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 NID
2016 Dr. Liao studied the integration of business law, corporate social responsibility and social enterprises. She also investigated the development of corporate models that blend for-profit and non-profit legal characteristics. She designed a framework for the implementation of these hybrid corporations, which has impacted Canadian regulatory reform. Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
2016 Dr. Sarif's research focused on the energy consumption issue in a wireless video surveillance network. He developed a method to assign the optimal encoding configuration that reduces the network's overall power consumption. His work also provides an insight into the effect of video content on power consumption in a video surveillance network. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2016 Dr. Hobenshield explored the Indigenous practice of gift giving. Her research identified specific Indigenous principles embedded within this tradition that inform a particular way of knowing. This information can be used to support the work of Indigenization in post-secondary education. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2016 Dr. Nikbakht studied fibre suspension dynamics. He found that the addition of fibres reduces the drag of turbulent flow. This increases our understanding of fluid drag and turbulent flow and can be applied to the pulp and paper industry. Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD)
2016 Dr. Cocker utilised a novel rodent slot machine task to probe the underlying neurobiological basis of problem gambling. He found a novel role for the dopamine D4 receptor in mediating attributions of salience to reward related stimuli, indicating that targeting this receptor may represent a potential treatment avenue for problem gambling in humans Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2016 Currently one in 12 people have asthma and that number continues to grow. Dr. Singh developed a blood-based biomarker signature, that can predict the allergen-induced late phase asthmatic response. These blood tests may improve risk stratification of allergic asthmatic individuals for clinical trials, and provide new targets for therapeutics. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2016 Dr. Bergeron investigated the shape of representation spaces and their deformations. In this realm, he showed that the representation theory of nilpotent groups is not rigid. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
2016 Dr. Aylesworth used seahorses as a case study to understand how to develop conservation action for data-poor marine fishes. Her research highlights ways that management can move forward with limited data, such as with local knowledge and new advances in data-poor fishery assessment methods, to address conservation issues for marine species. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2016 Dr. Peeler studied the historical development and contemporary interpretation of the law of armed conflict. He argues that despite the existence of a recognizable trend towards humanitarianism, an expectation of reciprocity continues to be an important factor when states consider their law of armed conflict obligations. Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD)
2016 Dr. Courtade's doctoral studies focused on the processing of hormones in the pancreas. He developed an assay to detect a novel hormone precursor in humans, and modeled his findings in rodent models of diabetes. His research increases our understanding of hormone function in the pancreas during the healthy and diabetic state. Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD)
2016 Dr. Pesarchuk characterized a novel role for the protein MCL-1 in regulating chromatin architecture and promoting DNA repair. This work adds to the understanding of MCL-1's multifunctionality and presents a new way to target this protein in the treatment of the numerous types of cancer known to depend on it. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2016 With the rise in the number of people charging their electronics without cables, Dr. Cove characterized a highly effective technique for improving the quality of transmitters for wireless power transfer systems. His technique has improved transfer efficiency from 70% to 90% in low power applications, thereby decreasing charging times costs. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2016 Dr. Burns studied thinking skills in patients with schizophrenia related disorders. She found that patients with schizophrenia had difficulty understanding irony, a difference that was also reflected in electrical activity in the brain. This study increases our understanding of schizophrenia and informs intervention strategies. Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
2016 Dr. Mills studied the transport of nutrient molecules and toxins across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. He revealed novel steps in the transport of vitamin B12 and an antimicrobial toxin across this membrane. His work will inform research on these transport pathways and help in the development of future antimicrobial therapeutics. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2016 Dr. Lin studied novel treatment options for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. He found that combined inhibition of two enzymes is more effective in killing CML cells than single inhibition is. He also identified novel RNA molecules that can act as therapeutic agents and as biomarkers to predict patient response to current therapy. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2016 Dr. Michaelsen studied lipid-based drug delivery systems to examine the mechanism behind increased drug absorption. Digestion was not found to play a role with regard to absorption however, drug load was. Her findings may provide guidance for future development of drug delivery systems for poorly water-soluble drugs. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2016 Dr. Narusevicius investigates Conceptual artists and their practices by focusing on the link with educational institutions, student protest movements, and a desire for autonomy in the 1960s and early 1970s. It is through an analysis of the relationship between Conceptual art and the various notions of autonomy that this research provides a deeper insight and understanding of Conceptual art. Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD)
2016 Nuclear imaging has a significant role in cancer management including diagnosis, staging, treatment planning and treatment monitoring. Dr. Lau developed radiotracers targeting carbonic anhydrase IX, a protein found in tumours. His research enables physicians to identify patients that can benefit from personalized therapies targeting this protein. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2016 Dr. Dorador studied the fragmentation process of block caving, an underground mining method. He developed a new approach to estimate block size distribution at drawpoints. His research contributes to the design of block cave mining projects during early stage engineering. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)
2016 Dr. Barr examined how community planners and public health professionals are working together to improve health and foster social equity within BC communities. Her work focused on the best ways to support collaboration among diverse fields. This research is useful to policymakers seeking to build healthier and more vibrant communities for all. Doctor of Philosophy in Planning (PhD)
2016 Investigating the binding of transition metals to phosphorus atoms is of vital importance in chemistry. Dr. Serin's work uses an uncommon class of phosphorus containing compound to make new polymers and molecules for metal coordination. His findings unlock new methods to bind and manipulate these metals that were not previously known. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2016 Dr. Sabella-Garnier applied methods usually reserved for microscopic physics to study space and time. In so doing, he was able to better describe the behaviour of certain surfaces and to put bounds on the existence of matter with negative energy. This work furthers our understanding of the links between gravity and the other forces of nature. Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
2016 Dr. Towle analyzed the molecular profiles of the different stages of progression in oral squamous cell carcinoma. She further investigated several genes that were frequently deregulated in the premalignant stage of this disease in order to understand their role in this disease. This research contributes to our understanding of the development and progression of oral cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2016 Dr. Owens explored the effects of hybridization on the genomes of sunflowers. He developed a novel method for quantifying genomic composition in hybrid species. His work has implications for how hybrid species form and how genes can move between species. Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
2016 Dr. Pesquita investigated human sensitivity to subtle differences in bodily cues that occur when someone else's attention is controlled by an internal choice versus an external cue. Her work brings a longstanding distinction between voluntary and reflexive attention into the realm of a modern topic: reading other's minds through action observation. Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)