Associate Professor
Keir J. Menzies
- Courses2
- Reviews21
- School: University of Ottawa
- Campus:
- Department: Health Science
- Email address: Join to see
- Phone: Join to see
-
Location:
451 Smyth Road, Roger Guindon room 2131
Ottawa, ON - Dates at University of Ottawa: April 2016 - January 2020
- Office Hours: Join to see
N/A
Would take again: No
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Not Mandatory
Average
Prof. Menzies is a nice man who really tries his best. He gives tons of grading opportunities (3 in-class assignments, 2 quizzes, 1 paper, 1 midterm) which is helpful in case things don't go as planned. Quizzes and tests are very specific/picky. Memorize slides and know your stuff. Most of the info is on the slides and classes can be a bit dull.
N/A
Would take again: No
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Not Mandatory
Awful
Not a professor, more of a researcher. He pretty much just reads off of slides and doesn't go into enough detail to make any sense of the material. He puts no effort into actually teaching, he's just spitting out information that leaves you without an idea of what you're supposed to do. The midterm and final were 35% each, and there were two 10% quizzes and two 5% assignments. Avoid at all costs!
N/A
Would take again: No
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Not Mandatory
Awful
On the first day of class, Professor Menzies literally told us he was chosen as a professor because of research, as opposed to his teaching abilities, which was quickly very apparent. He reads his slides word for word, which do not provide the same level of detail that he looks for on his exams. He also puts questions on exams with topics we have not been taught. I suggest you avoid his class.
N/A
Would take again: No
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Not Mandatory
Poor
Prof. Menzies is very boring. He simply reads the slides. Please don't bother showing up because he only reads word for word off the slides. I actually used the textbook once.
Biography
University of Ottawa - Health Science
Prof. Keir Menzies is a molecular biologist with a strong interest in aging and metabolism, as they relate to cellular NAD+ homeostasis. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the Muscle Health Research Centre at York University under the supervision of Dr. David Hood, a Canada Research Chair specializing in exercise physiology, and his H.B.Sc. from the University of Toronto in biological chemistry. During his training, Dr. Menzies helped describe the role of mitochondria and oxidative stress in skeletal muscle during aging, disuse and exercise. These studies included a variety of metabolism-related topics, including the role of the sirtuin proteins as regulators of mitochondrial function in muscle during aging and exercise. Further to this, his work in the field of sirtuins led to an award for the Best Article of the Year in Metabolism in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Dr. Menzies then completed his postdoctoral training with Dr. Johan Auwerx, the Nestle Chair in Energy Metabolism at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, who has been included on the list of the 400 most influential biomedical researchers (European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2013). In Switzerland, Dr. Menzies gained expertise in sirtuin signaling, NAD+ metabolism and genetics in round worms, mice, and humans. Currently, Dr. Menzies is undertaking an integrated systems physiology approach for examining various signaling mechanisms and translational methodologies to discover new treatment strategies and biomarkers for metabolic disorders and age-related diseases.
Resume
2012
York University
Vasogen Inc
EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne)
York University
University Health Network
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
University of Ottawa
York University
Princess Margaret Hospital
Toronto
ON
Canada
Quality Assurance of LINACs (patient radiation machines)
Radiation Engineering Technician
University Health Network
Toronto
Canada
Collaborated with Dr. David Hood
Canada Research Chair
at the Muscle Health Research Centre
Postdoc
York University
Toronto
Canada
BIOL 3070
Animal Physiology II\nBIOL 3060
Animal Physiology I\nBIOL1010
Biological Sciences
Demonstrator
York University
University Health Network
Immunomodulation Therapy
Research Technician
Vasogen Inc
Toronto
Canada
BIOL1010
Biological Sciences
Lab Coordinator
York University
Ottawa
Canada
Collaborating with Johan Auwerx
Assistant Professor
University of Ottawa
Postdoc in Dr. Johan Auwerx's laboratory
Scientific Collaborator
Geneva Area
Switzerland
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Toronto
Canada
BIOL1010
Biological Sciences\nNATS1660
Biological Sciences
Lab Coordinator
York University
Geneva
Switzerland
Visiting Professor from the University of Ottawa
EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne)
French
English
JBC's Best of the Year 2013
Article in Metabolism
http://www.jbc.org/site/bestoftheyear
Journal of Biological Chemistry
2009
Chair for a $1.2 million refurbishment
Condo Board Corporation
M.T.C.C. #1284
Physiology
Research
Lifesciences
Scientific Writing
Cell Culture
Cell
qPCR
Flow Cytometry
Biology
Metabolism
Laboratory
Microscopy
PCR
Science
Western Blotting
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology
Statistics
Biochemistry
Genetics
Pharmacological Inhibition of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerases Improves Fitness and Mitochondrial Function in Skeletal Muscle
Evan Williams
Laia Morato
Young Suk Jo
Eija Pirinen
Cell Metabolism
Pharmacological Inhibition of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerases Improves Fitness and Mitochondrial Function in Skeletal Muscle
Lemos V
Ropelle ER
Wegner CJ
With no approved pharmacological treatment
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most common cause of chronic liver disease in western countries and its worldwide prevalence continues to increase along with the growing obesity epidemic. Here we show that a high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS) diet
eliciting chronic hepatosteatosis resembling human fatty liver
lowers hepatic NAD+ levels driving reductions in hepatic mitochondrial content
function and ATP levels
in conjunction with robust increases in hepatic weight
lipid content and peroxidation in C57BL/6J mice. In an effort to assess the effect of NAD+ repletion on the development of steatosis in mice
nicotinamide riboside (NR)
a precursor for NAD+ biosynthesis
was given to mice concomitant
as preventive strategy (NR-Prev)
and as a therapeutic intervention (NR-Ther)
to a HFHS diet. We demonstrate that NR prevents and reverts NAFLD by inducing a SIRT1- and SIRT3-dependent mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt)
triggering an adaptive mitohormetic pathway to increase hepatic β-oxidation and mitochondrial complex content and activity. The cell-autonomous beneficial component of NR treatment was revealed in liver-specific Sirt1 KO mice (Sirt1hep-/-)
while Apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe-/-) mice challenged with a high-fat high-cholesterol diet (HFC)
affirmed the use of NR in other independent models of NAFLD. Conclusion: Our data warrant the future evaluation of NAD+ boosting strategies to manage the development or progression of NAFLD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Eliciting the mitochondrial unfolded protein response via NAD+ repletion reverses fatty liver disease
Johan Auwerx
Kristina Schoonjans
Yamamoto H
Alessandra Piersigilli
Mottis Adrienne
SIRT2 Deficiency Modulates Macrophage Polarization and Susceptibility to Experimental Colitis
Claudia Dittner
Rick Havinga
Vera Lemos
chikage mataki
Maaike Oosterveer
SUMOylation-Dependent LRH-1/PROX1 Interaction Promotes Atherosclerosis by Decreasing Hepatic Reverse Cholesterol Transport
David A. Hood
2013 JBC's Best of the Year paper in Metabolism\nhttp://www.jbc.org/site/bestoftheyear
Sirtuin 1-mediated Effects of Exercise and Resveratrol on Mitochondrial Biogenesis
Karim Garianixu
Adult stem cells (SCs) are essential for tissue maintenance and regeneration yet are susceptible to senescence during aging. We demonstrate the importance of the amount of the oxidized form of cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and its impact on mitochondrial activity as a pivotal switch to modulate muscle SC (MuSC) senescence. Treatment with the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) induced the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) and synthesis of prohibitin proteins
and this rejuvenated MuSCs in aged mice. NR also prevented MuSC senescence in the Mdx mouse model of muscular dystrophy. We furthermore demonstrate that NR delays senescence of neural SCs (NSCs) and melanocyte SCs (McSCs)
and increased mouse lifespan. Strategies that conserve cellular NAD+ may reprogram dysfunctional SCs and improve lifespan in mammals.
NAD+ repletion improves mitochondrial and stem cell function and enhances life span in mice(Link)
NAD+ Metabolism and the Control of Energy Homeostasis: A Balancing Act between Mitochondria and the Nucleus
Johan Auwerx
NAD+ Metabolism and the Control of Energy Homeostasis: A Balancing Act between Mitochondria and the Nucleus
Keir
Menzies
2004
Biology symposium
York University
President/Treasurer
Elected President
Condo Board Corporation
M.T.C.C. #1284
000
HSF Research Fellowship (2yrs)
Award for $83
Heart and Stroke Foundation
Biology Tenure and Promotions Committee
Nominated Student Member
Biological Sciences
York University
CIHR Doctoral Research Award (3yrs)
Award for $66
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
York University
Ph.D.
Dissertation: The role of SirT1 in exercise- and resveratrol-induced muscle mitochondrial biogenesis
Molecular Biology and Exercise Physiology
M.Sc.
Thesis: Effect of thyroid hormone on mitochondrial properties and oxidative stress in cells from patients with mtDNA defects
Molecular Biology
University of Toronto
Hon.B.Sc.
Double specialist: Biological chemistry and human biology
Biological Chemistry
