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
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): Mary De Vera (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 113
Page Range: 863-868
Publication Date: 1 July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Shyh-Dar Li (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Brian Rodrigues (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 11
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Ricky Turgeon (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 3
Page Range: 864-871
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Jacquelyn Cragg (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 13624393
Volume: 59
Page Range: 716-729
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Mark Harrison (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 15507289
Volume: 17
Page Range: 1310-1316
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Mohsen Sadatsafavi (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 22132198
Volume: 9
Page Range: 2680-2688.e7
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Larry Lynd (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 01688510
Volume: 125
Page Range: 877-887
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Mark Harrison (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 11781653
Volume: 14
Page Range: 389-397
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Ricky Turgeon (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 4
Page Range: 862-870
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Larry Lynd (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 17697212
Volume: 64
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Ricky Turgeon (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
ISSN: 08848734
Volume: 36
Page Range: 2158-2160
Publication Date: July 2021
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UBC Author(s): Urs Hafeli (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Volume: 7
Page Range: 2823-2834
Publication Date: 14 June 2021
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Pages
Recent Thesis Submissions
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What are womxn thinking? Understanding perinatal management of rheumatoid arthritis using a feminist epidemiological framework (Pharmaceutical Sciences - MSC)
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Development of efficient strategies for the synthesis of compound libraries of anti-HIV agents that block HIV replication (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Structure-function relationship of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Pharmacogenomics : from experimental design through patient interactions (Pharmaceutical Sciences - MSC)
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The neuroprotective role of somatostatin against beta amyloid induced toxicity in in vitro models of Alzheimer’s disease (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Characterization of the effects of a high fat-high sucrose diet in wild-type and ROCK2 heterozygous mice (Pharmaceutical Sciences - MSC)
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Benzisothiazole based anti-viral agents : new chemistry revealed during structure-activity relationship studies (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Understanding the epidemiology of young-onset colorectal cancer and information needs of patients and survivors (Pharmaceutical Sciences - MSC)
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Safety of perinatal biologic use in autoimmune diseases : population-based studies of maternal and infant outcomes (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Antibiotic-loaded polymeric microspheres for passive lung targeting after intravenous administration (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling can guide drug candidate optimization (Pharmaceutical Sciences - MSC)
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Population-level studies of the incremental economic burden of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Evaluating strategies for the early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Regulation and function of heparanase in the heart (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Crosstalk between somatostatin receptor subtypes and cannabinoid receptor 1 in excitotoxicity (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
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Octadentate chelators for zirconium- and other metal-based radiopharmaceuticals (Pharmaceutical Sciences - PHD)
Doctoral Citations
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 2019 | Dr. Buchwalder developed a new class of molecules to bind radioactive isotopes and attach them to disease targeting vectors. Specifically, he found that ligand molecules bind zirconium ions particularly strongly. His work contributes to the development of better diagnostic and potentially therapeutic agents for applications in nuclear medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2019 | Aberrant telomere length maintenance can lead to premature aging disorders. Dr. Xu studied genetic modifiers of telomere maintenance and revealed their contributions to the variable manifestations in telomere biology disorders. This study will help to build individualized models for the prediction of short telomere-associated disease presentations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Many drugs exhibit poor solubility, limiting their absorption and clinical efficacy. Dr. Tang developed a novel approach using nanotechnology to formulate these drugs with improved solubility. His research work demonstrated the utilities of this approach in delivering these drugs more effectively and safely. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Paik studied the mechanism involved in somatostatin-mediated protection against progression of Alzheimer's disease. He examined the effect of somatostatin on protecting blood brain barrier integrity and neurite stability. The findings from this research may be used in developing a novel therapeutic application in treating Alzheimer's disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Gordon studied the importance of altered cholesterol metabolism in advanced prostate cancer. His work established the critical nature of specific cholesterol metabolism proteins in driving cancer proliferation. These findings will further our understanding of cancer biology and aid in the creation of the next generation of cancer therapies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Tsao studied the safety of treatments for autoimmune diseases when used during pregnancy. Autoimmune diseases occur more frequently in females and untreated disease results in harm to both mothers and offspring. Her research findings show that a group of medications called biologics are safe and effective treatment options during pregnancy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Garcia-Patino studied the role of an enzyme called Rho kinase 2 in the development of cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury in diabetes. Her findings show that the absene of this enzyme confers protection against this type of injury, while protection is lost in the presence of diabetes. These findings have potential therapeutic implications. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Nyamandi investigated the heart in obesity and diabetes. She showed that a diet high in fat and sucrose causes greater cardiac dysfunction than high fat alone, and that inhibiting the RhoA/ROCK pathway prevents the onset of cardiac dysfunction in a diabetic model. This work advances our knowledge of diet- and diabetes-related cardiac disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Zou studied the relationship between somatostatin receptors and cannabinoid receptor 1 and found that these receptors exist and function in a complex. She also explored the pathological significance of such interaction in neuronal toxicity, offering a potential target for drug discovery against related neurological disorders. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |