AI can tell if a patient battling cancer needs mental health support
Psychiatrists and computer scientists at UBC and BC Cancer have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) model that can accurately...
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At UBC Science, outstanding scientists and students strive to unravel the principles that underlie our universe - from the subatomic to the macroscopic, from pure mathematics to biotechnology, from ecosystems to galactic systems. Through the breadth and depth of our academic endeavours and the calibre of the people who make up our community, we take pride in discovering new scientific knowledge and preparing Canada’s and the world’s next generation of scientists.
A diverse range of highly ranked programs
With access to master’s and doctoral degrees through nine departments and 350 research groups, our graduate students work with world-class faculty to explore the basic sciences, and to pursue interdisciplinary and applied research across departments and units. UBC’s research excellence in environmental science, math, physics, plant and animal science, computer science, geology and biology is consistently rated best in Canada by international and national ranking agencies.
Committed to outstanding graduate training
UBC Science houses a wide range of prestigious NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience and related industry programs: from atmospheric aerosols to high-throughput biology, from biodiversity research and ecosystems services to plant cell wall biosynthesis, from quantum science and new materials to applied geochemistry. The options for enriched graduate training in industry related fields are almost endless.
World-class research infrastructure
Our affiliated institutes and centres include UBC's Michael Smith Laboratories, Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Life Sciences Institute, Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences, Mineral Deposit Research Unit, and TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics.
Top research talent
UBC Science boasts more than 50 Canada Research Chairs, 12 fellows of the Royal Society of London, and has been home to two Nobel Laureates. Our graduate students have won 15 prestigious Vanier Scholarships.
A diverse, supportive community of scholars
UBC Science is committed to excellence, collaboration and inclusion. Women account for 41 per cent of the Faculty's graduate enrollments, and the percentage of international students has increased to 50 per cent over the past decade.
Mission
To nurture an exceptional scientific learning and research environment for the people of British Columbia, Canada, and the world.
Research Centres
Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology
- Biodiversity Research Centre
- Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
- Centre for Microbial Diversity and Evolution
Computational Sciences and Mathematics
- Data Science Institute
- Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems
- Institute of Applied Mathematics
- Statistical Consulting and Research Laboratory
- Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences
Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
- Geophysical Inversion Facility
- Lithoprobe: Canada's National Geoscience Project
- Mineral Deposit Research Unit
- Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research
- Seismic Laboratory for Imaging and Modeling
Genomics and Biological Sciences
- Centre for High-Throughput Biology
- Geomatics for Informed Decisions Network
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics
- Michael Smith Laboratories
Human-Computer Interaction
- Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems
- Vancouver Institute for Visual Analytics
Life Sciences
- Centre for Blood Research
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries
- Life Sciences Institute
- Michael Smith Laboratories
- Neglected Global Diseased Initiative
Chemistry and Materials Science
- Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory
- Max Planck-UBC Centre for Quantum Materials
- Quantum Devices Group
- Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute
Physics
- Antihydrogen Trapping and Spectroscopy at CERN
- Pacific Institute for Theoretical Physics
- TRIUMF: Canada’s National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics
- UBC ATLAS Project at Large Hadron Collider
Sustainability
Research Facilities
Designed to inspire collaboration and creativity across disciplines, the new Earth Sciences Building (ESB) lies at the heart of the science precinct on UBC’s Vancouver Campus. The $75 million facility is home to Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Statistics, the Pacific Institute of the Mathematical Sciences, and the dean’s office of the Faculty of Science. ESB’s updated teaching facilities will help Canada meet the challenges of a transforming and growing resource sector. Just as importantly, the researchers and students working and learning in the new facility will offer a valuable flow of well-trained talent, new ideas, and fresh professional perspectives to industry.
Research Highlights
Receiving more than $120 million in annual research funding, UBC Science faculty members conduct top-tier research in the life, physical, earth and computational sciences. Their discoveries help build our understanding of natural laws—driving insights into sustainability, biodiversity, human health, nanoscience and new materials, probability, artificial intelligence, exoplanets and a wide range of other areas.
UBC Science boasts 50 Canada Research Chairs and 10 fellows of the Royal Society of London, and has been home to two Nobel Laureates.
Schools / Departments
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 Science.
Recent Thesis Submissions
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Diet and the microbiome in Parkinson's disease (MIIM - PHD)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Dr. McKenzie used population genetic techniques and breeding experiments to describe the factors that help keep two subspecies of killifish distinct. She found that the two subspecies rarely mate in the lab, and that hybrid offspring are rare in nature. This research provides insights into factors maintaining and promoting the evolution of species. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Thachuk studied how nucleic acids, such as DNA, can change their structure to perform computation. His research proved fundamental limits for these systems and also their potential for being space and energy efficient. These molecular computers are a foundation of DNA nanotechnology and can, in principle, be used to create 'doctors within a cell'. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Fazly studied the behaviour of the solutions to various mathematical equations. Starting in 1914, pure mathematicians have been interested in classifying and reducing the dimensions of solutions to differential equations. This study introduced two new concepts regarding classifying and reducing the dimensions of certain systems of equations. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Hui developed methods to measure a few target molecules in patients receiving heart surgery. This research helped clinicians to understand the underlying mechanisms of surgery-related injuries and select suitable drug doses to reduce those injuries. He also enabled the trace analyses of target molecules, which may have broad clinical applications | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Lv studied the design of biomaterials based on proteins that are engineered to mimic natural biomolecules. He found that the materials do mimic their natural counterparts. The study provides new possibilities for designing materials with novel features. The materials can potentially be used in biomedical applications such as tissue engineering. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Harland conducted his research in the field of analytic number theory. He focussed on two functions which help with testing prime numbers: the Carmichael Lambda function, and the Euler Totient [Oiler Tote-ent] function. The methods he created to study these specific functions can be used by mathematicians to study other arithmetic functions as well. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Lawrence studied database integration and developed new methods for translating changes between independent databases. His case study focussed on the problem of updating a building's construction cost estimate, following changes in architectural design. His approach allows database owners to more easily keep their data in sync with related databases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Zheng explored the chemical bond strength in metallo-proteins. For the first time, the mechanical strength of a single ferric-thiolate bond in a protein was measured. His research significantly advances our knowledge of the nature of chemical bonds and paves the way for further studies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Chin developed a new method of radiation delivery that can more precisely target lung cancers while reducing exposure to the patient's healthy tissue. This technique allows doctors to prescribe higher radiation doses to the tumour without increasing the risk of treatment complications, and this significantly improves the chances of patient survival. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2013 | Dr. Howard developed the first snowpack model for groomed ski runs, to forecast snow conditions for alpine ski racing. Her model captured the effects of snow crushing by skiers and snowcats, and included heat radiated from trees. She successfully simulated snow conditions for the 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler. | Doctor of Philosophy in Atmospheric Science (PhD) |