Richard L. Horner, PhD

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Horner received his undergraduate degree with honors in Physiology from the University of Sheffield, UK in 1986. Dr. Horner then completed his PhD at the University of London, UK in 1991 with research investigating upper airway physiology in humans. Dr. Horner then did postdoctoral work investigating the control of breathing and sleep in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto (1991-1994) and performed further post-doctoral training in sleep and respiratory neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania (1994-1997) before returning to a faculty position at the University of Toronto.

University Appointments

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, University of Toronto
Research Coordinator, Division of Respirology, University of Toronto
Member, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto

Educational Activities

A variety of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate lectures and seminars in respiratory physiology and sleep physiology/medicine.

Current Local, Provincial, National and International Activities

Organizer, Annual Research Day in Respirology and Respiratory Physiology, ~100 attendees.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Member of "Respiratory System" Grants Committee July 2003 to present.

International Organizing Committee, International Sleep and Breathing Meeting, Newport, RI, USA to be held Oct 13-16th, 2004.

Research Interests

Development of in-vivo pre-clinical models to determine physiological mechanisms underlying sleep-related breathing disorders and identification of clinical treatment strategies. Specific Projects: (1) Respiratory Rhythm: Determine mechanisms underlying generation of respiratory rhythm in-vivo. (2) REM Sleep: Determine mechanisms responsible for the major suppression of muscle activity in REM sleep, and the inability to re-excite respiratory motoneurons in REM. (3) Pharmacological/Therapeutic: To determine the central neural basis for the modulation of breathing in sleep by commonly used clinical pharmacological therapeutics (sedative hypnotics and opioids). (4) Plasticity: To determine cellular determinants of long-term potentiation (LTP) in mammalian motoneurons, and develop strategies to reproduce LTP to augment muscle tone in conditions where insufficiencies are a clinical problem. (5) Clinical Treatments: To identify, devise and test rational pharmacological treatments for obstructive sleep apnea in relevant pre-clinical models.

Current Grant Support

2012-2017: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Operating Grant
Control of breathing in sleep: Brainstem mechanisms of respiratory control.
$ 871,205 ($174,241 per annum for 5yrs)
R.L. Horner, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

2011-2016: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Trans-disciplinary team research and training program in sleep and biological rhythms
$2,000,000
R.L. Horner, Ph.D., Principal Applicant and Director of Program

2012-2013: Ontario Thoracic Society, Operating Grant
Opioid-induced respiratory depression in children
$ 48,960 I. Narang, MD, Principal Applicant
R.L. Horner, Ph.D., Co-Applicant G. Montandon, Ph.D., Co-Applicant

2008-2012: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Operating Grant
Control of breathing in sleep: Brainstem mechanisms of respiratory motor control.
$ 745,115 ($149,023 per annum for 5yrs)
R.L. Horner, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

2007-2014: Tier 1 Canada Research Chair
Canada Research Chair in Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology
$ 1,400,000 ($200,000 per annum for 7 yrs, not all personal salary)

Selected Recent Publications

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