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Every day across British Columbia, trainees and researchers at the UBC Faculty of Medicine are turning skills into jobs, investments into discoveries, and discoveries into solutions that are transforming health for everyone.

Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors, health care professionals, and medical researchers, making remarkable discoveries to help create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world.

The UBC Faculty of Medicine offers a diverse array of training opportunities including cutting-edge research experiences in the biosciences, globally recognized population health education, quality health professional training, as well as several certificate and online training options. The Faculty of Medicine is home to more than 1,700 graduate students housed in 20 graduate programs (14 of which offer doctoral research options). Year after year, research excellence in the Faculty of Medicine is supported by investment from funding sources here at home and around the globe, receiving approximately more than $1.8B in total research funding since 2016.

We value our trainees and the creative input they have to scholarly activities at UBC. Our priority is to enable their maximum potential through flexible opportunities that provide a breadth of experiences tailored to their own individual career objectives. We maintain high standards of excellence, and work to create a community of intellectually and socially engaged scholars that work collaboratively with each other, the university, and the world, with the overarching goal of promoting the health of individuals and communities.

 

Research Facilities

UBC Faculty of Medicine provides innovative educational and research programs in the areas of health and life sciences through an integrated and province-wide delivery model in facilities at locations throughout British Columbia.

The Life Sciences Centre is the largest building on the UBC Vancouver campus. Completed in 2004, the $125 million, 52,165 sq metres building was built to accommodate the distributed medical educational program and the Life Sciences Institute.

The Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH), a partnership between the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health, unites under one roof research and clinical expertise in neuroscience, psychiatry and neurology in order to accelerate discovery and translate new knowledge into better treatment and prevention strategies. DMCBH has both laboratory and clinical research areas within the Centre proper and in the UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion. Our core facilities are essential to ongoing collaboration, teaching, and research.

The BC Children's Hospital Research Institute is it the largest research institute of its kind in Western Canada in terms of people, productivity, funding and size. With more than 350,000 square feet of space, the Institute has both 'wet bench' laboratory and 'dry lab' clinical research areas, and other areas to facilitate particular areas of research and training.

Research Highlights

New knowledge and innovation are crucial to successfully identifying, addressing and overcoming the increasingly complex health-related challenges that influence the lives of all of us – in British Columbia, in Canada, and in countries and communities around the globe.

The UBC Faculty of Medicine is recognized nationally and internationally for research innovation that advances knowledge and translates new discoveries to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Research opportunities feature extensive collaborations across other faculties, health institutions and health partners across British Columbia, Canada and internationally.

The Faculty provides and fosters research excellence across the full continuum, from basic science to applied science and then to knowledge implementation, with a focus on precision health; cancer; brain and mental health; heart and lung health; population health; and chronic diseases.

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.
Name Academic Unit(s) Research Interests
Liu, David Department of Radiology, School of Biomedical Engineering
Liu-Ambrose, Teresa Department of Physical Therapy Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Physical therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; Healthy Aging; exercise; Fall prevention; Cognitive Aging; Randomized Controlled Trials; Physical Activity; Mobility; Neuroimaging; Sleep
Lockwood, William Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Cancer progression and metastasis; Cancer drug development and therapeutics; Mechanisms of carcinogenesis; Cancer; drug discovery; Genetics; genomics; Immune response; Lung cancer; Oncogene signaling; Proteomics; Mouse models
Loewen, Christopher Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences Genomics; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); Autism; Cancer Cell Metabolism; Cell Biology; Cell polarity; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Genetic Networks; Golgi; Lipid Signalling; Lipid Traffic; Membrane Contact Sites; Membrane Diffusion Barriers; Membranes and Organelles; Super Resolution Microscopy; Systems Biology
Loock, Christine Ann Department of Pediatrics Brain, Behaviour & Development; Social Pediatrics; Health Inequities; Child-health medical-home: children/families, integration / patient care / community services; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders; Pediatric Sleep Disorders
Loree, Jonathan Division of Medical Oncology Cancer; Carcinoid tumors
Lorincz, Matthew Department of Medical Genetics Genetic medicine; Developmental Genetics; genomics; chromatin; chromatinopathies; Epigenetics; Epigenomics; Gene regulation; Neurodevelopmental disorders
Loucks, Catrina Department of Pediatrics, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Medical, health and life sciences; Pharmacogenomics; Pain management; Medical Genetics; Model organism genetics; Drug reactions
Luciani, Dan Department of Surgery Cell metabolism; Cell differentiation, proliferation and death; Organelle function; Other basic medicine and life sciences; Diabetes; Pancreatic beta-cell function and failure; Mitochondrial physiology; Lysosomal physiology; Cell calcium signalling; Cell stress signalling; Mechanisms of cell death; autophagy; Cellular senescence; fluorescence microscopy
Lui, Harvey Department of Dermatology & Skin Science lasers; skin disease; psoriasis; dermatology; pigmentary disorders; vitiligo; applied optics; photomedicine; photodynamic therapy, Dermatology, photomedicine, lasers, psoriasis, vitiligo, dermatologic education
Lunken, Genelle Department of Pediatrics Clinical nutrition; Human nutrition and dietetics, n.e.c.; Gastroenterology; Personalised nutrition therapies; Dietary fibre; Inflammatory bowel disease; Gut microbiome; Food additives
Luo, Honglin Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Basic medicine and life sciences; Viral Infections; Cardiomyopathy; Innate immunity; RNA viruses; Enteroviral infection and neurodegeneration; Oncolytic virus; Protein quality control in cardiac remodeling
Lynn, Francis Department of Surgery, School of Biomedical Engineering Diabetes; ß-cell development; ß-cell biology; Human pluripotent stem cells; CRISPR/Cas; transcriptional regulation
Lyons, Christopher Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Pediatric Ophthalmology; Oculoplastics
MacHan, Lindsay Department of Radiology radiology; infertility; vascular disease
Mackenzie, Ian Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Alzheimer's Disease
MacLure, Malcolm Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Epidemiology, patient safety, quality control, pharmaceutical sciences, health services research
MacNab, Ying School of Population and Public Health Bayesian paradigm, foundations of statistics, space-time statistics, structured statistical models, taxonomic models, item response theory, inductive reasoning, Bayesian burden of disease methodology, Geometics, Health service and population health geoinformation system, and meta-data innovation in medical and health research
Macnab, Andrew Department of Pediatrics Developmental Neurosciences, Child Health, Diabetes, Nutrition & Metabolism (Nutrition & Metabolism)
MacNeily, Andrew Department of Urologic Sciences Evidence to Innovation; Care of children with urological conditions
MacVicar, Brian Department of Psychiatry Brain Research, epilepsy, astrocyte, glia, dendrites, synapse, imaging, two photon laser scanning microscopy, neurophysiology, Role of calcium, regulation of neurons, cell death
Madden, Kenneth Division of Geriatric Medicine Geriatrics and gerontology; Exercise interventions; Sedentary Behaviour; Syncope; Falls Prevention; Sarcopenia; Machine Learning; point of care ultrasound
Madhav, Manu School of Biomedical Engineering Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Cognitive representations in the brain; Place cells; Spatial navigation; Path planning; Control theory; Alzheimer's disease
Mancini, John Divisions of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery Cardiology
Manges, Amee School of Population and Public Health Health sciences; Immunology; Microbiology; Public and population health; Epidemiology; Molecular epidemiology; Public health

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Graduate Student Stories

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 Medicine.

 

Publication: Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal
UBC Author(s): Savvakis Nicolaou (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 08465371
Volume: 76
Page Range: 68-75
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice
UBC Author(s): Alison Elliott (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine), Tom Blydt-Hansen (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13561294
Volume: 31
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Experimental Neurology
UBC Author(s): Christopher West (Cellular & Physiological Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00144886
Volume: 384
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America
UBC Author(s): Andrei Krassioukov (Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10479651
Volume: 36
Page Range: 17-32
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy
UBC Author(s): Jacqueline Whittaker (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 55
Page Range: 1-11
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

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Publication: Diabetes
UBC Author(s): Anna Michelle Lehman (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 74
Page Range: 153-163
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

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Publication: VideoGIE
UBC Author(s): Neal Shahidi (Division of Gastroenterology / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 10
Page Range: 67-80
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia
UBC Author(s): Thalia Field (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10530770
Volume: 39
Page Range: 470-478
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Clinical Teacher
UBC Author(s): Rola Ajjawi (Medicine, Dean's Office / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 17434971
Volume: 22
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: The Lancet Neurology
UBC Author(s): Thalia Field (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14744422
Volume: 24
Page Range: 140-151
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Clinical Teacher
UBC Author(s): Rola Ajjawi (Medicine, Dean's Office / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 17434971
Volume: 22
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: The Lancet Neurology
UBC Author(s): Ging-Yuek Robin Hsiung (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 14744422
Volume: 24
Page Range: 128-139
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging
UBC Author(s): Jonathon Leipsic (Radiology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 1936878X
Volume: 18
Page Range: 195-206
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology
UBC Author(s): Sonia Yeung (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00084182
Volume: 60
Page Range: e163-e165
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Placenta
UBC Author(s): Michael Kobor (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01434004
Volume: 160
Page Range: 29-38
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Experimental Eye Research
UBC Author(s): Catherine Van Raamsdonk (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00144835
Volume: 251
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Psychiatry Research
UBC Author(s): Raymond Lam (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine), Erin Michalak (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01651781
Volume: 344
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Sociology of Health and Illness
UBC Author(s): Ian Pike (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01419889
Volume: 47
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
UBC Author(s): Mohammad Ehsanul Karim (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10538569
Volume: 34
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: International Journal of Urology
UBC Author(s): Kim Nguyen Chi (Division of Medical Oncology / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 09198172
Volume: 32
Page Range: 164-172
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
UBC Author(s): Rajavel Elango (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 00029165
Volume: 121
Page Range: 500-501
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Pediatric Transplantation
UBC Author(s): Tom Blydt-Hansen (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13973142
Volume: 29
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Genetics in Medicine
UBC Author(s): Kasmintan Schrader (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 10983600
Volume: 27
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
UBC Author(s): Youwen Zhou (Dermatology & Skin Science / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01909622
Volume: 92
Page Range: 261-268
Publication Date: February 2025

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Publication: American Journal of Industrial Medicine
UBC Author(s): Christopher McLeod (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 02713586
Volume: 68
Page Range: 175-183
Publication Date: February 2025

View Publication

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Recent Thesis Submissions

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 Program
2023 Dr. Wells studied how our DNA faces internal obstacles and proposed a model featuring multiple repair pathways that work to tolerate this stress and prevent DNA damage. This work enhances our understanding of genome instability, a feature of cancer development and treatment. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Ge developed novel drugs targeting GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors and demonstrated that these drugs improved learning and memory in rat models. This research generated a potential pharmacotherapy for various learning disabilities. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2023 Dr. Wang investigated how YAP1 gene regulates the differentiation of progenitor cells in the pancreas. He provided new evidence that manipulation of YAP1 expression controls pancreatic size and function during embryogenesis. His research shed light on the future development of cell therapy for type 1/2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Vaikakkara Chithran's work explores how neural circuits are maintained in the adult nervous system. She demonstrated that axon guidance cues are essential for the survival of adult neurons. Her research also contributed to the development of a novel tauopathy model to study how protein toxicity leads to neurodegeneration and neuronal death. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2023 Dr. Skinnider used machine learning to identify proteins that physically interact in living tissues. His work revealed how inherited mutations, present in every cell in the body, can cause dysfunction in just a single tissue. Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD)
2023 Dr. Sridhar studied regions of close contact between parts of a cell using budding yeast. She studied the role of previously uncharacterized proteins in maintaining steady state levels of lipids at these sites. Similar proteins are present in humans and could have a role in disease biology. Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Eskandari showed that CASPASE-3, which is an enzyme known for its role in mediating cell death, has pro-survival roles in human mammary cells. This research assist us in understanding the mechanisms of cancer cell survival, and can help improve treatments for breast cancer therapy. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Saleem studied home oxygen therapy in interstitial lung disease. He developed a scoring system to predict low blood oxygen, analyzed prescription criteria for oxygen worldwide, identified countries lacking access to oxygen, and determined the costs for this therapy. His research will help identify public health needs related to home oxygen. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2023 Dr. Hasbullah investigated the role of specific gene variants that increases the risk of patients developing heart failure after treatment from certain chemotherapy drugs. His research identified critical biological pathways that can cause this toxicity and demonstrated how drugs that modulate these pathways can prevent this adverse drug reaction. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Kim studied movement disorders in precariously housed and homeless people. He found that substance use and psychosis were differentially associated with movement disorders, and that parkinsonism rapidly increased over time. His research helps increase awareness of movement disorders in at-risk groups, especially during the overdose crisis. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology (PhD)

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