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
Abdelrahman, Khaled Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Abreu Santos, Emmanuel
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 ,
Ali, Ismail
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
Ardern, Clare Department of Physical Therapy
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, Department of Microbiology & Immunology 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
Baerg Hall, Elisabeth Anne ,
Balevi, Ben Dentistry and oral health, n.e.c.; EBM
Bally, Marcel Bertran Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Pancreas centre

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Open Research Positions

This list of possible research projects is non-exhaustive. It only shows positions that are specifically advertised in the G+PS website.

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: Environmental Research
UBC Author(s): Hugh William Davies (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00139351
Volume: 237
Publication Date: 15 November 2023

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Publication: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global
UBC Author(s): Stuart Turvey (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 2
Publication Date: November 2023

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Publication: International Immunopharmacology
UBC Author(s): Weihong Song (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15675769
Volume: 124
Publication Date: November 2023

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Publication: Radiotherapy and Oncology
UBC Author(s): Stephen Yip (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01678140
Volume: 188
Publication Date: November 2023

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Publication: Psychology of Sport and Exercise
UBC Author(s): William Miller (Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14690292
Volume: 69
Publication Date: November 2023

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Publication: Journal of Pediatrics
UBC Author(s): Jill Zwicker (Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy / Faculty of Medicine), Erik Skarsgard (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine), Joseph Kuruthukulangare (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00223476
Volume: 262
Publication Date: November 2023

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Publication: Journal of Affective Disorders
UBC Author(s): Sam Michael Wiseman (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01650327
Volume: 339
Page Range: 471-477
Publication Date: 15 October 2023

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Publication: Journal of Affective Disorders
UBC Author(s): Trisha Chakrabarty (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine), Lakshmi Yatham (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine), Sophia Frangou (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01650327
Volume: 339
Page Range: 153-161
Publication Date: 15 October 2023

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Publication: Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
UBC Author(s): Martin Guhn (Human Early Learning Partnership / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 16188667
Volume: 88
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Journal of pediatric orthopedics
UBC Author(s): Kishore Mulpuri (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 43
Page Range: e701-e706
Publication Date: 1 October 2023

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Publication: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
UBC Author(s): David Wilson (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine), Bruce Forster (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine), Jolanda Cibere (Rheumatology Division / Faculty of Medicine), Hubert Wong (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10634584
Volume: 31
Page Range: 1405-1414
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Trends in Molecular Medicine
UBC Author(s): Mahmoud Pouladi (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14714914
Volume: 29
Page Range: 802-816
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Neurobiology of Disease
UBC Author(s): Michael Kobor (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09699961
Volume: 186
Publication Date: 1 October 2023

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Publication: Journal of Information Science
UBC Author(s): Devon Greyson (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01655515
Volume: 49
Page Range: 1344-1357
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Canadian Journal of Public Health
UBC Author(s): Saleem Razack (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00084263
Volume: 114
Page Range: 872-877
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Canadian Urological Association Journal
UBC Author(s): Kim Nguyen Chi (Division of Medical Oncology / Faculty of Medicine), Alan So (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 19116470
Volume: 17
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Canadian Urological Association Journal
UBC Author(s): David Harriman (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 19116470
Volume: 17
Publication Date: October 2023

View Publication
Publication: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
UBC Author(s): Timothy Oberlander (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00121622
Volume: 65
Page Range: 1316-1320
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Quality of Life Research
UBC Author(s): Aslam Anis (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine), Jason Sutherland (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09629343
Volume: 32
Page Range: 2899-2909
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Leukemia Research
UBC Author(s): Alina Gerrie (Division of Medical Oncology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01452126
Volume: 133
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Pediatric Nephrology
UBC Author(s): Doug Matsell (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0931041X
Volume: 38
Page Range: 3309-3315
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: Pediatric Nephrology
UBC Author(s): Doug Matsell (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0931041X
Volume: 38
Page Range: 3407-3415
Publication Date: October 2023

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Publication: AIDS (London, England)
UBC Author(s): Aslam Anis (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 37
Page Range: F25-F35
Publication Date: 1 October 2023

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Publication: Biomaterials
UBC Author(s): Zachary Laksman (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01429612
Volume: 301
Publication Date: October 2023

View Publication
Publication: Skeletal Radiology
UBC Author(s): Peter Munk (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03642348
Volume: 52
Page Range: 1803-1814
Publication Date: October 2023

View Publication

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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
2023 Dr. Kwon's work focused on developing radiopharmaceuticals targeting molecular markers present on cancers with poor outcomes. These radiopharmaceuticals are able to both image and treat cancers through radiation emission. Several candidates showed better performance than the standard of care and will be considered for clinical investigation. Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD)
2023 Dr.Chen developed a novel drug for treating stroke. He also extended his research interest to employing precision medicine to assit the management of young patients with epilepy that are caused by rare variants. His studies showed a great potential in improving the life quality of the old and young patients. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2023 Dr. Pataky's research explored methods to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of precision medicine technologies. She found that using genomic testing to define eligibility for cancer therapy can provide value for money. These new evaluation methods will help health care systems to better assess the value of funding precision medicine. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2023 Dr. Yagi investigated sex differences in how new neurons in the hippocampus are related to learning and memory in males and females, and roles of estrogens in females. He found sex differences in new cell production and how they are integrated into the brain. This knowledge will lead to a better understanding of hippocampus-related diseases. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2023 Dr. Huang studied the impact of genetics on heart-related side effects caused by cancer drugs, and explored ways to minimize them. Her research offers new insights that can assist doctors in identifying genetic mutations in patients before initiating cancer therapies, improving cancer treatment safety and efficacy. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Kajabadi identifies the cell population and molecular signals responsible for inducing muscle atrophy, a progressive condition of muscle loss commonly seen in chronic pathologies such as cancer associated cachexia. This finding can help in developing therapeutics aimed at ameliorating disease-induced muscle atrophy. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Langman studied mechanisms of stress adaptation in cancer cells and identified novel functions of stress granule proteins in tumor growth and metastasis. Her research revealed new therapeutic targets for some of the deadliest pediatric cancers. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Solomons studied patterns of nervous system sensitisation in musculoskeletal pain syndromes. This research gives insight into the nature of persistent pain problems that is expected to inform more effective management strategies. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2023 Dr. Hathaway studied risky decision making in rats. They found that pairing lights and sounds with reward on a risky decision-making task can both increase risky choice and impair flexibility. They identified the orbitofrontal cortex as a key region underlying this effect. These findings advance our understanding of gambling disorder in humans. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2023 Dr. Ha studied the function and regulation of a unique class of genes which are expressed only when inherited from the mother or father. Her research furthers our understanding of the mechanism regulating the expression of a maternally-expressed gene and may impact the management and diagnosis of patients with imprinting disorders. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)

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