John G. Mielke

Associate Professor

Cross appointments with the School of Pharmacy and Department of Biology

John Mielke

Contact information

Office: LHN 2728

Telephone: 519-888-4567, ext. 48606

Email: jgmielke@uwaterloo.ca

Remote video URL

Research interests

Understanding the various ways that neurones change in response to their environment is the core focus of our laboratory.

Using biochemical, electrophysiological, and behavioural methods, combined with animal models, we study two main topics:

  1. The neurobiological embedding of adversity. We hope to understand how adverse environmental factors (such as malnutrition and psychosocial stress) can affect the development and/or function of brain areas related to learning and memory.
  2. Biological characteristics that influence outcome from brain injury. We also hope to understand how variables like sex, age, and anatomical region can affect the cellular changes that arise following stroke-like injury.

Graduate supervision and student opportunities

I am currently accepting applications from graduate students with research interests related to:

  • Developmental origins of health and disease
  • Molecular sociology
  • Mechanisms of neuronal cell death
  • Experimental neuroscience

Graduate studies application details

Teaching interests

  • Biological determinants of health
  • Public health neuroscience
  • Neuroplascity
  • ​Pathobiology

Education

BSc Neuroscience, University of Toronto

BEd Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

PhD Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto

Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Neurophysiology, National Research Council of Canada

Chartered Biologist, Society of Biology, UK

Selected publications

See Google Scholar for a full list of publications.

A single session of aerobic exercise mediates plasticity-related phosphorylation in both the rat motor cortex and hippocampus. (2019) Thacker JS, Xu Y, Tang C, Tupling AR, Staines WR, Mielke JG. Neuroscience 412:160-174.

A maternal diet high in saturated fat impairs offspring hippocampal function in a sex-specific manner. (2017) Robb JL, Messa I, Lui E, Yeung D, Thacker J, Satvat E, Mielke JG. Behavioral Brain Research 326:187-199.

Selective vulnerability of hippocampal sub-fields to oxygen-glucose deprivation is a function of animal age. (2014) Lalonde CC, Mielke JG. Brain Research 1543:271-9.

Selected professional activities and networks