Francis Bambico

Dr. Francis R. Bambico is an associate professor in neuroscience and psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is also affiliated with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, where he is the lead principal investigator of a drug treatments discovery project for depressive disorders. His research program is in the field of translational neuropsychopharmacology for which he received extensive training in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada (PhD, McGill University) and the USA (postdoctoral, Yale University). His work's focus is on understanding the neurobehavioural bases of psychiatric disorders, and in bridging basic neuroscience research with mental health advocacy and transformative science communication especially geared towards  youth and communities in the margins of society. He has worked with NGOs in the Philippines as a counsellor and strategist for the promotion of resilience and empowerment  for street kids in difficult situations. He is one of the organizers and founders of an outreach initiative (SEINAPSE: Service and Outreach Initiative for Positive and Progressive Neuroscience) that is engaged in various collaborative efforts addressing misconceptions about mental illness and its stigmatization and in the promotion of brain health awareness through joint educational and medical missions, training programs  and artistic activities.