What memory “looks like” in the brain: An interview with Dr. Mark Cembrowski

Dr. Mark Cembrowski is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences at the University of British Columbia and an Investigator with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. His research interests are in applying technological, computational and mathematical approaches to understand brain function. As Principal Investigator of the Cembrowski Lab, he leads a multidisciplinary, highly collaborative team identifying and mapping molecules, cell types and circuits involved in memory and cognition in brains with and without brain disorder.

In 2024, Dr. Cembrowski was awarded an Alzheimer Society Research Program New Investigator grant to study the cellular causes of Alzheimer’s disease.

When did your interest in dementia-related research begin?

My long-standing research interest has been in understanding the neurobiology of learning and memory, primarily from the perspective of healthy cognition. Within this research program, we discovered that a specific type of neuron could explain several distinct features of memory dysregulation in Alzheimer’s disease. This jump-started my laboratory’s research into Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

What excites you most about your work?

Working with people. I am so fortunate to work with great lab members in an extremely supportive department and institution, and through this research, to be able to interact with people with lived experience and clinical care providers. These connections make me excited and energized to go to work every day.

Why is your area of research important?

My lab’s research seeks to identify the molecular and cellular elements of the brain that cause memory, and to study how these elements change in Alzheimer’s disease. A better understanding of what memory “looks like” in the brain holds immense promise for ultimately treating memory-related brain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

What do you hope to achieve with this research?

It is my hope that my lab’s research will be able to identify next generation therapeutic targets and help guide new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

To explore the innovative work happening at the Cembrowski Lab, visit cembrowskilab.com.