David  Park

David Park

B.Sc., Ph.D., FRSC

Positions

Director

Hotchkiss Brain Institute

Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Clinical Neurosciences

Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Radiology

Full Member

Hotchkiss Brain Institute

Contact information

Phone number

Office: 403.220.3994
Cell: 403.680.9632

Location

Office: HRIC1A10

Preferred method of communication

Executive Assistant: 
Sara McCullough
P: 403.220.3558
E: hbi@ucalgary.ca

Background

Educational Background

B.Sc. Cellular & Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, 1989

Ph.D. Biochemistry, Rutgers University, 1994

Post-Doctoral Fellow Columbia University, 1998

Biography

Dr. Park is an internationally recognized expert in molecular biology. He is the director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the Cumming School of Medicine, and Brain and Mental Health Research Strategy Lead at the University of Calgary. He completed his PhD in biochemistry at Rutgers University followed by post-doctoral training in neurobiology at Columbia University. His focus is on understanding the cellular mechanisms involved in Parkinson’s disease and stroke-related neurodegeneration.

Dr. Park’s Parkinson’s disease research efforts focus on the genetic causes of the disease, specifically on the genes linked to familial Parkinson’s disease. With regards to his stroke work, he aims to understand and target cellular mechanisms to improve recovery and survival after stroke. His work has been published in high impact journals such as Nature Cell Biology; Science; Neuron; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; Nature Communications; the Journal of Cell Biology; and the Journal of Neuroscience and Human Molecular Genetics.

Dr. Park is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards: he’s a Heart and Stroke Career Investigator and has also been named a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2012). He currently serves and/or has served on various external grant review committees including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Parkinson Canada, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. 

Seeking students and postdoctoral scholars. Please contact Dr. Alvin Joselin

Research

Areas of Research

Genetic causes of Parkinson's disease

Dr. Park's research work is focused on understanding the cellular mechanisms involved in Parkinson’s disease and stroke-related neurodegeneration. He is keenly interested in the genetic causes of Parkinson's, specifically on the genes linked to familial Parkinson’s disease. In his stroke research, Dr. Park's goal is to understand and target cellular mechanisms to improve recovery and survival after stroke. 

Genetic links to familial Parkinson's disease
Cellular mechanisms to improve recovery after stroke
Stroke-related neurodegeneration
Movement Disorders
Stroke

Participation in university strategic initiatives

Awards

  • Career Scientist Award - 2016-2020, Heart and Stroke Foundation.
  • Fellow, Royal Society of Canada. 2012
  • Lowell Langille Award, 2011-2016, Heart and Stroke Foundation Ontario.
  • Career Scientist Award, 2011-2016, Heart and Stroke Foundation Ontario.

Publications