Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences is where great minds make a difference. The Faculty enjoys an international reputation for outstanding pharmaceutical sciences research. Across a broad base of collaborative, paradigm-shaping pilot projects, our world-leading researchers generate relevant results that address the pressing health needs of society. In short, our work improves lives.

If you are passionate about health sciences research that makes a difference in people's lives, you're in good hands. We offer award-wining graduate programs led by world-class researchers. You'll have access to top-tier facilities and be working alongside the best and brightest in the field, conducting research that addresses real life problems. Our paradigm-changing approach is collaborative, innovative, and results-driven.

We're tackling diseases like asthma / chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. We're developing better ways to deliver drugs and prevent adverse drug reactions. And we're conducting clinical and economic research in pharmaceutical outcomes. 

Our reputation as a top research centre attracts some of the brightest and most productive minds in the field. Our faculty includes Canada Research Chairs, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholars and Senior Scholars, and Distinguished University Scholars.

Purpose

We are innovators in pharmacy education, research and practice, with the goal of supporting the optimization of drug therapy in the pursuit of improved patient outcomes.

Commitments

  • We support our people, creating a community that enables excellence through collective action.
  • We seek novel ideas, putting into practice those with the greatest scope for sustained impact.
  • We search for relevant connections, fostering meaningful collaborations that provide mutual benefit.
Mission
To be a catalyst for change in pharmacy practice and the pharmaceutical sciences.
 

Research Centres

adMare BioInnovations is located in our building. It is an independent, non-profit organization with a focus on bridging the gap between academic discoveries in the health sciences and the development of new medicines to treat human disease. The Faculty partners with adMare BioInnovations to provide unique research and mentoring opportunities for MSc and PhD students. 

We are also home to several sophisticated research centres that specialize in the areas of human genome and exome sequencing, and health outcomes research.

Research Facilities

Opened in 2012, the Pharmaceutical Sciences Building at UBC is a state-of-the-art learning and research facility. The building houses modern, modular labs designed specifically for the type of research intended for the space. Our classroom facilities are fitted with advanced technology to facilitate new modes of learning.

Measuring 246,000 square feet, it's an eye-catching addition to our campus, and has drawn attention and admiration from around the world—including 15 awards of excellence. 

Research Highlights

As a leading research faculty, we conduct ground-breaking research in the pharmaceutical sciences – all with the goal of addressing the pressing health needs of society and improving lives. Our research activities centre around four areas of focus.

Epidemiology & Health Outcomes

This theme covers our activities in epidemiological analysis, health outcomes and health economics research seeking solutions for the predictive enhancement of intervention strategies for practical and preventive healthcare. The impact of this work is used to shape policy to optimize the allocation of health care resources as well as defining the efficacy of healthcare interventions and strategy.

Molecular & Systems Pharmacology

This highly interdisciplinary theme embodies research directed at the interactions of therapeutic agents with human cells, and covers fundamental questions of the mechanisms of the drug action through to the behaviour of drugs in human systems. These studies are used to inform and optimize the development and delivery of drug intervention regimes for clinical practice and the pharmaceutical industry.

Nanomedicine & Chemical Biology

This theme applies our expertise in the chemical biology of the fabrication and handling of nanoscopic materials to drug discovery and delivery. Sensing and screening technologies are also an important focus.

Pharmacy Education

Our research in this theme addresses the issue of scholarship in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences with a view to augment our educational research capacity and enhance the methodologies of teaching practice, student learning and curriculum decision-making.

Explore Research Themes

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

Name Research Interests
Cairns, Brian Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); electrophysiology; headache; Neuropharmacology; Oro-Facial Pain; pain; pain mechanisms; peripheral analgesics; sex-related differences; temporomandibular disorders
Chang, Thomas Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes; Cytochrome P450; Gene regulation; Nuclear Receptor; Pharmacology; Chemical Biology
Collier, Abby Drugs in children, Drugs in pregnancy, Developmental pharmacology, Drug metabolism, Pharmacokinetics, Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, primarily of the phase II (conjugation) enzymes, focused on pregnancy and pediatrics
Conklin, Annalijn Public health nutrition policy; Other basic medicine and life sciences; Chronic Diseases in Elderly; Community Health / Public Health; disease management evaluation; food and nutrition policy; Gender Epidemiology; gender and health equity; Health Policies; healthcare quality improvement; healthy ageing; Indigenous health; Obesity; obesity & CVD risk factors; Professional Practices; Social Determinants of Dietary and Metabolic Disorders; social nutritional epidemiology; ethics of research and public health
Coughtrie, Michael Drug metabolizing enzymes
Cragg, Jacquelyn Epidemiology (except nutritional and veterinary epidemiology); data science; open science; Causal inference; Drug Effectiveness; Drug Safety; Epidemiology; neuro-epidemiology; Neurological diseases; Spinal cord injury; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); multiple sclerosis; Parkinson’s disease
De Vera, Mary examining how eHealth technologies can support new and existing models of care to improve care delivery and patient outcomes; exploring patients' perspectives and experiences with medication taking and adherence; and evaluating the use and impacts of medications among pregnant women, particularly with inflammatory conditions.
Frankel, Adam Other basic medicine and life sciences; Enzymes (including kinetics and mechanisms, and biocatalyst); Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms; Bioactive Molecules; Organic Molecules and Biomolecules; Proteins; arginine methylation; post-translational modifications; Chemical Biology; drug discovery; Target Engagement; Protein Biochemistry; yeast; Amino acids
Giaever, Guri Model organisms, human therapeutics, high-throughput cell biology, drug synergy, technologies for understanding relationship between chromatic structure and transcriptional regulation
Hafeli, Urs Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences, n.e.c.; Radiopharmaceuticals; Radioimmunotherapy; Magnetic Targeting; Targeted Drug Delivery; Novel polymers; Nanoparticles; Microspheres; Microneedles; Bioconjugates
Harrison, Mark measurement and valuation of health, health technology and policy assessment, and preferences for healthcare interventions; evaluation/re-evaluation of the type of health care that is provided, the point in the treatment pathway, and the way in which it is delivered
Hedtrich, Sarah Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); Nanotechnologies; Structural Tissue Engineering / Biomaterials; Inflammatory Respiratory Diseases; Skin; New Biomedical Approaches - Alternatives to Animal Testing; Novel therapies for inflammatory and genetic diseases of human epithelia; Tissue Regeneration and Wound Healing; Topical drug delivery and Nanomedicine
Jarvis-Selinger, Sandra Education, human learning, development, and instruction, education innovation, konwledge translation, teaching excellence, curriculum design, technology
Johnson, Kate Health Outcomes
Kumar, Ujendra Somatostatin hormone, molecular pharmacology, Somatostatin, , Hormones, somatostatin, locomotor and cognitive function, neurodegenerative diseases, drugs
Lalji, Fawziah Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); Pharmacoepidemiology; Infectious diseases; Vaccination; Antibiotics and Resistance; Tuberculosis
Lau, Tim Clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice; Infectious diseases; Antimicrobial Stewardship; systematic reviews
Li, Shyh-Dar Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); biopharmaceutics; drug delivery; nanomedicine; pharmaceutics
Loewen, Peter Cardiology and circulatory sciences (including cardiovascular disease); Clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice; Knowledge translation and implementation science in health; atrial fibrillation; Pharmacoepidemiology; Thrombosis and Embolism; adherence to medication; Cardiovascular diseases; Arrhythmia; Heart Failure; stroke; Health Care Technologies; Professional Practices; Hematology; decision making; clinical prediction rules; healthcare communication technologies; hospital pharmacy practice; knowledge translation of evidence to patient care; patient complexiometry; patient decision aids; patient education; pharmacy practice; prediction of stroke and bleeding in atrial fibrillation patients; quality of care, quality drug therapy; Shared decision-making; stroke prevention therapy; use of mobile technology for clinical decision-making
Lynd, Larry health economics, orphan drugs, pharmaceutical policy, respiratory medicine, epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, rare diseases
Maharaj, Anil Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences, n.e.c.; Pharmacometrics; Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics; Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacology
McCormack, James Knowledge translation and evidence-based practice
Nislow, Corey genomics and develops biotechnology tools to address both fundamental and applied biological questions; Parallel genome-wide chemical genomic screens; High throughput cell-based screens; Next Generation Sequencing
Page, Brent Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); Cell Signaling and Cancer; Cancer; Cell signaling; Chemical Biology; Drug development; Drug Discovery, Design and Delivery; Medicinal Chemistry; Target Engagement
Rafizadeh, Reza Other clinical medicine; Psychotic disorders, Substance Use Disorders, Clinical Research

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Open Research Positions

This list of possible research projects is non-exhaustive. It only shows positions that are specifically advertised in the G+PS website.

Graduate Student Stories

Sepideh Soukhtehzari's image

Sepideh Soukhtehzari

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)

Identification of polysialylated proteins in breast cancer and correlation with patient prognosis

Megan Thomas

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)

Addressing equity considerations in research and care of patients with inflammatory arthritis

Petar Iliev

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)

Developing selective small-molecule probes for STAT3 using thermal stability assays

Michael Rowley

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)

Development of small-molecule inhibitors against Protein Arginine N-methyltransferase 2

Danielle Hanke

Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSc)

Medicinal Chemistry

Sumreen Javed

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)

Understanding Role of Invadopodia in Breast Tumor metastasis via Lymphatics.
All Student Stories

Alumni on Success

Swamy Yeleswaram

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) [1992]

Job Title
VP

Employer
Incyte Corporation

Gary Lopaschuk

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) [1983]

Job Title
Professor

Employer
University of Alberta
All Alumni Stories

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 Pharmaceutical Sciences.

 

Exposure to diesel exhaust alters the functional metagenomic composition of the airway microbiome in former smokers
Publication: Environmental Research
UBC Author(s): Corey Nislow (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 00139351
Volume: 216
Publication Date: 1 January 2023

View Publication
Preface to the special issue “Scientific and Clinical Applications of Magnetic Carriers 2022”
Publication: Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
UBC Author(s): Urs Hafeli (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 03048853
Volume: 564
Publication Date: 15 December 2022

View Publication
Social pharmaceutical innovation and alternative forms of research, development and deployment for drugs for rare diseases
Publication: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
UBC Author(s): Larry Lynd (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 17
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
The different prognostic significance of polysialic acid and CD56 expression in tumor cells and lymphocytes identified in breast cancer
Publication: npj Breast Cancer
UBC Author(s): Karla Williams (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 8
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
Preparing for colorectal surgery: a qualitative study of experiences and preferences of patients in Western Canada
Publication: BMC Health Services Research
UBC Author(s): Annalijn Conklin (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
A systematic review on the economic burden of interstitial lung disease and the cost-effectiveness of current therapies
Publication: BMC Pulmonary Medicine
UBC Author(s): Mohsen Sadatsafavi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
A national survey of physical activity after spinal cord injury
Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Jacquelyn Cragg (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
The impact of introducing multidisciplinary care assessments on access to rheumatology care in British Columbia: an interrupted time series analysis
Publication: BMC Health Services Research
UBC Author(s): Mark Harrison (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences), Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
The cellular response to drug perturbation is limited: comparison of large-scale chemogenomic fitness signatures
Publication: BMC Genomics
UBC Author(s): Corey Nislow (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences), Guri Giaever (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 23
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
Assessing the role of adolescent hormonal contraceptive use on risk for depression: a 3-year longitudinal study protocol
Publication: BMC Women's Health
UBC Author(s): Colin Ross (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
To share or not to share: communication of caregiver-reported outcomes when a patient has colorectal cancer
Publication: Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes
UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 6
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
Pediatric Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in the United States: A National Inpatient Analysis
Publication: Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitation
UBC Author(s): Jacquelyn Cragg (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 28
Page Range: 1-12
Publication Date: 1 December 2022

View Publication
Beta-cell specific Insr deletion promotes insulin hypersecretion and improves glucose tolerance prior to global insulin resistance
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Corey Nislow (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
“The medications are the decision-makers…” Making reproductive and medication use decisions among female patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a constructivist grounded theory
Publication: Arthritis Research and Therapy
UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 14786354
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
Clenbuterol exerts antidiabetic activity through metabolic reprogramming of skeletal muscle cells
Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Thomas Velenosi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
Reducing health provider stereotypes through undergraduate interprofessional education
Publication: Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
UBC Author(s): Kerry Wilbur (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 16583612
Volume: 17
Page Range: 991-999
Publication Date: December 2022

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A personalized biomedical risk assessment infographic for people who smoke with COPD: a qualitative study
Publication: Addiction Science and Clinical Practice
UBC Author(s): Mohsen Sadatsafavi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 19400632
Volume: 17
Publication Date: December 2022

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Pharmacometabolomics reveals urinary diacetylspermine as a biomarker of doxorubicin effectiveness in triple negative breast cancer
Publication: npj Precision Oncology
UBC Author(s): Thomas Velenosi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 6
Publication Date: December 2022

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Recurrent pregnancy loss and incident arthritis in midlife: an exploratory longitudinal analysis of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation
Publication: Annals of Epidemiology
UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 10472797
Volume: 76
Page Range: 61-67
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
Longitudinal bioluminescence imaging to monitor breast tumor growth and treatment response using the chick chorioallantoic membrane model
Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Karla Williams (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
International surveillance study in acute spinal cord injury confirms viability of multinational clinical trials
Publication: BMC Medicine
UBC Author(s): Jacquelyn Cragg (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 20
Publication Date: December 2022

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Onset of depression and anxiety among patients with gout after diagnosis: a population-based incident cohort study
Publication: BMC Rheumatology
UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 6
Publication Date: December 2022

View Publication
The mechanism of Hepatocyte-Targeting and safety profile of Phospholipid-Free small unilamellar vesicles
Publication: International Journal of Pharmaceutics
UBC Author(s): Shyh-Dar Li (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 03785173
Volume: 628
Publication Date: 25 November 2022

View Publication
Treatable traits in the NOVELTY study
Publication: Respirology
UBC Author(s): Mohsen Sadatsafavi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 13237799
Volume: 27
Page Range: 929-940
Publication Date: November 2022

View Publication
Preferences and Insights for Participation in a Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Prevention Trial: A Mixed-Methods Study
Publication: ACR Open Rheumatology
UBC Author(s): Mark Harrison (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 4
Page Range: 974-982
Publication Date: November 2022

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
2022 Dr. Khatri examined the health and economic impact of introduction of 13-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in infant immunization program in British Columbia, Canada. This research illuminates the value of PCV13 vaccine in preventing pneumococcal disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Price investigated the processes of inflammation, antioxidant defense, and steroidogenesis within the placenta. These studies assist us in understanding the higher rates of pregnancy complications associated with assisted reproduction technologies. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Al Fayez worked on improving the effectiveness of currently available liver treatments. Her research focused on developing novel lipid-based nanoparticles for hepatocytes targeting. Dr. ALFayez believes these nanoparticles can be used as a platform to enhance the treatment of many terminal liver diseases including chronic hepatitis B infection. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Nguyen developed a method to make chemical modifications to drugs that enable formation into nanoparticles for improved drug delivery and efficacy. This research will benefit a spectrum of drugs and identify new formulations that will offer safer and effective therapies for patients battling diseases like cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Benbow developed a pre-clinical model of migraine headache using monosodium glutamate (MSG). He subsequently applied his model to identify and validate a novel drug target that may be leveraged to treat and prevent migraines in people. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2021 Dr. Salmasi measured medication taking in atrial fibrillation patients in BC. She revealed that patients exhibit distinct patterns of medication taking over time. Study findings can inform the design of interventions to improve medication taking, and ultimately avoid preventable strokes and deaths in patients with atrial fibrillation. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2021 Dr. Nosrati developed a novel drug delivery system that targets and treats rheumatoid arthritis. Her work resulted in concentrating toxic drugs in inflamed joints more effectively with less side effects, reducing inflammation more strongly and for longer periods of time. Patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis will benefit from her findings. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2021 Dr. Brown examined how protein arginine methyltransferases interact with their binding partners and identified a process by which these enzymes contribute to stress in yeast cells. Since yeast and human cells are highly similar, these results provide new knowledge of the importance and impact of this family of enzymes on biological pathways. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2021 Dr. Yang studied a special four-stranded nucleic acid structure, called the G-quadruplex, through developing new tools and methods. His collection of works provide evidence for the biological relevance and existence of these structures in living human cells. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2020 Dr. Lin performed structure-activity relationship studies on anti-HIV molecules. During this process, she discovered novel chemical reactivities of these compounds. The findings are crucial for the future development of biologically active molecules toward treatments of various diseases and crop protection. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)

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Interesting Links

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