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The Conversation

Paul van Donkelaar

(He/him)

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Professor, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia

My research focuses on gaining a better understanding of how the human brain responds to traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to sports concussion or intimate partner violence. We focus on the cerebrovascular, sensorimotor, neurocognitive and blood biomarker impacts of TBI. We make use of behavioural experiments to address these issues and examine how the resulting deficits are related to changes in the underlying physiology and microstructural integrity in the brain. For our research on intimate partner violence, we are using an integrated knowledge translation approach with the goal of co-designing and creating TBI-informed tools and resources for front line staff working at community organizations supporting survivors.

Experience

  • 2011–present
    Professor, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia
  • 2004–2011
    Associate Professor, Department of Human Physiology, University of Oregon
  • 1997–2004
    Assistant Professor, Department of Human Physiology, University of Oregon

Education

  • 1994 
    University of Calgary, Ph.D., Clinical Neurosciences

Publications

  • 2018
    Wright, A.D., Smirl, J.D., Bryk, K., Fraser, S., Jakovac, M., van Donkelaar, P. Sport-related concussion alters indices of dynamic cerebral autoregulation. , Frontiers in Neurology, doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00196
  • 2018
    Wright, A.D., Smirl, J.D., Bryk, K., Jakovac, M., van Donkelaar, P. A prospective transcranial Doppler ultrasound-based evaluation of the effects of repetitive subconcussive head trauma on neurovascular coupling dynamics., Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, in press.
  • 2017
    Wright, A.D., Smirl, J.D., Bryk, K., van Donkelaar, P. A prospective transcranial Doppler ultrasound-based evaluation of the acute and cumulative effects of sport-related concussion on neurovascular coupling response dynamics. , Journal of Neurotrauma, 34: 3097-3106
  • 2017
    Shultz, S.R., McDonald, S.J., Vonder Haar, C., Meconi, A., Vink, R., van Donkelaar, P., Taneja, C, Christie, B.R. The potential for animal models to provide insight into mild traumatic brain injury: Translational challenges and strategies., Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 76: 396-414
  • 2016
    Wright, A.D., Jarrett, M., Vavasour, I., Shahinfard, E., Kolind, S, van Donkelaar, P., Taunton, J., Li, D., Rauscher, A. Myelin water fraction is transiently reduced after a single mild traumatic brain injury but not following repetitive subclinical head trauma, PLoS One, 11:e0150215

Grants and Contracts

  • 2018
    The connection between intimate partner violence and traumatic brain injury: Addressing gaps in knowledge and awareness
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
  • 2018
    Precision blood tests for traumatic brain injury
    Role:
    Co-Applicant
    Funding Source:
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • 2018
    Traumatic brain injury in marginalized populations: Connecting the dots
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    UBC
  • 2017
    Neural mechanisms of predictive movement planning
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada