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
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.
Graduate Degree Programs
Research Supervisors in Faculty
| Name | Research Interests |
|---|---|
| Rodrigues, Brian | Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); Diabetes; Cardiomyopathy; Heart Failure; Energy Metabolism; Cardiovascular metabolism; Endothelial cell - cardiomyocyte crosstalk; Vascular Endothelial Growth factors |
| Ross, Colin | Genetic medicine; Genomics; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); Biomedical Technologies; Drug Metabolism; Gene Therapy; Gene-based therapeutics; Pharmacogenomics; Precision Medicine; Transgenic Model |
| Sadatsafavi, Mohsen | Respiratory diseases; Epidemiology (except nutritional and veterinary epidemiology); Epidemiology; Biostatistics; Respiratory Research |
| Schummers, Laura | Pediatrics and reproductive medicine; Health Services; Health Policy; women’s reproductive and perinatal health |
| Sindelar, Robert | Rationally-designed enzyme inhibitors; Computer-assisted molecular design and computational chemistry; Protein homology modeling; Medicinal Chemistry; Computer-aided drug discovery and design; Pharmaceutical biotechnology; Human immune system and drug design for related diseases |
| Soja, Peter | how synaptic transmission through identified ascending spinal sensory pathways and motoneuron pools differs during distinct behavioral states such as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and REM sleep, or general anesthesia vs. wakefulness |
| Turgeon, Ricky | Cardiology and circulatory sciences (including cardiovascular disease); Health care effectiveness and outcomes; Knowledge translation and implementation science in health; Heart failure pharmacotherapy; Acute coronary syndromes / myocardial infarction; Cardiovascular risk reduction (lipid-lowering therapy, antiplatelet therapy); Cardiovascular safety of medications; Drug Effectiveness; Evidence-based practice; Shared decision making; Point-of-care decision aids / decision support tools; Knowledge translation / implementation; Risk calculators / clinical prediction tools; Pharmacist scope of practice; Clinical assessment / physical examination |
| Velenosi, Thomas | Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences, n.e.c.; Cancer drug development and therapeutics; Cancer molecular targets; Metabolomics; Lipid biology (including lipidomics); Pharmacometabolomics; Pharmacology; Lipidomics; mass spectrometry; Cancer; Stable isotope tracing; Bioinformatics |
| Vu, Ly | Post-transcriptional and translational regulation during normal and malignant hematopoiesis |
| Wilbur, Kerry | Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); Professional Practices; Education Systems; culture and health professional education; interprofessional education; patient and medication safety; public health roles of pharmacists; workplace-based learning |
| Williams, Karla | Oncology |
| Wisnovsky, Simon | Cancer genetics; Tumour immunology; Cellular immunology; Glycomics and glycobiology; Chemical genetics; Systems biology; Cellular interactions (including adhesion, matrix and cell wall); Genomics; Cancer molecular targets; glycobiology; carbohydrates; Tumor immunology; Functional genomics; CRISPR screening; Glycomics; Biochemistry; Molecular Genetics; Cell Biology; Cancer |
| Wong, Judy | Cancer genetics; Mechanisms of carcinogenesis; Drug discovery, design and delivery; Nucleic acids studies; Enzymes (including kinetics and mechanisms, and biocatalyst); Cancer biology; Aging; Genome Instability; Nucleic Acid Structures; Pharmacology; Genetics and Genomics |
| Wong, Harvey | applications of translational modeling and simulation techniques to optimize drug dose and regimen for new therapeutics, and to better understand emergence of cancer tumor drug resistance |
| Zed, Peter | Pharmacotherapy, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, airway pharmacology, sedation and analgesia, evidence-based medicine, adverse drug events, Pharmacotherapy best practice in emergency medicine and patient safety, particularly adverse drug events |
Pages
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.
UBC Author(s): Urs Hafeli (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 03048853
Volume: 564
Publication Date: 15 December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Brian Rodrigues (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: 6 December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Brian Cairns (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Larry Lynd (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 17
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Karla Williams (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 8
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Annalijn Conklin (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Mohsen Sadatsafavi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Jacquelyn Cragg (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: December 2022
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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
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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
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UBC Author(s): Colin Ross (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 6
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Jacquelyn Cragg (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 28
Page Range: 1-12
Publication Date: 1 December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Corey Nislow (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 14786354
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Thomas Velenosi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: December 2022
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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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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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UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Thomas Velenosi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 6
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences), Mohsen Sadatsafavi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 2151464X
Volume: 74
Page Range: 1961-1969
Publication Date: December 2022
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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
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UBC Author(s): Karla Williams (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 12
Publication Date: December 2022
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UBC Author(s): Urs Hafeli (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2022
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Pages
Recent Thesis Submissions
Doctoral Citations
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 2020 | Dr. Agnoletti investigated the use of polymeric microspheres as carriers to deliver antibiotics selectively to the lungs after intravenous administration. Her findings support the passive lung targeting strategy to improve the treatments of bacterial lung infections and, potentially, other lung diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Lal studied the role of the protein VEGFB in the diabetic heart. He found that this growth factor has the potential to protect against the changes that occur in the heart following diabetes and can lead to heart failure. This research helps in identifying a novel therapeutic target to prevent diabetic heart disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Atiquzzaman revealed the mediating role of NSAIDs in the increased risk of heart diseases among osteoarthritis patients. He also evaluated the cardiovascular safety of various NSAIDs used to treat osteoarthritis. This will help to understand the link between osteoarthritis and heart disease better and improve the safe treatment of this disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2020 | Dr. Johnson evaluated strategies for improving the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She found that early detection strategies for COPD are cost-effective, and that the risk of COPD should be assessed regularly at primary care visits. Her research can help to reduce the burden of COPD on patients and the healthcare system. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2019 | Current HIV treatment can effectively manage infection, but it is not a cure. Hence, there is a need for new kinds of anti-HIV drugs. Dr. Zamiri discovered two anti-HIV molecules active in both wild and drug resistant HIV strains. Her research suggests a mechanism of action different from the current HIV drugs and may inform future therapies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Gorrin constructed a model based on his conversations with people with asthma and measured how participants in two asthma studies reported their medication usage. The integration of his findings helped to understand why some people don't take the medication and how to encourage regular medication usage. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2019 | Drug discovery can be lengthy, complicated and requires extensive resources. Working in partnership with the pharmacy and chemistry departments, Dr. Koperniku explored access to pharmaceutically relevant small molecules. Her work advances the optimization of pharmaceuticals and informs improved patient care. Her past and future dedication is to serve humanity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Wang found out that heparanase, using its properties to promote cell survival, protect the heart cells against multiple stresses frequently seen in patients with ischemia and diabetes-induced heart diseases, in both cell experiments and animal studies. This research could help devise new strategies to combat heart diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2019 | Dr. Lambert investigated causes of pain in fibromyalgia and determined that specialized immune cells in the brain may play a critical role. She also created two novel molecules which act on the endocannabinoid system to reduce the pain-causing actions of these immune cells. Her work may form the basis of a new therapeutic strategy for chronic pain. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |