Francois Bolduc

MD FRCPC Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Pediatric Neurology, University of Alberta

Adjunct Associate Professor

Medical Genetics, University of Alberta

Dr. Bolduc developed expertise in the neurogenetics of intellectual disability (ID) and memory. His lab focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory defects in patients with genetic differences. His laboratory has developed several paradigms in Drosophila to study quantitatively the memory defects in Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and Angelman syndrome. He identified dysregulation of the cAMP and protein synthesis pathways as key to the memory defects seen in Drosophila mutants for FXS. In addition, he has developed behavioral paradigms and uncovered novel treatments for neurodegenerative disorders including hereditary spastic paraplegia. As a clinician-scientist, he has also been able to follow patients with intellectual disability and autism. His lab has used novel genetic tools (including exome sequencing) to identify novel genes in ID as well as developed a FXS clinic for management of patients with FXS and related disorders. More recently, his lab has been leveraging artificial intelligence to understand how genetic network interaction leads to cognitive dysfunction as well as to make knowledge exchange more engaging and accessible for individuals with ID and their families.