Annemarie Dedek

Annemarie Dedek
Assistant Professor

Biography

Dr. Annemarie Dedek’s research focuses on using translational models to better understand the physiological changes associated with chronic pain, with a particular focus on understanding the role of sex on nociception. The team consists of interdisciplinary collaborations with Patient Partners, researchers, clinicians, and veterinarians.

Research Interests

  • Pain processing
  • Spinal cord
  • Analgesia
  • Sex hormones
  • Translational models
  • Electrophysiology
  • Pain behaviour testing

Scholarly Research

The Dedek Lab studies how the spinal cord processes pain signals, and how this signaling can change in response to chronic pain. A major problem in the pain research field is shortcomings in translating findings in basic science rodent studies into the human clinical population. To bridge the gap between the lab and the clinic, The Dedek lab combines classic rodent models with translational human organ donor and canine arthritis pain models, in a combination of electrophysiology techniques and cutting-edge behaviour testing. A particular focus on the lab is to examine the role of sex and sex hormones on pain signaling.

Education

  • 2023-2024, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Dalhousie University, Canada
  • 2021 – 2023, Mitacs Industrial Postdoctoral Fellowship, Carleton University, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, in partnership with Eli Lilly and Company, Canada/United States
  • 2015 – 2021, PhD, Carleton University, Canada
  • 2011 – 2015, BSc Honours, Carleton University

Awards

  • 2021-2023, Mitacs Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
  • 2023, Dr. Terry K. Borsook Memorial Postdoctoral Fellow Canadian Pain Society Award
  • 2022, CIHR-INMHA Brain Star Award
  • 2022, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Postdoctoral Research Award
  • 2021, Society for Neuroscience Trainee Professional Development Award
  • 2018-2021, Ontario Graduate Scholarship
  • 2020, Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Ken Piafsky Award
  • 2019, CIHR-INMHA Brain Star Award
  • 2017, NSERC CGS-M

Service

  • 2022 – Present Frontiers in Pain Research Review Editor
  • 2023 – Present Canadian Pain Society Scientific Program Committee Member
  • 2023 – Present Canadian Association for Neuroscience Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee Member

Professional Associations

  • Canadian Pain Society

Selected/Recent Publications

In The News