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
Eva, Kevin Division of General Internal Medicine Cognition; Adult Education and Continuing Education; Health Professions Education; Assessment and Selection; clinical reasoning; Implementation Science; Continuing Professional Development; Judgment and Decision-Making
Evgin, Laura Department of Medical Genetics
Fairbairn, Nadia Division of Social Medicine Drug Abuse
Fast, Danya Division of Social Medicine Social sciences; Substance Use; Substance Use Care; Adolescents and Young Adults; urban health; Urban Poverty; Medical Anthropology; Canada; East Africa
Fedida, David Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics How the heart generates, maintains and regulates electrical activity, Anesthesiology
Field, Thalia Division of Neurology stroke; Clinical trials; cerebral venous thrombosis; outcomes; cognition; Machine Learning
Fisher, Charles Department of Orthopaedics adult spine surgery, with special clinical and research interests in trauma, oncology and evidence-based medicine
Flannigan, Ryan Department of Urologic Sciences evaluating genetic and molecular mechanisms contributing to non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA)
Fleetham, John Division of Respiratory Medicine Sleep disorders, neuromuscular disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, imaging techniques, respiratory muscle function, systemic blood pressure, hypothalamic pituitary function, psychological status, disordered breathing
Forbes, Connor Department of Urologic Sciences Urology; Other basic medicine and life sciences; Drug discovery, design and delivery; Endourology; Minimally Invasive Surgery; Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia; Kidney stones; Translational research
Forster, Bruce Department of Radiology Radiology; imaging
Forwell, Susan Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy Neurological conditions and their impact on chosen occupations
Foster, Leonard Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories Biochemistry; Genomics; Agriculture; antigen presentation; Bioinformatics; Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms; Biotechnology; Cell Signaling and Infectious and Immune Diseases; Honey bees; host-pathogen interactions; Immune System; Microbiology; Proteomics; Systems Biology
Francis, Gordon Division of Endocrinology lipoproteins; Cholesterol metabolism; Cardiovascular risk factors; Prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes; High density lipoproteins (HDL)
Frangou, Sophia Department of Psychiatry the study of the human brain in health and disease
Frank, Erica School of Population and Public Health Health sciences; Public and population health; Other education; Free education; Preventive Medicine; Sustainable Architecture and Landscape Architecture; Holocaust studies; Exile Reintegration; Democratization; Intervention Research
Freeman, Hugh James Division of Gastroenterology Intestinal Diseases
Friedman, Jan Marshall Department of Medical Genetics Other clinical medicine; Genetic medicine; Genomics; Health counselling; Application of whole genome sequencing to diagnose genetic disease; Birth defects epidemiology; Clinical genomics; Developmental Genetics; Genetics and Heredity; Neurofibromatosis
Gadermann, Anne Social determinants of health; Housing and homelessness; Quality of
Gao, Zu-Hua Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Garbuz, Donald Department of Orthopaedics reconstructive surgery of the hip and knee; novel imaging techniques to assess early changes in articular cartilage, which may be indicators for osteoarthritis
Garnis, Catherine Department of Surgery Cancer biology; Tumor progression; Oral premalignant lesions; Head and neck cancer; RNA biology, microRNAs; Alternative splicing; Biomarkers
Geller, Josie Department of Psychiatry Eating Disorders
Geoffrion, Roxana Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology patient education, surgical outcomes after various pelvic reconstructive surgeries and surgical skill development through simulation and standardized training; pelvic floor reconstruction procedures such as vaginal prolapse or urinary incontinence surgery
Gerrie, Alina Division of Medical Oncology Clinical medicine; Lymphoid Cancer; Leukemia; genomics; Population-based outcomes; Cellular therapy; Quality of life; Survivorship

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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: Neurosurgery
UBC Author(s): Stephen Yip (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0148396X
Volume: 95
Page Range: 740-750
Publication Date: 1 October 2024

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Publication: Heart Rhythm
UBC Author(s): Andrew Krahn (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15475271
Volume: 21
Page Range: e265-e267
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Heart Rhythm
UBC Author(s): Andrew Krahn (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15475271
Volume: 21
Page Range: e256-e258
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Heart Rhythm
UBC Author(s): Andrew Krahn (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15475271
Volume: 21
Page Range: e151-e252
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Neurocritical Care
UBC Author(s): Judy Illes (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15416933
Volume: 41
Page Range: 357-368
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Neurocritical Care
UBC Author(s): Judy Illes (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15416933
Volume: 41
Page Range: 345-356
Publication Date: October 2024

View Publication
Publication: Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology
UBC Author(s): David Liu (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10510443
Volume: 35
Page Range: 1464-1473.e1
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: American Journal of Infection Control
UBC Author(s): Annalee Yassi (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01966553
Volume: 52
Page Range: 1225-1226
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Clinical Neurophysiology
UBC Author(s): John Kramer (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13882457
Volume: 166
Page Range: 223-231
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Journal of Clinical Densitometry
UBC Author(s): Ismail Laher (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10946950
Volume: 27
Publication Date: 1 October 2024

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Publication: Steroids
UBC Author(s): Marianne Sadar (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0039128X
Volume: 210
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada
UBC Author(s): Manish Sadarangani (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 17012163
Volume: 46
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
UBC Author(s): Shannon Kolind (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 18789293
Volume: 69
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Journal of Breath Research
UBC Author(s): Stephen C Lam (Division of Respiratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 17527155
Volume: 18
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Neoplasia (United States)
UBC Author(s): Gillian Hanley (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15228002
Volume: 56
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Journal of Pathology
UBC Author(s): Brad Nelson (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine), David Huntsman (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Gregg Morin (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00223417
Volume: 264
Page Range: 197-211
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Medical Image Analysis
UBC Author(s): Teresa Tsang (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13618415
Volume: 97
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Science of the Total Environment
UBC Author(s): Christopher Carlsten (Division of Respiratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00489697
Volume: 945
Publication Date: 1 October 2024

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Publication: Pattern Recognition
UBC Author(s): Roger Tam (School of Biomedical Engineering / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00313203
Volume: 154
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Journal of Clinical Virology
UBC Author(s): Manish Sadarangani (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13866532
Volume: 174
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: JACEP Open
UBC Author(s): James Christenson (Emergency Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Babak Shadgan (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 5
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: Experimental Neurology
UBC Author(s): John Kramer (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00144886
Volume: 380
Publication Date: October 2024

View Publication
Publication: Genetic Epidemiology
UBC Author(s): Angela Brooks-Wilson (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07410395
Volume: 48
Page Range: 324-343
Publication Date: October 2024

View Publication
Publication: European Journal of Surgical Oncology
UBC Author(s): Janice Kwon (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07487983
Volume: 50
Publication Date: October 2024

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Publication: International Journal of Drug Policy
UBC Author(s): Thomas Kerr (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09553959
Volume: 132
Publication Date: October 2024

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
2024 Dr. Saville characterized SARS-CoV-2 variants in real-time as they emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaborating with the BC - Centres For Disease Control, antibodies from patient sera were assessed for their ability to neutralize major viral variants to help inform future vaccination strategies. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Musoke evaluated the impact of two interventions to improve access to medicines in Uganda. He found that the benefits of such interventions were maintained over a long duration when implemented nationally. This knowledge will aid in the design of future interventions to improve access to medicines in Uganda and other countries. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2024 Dr. Nassrallah found that mice with the Huntington Disease (HD) gene have altered calcium signaling and decreased levels of a neuroprotective protein called Activin A. Increasing Activin A expression improves the performance of these mice on a motor task. This research presents Activin A as a new therapeutic avenue for HD. Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD)
2024 Dr. Bhasin investigated a novel drug target for breast cancer treatment, where his research revealed that this target is involved in poor patient survival, promotes pro-cancer signals, and drives treatment resistance. Further exploration confirmed its high druggability potential, paving the way for a new mechanism of action for anti-cancer drugs. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Molzahn characterized the composition of protein aggregates that form in brain tissue during aging, contributing new information to the mechanism of aggregate formation and neurodegeneration. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Rahavi's work advances neuroblastoma (NB) research by refining mouse models for better real-time, non-invasive tracking of tumour progression. By integrating luciferase expression into TH-MYCN mice and human NB cell lines, it enables effective monitoring of potential treatments, offering insights into NB biology and therapy development. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Radisavljevic investigated the role of gut bacteria in Parkinson's disease using a mouse model. This work helps with an understanding of which gut bacterial members may play a role in modulating non-motor symptoms of this disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Moon developed enzyme-mediated cell surface engineering techniques that modify both major blood antigen A and minor blood antigen RhD to generate universal donor red blood cells. Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Dziurdzik investigated a protein family implicated in different neurological disorders that hold together cellular compartments and shuttle lipids between them. Her work uncovered how these proteins target various compartments, improved our understanding of the disease pathogenesis, and also identified novel proteins with related functions. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Zhang studied the effect of non-invasive stimulation therapies on brain neurobiology. Stimulation therapies are critical for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and her work showed that stimulation therapies can affect the generation of new neurons in the brain to potentially mediate therapeutic and side-effects. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)

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