Travis Craddock

Travis J.A. Craddock, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo and the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Quantum Neurobiology. Dr. Craddock completed his B.Sc. in physics from the University of Guelph, and went on to complete his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in the field of physics at the University of Alberta where his graduate research activities focused on sub-neural biomolecular information processing, and nanoscale neuroscience descriptions of memory, consciousness, and cognitive dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders. Prior to joining the University of Waterloo in May 2024 he was as an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale FL USA where he served as the Director of Clinical Systems Biology at the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine.

Dr. Travis Craddock seeks to understand to understand the basic underlying physical and molecular processes of neuroinflammation to improve diagnosis and identify novel treatment strategies for neuroinflammatory illnesses including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Neuroinflammation is the inflammatory response within the brain or spinal cord. It is mediated by molecular signals such as changes in reactive oxygen species or metal ion imbalances. These signals activate the brain’s immune cells, microglia and astrocytes, and affect neuron function. Acutely it may be neuroprotective by activating immune cells, while chronically it can be neurotoxic leading to tissue damage depending on the context and duration of the initial insult.

The goal of our research program is to fundamentally understand the damage processes of neuroinflammation and translate this fundamental knowledge towards developing novel alternative therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.

We are seeking outstanding, highly motivated students to join our team to investigate these exciting topics. If you are interested in undertaking graduate studies in our lab, please send your CV, transcript and one-page statement of interest to travis.craddock@uwaterloo.ca.

• Cellular information processes, and molecular neuroscience
• Biophysics of neurological/neurodegenerative diseases
• Systems neurobiology
• Quantum neurobiological mechanisms of neuroinflammation

• 2012 Ph.D. Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB Canada
• 2008 M.Sc. Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB Canada
• 2002 B.Sc. Physics (Co-op), University of Guelph, Guelph ON Canada

• 2025 Accelerating Quantum Biology Research in Parkinson’s Disease to Improve Treatments and Diagnostics, Gateway Institute for Brain Research
• 2025 Understanding the basic biophysical mechanisms by which neuroinflammation leads to neurodegeneration, Canadian Foundation for Innovation - John R. Evans Leaders Fund
• 2024 Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Quantum Neurobiology, Government of Canada

• Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal: Quantum Biology & Biophotonics Associate Editor
• University of Waterloo Indigenous Faculty Council Member
• Faculty of Science NSERC/CIHR CRC Tier 1 Search Committee Member
• Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience Special Topic Co-editor (Quantum Communication in Neuronal Networks)
• Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program, Neuroscience Panel, Scientific Reviewer
• Reviewer: Journal of Physical Chemistry, Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, Frontiers of Physics

• 2021-Present Academic Drug Discovery Consortium Member
• 2015-Present Complex Systems Society
• 2017-Present American Physical Society, Member

• Please see Dr. Travis Craddock’s Google Scholar profile for a current list of his peer-reviewed articles: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?hl=en&pli=1&user=5oFD8eMAAAAJ