Zachary Patterson (On Leave Winter 2026)
Undergraduate Chair & Co-Op Advisor, Associate Professor (Teaching Stream)
- PhD (Neuroscience)
- 5310 Health Sciences Building, 杏吧原创 University
- 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
- Email Zachary Patterson (On Leave Winter 2026)
- 613-520-2600 ext 6041
Dr. Zachary R. Patterson received his PhD in Neuroscience at 杏吧原创 University in 2014. He worked at the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction as a Research and Policy Analyst and Knowledge Broker until 2018, where he returned to 杏吧原创 University to work as an instructor in the Department of Neuroscience. In addition, Dr. Patterson is a founding member and CFO of the Chance Foundation, a Canadian Registered Charity aimed at improving the lives of children through education, recreation, and support. He’s a big-time Toronto sports fan!
Eligible to supervise NEUR 4907 students and NEUR 4908 students.
Courses taught:
- NEUR 1203: Neuroscience of Mental Health and Neurological Disease
- NEUR 3204: Neuropharmacology
- NEUR 3207: Systems and Integrative Neuroscience
- NEUR 4001: The Neurobiology of Interception
- NEUR 4306: The Neural Basis of Addiction
- NEUR 4900: Independent Study
Scholarly Work & Research Interests:
My academic interests are related to the effects of drugs 鈥 particularly cannabis, opioids and illicit drugs 鈥 on the brain, and how these drugs impact both human behaviour and society. My research is aimed at better understanding how specific patterns of drug use lead to various health and mental health outcomes, and I am passionate about mobilizing this knowledge to effect positive change. It is important that we understand the potential mechanisms and factors through which these drugs cause harm in order to effectively design interventions (be it programs, policies, practice, etc.) to improve the health and safety of Canadians.
Selected Publications:
Hutchinson ML, Lavigne E & Patterson ZR (2023). Opioid Use in the Era of COVID-19: A Multifaceted Study of the Opioid Epidemic in Canada. Frontiers in Pharmacology, Special Topics 鈥 Opioid in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Patterson ZR, Munevar-Pelton I, Olsen-Neill A & Hellemans K (2022). Compassion, Flexibility & Partnership in the Midst of a Global Pandemic. International Journal for Students as Partners.
Patterson ZR, Gabrys RL, Prowse R, Hellemans K, Abizaid AB & McQuaid RJ. (2021) The Influence of COVID-19 on Stress, Substance Use & Mental Health Amongst Postsecondary Students. Emerging Adulthood.
Patterson ZR, Young MM & Vaccarino FJ. (2016) 鈥淣ovel Psychoactive Substances: What Educators Need to Know鈥. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Patterson ZR, Wellman MK, Mackay H, Darling Joseph, Mani BK, Zigman J, Hougland HL & Abizaid A. (2015) 鈥淣ovel Regulator of Acylated Ghrelin, CF801, Reduces Weight Gain, Rebound Feeding After a Fast, and Adiposity in Mice鈥 Frontiers in Endocrinology. *Both authors contributed equally to this work.
Patterson ZR & Abizaid A. (2013) 鈥淪tress Induced Obesity: Lessons From Rodent Models of Stress鈥 Frontiers in Neuroendocrine Science. 10.3389/fnins.2013.00130.
Patterson ZR & Holahan MR. (2012) 鈥淯nderstanding the Neuroinammatory Response Following Concussion to Develop Treatment Strategies.鈥 Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 6(58) doi:10.3389/fncel.2012.0058.
Patterson ZR, Khazall R, MacKay H, Anisman H & Abizaid A. (2012) 鈥淐entral Ghrelin Signalling Mediates the Metabolic Response of C57BL6 Male Mice to Chronic Social Defeat Stress鈥 Endocrinology; doi:10.1210/en.2012-1834.
to access all publications.