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W.T. Allison is a neuroscientist with a special interest in understanding processes of neurodegeneration and neural regeneration. Towards this goal, Dr. Allison's research integrates molecular biology, biochemistry, proteomics, and electrophysiology to further develop zebrafish as a potent animal model. Particular emphasis of his research has been developing fish as effective models of neurodegenerative disease. He completed a Doctoral Program in 2004 with Professor Craig Hawryshyn at the University of Victoria, Canada, where he developed a unique model of neuronal degeneration and regeneration. This work was funded by fellowships from the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Health Research Institute of Aging. Dr. Allison went on to complete an NSERC Post-Doctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan in the laboratory of Collegiate Professor Pamela Raymond. Dr. Allison's work at the University of Michigan created transgenic and mutant zebrafish has revealed genes important in the generation, positioning, and regeneration of neurons. Dr. Allison joined the Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta, Canada in 2008. His appointment is through the Department of Biological Sciences in the Faculty of Science, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Medical Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Allison is contributing to expanding the largest zebrafish facility in Western Canada and also maintains active research in the field of retina development and regeneration. His current research efforts focus on creating transgenic and mutant zebrafish to address hypotheses of prion protein's normal function and to dissect the role of various prion protein domains. Other efforts use similar methods to examine the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer Disease. His Recent work is funded by a Recruitment Grant from PrioNet Canada and the Alberta Prion Research Institute and by a Young Investigators Award from the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
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