Nominee: Neil Cashman
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine (Neurology), University of British Columbia
Brief Biosketch provided for the nominee:
Dr. Neil Cashman is a Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Medicine (Neurology) at the University of British Columbia, where his research lab is focused on the role of protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ALS. He was a Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in Neurodegeneration and Protein Misfolding Diseases (2005-2019), and Scientific Director/CEO of the PrioNet Canada Network of Centres of Excellence (2005-2012). He is also a Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ProMIS Neurosciences (NASDAQ:PMN), Dr. Cashman has developed novel strategies for immunotherapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases, which are specifically directed at peptide motifs exposed by protein misfolding, but inaccessible in native structures. With ProMIS, he has identified Aβ and alpha synuclein oligomer-specific conformational epitopes as safe and effective targets for Alzheimer and Parkinson disease immunotherapies that spare monomers and fibrils. The ProMIS ALS/FTD program is focused on targeting disease-induced misfolding of TDP-43, which is an RNA binding protein involved in splicing, transport, stability and localized protein translation in neurons.
Justification provided for the nominee:
“• Career Neurologist-Neuroscientist: >350 publications, >20,000 citations H-Index 71.
• Appointments at McGill University (1986-1998), University of Toronto (1998-2005), University of British Columbia (2005-present), familiar with research excellence of 3 top Canadian Universities, with continuing collaborations with scientists throughout Canada.
• Experienced with biochemistry and cell biology of neurodegeneration-implicated RNA binding proteins TDP-43 and FUS, and their interactors (e.g., RACK1), as treatment targets.
• Proficiency English (college major English Lit/Physics), can understand & converse in French.
• Experienced Research network direction and administration: PrioNet Canada NCE Scientific Director and BoD Chair (2005-2012).
• Experienced in industrial science, entrepreneurship: inventor or co-inventor of >100 patent applications, currently Co-Founder, CSO and BoD member of ProMIS Neurosciences.”