Christian Casanova

Research

Electrophysiology Neuroanatomy Cortico-Thalamo-Cortical Loops Drivers And Modulators Extrageniculate Thalamic Nuclei Optical Imaging Perception Residual Vision

Latest papers

Pulvinar pathways as skip connections in deep neural networks for vision.
Frontiers in neuroimaging · 2026
The pulvinar nucleus and its role in cognitive functions.
Brain research bulletin · 2026 · senior author
Identification of a non-canonical planar cell polarity pathway triggered by light in the developing mouse retina.
Developmental cell · 2025

All 26 publications

Latest funding

Functions of the pulvinar in normal vision: role in transthalamic cortico-cortical communication
CIHR · 2022 · Nominated PI
$1,243,125
Système d'imagerie optique cérébrale pour l'étude du système visuel
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$45,589
Neuromodulation and Plasticity of the Visual System
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$385,000

All 18 grants and awards

26 publications.

01

Pulvinar pathways as skip connections in deep neural networks for vision.

Zarinabadi N, Casanova C, Cortes N

Frontiers in neuroimaging2026

DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2026.1800369 PMID: 42222605

02

The pulvinar nucleus and its role in cognitive functions.

Cortes N, Mandel C, Ikan L, Casanova C

Brain research bulletin2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111672 PMID: 41352437

03

Identification of a non-canonical planar cell polarity pathway triggered by light in the developing mouse retina.

Housset M, Filion D, Cortes N, Vali H, Mandato CA, Casanova C, Cayouette M

Developmental cell2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.10.012 PMID: 39561777

04

Dynamic Ultrasound Localization Microscopy Without ECG-Gating.

Ghigo N, Ramos-Palacios G, Bourquin C, Xing P, Wu A, Cortés N, Ladret H, Ikan L, Casanova C, Porée J, Sadikot A, Provost J

Ultrasound in medicine & biology2024

DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2024.05.023 PMID: 38969526

05

Quantitative pulsatility measurements using 3D dynamic ultrasound localization microscopy.

Bourquin C, Porée J, Rauby B, Perrot V, Ghigo N, Belgharbi H, Bélanger S, Ramos-Palacios G, Cortes N, Ladret H, Ikan L, Casanova C, Lesage F, Provost J

Physics in medicine and biology2024

DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad1b68 PMID: 38181421

06

The pulvinar as a hub of visual processing and cortical integration.

Cortes N, Ladret HJ, Abbas-Farishta R, Casanova C

Trends in neurosciences2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.11.008 PMID: 38143202

07

The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and the pulvinar as essential partners for visual cortical functions.

Casanova C, Chalupa LM

Frontiers in neuroscience2023First author

DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1258393 PMID: 37712093

08

Reliable, Fast and Stable Contrast Response Function Estimation.

Cortes N, Demers M, Ady V, Ikan L, Casanova C

Vision (Basel, Switzerland)2022Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/vision6040062 PMID: 36278674

09

Corticothalamic Projections Gate Alpha Rhythms in the Pulvinar.

Cortes N, Abbas Farishta R, Ladret HJ, Casanova C

Frontiers in cellular neuroscience2021Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.787170 PMID: 34938163

10

Pulvinar Modulates Synchrony across Visual Cortical Areas.

Cortes N, de Souza BOF, Casanova C

Vision (Basel, Switzerland)2020Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/vision4020022 PMID: 32290073

Functions of the pulvinar in normal vision: role in transthalamic cortico-cortical communication

Nominated PICIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian F

Keywords: Cortico-Thalamo-Cortical Loops; Drivers And Modulators; Electrophysiology; Extrageniculate Thalamic Nuclei; Neuroanatomy; Optical Imaging; Perception; Residual Vision; Reversible Inactivation; Schizophrenia

$1,243,125

Système d'imagerie optique cérébrale pour l'étude du système visuel

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian

$45,589

Neuromodulation and Plasticity of the Visual System

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian

$385,000

Système mesurant la réponse optomotrice pour l'étude des fonctions visuelles chez les rongeurs

Co-investigatorNSERC2016Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Bouchard, JeanFrançois

$40,096

Functions of the pulvinar in normal vision: role in transthalamic cortico-cortical communication

Nominated PICIHR2016Project Grant

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian F

Keywords: Cortico-Thalamo-Cortical Loops; Drivers And Modulators; Electrophysiology; Extrageniculate Thalamic Nuclei; Neuroanatomy; Optical Imaging; Perception; Residual Vision; Reversible Inactivation; Schizophrenia

$1,249,960

Functional organization and plasticity of the visual cortex in mammals

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian

$170,000

Functional impact of cannabinoids on the visual system

Nominated PICIHR2013Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian F

Keywords: Brain Imaging; Cannabinoids; Electrophysiology; Neuroanatomy; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neuromodulation; Neuroscience; System Physiology; Vision

$410,892

Système d'imagerie optique cérébrale pour l'étude des fonctions visuelles chez l'animal

Principal investigatorNSERC2013Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian

$59,052

Diagnosis, prognosis and classification of retinopathies: Comparing time-amplitude domain (TAD) with time-frequency domain (TFD) analyses of the electroretinogram.

Co-investigatorCIHR2012Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Lachapelle, Pierre

Keywords: Animal Models; Electroretinogram; Erg Model; Human; Mathematical Models; Residual Vision; Retinopathy; Time-Scale Analysis; Visiual Function

$450,863

Functions of the pulvinar in normal vision: role in transthalamic cortico-cortical communication

Nominated PICIHR2010Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Casanova, Christian F

Keywords: Cortico-Thalamo-Cortical Loops; Driver And Modulators; Electrophysiology; Extrageniculate Thalamic Nuclei; Neuroanatomy; Optical Imaging; Perception; Residual Vision; Reversible Inactivation; Schizophrenia

$733,140

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

Ecole d'optométrie
Medical Genetics
Neurology and Neurosurgery
Neurosciences
Other

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

Maurice Ptito

Ecole d'optométrie

7 shared papers, latest 2016

Jean Provost

Faculty

2 shared papers, latest 2024

Pierre Lachapelle

Medical Genetics

2 shared papers, latest 2007

Abbas Sadikot

Neurology and Neurosurgery

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Michel Cayouette

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Adriana Di Polo

Neurosciences

1 shared papers, latest 2013

Elvire Vaucher

Ecole d'optométrie

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 mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Electrophysiology Dear Professor Casanova, 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 "Pulvinar pathways as skip connections in deep neural networks for vision." (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 "Functions of the pulvinar in normal vision: role in transthalamic cortico-cortical communication" (2022), 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]