2021 Sex & Gender Differences Competitive Fellowship Awardee
Michelle De Pol is a second-year master's student in the Institute of Medical Science. She received an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from the University of Toronto in 2020. Since then, she has worked under the supervision of Dr. Nathan Kolla at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Her work is supported by the CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship, the University of Toronto Graduate Fellowship, and the Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Sex and Gender Fellowship.
Michelle's research uses neuroimaging to investigate a potential biomarker of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and depression. There is evidence to suggest that a brain protein, called fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), is elevated in these individuals, which could be used as a target for novel drug treatments. Important sex- and gender-based considerations will be applied to Michelle's research. BPD and depression are highly diagnosed in female-identifying individuals. A sex-based analysis will consider the relationship between FAAH and phases of the menstrual cycle, while a gender-based analysis will consider differences in BPD severity among cis, trans, non-binary and other-gendered individuals. Michelle's research aims to improve our understanding of the neurobiology of mood-related disorders through an intersectional lens.
