Kevin Johns
Job Title
Medical Science Liaison
Employer
AstraZeneca Canada
Canadian Immigration Updates
Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more
Overview
Experimental Medicine is the study of the pathogenesis and treatment of disease. Modern experimental medicine represents a rapidly growing body of knowledge involving the determination of diseases processes and the development of appropriate therapies.
The Experimental Medicine Program is intended for individuals seeking a career in research. The Department of Medicine offers opportunities and facilities for advanced studies in Experimental medicine, leading toward the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. Members of the Department direct research programs in a wide range of basic and clinically relevant areas. There are a variety of special interest areas of national and international stature. Specialties within the Experimental Medicine Program include: Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hematology, Infectious Diseases, Medical Immunology, Medical Oncology, Molecular Biology, Nephrology, Neurology and Respiratory Medicine.
The principal emphasis of this graduate program is training in research. Success at this level is traditionally measured by the preparation and defense of a thesis. Course work is required of all students, based on the background of the candidate and the degree program. The work of each Ph.D. candidate will be supervised by a candidate’s Committee consisting of not fewer than three members. These may include faculty members from a department other than that in which the candidate is writing the thesis.
Quick Facts
Program Components
Dissertation
Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
Admission Information & Requirements
Program Instructions
Applicants are not required to have a supervisor at the time of applying, but the application won't be reviewed until they secure a supervisor and all required paperwork is submitted.
1) Check Eligibility
Minimum Academic Requirements
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:
Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.
English Language Test
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based
Overall score requirement: 96
Reading
22
Writing
22
Speaking
22
Listening
22
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 7.0
Reading
7.0
Writing
7.0
Speaking
7.0
Listening
7.0
Other Test Scores
Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:
The GRE is not required.
Prior degree, course and other requirements
Prior Degree Requirements
For admission to the PhD program in Experimental Medicine, the student must hold a M.Sc. degree in life sciences, biology, zoology, biochemistry, or related disciplines.
2) Meet Deadlines
January 2026 Intake
Application Open Date
01 January 2025Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 15 October 2025
Transcript Deadline: 31 October 2025
Referee Deadline: 31 October 2025
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 15 August 2025
Transcript Deadline: 31 August 2025
Referee Deadline: 31 August 2025
3) Prepare Application
Transcripts
All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.
Letters of Reference
A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.
Statement of Interest
Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
All applicants need firm commitment from a supervisor prior to applying.
Citizenship Verification
Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.
4) Apply Online
All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $116.25 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,875.34 | $3,294.66 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,626.02 | $9,883.98 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $1,144.10 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living | Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies. | |
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Financial Support
Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.
Program Funding Packages
Effective September 2024, students entering the Experimental Medicine PhD program without a major scholarship will receive a minimum annual stipend of $30,000, provided by their supervisor. This minimum stipend will be further increased to $36,000 per year starting in September 2025.
Funding Statistics
Based on the criteria outlined below, 62 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards with a mean of $37,103 and a median of $36,386.
This results in a net balance (any funding provided to the student minus tuition and fees) mean of $29,654 and median of $28,699.
- 5 students received Teaching Assistantships. Median TA funding based on 5 students was $7,486.
- 47 students received Research Assistantships. Median RA funding based on 47 students was $24,000.
- 4 students received Academic Assistantships. Median AA funding based on 4 students was $9,933.
- 62 students received internal awards. Median internal award funding based on 62 students was $4,725.
- 20 students received external awards. Median external award funding based on 20 students was $30,000.
Study Period: Sep 2023 to Aug 2024 - funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Mean and median values might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
Review methodology
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)
Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)
Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.
Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)
Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.
Financial aid (need-based funding)
Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.
All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.
Foreign government scholarships
Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.
Working while studying
The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.
International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 24 hours a week during academic sessions.
A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.
Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals
Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.
Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.
Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.
Cost Estimator
Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
Career Outcomes
124 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 1 graduate is seeking employment; for 16 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 107 graduates:
RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
University of British Columbia (30)Stanford University (4)
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (2)
University of Toronto (2)
Universite de Montreal (2)
University of Alberta
Emory University
McGill University
University of Cambridge
China Medical University
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
AstraZeneca (3)Takeda Canada Inc. (2)
Vancouver Coastal Health (2)
STEMCELL Technologies (2)
Pfizer (2)
Provincial Health Services Authority (2)
Omniox Inc.
Vancouver General Hospital
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Epidemico
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Medical Science Liaison (4)Postdoctoral Fellow (4)
Research Associate (3)
Senior Scientist (3)
Research Scientist (3)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2)
Epidemiologist (2)
Associate Research Scientist
Director of Business Development
Technology Specialist
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.Disclaimer
These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.Alumni on Success
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
ENROLMENT DATA
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 15 | 20 | 36 | 26 | 32 |
| Offers | 7 | 11 | 20 | 8 | 15 |
| New Enrolment | 6 | 10 | 13 | 7 | 14 |
| Total Enrolment | 98 | 85 | 94 | 114 | 120 |
Completion Rates & Times
This program has a graduation rate of 87% based on 113 students admitted between 2011 - 2014. Based on 47 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 3.07 years and the maximum time is 9.22 years with an average of 5.92 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new enrolment for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.
Upcoming Doctoral Exams
Monday, 26 May 2025 - 9:00am - 129, Reichwald Health Sciences Centre, 1088 Discovery Avenue
LIISA WAINMAN
The Effects of Acute Intermittent Hypoxia on Cardiovascular Function in a Murine Model of Spinal Cord Injury
Friday, 6 June 2025 - 9:00am - 3113, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 West 28th Avenue
Tanmaya Atul Atre
The Influence of Immune Modulation on the Progression of Pediatric B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Wednesday, 25 June 2025 - 12:30pm - 3113, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 West 28th Avenue
Li Ying Dai
Defining the Role of Infant Gut Microbiota in Child Health
Research Supervisors
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
All applicants need firm commitment from a supervisor prior to applying.
Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors
These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.
This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.
-
Afshar, Kourosh (Genital reconstruction and pediatric renal transplant)
-
Aparicio, Samuel (Breast cancer, genome sequencing )
-
Ashe, Maureen (Mobile health (mHealth); Knowledge translation and implementation science in health; Patient and citizen engagement research; Physical therapy)
-
Atiquzzaman, Mohammad (pharmacoepidemiologic studies)
-
Av-Gay, Yossef (Tuberculosis)
-
Avina, Antonio (Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases (SARDs); Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE); Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA); Long term effectiveness; Multivariate analyses; Outcomes assessment; Pharmaco-epidemiology)
-
Ayas, Najib (public health and safety consequences of sleep apnea and sleep deprivation)
-
Barbic, Skye (Occupational therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; assessment; community integration; health and well-being; Implementation Science; Individual Placement Support; measurement; Mental Health and Society; mental health; metrology; Patient Engagement; Rasch Measurement Theory; recovery; Supported Employment; youth)
-
Beristain, Alexander Guillermo (Healthy Starts; cellular and molecular processes that direct trophoblast cell biology in early placental development; Examining the A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase (ADAM) family in trophoblast biology; Examining the effects of obesity-associated inflammation on the maternal-fetal interface; Identifying gene expression differences in subpopulations of trophoblasts in normal and pathological pregnancies )
-
Black, Peter (Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (especially equality rights); Canadian human rights legislation )
-
Blydt-Hansen, Tom (Childhood Diseases; Pediatric kidney transplant; Injury phenotype; Rejection; Biomarkers; Metabolomics; Chemokines)
-
Boyd, Lara (Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Physical therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; Learning; Learning and Memory; Motor System; Motor learning; Neurophysiology; Physiology; Plasticity / Neuronal Regeneration; stroke)
-
Brauer, Michael (Environmental and occupational health and safety; Health sciences; Public and population health; air pollution; built environment; Community Health / Public Health; environmental health; environmental epidemiology; healthy cities; remote sensing)
-
Brigham, Emily (Asthma; COPD)
-
Brubacher, Jeffrey (drugs and driving, alcohol impaired driving, road safety )
-
Brumme, Chanson (Infectious diseases; Antiviral resistance; Personalized medicine; HIV Antiretroviral Drug Resistance)
-
Brunham, Liam (Medical, health and life sciences; Lipids; Genetics; Pharmacogenomics; Cardiovascular diseases)
-
Brussoni, Mariana (Developmental psychology; Psychosocial, sociocultural and behavioral determinants of health; Population health interventions; injury prevention; Children's outdoor play; Risky play; Parenting; health behaviour change; Implementation Science)
-
Bryan, Stirling (Economics of health care, policy, from UK)
-
Camp, Pat (Physical therapy; Rehabilitation medicine)
-
Carleton, Bruce (Pediatrics, clinical pharmacology, outcomes research, drug policy evaluation, health services research, drug safety and adverse drug reactions)
-
Carlsten, Christopher (Environment and Respiratory Diseases)
-
Cembrowski, Mark Steven (Molecular neuroscience; Mathematical modelling and simulation; Mechanisms of memory in the brain; Anxiety; Big Data; Bioinformatics; Cell types; Computation; Fear; Genetics; modeling; Neural circuits; neuroscience; Neuroscience of memory; PTSD; RNAseq)
Pages
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 |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Dr. Hajipour studied how sleep-disordered breathing impacts individuals' health. He found that those who experience greater drops in oxygen levels and weaker brain and heart reactivity during sleep are more likely to develop cognitive impairment and have a higher risk of mortality. This work could help improve how doctors assess and manage sleep disorders. |
| 2025 | Dr. Checkervarty examined newborn blood profiles to gain a deeper understanding of early-life immunity and vaccine response. By utilizing various machine learning techniques, he identified key biological markers distinguishing weak from optimal vaccine responders. The research provides new insights into the understudied early-life immune system. |
| 2025 | Dr. Kabacinska studied the use of social robotics to improve mental health across lifespan. Her research focused on exploring the perspectives of current and future robot users to improve robot mental health interventions and make them better suited to user needs. |
| 2025 | Dr. Robinson's research in Experimental Medicine developed a new Indigenous research methodology and framework called the KIJIKATIG Education Model. His work highlights how narrative inquiry and carving practices restore knowledge, revitalize education, and affirm carving as medicine, benefiting Indigenous communities, scholars, and educators |
| 2024 | Dr. Ghaffari investigated the properties of a ruthenium photosensitizer embedded in various implantable polymeric biomaterials which showed significant reduction in bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. This is crucial for reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and dental plaque formation that leads to dental caries. |
| 2024 | Dr. Rafizadeh's work investigated the comparative effectiveness of clozapine versus other antipsychotics in improving outcomes related to non-nicotine substance use disorders, which commonly co-occurs with schizophrenia. It also explored factors influencing clozapine metabolism to tailor dosing for individuals and mitigate potential side effects. |
| 2024 | Dr. Vikulova studied risk factors and barriers to preventing early-onset heart disease. She found that many young adults are unaware of their high risk and do not get preventive treatment and that screening first-degree relatives of patients with early-onset heart disease may help identify those at high risk and those with silent plaques in heart blood vessels to initiate preventive therapy timely. |
| 2024 | Dr. He's research identified blood and cell-specific gene signatures associated with patient survival and specific subtypes of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (a.k.a. ILD). These results provide a foundation for developing peripheral biomarkers, which are needed to reduce diagnostic delays and improve clinical management of ILDs. |
| 2024 | Dr. Wardell showed that engineered immune cells can protect transplanted tissue and guard against autoimmunity. Her studies lay part of the groundwork for bringing this cell therapy to the clinic. |
| 2024 | Dr. Kobelev studied how epigenetic changes contribute to treatment resistance in late stage prostate cancer. He identified that prostate cancer is epigenetically predisposed to switch its identity to resist treatment, and identified novel factors regulating this process. |
Pages
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Information
Specialization
Experimental Medicine offers research opportunities in the following specialties: cardiology, cancer biology, dermatology, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, infectious diseases, molecular medicine, nephrology, neurology, and respiratory medicine. All these fields can involve patients and/or experimental animal models.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
VGDPHD-QB
January 2026 Intake
Application Open Date
01 January 2025 Canadian Applicant Deadline
15 October 2025 International Applicant Deadline
15 August 2025 Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.
- 1 of 4
- next ›
Considering Vancouver as your next home?
This city won’t disappoint. It has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches and all four seasons, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow.