Rand Mahmoud

My research interests broadly lie in understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of stress resilience and vulnerability, particularly as they relate to neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression. Unfortunately, despite the fact that women are more likely than men to develop depression and other stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, female subjects continue to be largely excluded from preclinical research. As a PhD student in the Galea lab, my research is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which estrogens may contribute to resilience against the development of depressive-like endophenotypes in females. More specifically, I am investigating the potential for estrogens to protect against the deleterious effects of chronic stress through the modulation of inflammatory processes. When I’m not in the lab, I can be found experimenting in the kitchen, or playing viola with the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra.