Dr. Christopher R. McMaster

Canada Research Chair in Biosignalling, Tier II,*
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,
Senior Investigator, Atlantic Research Centre,
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

* In 2003, Dr. R. Christopher McMaster attained another high point in his career when he was named to the Canadian Research Chair in Biosignalling Tier II, at Dalhousie University. The Tier II designation is used by the Canada Research Chairs Program to denote top notch, up-and-coming researchers, tipped by their peers as potential leaders in their specialized fields of inquiry. The federal program is aimed at stimulating leading-edge research in Canadian universities, research institutes and hospitals

Current research

The human body contains up to 1,000 different types of fat (lipids). When lipid metabolism goes awry through misregulation, it can lead to a myriad of diseases including cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart attack and stroke.

We use a combination of modern genetics, biochemical, molecular, cell biological, and proteomic approaches to isolate new genes and proteins that regulate fat metabolism.

With this new knowledge, we can better pinpoint how lipid metabolism is misregulated. Once we identify specific control points for the metabolism of a particular lipid, we then design specific medicines to aid in disease treatment.

The major disease we are currently targeting is cancer. We are looking at the role of specific lipids in signaling cells to spur, slow or stop growth with the goal of identifying new and more specific cancer chemotherapeutic targets.

A second major interest is our study of how disease-causing bacteria make and use lipids for the synthesis of toxins. We are designing and synthesizing drugs that interfere with bacterial lipid metabolism – drugs that will kill the bacteria and at the same time prevent bacterial toxin release, but not harm humans.

Once successful, these new medicines will be the first new class of broad specificity antibiotics to be discovered in the past 30 years.

In the process, we have attained some encouraging results. For instance, a company, NovAcyl Pharmaceuticals, is being established to produce new drugs based on preliminary findings from collaborative research that involved myself, Dr. David Byers and Dr. Donald Weaver, all from Dalhousie University.

Clinical /scientific impact

My research currently centers around two major areas of interest. The first is trying to discover new targets in cancer cells, specific to them and necessary for their survival. If drugs can be developed to destroy these new targets, then cancer cells can be killed more effectively and with far fewer side effects than with current cancer medicines.

This achievement would mark a significant improvement over most current therapies that only preferentially kill cancer cells, meaning that they destroy many normal cells in the process. These therapies cannot be delivered at the most effective dose for cell death because they would seriously harm the patient.

My second area of interest is in exploiting differences in the biology of bacteria and humans to pinpoint new drug targets and in synthesizing and testing these new antibiotic drugs.

Inspiration

In almost everyone's idyllic view of the world, it is a place free of suffering. One of the major causes of suffering in our world is disease for which there is limited or no cure. As an idealistic younger man I was drawn to medical research to aid in the discovery processes that will reduce disease and ease suffering.

Early in my career I was lucky to have two fabulous mentors: Dr. Patrick Choy, during my Ph.D. work and Dr. Robert Bell, during my post-doctoral training. They were very successful researchers, highly ethical people, and collegial to their personnel. They made it relatively easy for me to take on the role of principal investigator of a lab. Essentially, I have just tried to replicate the experience they provided.

Before entering scientific research, my impression of scientists was the popular one: I thought they were very clinical thinkers. Now, after having met many of them, I’m inclined to believe that the best scientists would make even better artists if only they knew how to paint.

The process of discovery is very creative - almost artistic in nature. You are essentially thinking of things nobody else has thought about. And coming up with a truly original thought is much harder than it sounds. Then you have to find a way to prove whether your idea is right or wrong. This process unites very creative thinking with the critical application of carefully designed sets of experiments to test your "new" hypothesis. Combining these very different ways of thinking was, and still is, the most attractive part of the job.

Why Dalhousie?

After my post-doctoral studies at Duke University I really wanted to come back to Canada and I was fortunate that a core group of world expert researchers in my area of interest, lipid metabolism, was based at the Atlantic Research Centre, Dalhousie University. The attractiveness of working with Drs. Harold Cook, Neale Ridgway, and David Byers as well as living in what I feel is the Canadian city with the most attractive lifestyle was too good to be true.

Diversions

Outside of work I enjoy most sports but mainly participate in cycling, soccer, swimming, bowling, and curling. I also read quite a bit in the evening to put me to sleep. Sometimes it’s hard to leave work at the lab, and reading helps get it out of my head. Classic tales of adventure, by Sir Walter Scott, Alexandre Dumas (fils) or George MacDonald Fraser work well. Halifax is also a great place to grab a beer in a pub with friends.

Awards

• Canada Research Chair in Biosignalling (Tier II), 2003 - 2008
• Senior Clinical Research Scholar, IWK Health Centre, 2002 - 2007
• Medical Research Council of Canada Scholarship, 1997 - 2002 (ranked first in Canada)
• Medical Research Council of Canada Fellowship, 1992 - 1995 (ranked first in Canada)
• Medical Research Council of Canada Graduate Studentship, 1990 - 1992
• Manitoba Health Research Council Graduate Studentship, 1989 - 1990
• Drewry Award for Excellence in Research in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, 1992
• Merck Frosst of Canada Award for Excellence in Cell Biology Research, University of Manitoba, 1992
• Black Memorial Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research, University of Manitoba, 1992

Professional affiliations (highlights):

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Society for Microbiology
Canadian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology

Professional positions:

Assistant Professor (May 1996 - June 2001)
Department of Pediatrics (primary appointment)
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (cross-appointment)
Senior Investigator of the Atlantic Research Centre
Faculty of Medicine
Dalhousie University

Education:

Post-doctoral Fellow (Nov. 1992 - Apr. 1996)
Molecular Cancer Biology and Biochemistry
Duke University Medical Center
Supervisor: Dr. Robert M. Bell

Ph.D. candidate (Sept. 1988 - Oct. 1992)
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
University of Manitoba
Supervisor: Dr. Patrick C. Choy

B.Sc. (First Class Honours) (Sept. 1984 - May 1988)
Microbiology
University of Manitoba

Other links in the research chain

Universities with groups of researchers focused in my area include the universities of Alberta, Manitoba, and Ottawa. The pharmaceutical company Merck Frosst in Montreal also expends a lot of its effort examining the biological roles of lipids in human disease.

Worldwide, similar research is going on at centers such as Duke University (North Carolina, USA), Rutgers University (New Jersey, USA), University of California at San Diego (California, USA), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (North Carolina, USA) Utrecht University (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Cambridge University (London, England), and St. Jude's Hospital (Tennessee, USA).

For further information, please contact Dr. Christopher R. McMaster using the Email contact form or by phone at 902 494-7066