- Name: Michel Ouellette, Ph.D.
- Title: Associate professor, division of gastroenterology and hepatology
- Hometown: Montreal, Canada
Research/ professional interests:
Dr. Ouellette’s research focuses on pancreatic cancer. He is currently exploring telomerase and Rac1 signaling pathway as targets for pancreatic cancer therapy. He also is interested in the role played by Rac1 in the initiation, progression, and therapeutic response of pancreatic cancer.
How I fell in love with molecular biology:
As a child, I always was interested in sciences. Physics was my first love, then chemistry. I was 17 years-old when I came across a special issue of Scientific American dedicated to the brain (Sept 1979, French Edition). That’s when I fell in love with biology.
Degrees:
- Ph.D., biochemistry, University of Montreal
- Post doctoral work in telomere biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
Previous positions:
- Associate professor, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, UNMC, 2009-2015
- Assistant professor, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, UNMC,1999-2009
Three things people may not know about me:
- I enjoy cooking, and I love to experiment with new ingredients and recipes. I love to try local food when traveling abroad. There are few things I will not eat.
- Thunderstorms and snowstorms always make me happy. I love being outside on snowy days, walking or driving around. I do poorly in hot weather and I like my home and office to be chilly.
- I have no interest in organized team sports. I prefer spending time exploring nature in as many ways as possible, whether walking, skiing, swimming, bicycling, or scuba diving.