Chris Verschoor, MSc, PhD
Scientist, Health Sciences North Research Institute
Assistant Professor, Northern Ontario School of Medicine (Medical Sciences)
Assistant Professor (Part-time), Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University
Chris received a BSc from the University of Guelph in Biomedical Sciences and both a master’s and doctorate in the areas of animal physiology and genetics. He completed his post-doctoral training at McMaster University in the McMaster Immunology Research Centre where he studied the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of older adults to pneumococcal pneumonia. He spent three years as a Research Associate with the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, including one year as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster University, where he investigated the utility of biological measures for determining health trajectories of individuals as they age. He joined the Health Sciences North Research Institute in 2019.
Chris’ research program focuses on improving our understanding of how immunity changes with age in older adults, and how it is related to trajectories of health and well-being. For this he combines population health methodology with sophisticated cellular and molecular laboratory approaches to test specific hypotheses regarding the biological mechanisms of adverse health-related outcomes, and identify potential biological markers of healthy (or unhealthy) aging. Current areas of focus include age-related inflammation (“inflammaging”), innate immune mechanisms of myeloid cells, cellular/molecular responses to influenza vaccination and infection and composite health indicators.
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Northern Ontario Academic Medicine Association
- Ontario Thoracic Society/Ontario Lung Association