Matthew Holahan, PhD, has a strong background in the experimental design of behavioral and neurobiological experiments related to learning, memory, psychopharmacology, and lifespan development. He completed his BSc at the University of Wisconsin, where he worked to uncover the neural substrates of addiction at the behavioral, pharmacological and molecular levels. His MSc and PhD work at McGill University studied the impact of conditioned fear on memory storage processes. As a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University, he designed behavioral and pharmacological studies to investigate transgenic models of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Holahan began at Carleton University in 2006 and is currently an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience. His research is focused on the developmental emergence of spatial/cognitive function with particular emphasis on AMPA receptors in the hippocampus, the effect of environmental toxins on brain system development such as the dopamine pathways, pre-clinical models of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s) and models of concussive, brain injuries. He holds an NSERC Discovery Grant and has been honored with a Research Achievement Award as well as an Excellence in Teaching Award and a Graduate Mentoring Award.