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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
Cheung, Karen School of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and information engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; additive manufacturing; BioMEMS; Biomedical Technologies; biosensors; microfluidics; neural interfaces; organ-on-chip; Tissue Engineering
Chew, Ben Department of Urologic Sciences how kidney stones form and in particular intestinal absorption of minerals that can form kidney stones (calcium and oxalate); genetically modifying bacteria normally used to make yogurt to express a naturally occurring enzyme that breaks down oxalate, thus preventing its absorption into the body where it can combine with calcium to form kidney stones.
Chi, Kim Nguyen Division of Medical Oncology Thrombosis in cancer patients, methemoglobinemia, hemolysis, anticancer drugs, prostate cancer, chemotherapy, cell cancer, breast cancer
Chia, Stephen K.L. Division of Medical Oncology Cancer; translational research in breast cancer
Choi, Peter Tsz Lung Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Anesthesiology, peroperative medicine, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, research education
Christenson, James Department of Emergency Medicine Other clinical medicine; sudden cardiac death; chain of survival; out of hospital cardiac arrest; emergency medical services; resuscitation science
Churg, Andrew Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Lung disease
Cibere, Jolanda Division of Rheumatology Rheumatology; early osteoarthritis; magnetic resonance imaging in osteoarthritis; biomarkers in osteoarthritis; progression of early osteoarthritis; clinical detection of early osteoarthritis
Ciernia, Annie Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Biochemistry; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Autism; Brain development; Epigenetics; Gene-Environment Interactions; Neurodevelopmental disorders
Ciocca, Valter School of Audiology and Speech Sciences Auditory System; Perception and Representation; Recognition of Speech; Speech and Language Development Disorders; Auditory grouping of speech and non-speech sounds, also known as "auditory scene analysis"; perception and production of normal and disordered speech
Collins, Colin Department of Urologic Sciences translational genomics where mathematics, genomics, computer science, and clinical science converge in diagnostics and therapeutics
Colozzo, Paola School of Audiology and Speech Sciences Developmental language disorders; language and cognition; discourse, assessment and intervention for children with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds
Conibear, Elizabeth Department of Medical Genetics Other basic medicine and life sciences; Protein trafficking in cell biology; Molecular genetics; Functional genomics; Membranes; Enzymes and Proteins; Vesicle Trafficking; Molecular Genetics; Neurodegenerative diseases; Protein Palmitoylation; Cell Signaling and Cancer
Conway, Edward Division of Hematology Basic medicine and life sciences; coagulation; Innate immunity; Inflammation; vascular biologh
Cote, Helene Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine HIV Infection, blood research, infectious diseases
Cox, Susan School of Population and Public Health Other medical sciences; Sociology and related studies; Arts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music), architecture and design
Cox, Michael Department of Urologic Sciences genetic testing, experiences of hereditary risk, social and ethical implications of genetics, interpersonal and family communication, qualitative research, narrative and story, Prostate cancer
Craig, Ann Marie Department of Psychiatry Excitatory and inhibitory synapses, Synapse development and plasticity, Synapse organizing proteins, Neurotransmitter receptors, Autism and schizophrenia
Cresswell, Silke Division of Neurology Functional imaging (PETand fMRI) in Parkinson
Cripton, Peter School of Biomedical Engineering Mechanical engineering; Medical and biomedical engineering; biomechanics; Cranio-Encephalic and Spinal Cord Trauma; hip fracture; injury prevention; Mechanical Systems; neurotrauma; Spinal cord injury; spine biomechanics; Trauma / Injuries; Traumatic Brain Injury; Sex Differences in Seat Belt Performance
Crook, Juanita Department of Surgery Radiation Oncology and Developmental Radiotherapeutics
Cundiff, Geoffrey Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, urogynaecology, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, sexual dysfunction, obstetrical injury, quality assurance, Epidemiology of pelvic floor disorders, to anatomy, to education, to the prevention of maternal obstetrical trauma
Cynader, Max Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences eye diseases; glaucoma; dyslexia; stroke; neurotrauma; memory; vision; learning disabilities; hearing development; recovery after brain damage; ischemia; gene therapy, Alzheimer's
Daley, Denise Division of Respiratory Medicine Bioinformatics; Asthma; Complex Trait Genetics; Epigenetics; gene-gene and gene-environment interactions; Genetic Diseases; genetic epidemiology; Genetics of Aging; statistical genetics; Susceptibility Genes
Daugaard, Mads Department of Urologic Sciences Cancer progression and metastasis; Mechanisms of carcinogenesis; Cancer Diagnosis and Detection; Cancer biology; Cancer diagnostics; Cancer therapy; Cell Signaling and Cancer; Cell Therapy of Cancer; Chemotherapy; DNA damage response pathways; glycobiology; Immunotherapy; Radiotherapy; Cell stress and Cancer; Cell stress signalling in cancer

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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: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes
UBC Author(s): Stephen C Lam (Division of Respiratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Communications Biology
UBC Author(s): Lucia Nappi (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Yuzhuo Wang (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Amina Zoubeidi (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Martin Gleave (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 7
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation
UBC Author(s): Ismail Laher (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 16
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Naznin Virji-Babul (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: BMC Infectious Diseases
UBC Author(s): Julie Bettinger (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine), Mel Krajden (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Manish Sadarangani (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): John Gill (Division of Nephrology / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology
UBC Author(s): Stuart Turvey (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 17101484
Volume: 20
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Harm Reduction Journal
UBC Author(s): Kate Shannon (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Kathleen Deering (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 21
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Linda Li (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine), Teresa Yeong Lih Liu (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Scott Tebbutt (Division of Respiratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: BMC Psychiatry
UBC Author(s): Fidel Vila-Rodriguez (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Scott Tebbutt (Division of Respiratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: npj Breast Cancer
UBC Author(s): Samuel Aparicio (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 10
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Martin Gleave (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: BMC Health Services Research
UBC Author(s): Kristin Campbell (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Implementation Science Communications
UBC Author(s): Josie Geller (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 5
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Stem Cell Research and Therapy
UBC Author(s): Tim Kieffer (Cellular & Physiological Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Substance Abuse: Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
UBC Author(s): Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 19
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Communications Biology
UBC Author(s): Colin Collins (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 7
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
UBC Author(s): Richard Lester (Division of Infectious Diseases / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 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
2024 Dr. Segat studied how intrinsic and extrinsic factors can influence the onset of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She showed that inflammation favors the development of a more immature disease subtype, and that a gene called MYCN is essential for this subtype. She also found indirect ways to inhibit MYCN which could guide therapy development. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Verma has discovered a novel role for the PAN protein complex. Her work demonstrates that targeting this specific protein complex in cancer cells disrupts their ability to divide. Importantly, such intervention may spare normal cells from harm while specifically affecting the cancerous ones. Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Brewis used budding yeast as a model to explore how the histone variant H2A.Z, a DNA packaging protein, affects gene expression during cellular stress. Her work advances both our knowledge of the mechanisms involved in genome regulation along with our understanding of what makes a histone variant a variant. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2024 Dr. May classified a set of molecules produced by tumours which inhibit the immune response and enhance tumour growth. To combat this, he developed multiple approaches to engineer immune cells to overcome this inhibition. When applied to cell-based therapies, this has a potential to result in improved efficacy across diverse cancer types. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Qiu studied an aggressive soft tissue cancer called synovial sarcoma. He profiled human synovial sarcoma surgical specimens using epigenetic sequencing techniques and subsequently characterized epigenetic subgroups of the tumours. This research can guide emerging epigenetic therapeutic strategies in the treatment of this cancer. Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD)
2024 Dr. Li studied the functional roles of a cell adhesion receptor, integrin alpha6, in breast cancer cells. She found that splice variants of this integrin differentially modulate tumour cell adhesion, invasion and metastasis. Her work enhances our understanding of the roles of particular integrins in tumour progression. Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD)
2024 Dr. Cheung studied a protein involved in the autophagy pathway that removes waste from cells in the human body. His work investigated the structural and functional relationship of this autophagy regulator and its coordination with other proteins to facilitate the process, further delineating its underlying mechanism that leads to related diseases. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Kangarani-Farahani investigated the effectiveness of rehabilitation in autistic children with developmental coordination disorder, revealing lasting improvements in motor performance and changes in brain regions related to motor and cognitive functions. This study underscores the effectiveness of rehabilitation in this clinical population. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2024 Dr. Wardman's research has focused on developing new enzymatic tools to manipulate proteins that are modified with certain sugars. To do so, he discovered new enzymes from Nature and also engineered these enzymes to better carry out these manipulations. The tools he developed will enable us to shed light on these otherwise mysterious modifications. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Nikiforuk studied how the coronavirus which causes COVID-19 infects cells in the upper human respiratory tract to find that people's risk of infection varies. This finding will be useful in controlling coronavirus transmission and designing new treatment strategies. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)

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