Dr. Frank MacMaster, PhD
Positions
Associate Professor
Cumming School of Medicine
Scientific Director
Provincial Addictions and Mental Health Portfolio, Alberta Health Services
Associate Member
Hotchkiss Brain Institute
Associate Member
Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education
Child Health & Wellness Researcher
Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Owerko Centre
Contact information
Phone number
Office: +1 (403) 955-2784
Location
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Background
Educational Background
B.A. Psychology, Saint Mary's University, 1996
Doctor of Philosophy Anatomy and Neurobiology, Dalhousie University, 2007
M.S. Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 2002
Postdoctoral Fellowship Neuroimaging in Child Psychiatry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 2010
Biography
My research interests are focused on using our neuroimaging platform to identify mechanisms that underlie neurodevelopmental and mental disorders. By doing so, we can improve health outcomes of children and adolescents in three ways: (1) by identifying the mechanisms that underlie the development of these disorders; (2) by using that new knowledge to better diagnosis neurodevelopmental and mental disorders; and (3) by developing novel treatment targets and identifying predictors of response.
Our main intervention is neurostimulation. Neurostimulation methods offer the capability to modulate brain activity that in turn modulates brain function. These include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS). Given the paucity of information on neurodevelopmental and mental disorders in children and adolescents, there is an urgent need to uncover the origins of these disorders and develop effective and optimally targeted interventions.
We use a number of neuroimaging techniques to answer these questions. These include, but are not limited to: (1) volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (manual tracing and cortical thickness), (2) diffusion tensor imaging, (3) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (proton mainly, and phosphorous if possible) and (4) functional magnetic resonance imaging (resting and task based).
The main goal is to have my outcome-focused research have a positive and useful impact upon clinical practice in ways that will better the lives of children affected by neurodevelopmental disorders and mental illness.
Research
Areas of Research
My research interests are focused on using our neuroimaging platform to identify mechanisms that underlie neurodevelopmental and mental disorders. By doing so, we can improve health outcomes of children and adolescents in three ways: (1) by identifying the mechanisms that underlie the development of these disorders; (2) by using that new knowledge to better diagnosis neurodevelopmental and mental disorders; and (3) by developing novel treatment targets and identifying predictors of response. Our main intervention is neurostimulation. Neurostimulation methods offer the capability to modulate brain activity that in turn modulates brain function. Given the paucity of information on neurodevelopmental and mental disorders in children and adolescents, there is an urgent need to uncover the origins of these disorders and develop effective and optimally targeted interventions.
Participation in university strategic initiatives
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| MDSC 50786 LAB 07 B07 | Spec Prob in Medical Science | 2020 |
Awards
- Journal of Attention Disorders 2015 Scientific Contribution Award , Journal of Attention Disorders and the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (JAD/APSARD) . 2015
- Young Investigator Award, NARSAD. 2008
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