Keir Menzies, University of Ottawa

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of Ottawa profile.

Muscular Dystrophy Muscle Regeneration Nad+-Metabolism Parg Poly-Adp-Ribosylation Aging Muscle Health Muscle Satellite Cells

Latest papers

Placental ferroptosis and impaired fetal growth in symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Clinical science (London, England : 1979) · 2026
Ferroptosis as a mechanism of placenta dysfunction in inflammation-driven preeclampsia.
Placenta · 2025
Endogenous metabolism in endothelial and immune cells generates most of the tissue vitamin B3 (nicotinamide).
iScience · 2022

All 5 publications

Latest funding

The Role of ARH3-Dependent DePARylation During Myogenic Differentiation
CIHR · 2026 · Supervisor
$6,000
Investigating Mitochondrial DePARylation and NAD+ Balance in Muscle Stem Cells
CIHR · 2025 · Supervisor
$6,000
Poly-ADP-ribosylation signalling in muscle satellite cells: A novel determinant of cell fate decision and tissue repair capacity
CIHR · 2024 · Nominated PI
$925,650

All 11 grants and awards

5 publications.

01

Placental ferroptosis and impaired fetal growth in symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Cariaco Y, Nik-Akhtar A, Brien ME, Menzies K, Girard S, Bainbridge S

Clinical science (London, England : 1979)2026

DOI: 10.1042/cs20257407 PMID: 41885260

02

Ferroptosis as a mechanism of placenta dysfunction in inflammation-driven preeclampsia.

Cariaco Y, Beck M, Jahan F, Kao JG, Nik-Akhtar A, Menzies K, Bainbridge S

Placenta2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2025.07.085 PMID: 40738047

03

Endogenous metabolism in endothelial and immune cells generates most of the tissue vitamin B3 (nicotinamide).

Zeidler JD, Chini CCS, Kanamori KS, Kashyap S, Espindola-Netto JM, Thompson K, Warner G, Cabral FS, Peclat TR, Gomez LS, Lopez SA, Wandersee MK, Schoon RA, Reid K, Menzies K, Beckedorff F, Reid JM, Brachs S, Meyer RG, Meyer-Ficca ML, Chini EN

iScience2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105431 PMID: 36388973

04

Glutaredoxin-2 and Sirtuin-3 deficiencies impair cardiac mitochondrial energetics but their effects are not additive.

Boardman NT, Migally B, Pileggi C, Parmar GS, Xuan JY, Menzies K, Harper ME

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of disease2021

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165982 PMID: 33002579

05

Glutaredoxin-2 controls cardiac mitochondrial dynamics and energetics in mice, and protects against human cardiac pathologies.

Kanaan GN, Ichim B, Gharibeh L, Maharsy W, Patten DA, Xuan JY, Reunov A, Marshall P, Veinot J, Menzies K, Nemer M, Harper ME

Redox biology2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2017.10.019 PMID: 29101900

The Role of ARH3-Dependent DePARylation During Myogenic Differentiation

SupervisorCIHR2026Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

Principal investigators: Niyonambaza, Steve Henry

Keywords: Muscle Stem Cell; Myofibres; Skeletal Muscle Regeneration

$6,000

Investigating Mitochondrial DePARylation and NAD+ Balance in Muscle Stem Cells

SupervisorCIHR2025Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

Principal investigators: Niyonambaza, Steve Henry

Keywords: Cell; Mitochondrial Function; Myoblasts; Redox Balance; Regneration; Respiratory Capacity; Skeletal Muscle; Stem Cells

$6,000

Poly-ADP-ribosylation signalling in muscle satellite cells: A novel determinant of cell fate decision and tissue repair capacity

Nominated PICIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Menzies, Keir

Keywords: Aging; Muscle Health; Muscle Regeneration; Muscle Satellite Cells; Muscular Dystrophy; Myogenesis; Nad+-Metabolism; Parg; Parp1/2; Poly-Adp-Ribosylation

$925,650

Poly-ADP-ribosylation signalling in muscle health: A novel determinant of muscle maintenance and function in cancer cachexia

Nominated PICIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Menzies, Keir; De Lisio, Michael

Keywords: Cancer Cachexia; Muscle Regeneration; Muscle Wasting; Nad+-Metabolism; Parg; Parp1/Parp2; Poly-Adp-Ribosylation

$937,125

Mitochondrial Quality Control in Muscle Stem Cells: A Determinant of Cell Fate Decision and Tissue Repair Capacity.

Co-investigatorCIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Burelle, Yan

Keywords: Mitochondria; Mitophagy; Muscle Regeneration; Muscle Stem Cells

$692,325

The role of poly(ADP- ribose)polymerases in muscle stem cell fate and function

Principal investigatorNSERC2018Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Menzies, Keir

$12,500

Metabolomics Advanced Training and International Exchange (CREATE-MATRIX)

Co-investigatorNSERC2018Collaborative Research and Training Experience

Principal investigators: Harper, MaryEllen

$1,650,000

NAD+ depletion as a cause of placental dysfunction in preeclampsia

SupervisorCIHR2018Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Jahan, Fahmida

Keywords: Inflammation,; Mitochondria; Nad+; Parp; Placenta; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Sirtuin

$105,000

The role of poly(ADP- ribose)polymerases in muscle stem cell fate and function

Principal investigatorNSERC2018Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Menzies, Keir

$217,000

GCN5-directed acetylation of YY1 regulates the expression of dystrophin and associated proteins

Nominated PICIHR2018Project Grant

Principal investigators: Menzies, Keir

Keywords: Acetylation; Becker'S Muscular Dystrophy; Dystrophin; Gcn5; Lysine Deacetylase (Kdac) Inhibitors; Muscular Dystrophy; Yy1

$837,676

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Obstétrique et gynécologie

Co-authors at University of Ottawa, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Abolfazl Nik-Akhtar

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Shannon Bainbridge

Interdisciplinary Health Sciences

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Mary-Ellen Harper

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

2 shared papers, latest 2021

John Veinot

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2018

Sylvie Girard

Obstétrique et gynécologie

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Mona Nemer

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2018

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Muscular Dystrophy Dear Professor Menzies, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Placental ferroptosis and impaired fetal growth in symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Poly-ADP-ribosylation signalling in muscle satellite cells: A novel determinant of cell fate decision and tissue repair capacity" (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]