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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
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, Department of Chemistry 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 Medical, health and life sciences; Anesthesiology
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
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
Seamans, Jeremy Department of Psychiatry Schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder and addiction
Sellers, Stephanie Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery
Selvanathan, Thiviya Department of Pediatrics Medical, health and life sciences; neurodevelopment in newborns; early-life brain injury; Brain development; Neuroimaging; Prematurity; congenital heart disease; neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
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 Gastroenterology; Epidemiology (except nutritional and veterinary epidemiology); Large non-pedunculated colorectal polyp; Polyposis; Colorectal neoplasia; Endoscopic resection; Early esophageal cancer; Early gastric neoplasia; Barrett's esophagus
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 Ethical, legal, and social issues in health, health systems and health research; Population health interventions; Social oppression and marginalization; equitable sexual health care; reproductive care and justice; structural interventions & policy evaluation; health equity & social justice
Shaw, Christopher Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Paralympics
Sidhu, Ravindar Department of Surgery Vascular surgery, Medical education research, Postgraduate assessment and evaluation
Silver, David School of Population and Public Health Ethics

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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: Plastic Surgery
UBC Author(s): Kathryn Isaac (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 22925503
Volume: 33
Page Range: 186-192
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Patient Education and Counseling
UBC Author(s): Kevin Eva (Division of General Internal Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07383991
Volume: 131
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Journal of Hospital Medicine
UBC Author(s): Jessica Moe (Emergency Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Jeffrey Brubacher (Emergency Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 20
Page Range: 146-154
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Pediatric Transplantation
UBC Author(s): Tom Blydt-Hansen (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13973142
Volume: 29
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Journal of Orthopaedic Research
UBC Author(s): Peter Cripton (School of Biomedical Engineering / Faculty of Medicine), Pierre Guy (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07360266
Volume: 43
Page Range: 396-406
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
UBC Author(s): Jill Zwicker (Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00121622
Volume: 67
Page Range: 216-222
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Translational Stroke Research
UBC Author(s): Donald E Griesdale (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 18684483
Volume: 16
Page Range: 49-78
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Family Practice
UBC Author(s): Katrina Bouchard (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 02632136
Volume: 42
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Stroke
UBC Author(s): Thalia Field (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00392499
Volume: 56
Page Range: 380-389
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

View Publication
Publication: JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology
UBC Author(s): Andrew Krahn (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine), Shubhayan Sanatani (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 2405500X
Volume: 11
Page Range: 270-278
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Stroke
UBC Author(s): Mandeep Tamber (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00392499
Volume: 56
Page Range: e49-e50
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Pediatric Emergency Care
UBC Author(s): John Mark Ansermino (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine), Niranjan Kissoon (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07495161
Volume: 41
Page Range: 94-103
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Social Science and Medicine
UBC Author(s): Julio Sergio Gonzalez-Montaner (Division of Infectious Diseases / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 02779536
Volume: 367
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
UBC Author(s): Arman Rahmim (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 16197070
Volume: 52
Page Range: 1004-1016
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
UBC Author(s): Adeera Levin (Division of Nephrology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10466673
Volume: 36
Page Range: 242-255
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Cytotherapy
UBC Author(s): Fabio Rossi (School of Biomedical Engineering / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14653249
Volume: 27
Page Range: 146-168
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Spine Journal
UBC Author(s): Charles Fisher (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15299430
Volume: 25
Page Range: 276-289
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Spine Journal
UBC Author(s): Charles Fisher (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15299430
Volume: 25
Page Range: 265-275
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Medical Education
UBC Author(s): Rola Ajjawi (Medicine, Dean's Office / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03080110
Volume: 59
Page Range: 164-172
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Pediatric Nephrology
UBC Author(s): Susan Samuel (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0931041X
Volume: 40
Page Range: 533-569
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Canadian Urological Association Journal
UBC Author(s): Ryan Flannigan (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 19116470
Volume: 19
Page Range: 25-31
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Diabetes
UBC Author(s): Francis Lynn (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 74
Page Range: 188-198
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

View Publication
Publication: Clinical Pediatrics
UBC Author(s): Kourosh Afshar (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00099228
Volume: 64
Page Range: 278-283
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Medical Physics
UBC Author(s): Arman Rahmim (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00942405
Volume: 52
Page Range: 965-977
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: The Lancet Global Health
UBC Author(s): Niranjan Kissoon (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 2572116X
Volume: 13
Page Range: e212-e221
Publication Date: February 2025

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. Cui delved into the escalating drug overdose epidemic involving opioid and methamphetamine use. Her research emphasizes the crucial need for comprehensive and integrated treatment and harm reduction strategies to address both opioid and methamphetamine use. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2023 Dr. Shortill explored mechanisms of intracellular protein sorting using a budding yeast model. His work led to the identification of the VINE complex, a previously unknown endosomal assembly with similarity to the neurodegeneration-linked retromer complex. These results pave the way for a more complete understanding of endosomal function. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Mohanna worked towards developing a CRISPR gene therapy for the childhood blindness aniridia. She created a mouse model for this disease and subsequently tested two delivery systems. She showed that a non-pathogenic virus successfully targets the affected cells in the eye and can be used for developing a gene therapy for aniridia in the future. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Farivar has designed a laser device that can deploy the heat to the tumor precisely, kill cancer cells and activate immune system minimizing damage to the surrounding tissue.She tested the device in a bladder cancer model in mouse and showed that the heat combined with immune stimulating drugs can decrease tumor growth and increase survival. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Akinlaja adapted proteomics methods towards understanding the infectious processes of a pathogen of the honey bee midgut. Her work provides new insight into how host protein expression and interactions are altered by pathogen infection, and identifies candidate proteins that could be potential therapeutic targets in the resulting disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2023 Using lipid nanoparticle technology, Dr. Leung uncovered novel methods to genetically modify platelets and discovered strategies to improve the efficacy of nanoparticles. His research brings us one step closer to better transfusion products while advancing our understanding of lipid nanoparticles. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Liang studied how harmful bacteria in the gut exploit our body's natural defenses to reproduce and cause infections. Her work informs future therapeutics beyond antibiotics to treat bacterial infections by targeting pathogen metabolism. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Caballero Silva studied and characterized the molecular structures of bacterial nano-machineries involved in the life cycle of the bacterium responsible for Tuberculosis. This research provides the groundwork into the development of novel therapeutics which can target key steps stopping bacterial infection. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Truong's research demonstrated the important role of social support on exercise adherence after traumatic sport-related knee injuries. These studies assist us in understanding the best ways to facilitate exercise behaviours to prevent inactivity, weight gain and early-onset osteoarthritis in this at-risk group. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2023 Dr. Ash studied adult neurogenesis, the birth of new brain cells in adulthood, in rodent models to examine how new brain cells integrate into neural circuitry. She also studied neurogenesis and memory in a rodent model of Alzheimer's Disease, characterizing structural changes and plasticity of brain cells during early stages of disease pathology. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)

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