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Charles Bourque - Biography
Positions at McGill University:
James McGill Chair (Neurobiology of hydration)
Professor, Department of Neurology-Neurosurgery
Associate Member, Department of Physiology
Positions at the Research Institute,
McGill University Health Center:
Senior Scientist, Centre for Research in Neuroscience
Degrees:
B.Sc., Ph.D.
Email:
charles.bourque@mcgill.ca
Publications:
Pubmed
Website:
bourquelab.mcgill.ca
Dr.
Bourque obtained a Certificate in Biophysics from the Marine Biological
Laboratory in 1984 (Woods Hole, USA) and a Ph.D. in Physiology from
McGill University in 1985 (Montreal). Following post-doctoral training
in Pharmacology at the School of Pharmacy of University College London
(UK) he was recruited to McGill University’s Centre for Research in
Neuroscience. Dr
Bourque has published >140 scientific papers, co-edited 1 book, and
delivered >150 invited presentations at National and International
venues.
The Bourque laboratory is investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the brain monitors body hydration, fluid electrolytes and core temperature. The team is particularly interested in defining how networks of thermosensitive and salt-sensitive neurons communicate with neurons in the central clock and other brain cells to preserve homeostasis by controlling the perception of thirst and secretion of the water conserving hormone vasopressin.
Life-threatening defects in body fluid balance are featured in many
acute clinical conditions, including drug overdose, heart failure, sepsis and
traumatic brain injury. Moreover changes in fluid balance likely link dietary
salt intake to many forms of hypertension. The Bourque team is
investigating how changes in neuronal properties and inter-neuronal
communication contribute to such conditions.
Honors awarded to Dr. Bourque
have included the Medical Research Council of Canada’s
Scholarship, Scientist and
Senior
Scientist awards, as well as a
Senior
Investigator award from the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research. He has received the
Joseph
Erlanger Distinguished Lecturer Award
from the American Physiological Society, the
Jacques
Benoit Lectureship from the Société de
Neuroendocrinologie (France), the
Stevenson
Lectureship from Western University
(Ontario) and a
Distinguished Lectureship
from the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Bourque was inducted as a
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
in 2016 and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2019. He was President of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience
(2020-2021).