Stephen H. Pasternak, SB , MD CM, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor of Neurology, Western University and Associate Scientist, Molecular Brain Research Group, Robarts Research Institute
Office: Parkwood Institute
Phone: 519-646-6032
Secretary: Natasha Good, Ilda Moniz
Bio Sketch
Dr. Stephen Pasternak, MD/PhD, is a Cognitive Neurologist, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative disease, and a Clinician Scientist at the Robarts Research Institute at Western University. He received his S. B. Degrees in Chemical Engineering and in Life Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He completed the MD/PhD program at McGill University, Montreal, earning his PhD in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery in 1994 and his M.D. C.M. in 1995. Dr. Pasternak then completed his Neurology residency at the University of Toronto in 2000, followed by Post-Doctoral training in Cell Biology at the Hospital of Sick Children in Toronto and Fellowship training in Cognitive Neurology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Pasternak joined the Department in 2004 and specializes in Cognitive Neurology.
Research
His laboratory at Robarts focuses on understanding the fundamental biology of neurodegenerative diseases and developing diagnostic tests and treatments for these conditions. The work focuses on lysosomes, the cellular compartments that normally degrade unwanted proteins. Using advanced microscopy techniques, including live-cell confocal imaging, he studies how pathological proteins—beta-amyloid, tau, and alpha-synuclein—are produced, degraded, and secreted before depositing in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
This work has led to the development of a novel blood test that uses nanoflow cytometry to profile extracellular vesicles as a diagnostic platform for Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, he is pursuing therapeutic strategies to remove pathological proteins from the brain by enhancing their clearance through gene therapy and small-molecule drugs. This work includes a collaboration with Zywie Bio LLC to test small molecules that enhance lysosome function, with the goal of clearing beta-amyloid and tau from human neurons and mouse disease models.
Medical Interests
At his clinic at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Research Centre at Parkwood Institute, he provides care for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disease, and Parkinson's disease dementia. He actively participates in numerous industry-sponsored and academic multicentre clinical trials, such as the Canada-wide Compass-ND study, the Ontario Brain Institute's ONDRI study, and the NIH-sponsored Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).
His primary clinical research involves clinical trials surrounding Ambroxol, an over the counter cough medicine that improves lysosomal function, as a disease-modifying treatment for dementia. This translational research, which he moved from the laboratory to clinical testing, was recently published in The Lancet Neurology. Dr. Pasternak's overarching research goal is to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and improved patient care.
Honours and Awards
- 2014. Best Paper, Molecular Brain
- 2012, Bell Mental Health Research Training Award, Brain Canada
