Louis-Philippe Bernier, PhD, is a research associate at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver BC, previously having completed his PhD in Neuroscience at McGill University. Dr. Bernier  has been studying the mechanisms of cerebrovascular control for 10 years, focusing on how neuroinflammation affects blood flow in the brain.

Dr. Bernier is studying a novel molecular pathway that is believed to drive the pathological tightening of blood vessels in the brain that often occurs in the days following brain aneurysm rupture. 

Dr. Bernier is the recipient of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation Chair of Research for $30,000. He hopes that by identifying a new pathway that drives pathological constriction of blood vessels, his team will be able to block this molecular pathway using therapeutic agents. Since the pathological vasospasms that are studied occur several days after the initial aneurysm rupture, a drug therapy could potentially be given during that time window.