Julie Ottoy

PhD
Scientist
julie.ottoy@sri.utoronto.ca

Dr. Ottoy’s research focuses on elucidating Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology through the application of structural and molecular neuroimaging and fluid biomarkers. She also studies novel targets for small vessel disease and their interactions with Alzheimer’s pathology and inflammation in the brain. Her research interests combine translational and clinical (in-human) science research. She recruits students and undergrad volunteers on a rolling basis to work on projects that involve (i) immuno-vascular contributions to dementia and (ii) the role of brain networks and connectivity in driving pathology spread. This research applies multi-modal imaging (structural MRI, functional MRI, and Positron Emission Tomography) and blood-based biomarkers in dementia cohorts. Her work is carried out in close collaboration with other Scientists at Sunnybrook, including Dr. Maged Goubran (Artificial Intelligence) and Dr. Sandra Black (Vascular Brain Disease). If you are interested in applying and have a background in neuroimaging, (computational) neuroscience and/or engineering, please contact Dr. Ottoy at julie.ottoy@sri.utoronto.ca with your CV and transcript.

Education

  • BSc, 2013, Chemical Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium
  • MSc, 2015, Biomedical Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium
  • PhD, 2019, Medical Sciences (neuroimaging), University of Antwerp, Belgium
  • Visiting researcher, 2020, Neuroscience (neuroimaging), Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Canada
  • Postdoctoral fellowship, 2021, Black Centre for Brain Resilience & Recovery, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Canada

Appointments & Affiliations

  • Scientist, Physical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Toronto
  • Research Associate, Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience & Recovery, Sunnybrook Research Institute

Research Foci

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Brain networks & connectomics
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Neuroimaging biomarkers and brain-behaviour relationships
  • Neuroinflammation
  • Vascular brain disease and small vessel disease

Publications

Affiliated Labs & Programs

Selected Publications

  1. Ottoy, J.*, Ozzoude, M.*, Zukotynski, K., Kang, M.S., Adamo, S., Scott, C., Ramirez, J., Swardfager, W., Lam, B., Bhan, A., Mojiri, P., Kiss, A., Strother, S., Bocti, C., Borrie, M., Chertkow, H., Frayne, R., Hsiung, R., Laforce, R. Jr., Noseworthy, M.D., Prato, F.S., Sahlas, D.J., Smith, E.E., Kuo, P.H., Chad, J.A., Pasternak, O., Sossi, V., Thiel, A., Soucy, J.P., Tardif, J.C., Black, S.E.*, Goubran, M.* Amyloid-PET of the white matter: Relationship to free water, fiber integrity, and cognition in patients with dementia and small vessel disease. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. 2023; 43: 921-936.doi: Featured on the journal’s cover (June, 2023)

  2. De Picker, L.J., Morrens, M., Branchi, I., Haarman, B.C.M., Terada, T., Kang, M.S., Boche, D., Tremblay, M.E., Leroy, C., Bottlaender, M., Ottoy, J. TSPO PET brain inflammation imaging: A transdiagnostic systematic review and meta-analysis of 156 case-control studies. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity. 2023; 113: 415-431. doi: International collaborative project.

  3. Ottoy, J., Ozzoude, M., Zukotynski, K., Adamo, S., Scott, C., Gaudet, V., Ramirez, J., Swardfager, W., Cogo-Moreira, H., Lam, B., Bhan, A., Mojiri, P., Kang, M.S., Rabin, J., Kiss, A., Strother, S., Bocti, C., Borrie, M., Chertkow, H., Frayne, R., Hsiung, R., Laforce, R. Jr., Noseworthy, M.D., Prato, F.S., Sahlas, D.J., Smith, E.E., Kuo, P.H., Sossi, V., Thiel, A., Soucy, J.P., Tardif, J.C., Black, S.E.*, Goubran, M*. Vascular burden and cognition: Mediatingroles of neurodegeneration and amyloid. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2023; 19: 1503-1517. doi:

  4. Ottoy J, Kang MS, Tan JXM, Boone L, Vos de Wael R, Park BY, Bezgin G, Lussier FZ, Pascoal TA, Rahmouni N, Stevenson J, Fernandez Arias J, Therriault J, Hong SJ, Stefanovic B, McLaurin J, Soucy JP, Gauthier S, Bernhardt BC, Black SE, Rosa-Neto P, Goubran M. Tau follows principal axes of functional and structural brain organization in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun. 2024 Jun 12;15(1):5031. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49300-2.

In the News