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Meet The Team
Craig E. Brown, Ph.D
Professor
Dr. Brown received his BSc. in Psychology from the University of Manitoba and completed his MSc and Ph.D in Neuroscience under the supervision of Dr. Richard H. Dyck at University of Calgary. He then conducted his post-doctoral studies focused on neural plasticity during stroke recovery at the University of British Columbia (UBC) under the supervision of Dr. Timothy Murphy. Dr. Brown started his neuroscience laboratory in 2009, and is now a full Professor in the Division of Medical Sciences at The University of Victoria (UVic).
One of his primary research interests is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that dictate brain repair, with particular emphasis on aging, stroke and/or vascular diseases such as diabetes. To address these questions, the Brown lab employs a multi-disciplinary approach, imaging the structure and function of defined cell types (neurons, microglia, endothelial cells) in the living brain in tandem with biochemical, pharmacological and behavioural approaches. Dr. Brown’s basic science and health related research program has been supported by the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR), Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and NSERC. Dr. Brown is also a recipient of the CIHR New Investigator award and the Michael Smith Foundation’s Career Investigator Award. ​
In his spare time Dr. Brown enjoys time with his family and spends many hours at the hockey rink.
Ph.D student
Dominique is a Ph.D candidate in the Brown Lab joining in August 2023. She successfully obtained her MS.c degree in Neuroscience from Queen's University in June 2023, conducting research under the mentorship of Dr. David Andrew, with a focus on the investigation of spreading depolarisation induced by ischemic strokes.
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Currently Dominique’s Ph.D research project is centred around using in vivo two-photon microscopy to study microvascular reperfusion following stroke in a rodent model.
Aside from research, Dominique enjoys knitting, pottery, and spending time with her dog Saddie and partner at the beach.
Ph.D student
Tanaka obtained her MS.c in Molecular and Medical Biotechnology in October 2022 at the Università degli studi di Verona, Italy. Her research, conducted under the supervision of Dr. Ilaria Decimo delved into the intricate molecular pathways associated with spinal cord injury, exploring aspects such as neuronal loss, inflammation and compromised tissue regeneration.
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Now pursuing her Ph.D in the Brown lab, she is interested in investigating how diabetes and stroke may affect vascular endothelial cell and neuronal interactions.
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In her downtime she enjoys practicing sport (especially tennis), gaming, travelling and watching documentaries.
MS.c student
Frances received her BSc in Biology with honours from Carleton University. Her honours project focused on the dissection of mitogen-activated protein kinase network in the model plant Arabidopsis.
As a current MSc student, she is interested in microglia studies.
In her spare time, Frances likes to read, play the guitar, rewatching Gilmore Girls, or go on a walk along the beach.
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Ph.D student
Taylor began her university studies in 2008 at Vancouver Island University as a varsity athlete on the women's volleyball team. She then took a 9-year hiatus from university to live in Copenhagen, Denmark as a professional volleyball player, followed by a move to Melbourne, Australia to work full-time as a yoga and meditation teacher. She came back to her studies in 2020 at the University of Victoria and completed her BSc (Hons) in neurobiology in 2022.
She is now a PhD student, co-supervised by Dr. Kerry Delaney and Dr. Craig Brown. Taylor is investigating activity-dependent plasticity dysfunction in a mouse model of Rett Syndrome.
When not in the lab, you'll find her hiking in the trees, cycling, doing yoga, or cuddling her two cats Dolores and Bernard.
Ph.D student
Born in India and raised in Kenya, Dhwani completed her undergraduate studies at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University in Ukraine where she successfully received her medical degree (MD) in 2019. I
As a current Ph.D student in the Brown lab, she is investigating the role of sex hormones on the mobility of microglia using in vivo two-photon microscopy.
To destress she likes to paint, take long walks, and watch various shows. She is known as the BTS army in the lab.
MS.c student
Born and raised in Calgary, Andrew completed his BS.c with honours from Queen’s University in June of 2023. Following a semester off he joined the Swayne laboratory where he worked as a research assistant until starting his MS.c in the Brown lab in September of 2024.​
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While Andrew is still solidifying his research project, he has interests in how stroke and diabetes affect brain function.
In his spare time you can find Andrew cheering on Charles Leclerc on Sunday’s and out on Elk lake with the Vikes Men’s Rowing Team.
BS.c student
Isabel is completing a BSc Honours degree in a combined major of Biology and Psychology. She completed a directed study in the Brown lab that investigated the role of SerpinE1 in vascular dynamics following ischemic stroke.
Her current Honours research explores the role of interleukin-10 in type 1 diabetes.
In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, biking, running with her dog and playing the guitar.
Research assistant
Kamal received his MS.c in neuroscience from the University of Victoria (UVic) in the Brown lab. His research project uses in vivo two-photon microscopy to investigate the role of SerpinE1 /PAI-1 on microvascular hemodynamics following stroke.
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To kick time off, Kamal trains and co-instructs taekwondo, plays soccer, and enjoys cooking. You can also catch him in the movie theatre every week, and will not shy away from telling a surprising fact of the day. ​
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Our Team in Action
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