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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
Kaigala, Govind School of Biomedical Engineering enabling technologies for healthcare and life-sciences; new concepts and devices (liquid scanning probes) for manipulating biointerfaces
Kalia, Sunil Department of Dermatology & Skin Science Skin Cancer; Optics and Photonics; Skin Disorders; Epidemiology; optics; photobiology; dermatoepidemiology; Cancer
Kalua, Khumbo School of Population and Public Health Population health interventions; Infectious diseases; Global health; Epidemiology (except nutritional and veterinary epidemiology); Neglected Tropical Eye Diseases; Global Eye Health; Cluster Randomized Trials; Implementation Science; International Global Health; Community Based Research; Clinical trials
Karim, Ehsan School of Population and Public Health Biostatistical methods; Survey methodology and analysis; Statistical learning; Epidemiology (except nutritional and veterinary epidemiology); Public and population health, n.e.c.; Causal inference; Biostatistics; Statistics; Machine Learning; data science; Survey data analysis; multiple sclerosis
Karsan, Aly Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Hematological tumours; Cancer molecular targets; Leukemia; Hematopoiesis; Genomics and epigenomics; Noncoding RNAs; Aging
Kassam, Rosemin School of Population and Public Health Medical, health and life sciences; Child Health, Malnutrition, Adult Chronic Disease, Geriatrics
Kastrukoff, Lorne Division of Neurology MS; human immunology and multiple sclerosis particularly T-cell responses and most recently NK or natural killer cell responses
Kazanjian, Arminee School of Population and Public Health Medical biotechnology; Health systems and policy, equitable access to healthcare; cancer survivorship, psychosocial care
Kealy, David Department of Psychiatry Consciousness, Subjectivity and Personal Identity; Mental Health and Society; Affective and Emotional Development; Psychotherapy; mental health; Personality; Emotional functioning
Kelleher, Dermot Division of Gastroenterology immune response to many of the leading causes of gastrointestinal infectious disease worldwide
Keown, Paul Anthony Division of Nephrology immune response in transplantation and autoimmune disease, and ranges from molecular genetics to healthcare economics
Keramatian, Kamyar Department of Psychiatry early intervention in bipolar disorder, Mental Health & Addictions
Kerr, Thomas Division of Social Medicine harm reduction, injection drug users, HIV / AIDS, safe injection site, addiction, HIV/AIDS, injection drug use, health policy and service evaluation, and community-based research methods
Kershaw, Paul School of Population and Public Health child care, parental leave, work-life balance, social policy, social citizenship, responsibilities and rights, gender and politics, income assistance, child benefit package, social inclusion, neighbourhood effects on child development, Canadian federalism, Citizenship, detrimants of Health, social care
Khan, Rabia Department of Pediatrics Health Professions Education; Burnout; critical theory; Global Health; mental health
Khan, Nadia Ahmed Division of General Internal Medicine Ethnic and gender differences in chronic disease incidence and outcomes; Chronic disease prevention and management of Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular disease; Hypertension outcomes research
Kieffer, Tim Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, School of Biomedical Engineering Diabetes
Kissoon, Niranjan Department of Pediatrics Sepsis and critical care
Kizhakkedathu, Jayachandran Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Medical and biomedical engineering; Pathology (except oral pathology); Biomaterials; Blood Coagulation; Cell-surface Engineering; Implants and Medical Devices; Iron Chelators; Macromolecular Therapeutics; Polymers; Proteomics Tools; Thrombosis
Klein Geltink, Ramon Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Pathology (except oral pathology); Metabolism; Immunotherapy; Cell Signaling and Infectious and Immune Diseases; Auto-Immune Diseases; Cell Therapy of Cancer; Adoptive cellular therapy; Immunometabolism; T cell function
Knight, Darryl Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Airway Disease; Lung and airway remodelling; Respiratory diseases
Kobor, Michael Department of Medical Genetics Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Genetic medicine; Genomics; Chromatin Biology; Epigenetics; molecular biology; Social Epigenetics
Koehoorn, Mieke School of Population and Public Health Occupational health, injury, compensation policies, Worksafe BC, Gender Work and Health
Kolind, Shannon Division of Neurology Medical physics; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; brain; Imaging; MRI; medical physics; multiple sclerosis; myelin; Neurological Disease; spinal cord
Komparic, Ana School of Population and Public Health Other medical sciences; Applied ethics; Public Health Ethics; Applied Ethics; Professional Ethics; Ethics and Policy; Empirical Approaches to Bioethics; Philosophy of Medicine and Public Health; Pharmacare; Health Insurance; Health Policy; Health Technology Assessment (HTA); Codes of Ethics; Solidarity

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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: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
UBC Author(s): Maureen Ashe (Family Practice / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15258610
Volume: 26
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Human Molecular Genetics
UBC Author(s): Wyeth Wasserman (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine), Carolyn Janet Brown (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09646906
Volume: 34
Page Range: 978-989
Publication Date: 1 June 2025

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Publication: Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology
UBC Author(s): Jason Barton (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10708022
Volume: 45
Page Range: 129-130
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Anesthesiology
UBC Author(s): Hilary Grocott (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 142
Page Range: 1188-1189
Publication Date: 1 June 2025

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Publication: Heart Rhythm
UBC Author(s): Andrew Krahn (Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 15475271
Volume: 22
Page Range: 1572-1573
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Canadian Journal of Nursing Research
UBC Author(s): Jude Kornelsen (Family Practice / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 08445621
Volume: 57
Page Range: 314-323
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Internet Interventions
UBC Author(s): Adeera Levin (Division of Nephrology / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 40
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Thorax
UBC Author(s): Christopher Ryerson (Division of Respiratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00406376
Volume: 80
Page Range: 378-384
Publication Date: 1 June 2025

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Publication: Medical Education
UBC Author(s): Tal Jarus (Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03080110
Volume: 59
Page Range: 575-577
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer
UBC Author(s): Jessica McAlpine (Obstetrics & Gynaecology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 1048891X
Volume: 35
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
UBC Author(s): Jacqueline Whittaker (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10634584
Volume: 33
Page Range: 771-772
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Drug and Alcohol Dependence
UBC Author(s): Lianping Ti (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03768716
Volume: 271
Publication Date: 1 June 2025

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Publication: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open
UBC Author(s): David Wilson (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine), Kishore Mulpuri (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 7
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Materials Science and Engineering R: Reports
UBC Author(s): Karim Miran-Khan (Family Practice / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 0927796X
Volume: 164
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Current Opinion in Immunology
UBC Author(s): Stuart Turvey (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09527915
Volume: 94
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
UBC Author(s): David Wilson (Orthopaedics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 17516161
Volume: 166
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Physiotherapy (United Kingdom)
UBC Author(s): Kristin Campbell (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine), Kendall Ho (Emergency Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Patricia Camp (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00319406
Volume: 127
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Addictive Behaviors Reports
UBC Author(s): Brittany Dennis (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 21
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Breast
UBC Author(s): Stephen K.L. Chia (Division of Medical Oncology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09609776
Volume: 81
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Journal of Pediatrics
UBC Author(s): Steven Miller (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine), Ruth V Grunau (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00223476
Volume: 281
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Nutrition Reviews
UBC Author(s): Rachel Murphy (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00296643
Volume: 83
Page Range: 1047-1060
Publication Date: 1 June 2025

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Publication: Environment International
UBC Author(s): Martin Guhn (Human Early Learning Partnership / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01604120
Volume: 200
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Journal of Genetic Counseling
UBC Author(s): Jehannine Austin (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10597700
Volume: 34
Publication Date: June 2025

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Publication: Medical Education
UBC Author(s): Kevin Eva (Division of General Internal Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 03080110
Volume: 59
Page Range: 606-614
Publication Date: June 2025

View Publication
Publication: Clinical Biomechanics
UBC Author(s): Peter Cripton (School of Biomedical Engineering / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 02680033
Volume: 126
Publication Date: June 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
2024 Dr. Stephan directed stem cells into liver and studied how the cells changed their identity. She found a specific protein in newly forming liver cells, TBX3, that may be responsible for pushing cells towards using liver genes. Knowing how cells turn into liver cells can be used to produce lab-grown livers replacing conventional organ transplants. Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Gill examined how different types of childhood poverty experience affect children's development, health, and school success from kindergarten to high school graduation in British Columbia, and how these relationships differ by the child's immigration background. This work can inform intervention and policy to reduce harms related to poverty. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2024 Dr. Alemzadeh Mehrizi investigated roles of 5 proteins in the deadliest subtype of uterine cancer. She discovered that the elevated levels of these proteins are reducing patients' survival, and increasing the invasiveness of the cancer cells. Her findings provide novel insights into new ways of treating this deadly subtype of uterine cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD)
2024 Dr. Tabrizian's research identified ROR2 as a key receptor promoting cellular plasticity in prostate cancer. Her findings suggest ROR2 as a therapeutic target to combat aggressive AR-independent tumor phenotypes. This could enhance responses to androgen receptor pathway inhibitors and prevent lineage plasticity. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2024 Dr. Foo's research aimed to develop novel drugs that target the drivers of prostate and breast cancers. By screening hundreds of compounds, Dr. Foo characterized the activity of new molecules that effectively inhibit cancer growth. This work will provide new therapeutic avenues to address the needs of patients who no longer respond to current treatments. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Kreyenmeier studied human eye movements to understand how the brain transforms sensory signals into motor actions. He showed that eye movements can be used as a model system to reveal how humans perceive and interact with their complex and dynamic environment. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2024 Dr. Macdonald examined how patients with chronic illness participate in civic organizations that help bring the patient perspective to health research. His work contributes to our knowledge on how to create institutions of research that are responsive and able to integrate input from patients and the public. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2024 Dr. Han's research delves into the ingenious strategies employed by our intestinal cells to detect and combat the food-borne pathogen Salmonella. These tactics include promoting mucus secretion to expel the pathogen, releasing signals to enlist immune cell reinforcements, and, remarkably, self-sacrifice to eliminate the invading bacteria. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2024 Dr. Tai combined addiction psychiatry and machine learning to address the opioid crisis. His models predict overdose risk, enhancing early intervention and treatment. Dr. Tai's research aims to improve understanding of addiction and prevent overdose deaths, demonstrating his commitment to public health. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2024 Should patients with coronary artery disease consider stenting if they must wait for bypass surgery? Dr. Hardiman compared treatment results of delayed surgery and readily available stenting, finding that patients who underwent surgery fared better. His study will inform future treatment decisions and policy in cardiac care. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)

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