Shimon Amir, McGill University

Research

Circadian Rhythm Androgen Receptor Clock Genes Fatty Liver Disease Mouse Model Nash Animal Behavior Autism

Latest papers

Region-specific Bmal1 deletion in the dorsal striatum alters alcohol consumption in a sex-specific manner.
Drug and alcohol dependence · 2026 · senior author
Circadian clock genes Bmal1 and Per2 in the nucleus accumbens are negative regulators of alcohol-drinking behavior in mice.
Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) · 2026
Effects of chronodisruption and alcohol consumption on gene expression in reward-related brain areas in female rats.
Frontiers in molecular neuroscience · 2024 · senior author

All 35 publications

Latest funding

Using a novel androgen receptor knock-in mouse model to investigate defects in circadian rhythm linked to the development Metabolic Syndrome.
CIHR · 2018 · Principal investigator
$772,650
eIF4E-dependent translation and the mammalian circadian clock.
CIHR · 2015 · Principal investigator
$764,216
Investigating mRNA translational control in the quest to cure human disease.
CIHR · 2015 · Co-investigator
$7,407,439

All 4 grants and awards

35 publications.

01

Region-specific Bmal1 deletion in the dorsal striatum alters alcohol consumption in a sex-specific manner.

Darvishmolla M, Courtemanche R, Amir S

Drug and alcohol dependence2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113367 PMID: 42767113

02

Circadian clock genes Bmal1 and Per2 in the nucleus accumbens are negative regulators of alcohol-drinking behavior in mice.

Herrera J, Button M, Doherty-Haigh P, Szubinski A, Amir S, Schoettner K

Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2026.07.002 PMID: 42447969

03

Effects of chronodisruption and alcohol consumption on gene expression in reward-related brain areas in female rats.

Meyer C, Schoettner K, Amir S

Frontiers in molecular neuroscience2024Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1493862 PMID: 39624490

04

Sexually dimorphic role of circadian clock genes in alcohol drinking behavior.

de Zavalia N, Ferraro S, Amir S

Psychopharmacology2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06247-w PMID: 36184679

05

The effects of circadian desynchronization on alcohol consumption and affective behavior during alcohol abstinence in female rats.

Meyer C, Schoettner K, Amir S

Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience2022Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1044783 PMID: 36620855

06

Characterization of Affective Behaviors and Motor Functions in Mice With a Striatal-Specific Deletion of Bmal1 and Per2.

Schoettner K, Alonso M, Button M, Goldfarb C, Herrera J, Quteishat N, Meyer C, Bergdahl A, Amir S

Frontiers in physiology2022Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.922080 PMID: 35755440

07

Thermoregulatory significance of immobility in the forced swim test.

Nadeau BG, Marchant EG, Amir S, Mistlberger RE

Physiology & behavior2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113709 PMID: 35065081

08

Bmal1 in the striatum influences alcohol intake in a sexually dimorphic manner.

de Zavalia N, Schoettner K, Goldsmith JA, Solis P, Ferraro S, Parent G, Amir S

Communications biology2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02715-9 PMID: 34702951

09

In utero Exposure to Valproic-Acid Alters Circadian Organisation and Clock-Gene Expression: Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Ferraro S, de Zavalia N, Belforte N, Amir S

Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience2021Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.711549 PMID: 34650409

10

The eIF2α Kinase GCN2 Modulates Period and Rhythmicity of the Circadian Clock by Translational Control of Atf4.

Pathak SS, Liu D, Li T, de Zavalia N, Zhu L, Li J, Karthikeyan R, Alain T, Liu AC, Storch KF, Kaufman RJ, Jin VX, Amir S, Sonenberg N, Cao R

Neuron2019

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.007 PMID: 31522764

Using a novel androgen receptor knock-in mouse model to investigate defects in circadian rhythm linked to the development Metabolic Syndrome.

Principal investigatorCIHR2018Project Grant

Principal investigators: Trifiro, Mark A; Amir, Shimon

Keywords: Androgen Receptor; Circadian Rhythm; Clock Genes; Fatty Liver Disease; Mouse Model; Nash

$772,650

eIF4E-dependent translation and the mammalian circadian clock.

Principal investigatorCIHR2015Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Sonenberg, Nahum; Amir, Shimon

Keywords: Animal Behavior; Autism; Cell Culture; Circadian Rhythm; Eif4e; Mrna Translation; Phosphorylation; Scn; Signal Transduction; Sleep Disorders

$764,216

Investigating mRNA translational control in the quest to cure human disease.

Co-investigatorCIHR2015Foundation Grant

Principal investigators: Sonenberg, Nahum

Keywords: Autism; Cancer; Circadian Clock; Microrna; Mrna Decay; Protein Synthesis; Signaling; Stem Cell; Structural Biology; Translational Control

$7,407,439

EIF4E-dependent regulation of protein synthesis in the hypothalamic circadian clock

SupervisorCIHR2013CIHR Fellowship

Principal investigators: Cao, Ruifeng

Keywords: Animal Behavior; Circadian Clock; Eif4e; Jet Lag; Mrna Translation; Phosphorylation; Protein Synthesis; Signal Transduction; Sleep Disorders; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

$78,750

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
Psychology
Psychiatry
Anesthesia
Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

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

Nahum Sonenberg

Biochemistry

4 shared papers, latest 2019

Tommy Alain

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Arkady Khoutorsky

Anesthesia

1 shared papers, latest 2013

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 mention

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Circadian Rhythm Dear Professor Amir, 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 "Region-specific Bmal1 deletion in the dorsal striatum alters alcohol consumption in a sex-specific manner." (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.] 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]

Shimon Amir

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Region-specific Bmal1 deletion in the dorsal striatum alters alcohol consumption in a sex-specific manner.

Circadian clock genes Bmal1 and Per2 in the nucleus accumbens are negative regulators of alcohol-drinking behavior in mice.

Effects of chronodisruption and alcohol consumption on gene expression in reward-related brain areas in female rats.

Sexually dimorphic role of circadian clock genes in alcohol drinking behavior.

The effects of circadian desynchronization on alcohol consumption and affective behavior during alcohol abstinence in female rats.

Characterization of Affective Behaviors and Motor Functions in Mice With a Striatal-Specific Deletion of Bmal1 and Per2.

Thermoregulatory significance of immobility in the forced swim test.

Bmal1 in the striatum influences alcohol intake in a sexually dimorphic manner.

In utero Exposure to Valproic-Acid Alters Circadian Organisation and Clock-Gene Expression: Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The eIF2α Kinase GCN2 Modulates Period and Rhythmicity of the Circadian Clock by Translational Control of Atf4.

Using a novel androgen receptor knock-in mouse model to investigate defects in circadian rhythm linked to the development Metabolic Syndrome.

eIF4E-dependent translation and the mammalian circadian clock.

Investigating mRNA translational control in the quest to cure human disease.

EIF4E-dependent regulation of protein synthesis in the hypothalamic circadian clock

Frequent collaborators

Shimon Amir

Nahum Sonenberg

Kai-Florian Storch

Uri Shalev

Tommy Alain

Arkady Khoutorsky

Shimon Amir

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Region-specific Bmal1 deletion in the dorsal striatum alters alcohol consumption in a sex-specific manner.

Circadian clock genes Bmal1 and Per2 in the nucleus accumbens are negative regulators of alcohol-drinking behavior in mice.

Effects of chronodisruption and alcohol consumption on gene expression in reward-related brain areas in female rats.

Sexually dimorphic role of circadian clock genes in alcohol drinking behavior.

The effects of circadian desynchronization on alcohol consumption and affective behavior during alcohol abstinence in female rats.

Characterization of Affective Behaviors and Motor Functions in Mice With a Striatal-Specific Deletion of Bmal1 and Per2.

Thermoregulatory significance of immobility in the forced swim test.

Bmal1 in the striatum influences alcohol intake in a sexually dimorphic manner.

In utero Exposure to Valproic-Acid Alters Circadian Organisation and Clock-Gene Expression: Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The eIF2&#x3b1; Kinase GCN2 Modulates Period and Rhythmicity of the Circadian Clock by Translational Control of Atf4.

Using a novel androgen receptor knock-in mouse model to investigate defects in circadian rhythm linked to the development Metabolic Syndrome.

eIF4E-dependent translation and the mammalian circadian clock.

Investigating mRNA translational control in the quest to cure human disease.

EIF4E-dependent regulation of protein synthesis in the hypothalamic circadian clock

Frequent collaborators

Shimon Amir

Nahum Sonenberg

Kai-Florian Storch

Uri Shalev

Tommy Alain

Arkady Khoutorsky

The eIF2α Kinase GCN2 Modulates Period and Rhythmicity of the Circadian Clock by Translational Control of Atf4.