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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
Bowie, William Division of Infectious Diseases Immune System
Boyd, Jade Division of Social Medicine
Boyd, Lara Department of Physical Therapy 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 School of Population and Public Health 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 Division of Respiratory Medicine Asthma; COPD
Brooks-Wilson, Angela Department of Medical Genetics Bioinformatics; Clinical oncology; Genetic medicine; Genomics; cancer families; cancer genetics; genetic susceptibility; human genetics; longevity; Super seniors
Brotto, Lori Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Department of Psychiatry Human reproduction and development sciences; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Clinical psychology; mindfulness; Sexual Dysfunctions; sexual desire; treatment of sexual concerns; women's sexual health; asexuality; digital health interventions
Brown, Kelly Department of Pediatrics Medical, health and life sciences; childhood rheumatic diseases; Inflammation; phagocytes
Brown, Carolyn Janet Department of Medical Genetics Bioinformatics; Clinical oncology; Genetic medicine; Genomics; Health counselling; Applied Genetics; Chromosomes: Structure / Organization; DNA methylation; Epigenetic control of gene expression; Gene Regulation and Expression; Genes escaping X-chromosome inactivation; Long non-coding RNAs; X-chromosome inactivation; XIST RNA
Brubacher, Jeffrey Department of Emergency Medicine drugs and driving, alcohol impaired driving, road safety
Brumme, Chanson Division of Infectious Diseases
Brunham, Liam Division of General Internal Medicine Medical, health and life sciences; Lipids; Genetics; Pharmacogenomics; Cardiovascular diseases
Brussoni, Mariana Department of Pediatrics, School of Population and Public Health 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 School of Population and Public Health Economics of health care, policy, from UK
Calam, Betty Department of Family Practice medical education; Indigenous health; Decolonizing methodologies; Community‐based participatory projects; Pregnancy and birthing care; Reproductive counselling; Sexual health; Culturally-informed cancer screening; Hospitals & Clinics; Healthcare
Camp, Pat Department of Physical Therapy Physical therapy; Rehabilitation medicine
Campbell, Kristin Department of Physical Therapy Clinical oncology; Physical therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; Biomarkers; Breast Cancer; Exercise Physiology; oncology; physical function; Physiology; Quality of Life and Aging; rehabilitation
Capon, Francesca Department of Medical Genetics Autoimmune Diseases; Pericardial Disorders; Rare diseases; Skin Conditions; Skin inflammation
Carleton, Bruce Department of Pediatrics Pediatrics, clinical pharmacology, outcomes research, drug policy evaluation, health services research, drug safety and adverse drug reactions
Carlsten, Christopher Division of Respiratory Medicine Environment and Respiratory Diseases
Caron, Nadine Department of Surgery health policy; special health needs and disparities of rural, remote, northern and Aboriginal communities.
Cembrowski, Mark Steven Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences Molecular neuroscience; Mathematical modelling and simulation; Mechanisms of memory in the brain; Anxiety; Big Data; Bioinformatics; Cell types; Computation; CRISPR-Cas9; Fear; Genetics; modeling; Neural circuits; neuroscience; Neuroscience of memory; PTSD; RNAseq
Chakrabarty, Trisha Department of Psychiatry Cognitive dsyfunction; Virtual reality cognitive retraining; Bipolarity; Psychotherapy approaches for mood disorders
Cheifetz, Rona Department of Surgery Surgical oncology; Education
Cherkasov, Artem Department of Urologic Sciences Drug design; Bioinformatics, Molecular modeling; Proteomics; Artificial intelligence; Antibiotics

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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: Harm Reduction Journal
UBC Author(s): Thomas Kerr (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Michael-John Milloy (Division of Social Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 21
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Yuzhuo Wang (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Christopher Ong (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Artem Cherkasov (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Martin Gleave (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Systematic Reviews
UBC Author(s): Ian Pike (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Sharon Dell (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Critical Care
UBC Author(s): Donald E Griesdale (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13648535
Volume: 28
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Florian Kuchenbauer (Division of Hematology / Faculty of Medicine), Aly Karsan (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Gregg Morin (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: npj Precision Oncology
UBC Author(s): Brad Nelson (Medical Genetics / Faculty of Medicine), David Huntsman (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 8
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Corinne Hohl (Emergency Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Lara Boyd (Physical Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Juanita Crook (Surgery / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Sports Medicine - Open
UBC Author(s): Ismail Laher (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 21991170
Volume: 10
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
UBC Author(s): Ian Pike (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine), Skye Barbic (Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 07133936
Volume: 42
Page Range: 91-136
Publication Date: December 2023

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Poul Sorensen (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), Gerald Krystal (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Critical Care
UBC Author(s): Donald E Griesdale (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics / Faculty of Medicine), Keith Walley (Critical Care Medicine / Faculty of Medicine), David Patrick (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine), James Russell (Critical Care Medicine / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 13648535
Volume: 28
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Human Resources for Health
UBC Author(s): Rita McCracken (Family Practice / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 22
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Martin McKeown (Division of Neurology / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: International Journal of Mental Health Systems
UBC Author(s): Daniel Vigo (Psychiatry / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 18
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: BMC Public Health
UBC Author(s): Stuart Turvey (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Theodore Steiner (Division of Infectious Diseases / Faculty of Medicine), Sriram Subramaniam (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Urolithiasis
UBC Author(s): Dirk Lange (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Amee Manges (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 21947228
Volume: 52
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: BMC Infectious Diseases
UBC Author(s): David Patrick (School of Population and Public Health / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Pediatric Cardiology
UBC Author(s): Shubhayan Sanatani (Pediatrics / Faculty of Medicine)
ISSN: 01720643
Volume: 45
Page Range: 1692-1701
Publication Date: December 2024

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Publication: Nature Communications
UBC Author(s): Lucia Nappi (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine), Kim Nguyen Chi (Division of Medical Oncology / Faculty of Medicine), Alexander Wyatt (Urologic Sciences / Faculty of Medicine)
Volume: 15
Publication Date: December 2024

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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
2024 Dr. Ho created an imaging technique to observe real-time communication between blood cells and their microenvironment. He provided fundamental insights of how intercellular signals synchronize blood cell behavior, regulate blood cell production, and maintain blood system homeostasis. Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Turgu explored the link between HACE1 gene, and mTOR, a key growth regulator in cancers. Her findings revealed that HACE1 significantly reduces mTOR activity, revealing a novel mechanism to control growth in tumor cells. Targeting this mechanism pathway can inhibit cancer cells' growth, and survival, leading the way for new therapeutic approaches. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2024 Using epidemiological and implementation science methods, Dr. Romanowski explored the long-term impact of tuberculosis and what we can do to support tuberculosis survivors. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2024 Dr. Parlow investigated how corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) regulates the effects of glucocorticoids on development, metabolism, stress, and inflammation. Her findings reveal a novel role for CBG in shaping sex differences in organ development in rats, providing insight into the basis for sex differences in humans. Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Cassidy-Matthews explored how Indigenous People who use drugs in BC experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and examined influences on vaccine uptake and acceptability. She found that a few relational principles underpinned most health decisions and experiences. These included emotional and spiritual connection, environmental stability, and equity. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2024 Dr. Yuchi studied air pollution, green space and dementia risk in Canada. Her work underscores the importance of further improvements to the built environment and air quality to reduce the burden of dementia in settings where air pollution levels are relatively low. Urban planning to incorporate greenery and parks may help to reduce dementia risk Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2024 Dr. Davies explored the communication needs of individuals living with primary progressive aphasia, a language led dementia, and their families. The findings of this research provide guidance for the provision of evidence-based care and for further research in this area investigating avenues of meeting the communication needs of this underserved population. Doctor of Philosophy in Audiology and Speech Sciences (PhD)
2024 Dr. Porter studied the genome sequences of cervical cancers to unravel the molecular alterations associated with human papillomavirus. Employing cutting-edge technologies and bioinformatics methods, she explored the varied ways in which different forms and types of HPV dysregulate the genome to contribute to the progression of cervical cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2024 Around 50% of premature infants still suffer from neurological problems, despite dramatic improvements in survival and a significant reduction in severe brain injury. Dr. Tremblay's research has shown that reducing innate immune responses after cerebellar injury prevents cerebellar atrophy and white matter injury in a translational mouse model. Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
2024 Dr. Baker worked on developing an in-house pre-clinical trial assay for incorporating genetic diversity into vaccine candidate selection. The immune system is the most genetically diverse part of the human genome and must be accounted for when creating vaccines with widespread immunity. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)

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