John Calarco is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology. He completed his Bachelor's degree and Ph.D. at the University of Toronto. Professor Calarco is currently holding the title and honor of being a Medicine by Design Investigator and is a Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Neuronal RNA Biology.

The Calarco Lab, consisting of 13 members, is a multi-disciplinary lab studying post-transcriptional gene regulation in the development, differentiation, and function of the nervous system. They use both C. elegans as a pioneering organism to discover novel mechanisms and functional roles of RNA biology in neuronal differentiation, development and behaviour. Most of their research lies at the intersection of RNA biology and neurobiology. They use a combination of genetics, genomics, computational, and biochemical approaches to uncover the molecular processes involved in brain cell development. This research will provide a deeper understanding of how the nervous system is built, and could lead to new regenerative medicine therapies to repair damaged tissue. Additionally, several ongoing projects are directing their research towards investigating the role of other layers of co- and post-transcriptional gene regulation in nervous system development and function.