Wayne Sossin, McGill University

Research

Aplysia Synaptic Plasticity Ampa Receptors Learning And Memory Translational Control Calpain Facilitation Molecular Memory Trace

Latest papers

The evolution of synaptic and cognitive capacity: Insights from the nervous system transcriptome of Aplysia.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2022
The evolution of extracellular fibrillins and their functional domains.
PloS one · 2012
mRNA binding protein staufen 1-dependent regulation of pyramidal cell spine morphology via NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity.
Molecular brain · 2011

All 5 publications

Latest funding

Molecular Mechanism of Translational Stalling in Specialized Neuronal Ribosomes.
CIHR · 2025 · Principal investigator
$1,101,600
Molecular mechanisms that maintain synaptic plasticity critical for long-term memory persistence
CIHR · 2021 · Nominated PI
$826,200
Role of the CaV2 channel in regulating transmitter release in Aplysia sensory neurons
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$348,000

All 17 grants and awards

5 publications.

01

The evolution of synaptic and cognitive capacity: Insights from the nervous system transcriptome of Aplysia.

Orvis J, Albertin CB, Shrestha P, Chen S, Zheng M, Rodriguez CJ, Tallon LJ, Mahurkar A, Zimin AV, Kim M, Liu K, Kandel ER, Fraser CM, Sossin W, Abrams TW

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2022

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122301119 PMID: 35867761

02

The evolution of extracellular fibrillins and their functional domains.

Piha-Gossack A, Sossin W, Reinhardt DP

PloS one2012

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033560 PMID: 22438950

03

mRNA binding protein staufen 1-dependent regulation of pyramidal cell spine morphology via NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity.

Lebeau G, DesGroseillers L, Sossin W, Lacaille JC

Molecular brain2011

DOI: 10.1186/1756-6606-4-22 PMID: 21635779

04

eIF2alpha phosphorylation bidirectionally regulates the switch from short- to long-term synaptic plasticity and memory.

Costa-Mattioli M, Gobert D, Stern E, Gamache K, Colina R, Cuello C, Sossin W, Kaufman R, Pelletier J, Rosenblum K, Krnjević K, Lacaille JC, Nader K, Sonenberg N

Cell2007

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2007.01.050 PMID: 17418795

05

Translational control of hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory by the eIF2alpha kinase GCN2.

Costa-Mattioli M, Gobert D, Harding H, Herdy B, Azzi M, Bruno M, Bidinosti M, Ben Mamou C, Marcinkiewicz E, Yoshida M, Imataka H, Cuello AC, Seidah N, Sossin W, Lacaille JC, Ron D, Nader K, Sonenberg N

Nature2005

DOI: 10.1038/nature03897 PMID: 16121183

Molecular Mechanism of Translational Stalling in Specialized Neuronal Ribosomes.

Principal investigatorCIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Ortega, Joaquin; Sossin, Wayne S

Keywords: Hippocampal Cultures; Neurons; Protein Synthesis; Ribosomes; Translational Control

$1,101,600

Molecular mechanisms that maintain synaptic plasticity critical for long-term memory persistence

Nominated PICIHR2021Project Grant

Principal investigators: Sossin, Wayne S

Keywords: Ampa Receptors; Aplysia; Fear Conditioning; Long Term Facilitation; Memory Erasure; Memory Maintenance; Protein Kinases; Rodents; Synapse; Synaptic Plasticity

$826,200

Role of the CaV2 channel in regulating transmitter release in Aplysia sensory neurons

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Sossin, Wayne

$348,000

Investigating stalled polysome dysregulation as a shared feature of human intellectual disorders

SupervisorCIHR2019Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Langille, Jesse J

Keywords: Cell Signalling; Cellular Neuroscience; Fragile X Syndrome; Human Stem Cells; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Neuronal Culture; Protein Synthesis; Stalled Polysomes; Translation; Translation Control

$105,000

Scanning histology and immunohistochemistry-prepared tissue for bridging across scales of molecular, cellular, systems and imaging neuroscience

Co-investigatorNSERC2018Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Shmuel, Amir

$150,000

Identifying translational regions underlying synaptic plasticity

Nominated PICIHR2016Project Grant

Principal investigators: Sossin, Wayne S

Keywords: Aplysia; Elongation Factor 2; Learning And Memory; Long-Term Depression; Long-Term Potentiation; Ribosome; Rna Binding Proteins; Stalled Polysomes; Synaptic Plasticity; Translational Control

$939,040

PKCs as molecular memory traces

Nominated PICIHR2015Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Sossin, Wayne S

Keywords: Ampa Receptors; Aplysia; Calpain; Facilitation; Learning And Memory; Molecular Memory Trace; Protein Kinase C; Protein Kinase M; Synaptic Plasticity; Transmitter Release

$808,140

PKCs as molecular memory traces

Nominated PICIHR2014Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Sossin, Wayne S

Keywords: Ampa Receptors; Aplysia; Calpain; Facilitation; Learning And Memory; Molecular Memory Trace; Protein Kinase C; Protein Kinase M; Synaptic Plasticity; Transmitter Release

$100,000

Mechanisms underlying long-term synaptic plasticity and memory formation

SupervisorCIHR2013Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Hébert-Seropian, Sarah

Keywords: Electrophysiology; Field Potentials; Mrna Granules; Neurobiology Of Memory; Patch Clamping; Regulation Of Translation; Rna Binding Proteins; Synaptic Plasticity

$17,500

Regulation of calcium-secretion coupling

Principal investigatorNSERC2011Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Sossin, Wayne

$336,000

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
Neurology and Neurosurgery
Neurosciences
Psychology
Biochimie et médecine moléculaire
Laboratory of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology

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

Jean-Claude Lacaille

Neurosciences

3 shared papers, latest 2011

Karim Nader

Psychology

2 shared papers, latest 2007

Nahum Sonenberg

Biochemistry

2 shared papers, latest 2007

Kobi Rosenblum

Biochemistry

1 shared papers, latest 2007

Jerry Pelletier

Biochemistry

1 shared papers, latest 2007

Luc Desgroseillers

Biochimie et médecine moléculaire

1 shared papers, latest 2011

Nabil Seidah

Laboratory of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology

1 shared papers, latest 2005

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 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Aplysia Dear Professor Sossin, 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 "The evolution of synaptic and cognitive capacity: Insights from the nervous system transcriptome of Aplysia." (2022), 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 "Molecular Mechanism of Translational Stalling in Specialized Neuronal Ribosomes." (2025), 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]