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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
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.
Recent Thesis Submissions
Doctoral Citations
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dr. Leung investigated the effectiveness of hormonal emergency contraceptives in a large cohort of women who received these medications under real usage conditions. Her research findings will help women and health providers make more informed clinical decisions about using these medications as a method of family planning. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Gilchrist conducted research in the areas of physical pharmacy and drug delivery. His research contributes to the understanding of drug phase separation from polymer carriers, and has developed an antibiotic-loaded nanofiber formulation, which provides a preclinical proof-of-principle for the prevention of implant-associated infections. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Soliman showed how the proteins Rho A and Rho kinase are over-activated in the diabetic hearts of animals, and how this contributes to diabetes-related damage of the heart. This research highlights the Rho A/Rho kinase pathway as a novel therapeutic target for treating diabetic heart disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Lee studied the removal of excess cholesterol from the body. He researched a transporter protein that is produced in the liver and in the intestinal tract and found that it contributes to regulation of cholesterol . This finding may impact our understanding and treatment of cardiovascular disease. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Pak investigated a family of human enzymes, present throughout our bodies, that transfers chemical groups onto proteins, in order to regulate cell growth and proliferation. Her research has shown how these enzymes can work together in cells, and has provided new therapeutic avenues for breast and prostate cancers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Recent advances in genetic sciences offer access to tests that can improve prediction, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Dr. Najaf-zadeh evaluated the clinical benefits and costs of using several genetic tests in medical practice. His research will contribute to the selection of genetic tests that are most valuable for patients, physicians and society. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Rajput's research provided new insight for the role of somatostatin receptors in neurological disorders. He demonstrated that lack of somatostatin receptors mimic neurochemical changes observed in Huntington's disease models. Activation of somatostatin receptors dissociates NMDARs complex formation and modulates downstream signaling pathways involved in excitotoxicity. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Kharmate discovered a new role for somatostatin receptors to attenuate by epidermal growth factor (EGFR) tumor promotion. This study emphasizes that activation of somatostatin receptors along with inhibition of EGFR will serve novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of EGFR positive tumors. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Woolcott's research was in the area of falls in the elderly. He assessed the care provided to elderly fallers while patients of the Emergency Department compared to current recommendations. His work also estimated the costs of a fall and simulatied hypothetical changes to the care delivered. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2012 | Dr. Sadatsafavi developed and tested new methods for the analysis of uncertainty in medical decision making and estimating the benefit of future research and the optimal design of randomized controlled trials. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |