Every day across British Columbia, trainees and researchers at the UBC Faculty of Medicine are turning skills into jobs, investments into discoveries, and discoveries into solutions that are transforming health for everyone.

Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors, health care professionals, and medical researchers, making remarkable discoveries to help create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world.

The UBC Faculty of Medicine offers a diverse array of training opportunities including cutting-edge research experiences in the biosciences, globally recognized population health education, quality health professional training, as well as several certificate and online training options. The Faculty of Medicine is home to more than 1,700 graduate students housed in 20 graduate programs (14 of which offer doctoral research options). Year after year, research excellence in the Faculty of Medicine is supported by investment from funding sources here at home and around the globe, receiving approximately more than $1.8B in total research funding since 2016.

We value our trainees and the creative input they have to scholarly activities at UBC. Our priority is to enable their maximum potential through flexible opportunities that provide a breadth of experiences tailored to their own individual career objectives. We maintain high standards of excellence, and work to create a community of intellectually and socially engaged scholars that work collaboratively with each other, the university, and the world, with the overarching goal of promoting the health of individuals and communities.

 

Research Facilities

UBC Faculty of Medicine provides innovative educational and research programs in the areas of health and life sciences through an integrated and province-wide delivery model in facilities at locations throughout British Columbia.

The Life Sciences Centre is the largest building on the UBC Vancouver campus. Completed in 2004, the $125 million, 52,165 sq metres building was built to accommodate the distributed medical educational program and the Life Sciences Institute.

The Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH), a partnership between the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health, unites under one roof research and clinical expertise in neuroscience, psychiatry and neurology in order to accelerate discovery and translate new knowledge into better treatment and prevention strategies. DMCBH has both laboratory and clinical research areas within the Centre proper and in the UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion. Our core facilities are essential to ongoing collaboration, teaching, and research.

The BC Children's Hospital Research Institute is it the largest research institute of its kind in Western Canada in terms of people, productivity, funding and size. With more than 350,000 square feet of space, the Institute has both 'wet bench' laboratory and 'dry lab' clinical research areas, and other areas to facilitate particular areas of research and training.

Research Highlights

New knowledge and innovation are crucial to successfully identifying, addressing and overcoming the increasingly complex health-related challenges that influence the lives of all of us – in British Columbia, in Canada, and in countries and communities around the globe.

The UBC Faculty of Medicine is recognized nationally and internationally for research innovation that advances knowledge and translates new discoveries to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Research opportunities feature extensive collaborations across other faculties, health institutions and health partners across British Columbia, Canada and internationally.

The Faculty provides and fosters research excellence across the full continuum, from basic science to applied science and then to knowledge implementation, with a focus on precision health; cancer; brain and mental health; heart and lung health; population health; and chronic diseases.

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.
Name Academic Unit(s) Research Interests
Abu-Laban, Riyad Department of Emergency Medicine Emergency medicine, epidemiology, research education
Accili, Eric Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences molecular mechanisms responsible for cellular pacemaking behavior
Afshar, Kourosh Department of Urologic Sciences Genital reconstruction and pediatric renal transplant
Afshari, Reza Environmental and occupational health and safety; Critical care medicine and emergency medicine; Epidemiology (except nutritional and veterinary epidemiology); Epidemiology,; Toxicology,; Pharmacology,; Environment; Risk assessment
Alageel, Mohammed ,
Allan, Douglas Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences Nervous system
Allard, Michael Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Control of energy metabolism in normal and pathologic hearts; Physiologic and Pathologic Cardiac hypertrophy; Contribution of Metabolism to myocardial dysfunction after ischemia and reperfusion, especially in the setting of cardiac hypertrophy; Cardiovascular Pathology
Ambasta, Anshula Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Reduction of low-value services in health systems
Anglesio, Michael Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Obstetrics and gynecology; Premalignant disease (precursors); Cancer molecular targets; Cancer of the Reproductive System; Host-Tumour Interaction; Endometriosis; Cancer Diagnosis and Detection; animal models of endometriosis and cancer; Cancer prevention; early detection biomarkers; endometriosis associated cancers; gene-expression and transcriptomics; genomics; Immunology; microenvironment; ovarian cancer etiology
Anis, Aslam School of Population and Public Health cost effectiveness of AIDS treatments; drug assessments – pharmacoeconomics; health care economics; health regulations, Health economics, rhematoid arthritis, biologic therapies
Ansermino, John Mark Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Basic medicine and life sciences; Global Health and Emerging Diseases; Health information systems; Biomedical Technologies; Technological Innovations; Artificial Intellegence; Automation in healthcare; Global Health; Mobile Health; Outcome prediction; Physiological Monitoring; Precision Health; Sepsis in children
Aparicio, Samuel Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Breast cancer, genome sequencing
Arbour, Laura Department of Medical Genetics northern and aboriginal health issues as they pertain to genetics
Ashe, Maureen Department of Family Practice Mobile health (mHealth); Knowledge translation and implementation science in health; Patient and citizen engagement research; Physical therapy
Austin, Jehannine Department of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Genetics Genetics, genomics, genetic counseling, psychiatric illness, mental illness, mental health, psychiatry, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, postpartum depression, perinatal mental health, Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Schizophrenia
Av-Gay, Yossef Division of Infectious Diseases Tuberculosis
Avina, Antonio Division of Rheumatology Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases (SARDs); Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE); Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA); Long term effectiveness; Multivariate analyses; Outcomes assessment; Pharmaco-epidemiology
Ayas, Najib Critical Care Medicine Public health and afety consequences of sleep apnea and sleep deprivation
Backman, Catherine Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; activity disruption; arthritis; Arthritis / Osteo-Arthritis; chronic illness; health & well-being; Lifestyle Determinants and Health; occupational balance; rehabilitation; social role participation
Baerg Hall, Elisabeth Anne ,
Balevi, Ben Dentistry and oral health, n.e.c.; EBM
Bally, Marcel Bertran Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Pancreas centre
Bamji, Shernaz Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, School of Biomedical Engineering Medical and biomedical engineering; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; neurodevelopmental disease; primary neuronal cultures; synapse biology; transgenic mouse models
Bansback, Nick School of Population and Public Health inform policies and practices in health through the application of
Barbic, Skye Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; assessment; community integration; health and well-being; Implementation Science; Individual Placement Support; measurement; Mental Health and Society; mental health; metrology; Patient Engagement; Rasch Measurement Theory; recovery; Supported Employment; youth

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Recent Publications

This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Medicine.

 

Publication: Food Chemistry
UBC Author(s): Caigan Du (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03088146
Volume: 408
Publication Date: 15 May 2023

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Publication: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
UBC Author(s): Qing-San Xiang (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07403194
Volume: 89
Page Range: 1825-1838
Publication Date: May 2023

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Publication: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
UBC Author(s): Piotr Kozlowski (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine), Cornelia Laule (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07403194
Volume: 89
Page Range: 1809-1824
Publication Date: May 2023

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Publication: Physiology (Bethesda, Md.)
UBC Author(s): Josef Penninger (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 38
Page Range: 0
Publication Date: 1 May 2023

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Publication: The Journal of general physiology
UBC Author(s): David Fedida (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 155
Publication Date: 1 May 2023

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Publication: International Journal of Cancer
UBC Author(s): Gina Ogilvie (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00207136
Volume: 152
Page Range: 1630-1639
Publication Date: 15 April 2023

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Publication: Dysphagia
UBC Author(s): Stacey Skoretz (Audiology & Speech Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0179051X
Volume: 38
Page Range: 657-666
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: American journal of public health
UBC Author(s): Kate Shannon (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 113
Page Range: 442-452
Publication Date: 1 April 2023

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Publication: Gastroenterology
UBC Author(s): Bruce Vallance (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00165085
Volume: 164
Page Range: 619-629
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: Clinical Genetics
UBC Author(s): Jehannine Austin (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine), Alison Elliott (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00099163
Volume: 103
Page Range: 424-433
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
UBC Author(s): Sarka Lisonkova (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine), Joseph Kuruthukulangare (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14700328
Volume: 130
Page Range: 464-475
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
UBC Author(s): Sophia Frangou (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 18789293
Volume: 60
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: Cancer Causes and Control
UBC Author(s): Christopher McLeod (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09575243
Volume: 34
Page Range: 349-360
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Basis of Disease
UBC Author(s): Bruce Vallance (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09254439
Volume: 1869
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: Journal of Affective Disorders
UBC Author(s): Lakshmi Yatham (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01650327
Volume: 326
Page Range: 249-261
Publication Date: 1 April 2023

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Publication: GeroScience
UBC Author(s): Teresa Yeong Lih Liu (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 25092715
Volume: 45
Page Range: 1033-1048
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: Canadian Urological Association Journal
UBC Author(s): Ryan Flannigan (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 19116470
Volume: 14
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: American Journal of Ophthalmology
UBC Author(s): Mahyar Etminan (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00029394
Volume: 248
Page Range: 45-50
Publication Date: April 2023

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Publication: Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology
UBC Author(s): Elizabeth Rideout (Cellular & Physiological Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10849521
Volume: 138
Page Range: 81-82
Publication Date: 30 March 2023

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Publication: STAR Protocols
UBC Author(s): Thibault Mayor (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: 17 March 2023

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Publication: STAR Protocols
UBC Author(s): William Lockwood (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: 17 March 2023

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Publication: Journal of Surgical Oncology
UBC Author(s): Jonathan Loree (Division of Medical Oncology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00224790
Volume: 127
Page Range: 578-586
Publication Date: 15 March 2023

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Publication: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
UBC Author(s): Weihong Song (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0006291X
Volume: 649
Page Range: 71-78
Publication Date: 15 March 2023

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Publication: Stem Cell Reports
UBC Author(s): Artem Cherkasov (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 22136711
Volume: 18
Page Range: 765-781
Publication Date: 14 March 2023

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Publication: JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions
UBC Author(s): Stephanie Sellers (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine), Jonathon Leipsic (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 19368798
Volume: 16
Page Range: 606-608
Publication Date: 13 March 2023

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Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation Program
2022 Dr. Scheu studied how proteins, namely ETS family transcription factors, bind their DNA targets within our cells and thereby turn genes on or off. He identified a molecular mechanism by which some family members regulate a common set of genes. He also showed how the motions of these ETS factors influence their DNA-binding specificity. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Doering discovered a new pathway by which cells can respond to and survive low oxygen stress using the model organism C. elegans. This work will be important for future development of drugs and therapies in diseases where cells are frequently exposed to low oxygen, such as cancer and diabetes. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2022 Dr. Zeitouny assessed key dimensions in access to medicines in Canada and globally. Her research examined primary non-adherence in primary care. It uncovered changes in drug use and costs in British Columbia and investigated global vaccine availability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her findings contributed to constructive health systems research. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2022 Dr. Ferris examined patterns of brain damage in aging and after stroke using a magnetic resonance imaging technique called diffusion tensor imaging. Her work advances the development of novel MRI-based tools to measure brain damage and predict behavioural impairments after brain injury. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Simpson investigated the epidemiology, measurement, and recovery of arm and hand use following a stroke. This research increases our knowledge of this unique aspect of stroke recovery and will inform future stroke rehabilitation treatments. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Wong examined mechanisms that underlie cell fate determination during normal T-cell development. She identified an epigenetic factor critical for maintaining appropriate lineage development. Her research furthers our understanding of normal T-cell differentiation and how aberrations throughout development can result in leukemia. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Nanditha examined the epidemiology of aging with HIV in British Columbia. She demonstrated the disproportionate burden of chronic diseases experienced by people living with HIV and proposed reproducible methodological approaches that improve the reliability of chronic disease frequencies measured using large administrative health datasets. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2022 Dr. Wickham investigated modifiable risk factors associated with recurrent adverse drug events, and examined how well these events are captured in health care data. These studies have implications for patient safety, and for drug safety research, as the documentation of these events is crucial in understanding and preventing their recurrence. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2022 Dr. Magee examined the epidemiology of schizophrenia spectrum conditions and access to psychiatric services among adolescents in British Columbia. Her findings can be used to plan for adequate mental health supports for young people in BC. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2022 Dr. Closson explored the validity evidence of a commonly used measure of gender equity in sexual and reproductive health research among South African youth. She demonstrated that measures need to be adapted to be more inclusive, contemporary, and strength-based to better reflect gender equity and the positive elements of youth relationships Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)

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