top of page

Mark Brandon, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Faculty of Medicine
Douglas Hospital Research Centre
McGill University

Dr. Mark Brandon's roots trace back to a small town in Connecticut. It was at the University of Connecticut that he first encountered the field of neuroscience, sparking a deep interest. This enthusiasm led him to Boston University, where under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Hasselmo, he completed his Ph.D. in 2011. Following his graduation, Dr. Brandon pursued his postdoctoral work with Dr. Stefan Leutgeb at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). In 2015, he transitioned to McGill University to establish his own neuroscience laboratory. Today, the Brandon laboratory, supported by federal and provincial grants, has a consistent output of publications in highly esteemed peer-reviewed journals. Beyond this research output, Dr. Brandon has been dedicated to the academic and professional growth of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Dr. Brandon's research uses the latest innovative and state-of-the-art techniques to explore the brain's navigation and memory systems, with an emphasis on understanding the impacts of aging and conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

1) Lee JQ, Keinath AT, Cianfarano E, Brandon MP. (in press) Identifying representational structure in CA1 to benchmark theoretical models of cognitive mapping. Neuron


2) Jennifer C. Robinson, Johnson Ying, Michael E. Hasselmo, Mark P. Brandon (2024) Optogenetic silencing of medial septal GABAergic neurons disrupts grid cell spatial and temporal coding in the medial entorhinal cortex. Cell Reports 43, 114590 


3) Lee JQ, Brandon MP (2023) Time and experience are independent determinants of representational drift in CA1. Neuron. 111, 15, 2, 2275-2277.


4) Ajabi Z, Keinath AT, Xuexin W, Brandon MP. (2023) Population dynamics of head direction system during drift and reorientation. Nature. 615, 892–899.


5) Ying J, Reboreda A, Yoshida M, Brandon MP. (2023) Grid cell disruption in a mouse model of early Alzheimer’s disease reflects reduced integration of self-motion cues. Current Biology. Jun 19;33(12):2425-2437.


6) Keinath AT, Mosser CA, Brandon MP. (2022) The representation of context in mouse hippocampus is preserved despite neural drift. Nature Communications. 13:2415.


7) Ying J, Keinath AT, Lavoie R, Brandon MP. (2022) Selective impairment of the grid cell network in early Alzheimer’s disease. Nature Communications. 3l:886.


8) Robinson JC, Brandon MP. (2021) Skipping ahead: A circuit for representing the past, present and future. Elife. Oct 14;10:e68795


9) Vladislava S*, Ying J*, Morgan E, Brandon MP, Wolbers T. (2021) Path integration in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Feb;26(2):142-158.


10) Badrinarayanan S, Manseau F, Williams S, Brandon MP. (2021) A characterization of the electrophysiological and morphological properties of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) interneurons in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). Front. Neural Circuits. 15:653116.


11) Mosser CA, Haqqee Z, Nieto-Posadas A, Williams S, Brandon MP. (2021). The McGill- Mouse-Marmoset Platform: High-throughput Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Populations During Standardized Behavioral Tasks. Genes Brain and Behavior. Jan;20(1): n/a.


12) Keinath AT, Robinson J, Nieto-Posadas A, Brandon MP. (2020). DG-CA3 circuitry mediates hippocampal representations of latent information. Nature Communications. 11(3026): n/a.


13) Wei X, Zhou D, Grosmark A, Ajabi Z, Sparks F, Zhou P, Brandon MP, Losonczy A, Paninski L. (2020). A zero-inflated gamma model for post-deconvolved calcium imaging traces. Neurons, Behavior, Data Analysis and Theory. 3(2): n/a.


14) Favier M, Janickova H, Justo D, Kljakic O, Runtz L, Natsheh JY, Pascoal TA, Germann J, Gallino D, Kang J-I, Meng XQi, Antinora C, Raulic S, Jacobsen JPr, Moquin L, Vigneault E, Gratton A, Caron MG, Duriez P, Brandon MP, Rosa-Neto P, Chakravarty MM, Herzallah MM, Gorwood P, Prado MAm, Prado VF, Mestikawy SE. (2020). Cholinergic dysfunction in the dorsal striatum enhances habit formation and eating disorders. Journal of Clinical Investigations. 130(12): 6616-6630.


15) Zutshi I*, Brandon MP*, Fu ML, Donegan ML, Leutgeb LK, Leutgeb S. (2018) Hippocampal neural circuits respond to optogenetic pacing of theta frequencies by generating accelerate oscillation frequencies. Current Biology. Apr 23;28, 1-10. * These authors contributed equally


16) Hinman JR, Brandon MP, Climer JR, Chapman WG, Hasselmo (2016) Multiple running speed signals in medial entorhinal cortex. Neuron. Aug 3;91(3):666-79.


17) Kraus BJ, Brandon MP, Robinson RJ 2nd, Connerney MA, Hasselmo ME, Eichenbaum H. (2015) During running in place, grid cells integrate elapsed time and distance run. Neuron. Nov

4;88(3):578-89.


18) Schlesiger MI, Cannova CC, Boublil BL, Hales JB, Mankin EA, Brandon MP, Leutgeb JK, Leibold C, Leutgeb S (2015) The medial entorhinal cortex is necessary for temporal organization of hippocampal neuronal activity. Nature Neuroscience. Aug;18(8):1123-32.


19) Raudies F, Brandon MP, Chapman WG, Hasselmo ME (2015) Head direction is coded more strongly than movement direction in a population of entorhinal neurons. Brain Research. Sep 24;1621:355-67.


20) Brandon MP, Koenig J, Leutgeb JK, Leutgeb S. (2014) New and distinct hippocampal place codes are generated in a new environment during septal inactivation. Neuron. May 21;82(4):789-96.


21) Brandon MP, Bogaard AR, Schultheiss NW, Hasselmo ME (2013) Segregation of cortical head direction cell assemblies on alternating theta cycles. Nature Neuroscience Jun;16(6):739-48.


22) Brandon MP, Koenig J, Leutgeb S. (2013) Parallel and convergent processing in grid, headdirection, and place cell networks. WIREs Cogn Sci. doi 10.1002/wcs.1271


23) Hasselmo ME & Brandon MP (2012) A model combining oscillations and attractor dynamics for generation of grid cell firing. Front Neural Circuits. 6:30


24) Brandon MP, Bogaard AR, Libby CP, Connerney MA, Gupta K, Hasselmo ME (2011) Reduction of theta oscillations dissociates grid cell spatial periodicity from directional tuning.

Science Apr 29;332(6029):595-9.


25) Brandon MP, Bogaard AR, Andrews CM, Hasselmo ME (2011) Head direction cells in the postsubiculum do not show replay of prior waking sequences during sleep. Hippocampus

Mar;22(3)604-18.


26) Hasselmo ME, Giocomo LM, Brandon MP, Yoshida M (2010) Cellular dynamical mechanisms for encoding the time and place of events along spatiotemporal trajectories in episodic memory. Behav Brain Res. Dec 31;215(2):261-74.


27) Hasselmo ME, Brandon MP, Yoshida Y, Fransen E, Giocomo LM, Heys J, Newman E, Zilli E (2009) A phase code for memory could arise from circuit mechanisms in entorhinal cortex. Neural Networks Oct; 22(8):1129-38

Published Papers

  • 2011-2015 Postdoctoral fellow, Neuroscience University of California, San Diego

  • 2011 PhD, Neuroscience, Boston University Thesis Topic: Theta oscillations and spatial coding in the presubiculum and medial entorhinal cortex

  • 2006 B.A. Psychology University of Connecticut

Education

  • 2022 – Associate Professor, Psychiatry McGill University

  • 2015 – 2022 Assistant Professor, Psychiatry McGill University

  • 2015 - Researcher, Douglas Hospital Research Centre

Appointments

Awards, Recognition

  • 2019 Brain Canada Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research ($100,000 CAD)

  • 2015-2020, 2020-2025 Canada Research Chair Tier 2 ($1,000,000 CAD)

  • 2012 Ruth L. Kirshstein National Research Service Award (NIH)

Mark Brandon, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Faculty of Medicine
Douglas Hospital Research Centre
McGill University

  • 2011-2015 Postdoctoral fellow, Neuroscience University of California, San Diego

  • 2011 PhD, Neuroscience, Boston University Thesis Topic: Theta oscillations and spatial coding in the presubiculum and medial entorhinal cortex

  • 2006 B.A. Psychology University of Connecticut

Education

  • 2022 – Associate Professor, Psychiatry McGill University

  • 2015 – 2022 Assistant Professor, Psychiatry McGill University

  • 2015 - Researcher, Douglas Hospital Research Centre

Appointments

Awards, Recognition

  • 2019 Brain Canada Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research ($100,000 CAD)

  • 2015-2020, 2020-2025 Canada Research Chair Tier 2 ($1,000,000 CAD)

  • 2012 Ruth L. Kirshstein National Research Service Award (NIH)

1) Lee JQ, Keinath AT, Cianfarano E, Brandon MP. (in press) Identifying representational structure in CA1 to benchmark theoretical models of cognitive mapping. Neuron


2) Jennifer C. Robinson, Johnson Ying, Michael E. Hasselmo, Mark P. Brandon (2024) Optogenetic silencing of medial septal GABAergic neurons disrupts grid cell spatial and temporal coding in the medial entorhinal cortex. Cell Reports 43, 114590 


3) Lee JQ, Brandon MP (2023) Time and experience are independent determinants of representational drift in CA1. Neuron. 111, 15, 2, 2275-2277.


4) Ajabi Z, Keinath AT, Xuexin W, Brandon MP. (2023) Population dynamics of head direction system during drift and reorientation. Nature. 615, 892–899.


5) Ying J, Reboreda A, Yoshida M, Brandon MP. (2023) Grid cell disruption in a mouse model of early Alzheimer’s disease reflects reduced integration of self-motion cues. Current Biology. Jun 19;33(12):2425-2437.


6) Keinath AT, Mosser CA, Brandon MP. (2022) The representation of context in mouse hippocampus is preserved despite neural drift. Nature Communications. 13:2415.


7) Ying J, Keinath AT, Lavoie R, Brandon MP. (2022) Selective impairment of the grid cell network in early Alzheimer’s disease. Nature Communications. 3l:886.


8) Robinson JC, Brandon MP. (2021) Skipping ahead: A circuit for representing the past, present and future. Elife. Oct 14;10:e68795


9) Vladislava S*, Ying J*, Morgan E, Brandon MP, Wolbers T. (2021) Path integration in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Feb;26(2):142-158.


10) Badrinarayanan S, Manseau F, Williams S, Brandon MP. (2021) A characterization of the electrophysiological and morphological properties of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) interneurons in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). Front. Neural Circuits. 15:653116.


11) Mosser CA, Haqqee Z, Nieto-Posadas A, Williams S, Brandon MP. (2021). The McGill- Mouse-Marmoset Platform: High-throughput Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Populations During Standardized Behavioral Tasks. Genes Brain and Behavior. Jan;20(1): n/a.


12) Keinath AT, Robinson J, Nieto-Posadas A, Brandon MP. (2020). DG-CA3 circuitry mediates hippocampal representations of latent information. Nature Communications. 11(3026): n/a.


13) Wei X, Zhou D, Grosmark A, Ajabi Z, Sparks F, Zhou P, Brandon MP, Losonczy A, Paninski L. (2020). A zero-inflated gamma model for post-deconvolved calcium imaging traces. Neurons, Behavior, Data Analysis and Theory. 3(2): n/a.


14) Favier M, Janickova H, Justo D, Kljakic O, Runtz L, Natsheh JY, Pascoal TA, Germann J, Gallino D, Kang J-I, Meng XQi, Antinora C, Raulic S, Jacobsen JPr, Moquin L, Vigneault E, Gratton A, Caron MG, Duriez P, Brandon MP, Rosa-Neto P, Chakravarty MM, Herzallah MM, Gorwood P, Prado MAm, Prado VF, Mestikawy SE. (2020). Cholinergic dysfunction in the dorsal striatum enhances habit formation and eating disorders. Journal of Clinical Investigations. 130(12): 6616-6630.


15) Zutshi I*, Brandon MP*, Fu ML, Donegan ML, Leutgeb LK, Leutgeb S. (2018) Hippocampal neural circuits respond to optogenetic pacing of theta frequencies by generating accelerate oscillation frequencies. Current Biology. Apr 23;28, 1-10. * These authors contributed equally


16) Hinman JR, Brandon MP, Climer JR, Chapman WG, Hasselmo (2016) Multiple running speed signals in medial entorhinal cortex. Neuron. Aug 3;91(3):666-79.


17) Kraus BJ, Brandon MP, Robinson RJ 2nd, Connerney MA, Hasselmo ME, Eichenbaum H. (2015) During running in place, grid cells integrate elapsed time and distance run. Neuron. Nov

4;88(3):578-89.


18) Schlesiger MI, Cannova CC, Boublil BL, Hales JB, Mankin EA, Brandon MP, Leutgeb JK, Leibold C, Leutgeb S (2015) The medial entorhinal cortex is necessary for temporal organization of hippocampal neuronal activity. Nature Neuroscience. Aug;18(8):1123-32.


19) Raudies F, Brandon MP, Chapman WG, Hasselmo ME (2015) Head direction is coded more strongly than movement direction in a population of entorhinal neurons. Brain Research. Sep 24;1621:355-67.


20) Brandon MP, Koenig J, Leutgeb JK, Leutgeb S. (2014) New and distinct hippocampal place codes are generated in a new environment during septal inactivation. Neuron. May 21;82(4):789-96.


21) Brandon MP, Bogaard AR, Schultheiss NW, Hasselmo ME (2013) Segregation of cortical head direction cell assemblies on alternating theta cycles. Nature Neuroscience Jun;16(6):739-48.


22) Brandon MP, Koenig J, Leutgeb S. (2013) Parallel and convergent processing in grid, headdirection, and place cell networks. WIREs Cogn Sci. doi 10.1002/wcs.1271


23) Hasselmo ME & Brandon MP (2012) A model combining oscillations and attractor dynamics for generation of grid cell firing. Front Neural Circuits. 6:30


24) Brandon MP, Bogaard AR, Libby CP, Connerney MA, Gupta K, Hasselmo ME (2011) Reduction of theta oscillations dissociates grid cell spatial periodicity from directional tuning.

Science Apr 29;332(6029):595-9.


25) Brandon MP, Bogaard AR, Andrews CM, Hasselmo ME (2011) Head direction cells in the postsubiculum do not show replay of prior waking sequences during sleep. Hippocampus

Mar;22(3)604-18.


26) Hasselmo ME, Giocomo LM, Brandon MP, Yoshida M (2010) Cellular dynamical mechanisms for encoding the time and place of events along spatiotemporal trajectories in episodic memory. Behav Brain Res. Dec 31;215(2):261-74.


27) Hasselmo ME, Brandon MP, Yoshida Y, Fransen E, Giocomo LM, Heys J, Newman E, Zilli E (2009) A phase code for memory could arise from circuit mechanisms in entorhinal cortex. Neural Networks Oct; 22(8):1129-38

Published Papers

Dr. Mark Brandon's roots trace back to a small town in Connecticut. It was at the University of Connecticut that he first encountered the field of neuroscience, sparking a deep interest. This enthusiasm led him to Boston University, where under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Hasselmo, he completed his Ph.D. in 2011. Following his graduation, Dr. Brandon pursued his postdoctoral work with Dr. Stefan Leutgeb at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). In 2015, he transitioned to McGill University to establish his own neuroscience laboratory. Today, the Brandon laboratory, supported by federal and provincial grants, has a consistent output of publications in highly esteemed peer-reviewed journals. Beyond this research output, Dr. Brandon has been dedicated to the academic and professional growth of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Dr. Brandon's research uses the latest innovative and state-of-the-art techniques to explore the brain's navigation and memory systems, with an emphasis on understanding the impacts of aging and conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
bottom of page