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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
Sandford, Andrew Division of Respiratory Medicine genetic basis of asthma and has extended his studies to include the genetics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and peanut allergy as well as the genetic basis of pulmonary disease severity in cystic fibrosis; potential effects on gene function of genetic variants associated with these disease outcomes
Savage, Kerry Division of Medical Oncology Lymphoma, lymphoid
Sawatzky, Bonita Department of Orthopaedics Clinical medicine; Mobility; Outcome measures; biomechanics
Schaeffer, David Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Clinical oncology; Pathology (except oral pathology); Bioinformatics; cancer genetics; Cancer biology; Genomic rearrangements; genomics; Pancreas; Pathology; patient derived models
Schaffer, Paul Department of Radiology Positron Emission Tomography Imaging
Schechter, Martin School of Population and Public Health HIV/AIDS
Schindler, Corinna Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Developing innovative strategies for synthesis and catalysis
Schmidt, Julia Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy; Trauma / Injuries; cognition; Neurological diseases; Cognitive impairment; neuroscience; rehabilitation; Self-awareness; Self-identity; Traumatic Brain Injury
Schrader, Kasmintan Department of Medical Genetics Genomics & Bioinformatics, Clinical Genetics, Genetic Counselling and Ethics & Policy
Schrewe, Brett Department of Pediatrics
Schuetz, Christian Department of Psychiatry Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects
Schultz, Kirk Department of Pediatrics Pediatric Cancer Blood and Marrow Transplantation Transplantation immunology Graft-versus-Host Disease Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Aplastic Anemia Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Oncology, immune system, childhood leukemia, blood and marrow transplatation, tumour immunology
Schwarz, Stephan Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Analgesia, Pain, Pharmacology, Pain management, Anesthesiology, cardiovascular, medical imaging, nerve, artery, valve
Scott, Ian Department of Family Practice Recall Enhanced Learning; Impact of Learners on Quality of Care Medical student career choice; Clinical Decision Making; Curriculum Design; Science of learning/science of teaching; Photovoice
Scott, David Division of Medical Oncology Pathology (except oral pathology); Cancer Genomics; Determinants of treatment failure in B-cell lymphoid cancers (lymphoma and CLL); Lymphoid Cancer; Lymphoma Biomarker; Lymphoma Tumor; Lymphoma/Leukemia Molecular Profiling; Treatment management
Scott, Alexander Department of Physical Therapy Physical therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; musculoskeletal; Musculoskeletal Lesions and Repair; orthopaedics; physical therapy; physiotherapy; sports medicine
Seamans, Jeremy Department of Psychiatry Schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder and addiction
Sellers, Stephanie Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery
Selvanathan, Thiviya Department of Pediatrics neurodevelopment in newborns; early-life brain injury; Brain development
Shadgan, Babak Department of Orthopaedics Medical biotechnology diagnostics (including biosensors); Biomedical instrumentation (including diagnostics); Orthopedics; Sports medicine; Bone, skin and cartilage science; Central nervous system; Implantable Biosensing; sensor and system design, clinical application development; Wearable Biosensors; design and application development in health care and exercise sciences; Musculoskeletal, Sports & Exercise Medicine; Bone Fracture Healing; Spinal Cord Injuries
Shahidi, Neal Division of Gastroenterology
Shahnaz, Navid School of Audiology and Speech Sciences Hearing, noise, audiology, ears,  effect of personal listening devices (iPods) on hearing, hearing in infants and adults,   high frequency thresholds, Diagnostic audiology, including multifrequency tympanometry and acoustic reflex studies in adults and newborns
Shahriari, Dena Department of Orthopaedics, School of Biomedical Engineering
Shakiba, Nika School of Biomedical Engineering Medical and biomedical engineering; Bioengineering; Cell competition; Cell engineering; Stem Cells; Synthetic biology
Shannon, Kate Division of Social Medicine epidemiology, HIV/AIDS, sex work, public health, community health, gender epidemiology, health prevention, social determinants of health, community-based research, gender inequities, sexual health, vulnerable populations, structural determinants, qualitative evaluations, HIV/STI prevention, Social determinants of sexual health, HIV/AIDS and access to care among marginalized populations, particularly youth, sex workers, and women at-risk and living with HIV

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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: World Journal of Gastroenterology
UBC Author(s): Neal Shahidi (Division of Gastroenterology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10079327
Volume: 30
Page Range: 3152-3154
Publication Date: 7 July 2024

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Publication: Cell Stem Cell
UBC Author(s): Peter Zandstra (School of Biomedical Engineering / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 19345909
Volume: 31
Page Range: 1058-1071.e5
Publication Date: 5 July 2024

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Publication: BMJ Open
UBC Author(s): Clare Ardern (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: 5 July 2024

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Publication: JBJS Reviews
UBC Author(s): Bassam Masri (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 23299185
Volume: 12
Publication Date: 5 July 2024

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Publication: Nature
UBC Author(s): Natalie Strynadka (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00280836
Volume: 631
Page Range: 199-206
Publication Date: 4 July 2024

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Publication: New England Journal of Medicine
UBC Author(s): Brittany Dennis (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00284793
Volume: 391
Page Range: 9-20
Publication Date: 4 July 2024

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Publication: Journal of translational medicine
UBC Author(s): Marcel Bertran Bally (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 22
Page Range: 621
Publication Date: 3 July 2024

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Publication: Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
UBC Author(s): Clare Ardern (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00219355
Volume: 106
Page Range: 1145-1147
Publication Date: 3 July 2024

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Publication: Cell Metabolism
UBC Author(s): Francis Lynn (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15504131
Volume: 36
Page Range: 1619-1633.e5
Publication Date: 2 July 2024

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Publication: Journal of Huntington's Disease
UBC Author(s): Blair Leavitt (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 18796397
Volume: 13
Page Range: 119-131
Publication Date: 2 July 2024

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Publication: Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
UBC Author(s): Sarka Lisonkova (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine), Joseph Kuruthukulangare (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 02695022
Volume: 38
Page Range: 383-393
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Healthcare Management Forum
UBC Author(s): Rita McCracken (Family Practice / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 08404704
Volume: 37
Page Range: 244-250
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Pediatric Research
UBC Author(s): Steven Miller (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00313998
Volume: 96
Page Range: 27-29
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Journal of General Internal Medicine
UBC Author(s): Nadia Ahmed Khan (Division of General Internal Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 08848734
Volume: 39
Page Range: 1556-1566
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Journal of Orthopaedic Science
UBC Author(s): Pierre Guy (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine), Kelly Lefaivre (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09492658
Volume: 29
Page Range: 1078-1084
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Clinical Spine Surgery
UBC Author(s): Charles Fisher (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 23800186
Volume: 37
Page Range: E245-E252
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

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Publication: Brachytherapy
UBC Author(s): Juanita Crook (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15384721
Volume: 23
Page Range: 433-442
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

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Publication: Psychiatry Research
UBC Author(s): William Honer (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01651781
Volume: 337
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: BMJ open quality
UBC Author(s): Robert Petrella (Family Practice / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

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Publication: Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine
UBC Author(s): Riyad Abu-Laban (Emergency Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14818035
Volume: 26
Page Range: 507
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Journal of Arthroplasty
UBC Author(s): Clare Ardern (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 08835403
Volume: 39
Page Range: 1633-1634
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Medical Education
UBC Author(s): Rose Hatala (Division of General Internal Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03080110
Volume: 58
Page Range: 769-771
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Medical Education
UBC Author(s): Saleem Razack (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03080110
Volume: 58
Page Range: 775-777
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
UBC Author(s): Jennifer Tomek (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14700328
Volume: 131
Page Range: 1064-1071
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
UBC Author(s): Bruce Forster (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 08949115
Volume: 103
Page Range: 652-658
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

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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. Sadasivan investigated how RNA viruses inhibit cellular stress responses during virus infection. He showed that a virally encoded protein modulates the activity of a key host protein to evade the stress response. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Tran examined a novel method of achieving compatibility between donors and recipients in kidney transplantation. She demonstrated that matching at immunogenic protein motifs is feasible and clinically beneficial in preventing graft failure. This work is now acting as the foundation for a national matching program for kidney organ allocation. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2022 Dr. Crockett used novel brain imaging techniques to determine functional brain networks disrupted in older adults vulnerable to dementia. She also studied the benefits of physical activity and resistance training for brain health. Her take away message is: to make gains for brains, we should all regularly squat low and feel our brains grow. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Li investigated a class of oxidative enzymes that are traditionally researched for their potential to convert non-edible plant biomass into second-generation bioethanol. He subsequently showed that these enzymes are also highly suitable to facilitate chemical modification of biomass fibres into value-added bio-products. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Atoyebi explored the needs of family caregivers of people with neurocognitive disorders as well as possible solutions to address those needs. He collaborated with caregivers and care recipients to develop a medium fidelity prototype of their most preferred solution, which is a web-based service to assist families in hiring paid support workers. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Johnson investigated how a new drug candidate selectively kills lung cancer cells by an oxidative stress-linked mechanism of action. He identified specific enzymes that are inhibited and demonstrated why lung cancer cells are sensitive but normal cells are not. His research will help the development of new, targeted anti-cancer therapeutics. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Labuschagne investigated the perception of noise in vowels and vowel-like stimuli. She found that fundamental frequency, level, and frequency band affected noise detection and discrimination. The research contributes to our understanding of the auditory processing mechanisms involved in the perception of the voice quality breathiness. Doctor of Philosophy in Audiology and Speech Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Amitzi focused on inhibition of DDX11 as a potential cancer therapy. She identified genetic interactions of DDX11 in human cells and adapted biochemical screening assays for DDX11 inhibitors. She also contributed to the development of a pipeline for discovery of novel cancer therapies that induce cell death by trapping protein targets onto DNA. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2022 Dr. Lee's research focused on dissecting the mechanisms by which plasmin enzymatically modulates activated protein C to bias its function towards cytoprotection through protease-activated receptor 1 signaling, and to understand how plasmin converts factor V from a procoagulant to fibrinolytic accelerator of tissue plasminogen activator. Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD)
2022 Dr. Beaulieu's dissertation research focused on generating evidence to inform optimal care provision for those living with concurrent opioid use disorder and mental illness. Her work advances the field of health and integrated services research and has important implications for future health research, policy, and practice. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)

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