Kelly Foss

Dr. Rob Brown holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) and a PhD from the University of Ottawa. An assistant professor with the Department of Biochemistry, Dr. Brown joined Memorial University in September.

A former fellow of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, he was most recently a fellow of the Center for Cardiovascular Research and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Saint Louis University, prior to moving to this province.

Born in Wales, Dr. Brown emigrated to Calgary with his parents as a child, later moving to Ottawa for much of his education. His research area involves cardiovascular disease – specifically lipids, lipoproteins and metabolism.

“I study the balance between the good HDL cholesterol and the bad LDL cholesterol and the enzymes that influence those in the circulation,” he explained. “These enzymes are involved in regulating the levels of HDL and LDL in the circulation. When lipids are released by these enzymes from the breakdown of cholesterol or triglycerides, some appear to act as signaling molecules.

“My interest is in identifying new pathways affected by the lipids that are present in the circulation and how those pathways potentially influence cardiovascular disease.”

While he prepares his lab and hires graduate students to help with his research, Dr. Brown spends time exploring his new city’s walking trails and is an avid hockey fan. He is enjoying getting to know his fellow colleagues in his department and is looking forward to working collaboratively with them in the near future.