Faculty profile

Carol Schuurmans

ResearcherUniversity of Toronto

This profile is built from public research funding records (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) and PubMed. We have not imported them from a University of Toronto directory, so their courses may be missing. Find their university profile.

Carol Schuurmans

Researcher

Health Sciences

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Supervision signals

Has led research grants, which requires an independent research appointment. Ask their department whether they supervise graduate students.
21 publications in the last five years, latest in 2026.
Senior (last) author on 13 recent papers, a sign of leading a research group.
Principal investigator on 12 research grants (7 CIHR, 3 SSHRC, 2 NSERC), most recently in 2024.
Supervisor on 1 trainee award (1 CIHR), most recently in 2021.

These signals come from public records, including CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions. Ask the professor or the graduate program whether they are taking new students.

Academic metrics

Publications

Collaborators

Grants

Publications by year

Counts cover the publications linked to this profile. Citations and the h-index appear when the source records them.

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Signals and details

Research

Gene Regulatory Networks Alzheimer'S Disease Cerebral Organoids Retina Cortical Organoids Neural Stem And Progenitor Cells Proneural Transcription Factors Signal Dependent Transcription Factors

Latest papers

The modulation of the blood-brain barrier by focused ultrasound stimulates oligodendrogenesis.
Acta neuropathologica communications · 2026
SMPD3 suppresses oligodendroglioma growth via dual autocrine-paracrine roles.
Communications biology · 2026 · senior author
Metabolic Assessment in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cerebral Organoids Using HR-MAS NMR Spectroscopy.
NMR in biomedicine · 2026

All 47 publications

Latest funding

Precision Cellular Reprogramming for Functional Brain Renewal
CIHR · 2025 · Co-investigator
$1,530,000
Testing the evolutionary advantage of allele-specific gene expression in the mammalian central nervous system
NSERC · 2024 · Principal investigator
$63,000
Investigating the dynamics of neocortical neurogenesis: a proneural gene perspective
CIHR · 2024 · Nominated PI
$1,147,500

All 15 grants and awards

47 publications.

The modulation of the blood-brain barrier by focused ultrasound stimulates oligodendrogenesis.

Noseworthy K, Silburt J, Apa A, Rubio-Atonal LF, Wu SK, Schuurmans C, Hynynen K, Aubert I

Acta neuropathologica communications2026

DOI: 10.1186/s40478-026-02364-1 PMID: 42436585

SMPD3 suppresses oligodendroglioma growth via dual autocrine-paracrine roles.

Saleh F, Balakrishnan A, Adnani L, Ahmad ST, Chinchalongporn V, El-Sehemy A, Olender T, Chen MJ, Kshirsagar A, Kennedy A, Kulathunga N, Prokopchuk O, Vasan L, Touahri Y, Islam R, Sujanthan S, Zinyk D, Comanita LC, Kan B, Fleming T, Michael IP, Morshead CM, Leong HS, Okawa S, Brand M, Wallace VA, Chan JA, Schuurmans C

Communications biology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-026-10556-7 PMID: 42365201

Metabolic Assessment in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cerebral Organoids Using HR-MAS NMR Spectroscopy.

Bolanos MAC, Chinchalongporn V, Biswas RG, Bailey C, Wu M, Soong R, Saleh F, Simpson A, Schuurmans C, Near J

NMR in biomedicine2026

DOI: 10.1002/nbm.70343 PMID: 42360098

Combinatorial expression of glial transcription factors induces Schwann cell-specific gene expression in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

Belfiore L, Balakrishnan A, Touahri Y, Zinyk D, Noman H, Okawa S, Biernaskie J, Schuurmans C

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.70054 PMID: 40538023

Plagl1 regulates the retinal progenitor cell to Müller glial cell transition.

Touahri Y, Pak A, David LA, Hanna J, Liu H, Xiao Y, Belfiore L, Ilnytskyy Y, van Oosten E, Tachibana N, Adnani L, Zhao J, Hoffman M, Dixit R, Zinyk D, Guidos CJ, Enzmann V, Bi P, Aubert I, Journot L, Kovalchuk I, Sauvé Y, Biernaskie J, Wang C, Okawa S, Del Sol A, Schuurmans C

PLoS genetics2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1012020 PMID: 41849358

MicroRNA-mediated neuronal detargeting alters astrocyte cell fate conversion trajectories in vivo.

Ghazale H, Parga Pazos M, Jung S, Cao K, Vasan L, Hickmott JW, Zhang L, Morshead CM, Wang C, Del Sol A, Schuurmans C

Communications biology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-09169-3 PMID: 41350397

Neocortical neurogenesis: a proneural gene perspective.

Vasan L, Moffat A, Mattar P, Schuurmans C

The FEBS journal2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1111/febs.70158 PMID: 40545564

Etv5 Is Required for Peripheral Nerve Function and the Injury Response.

Belfiore L, Balakrishnan A, Soenjaya Y, Ghazale H, Moffat A, Zinyk D, Vasan L, Touahri Y, Amemiya Y, Chu TH, Stykel MG, Seth A, Okawa S, Demore CEM, Midha R, Biernaskie J, Schuurmans C

eNeuro2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0410-20.2025 PMID: 40701803

Glycolytic flux controls retinal progenitor cell differentiation via regulating Wnt signaling.

Hanna J, Touahri Y, Pak A, Belfiore L, van Oosten E, David LA, Han S, Ilnytskyy Y, Kovalchuk I, Kurrasch D, Okawa S, Del Sol A, Screaton RA, Aubert I, Schuurmans C

eLife2025Senior author

DOI: 10.7554/elife.100604 PMID: 40526494

Pten Loss Triggers Progressive Photoreceptor Degeneration in an mTORC1-Independent Manner.

Hanna J, Touahri Y, Pak A, David LA, van Oosten E, Dixit R, Vecchio LM, Mehta DN, Minamisono R, Aubert I, Schuurmans C

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1167/iovs.66.3.45 PMID: 40116678

Precision Cellular Reprogramming for Functional Brain Renewal

Co-investigatorCIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Mclaurin, Joanne

Keywords: Brain Injury; Derisking; Gene Therapy; Manufactoring; Neurodegeneration; Neurotrauma; Translation

$1,530,000

Testing the evolutionary advantage of allele-specific gene expression in the mammalian central nervous system

Principal investigatorNSERC2024Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Schuurmans, Carol

Keywords: retina; muller glia; imprinted genes; transcription; translation; environmental stressors; stem cells

$63,000

Investigating the dynamics of neocortical neurogenesis: a proneural gene perspective

Nominated PICIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Schuurmans, Carol J

Keywords: Cortical Organoids; Gene Regulatory Networks; Neural Stem And Progenitor Cells; Proneural Transcription Factors; Signal Dependent Transcription Factors; Transgenic Mice

$1,147,500

Planning for patient engagement in biomedical research

Co-investigatorCIHR2022Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Bethell, Jennifer M; Mclaurin, Joanne

Keywords: Brain; Dementia; Gene Therapy; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neurons; Patient Engagement; Transcription Factors

$10,000

NMR spectroscopy in brain organoids: identifying neurochemical and gene regulatory network signatures of the healthy and Alzheimer's Disease brain

Principal investigatorCIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Near, Jamie; Schuurmans, Carol J

Keywords: Aging; Alzheimer'S Disease; Brain Metabolism; Cerebral Organoids; Epigenetics; Gene Regulatory Networks; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Neurochemistry; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

$940,950

A pipeline approach for the rational design of neuronal lineage conversion approaches to treat neurological disorders

Principal investigatorSSHRC2022New Frontiers in Research Fund - Transformation

Principal investigators: Schuurmans, Carol

Keywords: neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer's disease direct neuronal reprogramming transcription factors gene regulatory networks computer-guided design nanoparticles epigenomics neurological disorders self-amplifying RNA bacteriophage astrocytes stroke epilepsy focused ultrasound

$4,000,000

A pipeline approach for the rational design of neuronal lineage conversion approaches to treat neurological disorders

Principal investigatorSSHRC2022New Frontiers in Research Fund - Transformation

Principal investigators: Schuurmans, Carol

Keywords: neurodegenerative disease,; Alzheimer's disease; direct neuronal reprogramming; transcription factors; gene regulatory networks ; computer-guided design; nanoparticles; epigenomics ; neurological disorders; self-amplifying RNA; bacteriophage; astrocytes; stroke; epilepsy; focused ultrasound

$8,000,000

Elucidating the role of metabolic reprogramming in retinal degeneration

SupervisorCIHR2021Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Hanna, Joseph

Keywords: Age-Related Macular Degeneration; Drug Discovery; Epigenetics; Focused Ultrasound; Gene Therapy; Glycolysis; Metabolism; Photoreceptors; Retinal Degeneration; Retinitis Pigmentosa

$105,000

Targeting Pten to unlock the regenerative potential of the mammalian retina

Nominated PICIHR2021Project Grant

Principal investigators: Schuurmans, Carol J

Keywords: Degeneration; Metabolism And Bioenergetics; Muller Glia; Photoreceptors; Pten Phosphatase; Regeneration; Retina; Retinal Progenitor Cells

$956,250

'Living diagnostics' for neurodegenerative disease: bacterial biosensors of the gut inflammasome as probes of the gut-brain axis

Principal investigatorSSHRC2019New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration

Principal investigators: Schuurmans, Carol

Keywords: Neurodegenerative disease; Alzheimer's Disease; Microbial Biosensor; Inflammatory Molecules; Gut-Brain Axis; Microbiome

$273,175

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

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Carol Schuurmans

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

The modulation of the blood-brain barrier by focused ultrasound stimulates oligodendrogenesis.

SMPD3 suppresses oligodendroglioma growth via dual autocrine-paracrine roles.

Metabolic Assessment in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cerebral Organoids Using HR-MAS NMR Spectroscopy.

Combinatorial expression of glial transcription factors induces Schwann cell-specific gene expression in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

Plagl1 regulates the retinal progenitor cell to M&#xfc;ller glial cell transition.

MicroRNA-mediated neuronal detargeting alters astrocyte cell fate conversion trajectories in vivo.

Neocortical neurogenesis: a proneural gene perspective.

Etv5 Is Required for Peripheral Nerve Function and the Injury Response.

Glycolytic flux controls retinal progenitor cell differentiation via regulating Wnt signaling.

Pten Loss Triggers Progressive Photoreceptor Degeneration in an mTORC1-Independent Manner.

Precision Cellular Reprogramming for Functional Brain Renewal

Testing the evolutionary advantage of allele-specific gene expression in the mammalian central nervous system

Investigating the dynamics of neocortical neurogenesis: a proneural gene perspective

Planning for patient engagement in biomedical research

NMR spectroscopy in brain organoids: identifying neurochemical and gene regulatory network signatures of the healthy and Alzheimer's Disease brain

A pipeline approach for the rational design of neuronal lineage conversion approaches to treat neurological disorders

A pipeline approach for the rational design of neuronal lineage conversion approaches to treat neurological disorders

Elucidating the role of metabolic reprogramming in retinal degeneration

Targeting Pten to unlock the regenerative potential of the mammalian retina

'Living diagnostics' for neurodegenerative disease: bacterial biosensors of the gut inflammasome as probes of the gut-brain axis

Frequent collaborators

Carol Schuurmans

Isabelle Aubert

Deborah Kurrasch

Chao Wang

Marjorie Brand

Jamie Near

Arun Seth

Valerie Wallace

Joanne McLaurin

Kullervo Hynynen

Rajiv Midha

Pierre Mattar

Maged Goubran

Maryam Faiz

Jeffrey Biernaskie

Bojana Stefanovic

Monzur Murshed

Michel Cayouette

Rod Bremner

David Picketts

Liliana Attisano

Mark Ungrin

Plagl1 regulates the retinal progenitor cell to Müller glial cell transition.