzanne Campbell, Yvonne Lamers, Elizabeth Rideout, Lindsey Richardson, Julie Robillard, Judy Segal, Paul Van Donkelaar. $15,000.

 

2019                                               Principal Investigator. C2- Collaborative and Convening Award. MSFHR. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Shirley Weir, Lori Brotto, Wansu Qiu, Kate Wahl, Judy Segal, Suzanne Campbell, Marina Adshade. $15,000.

 

2019                                               Principal Investigator. Women’s Health Research Cluster. UBC-VPRI. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Marina Adshade, Lori Brotto, Suzanne Campbell, Judy Segal. $100,000.

 

2018-2021                                    Principal Investigator. Discovery Accelerator Supplement. NSERC-DAS. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea.  $40,000.

 

2018-2023                                    Principal Investigator. Hormones and Learning and Memory. NSERC. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea.  $79,000.

 

2018-2024                                    Co-Investigator. Assessing the role of adolescent hormonal contraceptive use on risk for depression. CIHR Project Grant. Principal Investigator: Frances Chen. Collaborators: Christine Anderi, Liisa Galea, Joelle LeMoult, Jerilynn Prior, Colin Ross. $77,755.

 

2017                                               Principal Investigator. Multiplex immunoassay electrochemiluminescence system and touchscreen chambers for examining molecules related to cognition. NSERC: RTI. Principal Investigator: Liisa Galea. Collaborators: Catharine Winstanley. $139,479.

 

2017                                               Co-Investigator. Exercise and prevention of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment: The role of estrogens in an animal model. Jakeway Family Neurorehabilitation Seed Fund. Principal Investigator: Kristen Campbell. Collaborators: Liisa Galea. $5,000.

Recent Publications 

1. Chankasingh K, Booth A, Albert A, Kaida A, Smith LW, Racey SC, Gottschlich A, Murray MCM, Sadarangani M, Ogilvie G.S, Galea LAM, Brotto LA, (in press).Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study to Understand How Social Factors Influence Coping Ability. Helion.  (IF 3.776)

 

2. Barha CK, Falck RS, Best JR, Nagamatsu LS, Hsiung G-Y R, Sheel AW, Hsu CL, Kramer AF, Voss MW, Erickson KI, Davis JC, Shoemaker JK, Boyd L, Crockett RA, ten Brinke L, Cherer L, Singer J, Galea, L.A.M, Jacova C, Bullock A, Grant S., Liu-Ambrose, T (2022) Reshaping the Path of Mild Cognitive Impairment by Refining Exercise Prescription: A Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial to Understand the “What”, “For Whom”, and “How” of Exercise to Promote Cognitive Function, Trials 23:766. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1862532/v1 (IF 2.728)

 

3. Hodges, TE, Lieblich SE, Rechlin RK, Galea, L.A.M. (in press, 2022). Sex differences in inflammation in the hippocampus and amygdala across the lifespan: associations with cognitive bias. Immunity and Ageing (IF 6.4)

 

4. Racey SC, Booth A, Albert A, Smith LW, Gottschlich A, Goldfarb DM, Murray MCM, Galea LAM, Kaida A, Brotto LA, Sadarangani M, Ogilvie G.S (in press). Characterizing intentions to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among the general population in British Columbia based on their future intentions towards the seasonal influenza vaccine. Vaccine X. 18:100208. doi: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2022.100208.

 

5. Racey SC, Booth A, Albert A, Smith LW, Krajden M, Murray MCM, Cote HCF, Gottschlich A, Goldfarb DM, Sadarangani M., Galea, L.A.M, Kaida A, Brotto LA, Ogilvie G.S (in press, July 18, 2022) Seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 in an unvaccinated cohort in British Columbia, Canada: cross-sectional survey with dried blood spot samples. BMJ Open. (IF 3.006)

 

6. Yagi, S, Lee A, Truter N, Galea, L.A.M. (2022) Sex differences in contextual pattern separation, neurogenesis, and functional connectivity within the limbic system. Biology of Sex Differences 13: 42 doi: 10.1186/s13293-022-00450-2  (IF 8.811)

 

7. Baaske A, Brotto LA, Galea, L.A.M, Albert A, Smith LW, Kaida A, Booth A, Gordon S, Sadarangani M., Racey S, Ogilvie G.S. (2022) Barriers to accessing contraception and cervix and breast cancer screening during COVID-19: a prospective cohort study. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada 20:S1701-2163(22)00416-9

 

8. Sanford N, Ge R, Antoniades M, Modabbernia A, Haas SS, Whalley HC, Galea, L.A.M, Popescu SG, Cole JH, Frangou S. (2022). Sex differences in predictors and regional patterns of brain-age-gap estimates. Human Brain Mapping (IF=5.038)

 

9. Brotto LA, Galea, L.A.M (in press, May 15, 2022) Gender inclusivity in women’s health research. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (IF 6.531)
10. Hodges, TE, Lee GY, Noh SH, Galea, L.A.M (2022) Sex and age differences in cognitive bias and neural activation in response to cognitive bias. Neurobiology of Stress, 18, 100458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100458 (IF 5.441)
11. Rechlin RK¹, Splinter TFL¹, Hodges TE, Albert AY, Galea, L.A.M. (2022). An analysis of neuroscience and psychiatry papers published from 2009 and 2019 outlines opportunities for increasing discovery of sex differences. Nature Communications, 13: 2137 doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29903-3 ¹ co-first authors (IF: 14.92)
12. Zareian B, Anderl C, LeMoult J, Galea, L.A.M, Prior JC, Rights JD, Ross CJ, Ge S, Hayward AC, Chen FS. (2022) Assessing the role of adolescent hormonal contraceptive use on risk for depression: A 3-year longitudinal study protocol. BMC Women’s Health. 22: 48 doi: 10.1186/s12905-022-01623-2.
13. Kaida A, Brotto LA, Murray MCM, Cote HCF, Albert A, Nicholson V, Bormley R, Gordon S, Booth A, Smith LW, Baaske A, Galea, L.A.M, Sadarangani M., Ogilvie G.S. (in press 2021). Intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by HIV status among a population-based sample of women and gender diverse individuals in British Columbia, Canada. Aids and Behavior
14. Been LE, Glasper ER, Sheppard PAS, Galea, L.A.M (2021) Hormones and neuroplasticity: A lifetime of adaptive responses. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 132, 679-690.
15. Brotto LA, Chankasingh, K., Baaske, A, Albert A, Booth A, Kaida A, Smith LW, Sadarangani Racey CS, Gottschlich A, M. Ogilvie G.S., Galea, L.A.M (2021). The influence of sex, gender, age, and ethnicity on psychosocial factors and substance use throughout phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Plos One 16(11):e0259676. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259676

Honours and Awards

INTERNATIONAL

2022                                               Mortyn Jones Prize, British Society of Neuroendocrinology

2020                                               International Women’s Forum Membership

2013                                               Fellow in International Behavioral Neuroscience Society

2012                                               Cattell Sabbatical Award, American Psychological Association

2009                                               Kavli Fellow (invitation to Kavli Frontiers Symposium in Irvine, CA, sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences)

1995                                               N.I.H. Travel Award, International Congress of Neuroethology

1993                                               Travel Fellowship to the 23rd Society for Neuroscience Conference at Washington, D.C. from Omnitech Technologies

NATIONAL

2018                                               NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement

2007                                               NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement

2006                                               Senior Scholar, Michael Smith Health Research Foundation

1994-1996                                    Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, The Rockefeller University

1991                                               Karl P. Lashley Poster Prize at the Canadian Psychological Association Conference in Calgary

PROVINCIAL/ REGIONAL

2003                                               Premier’s Research Excellence Award (Ontario, declined due to move to BC)

LOCAL

2015                                               Dean of Arts, Faculty Research Award, University of British Columbia

2007                                               Killam Research Prize (Junior Science), University of British Columbia

2004                                               Distinguished University Scholar, University of British Columbia

2004                                               Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Faculty Research Fellowship, University of British Columbia

1994                                               Best Ph.D. in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario

1994                                               Graduate Research Fellowship, University of Western Ontario

1989                                               Admission Scholarship, University of Western Ontario

1989                                               Special University Scholarship, University of Western Ontario