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Overview
The Genome Science and Technology graduate program is a trans-disciplinary program that combines genomic research with leading-edge technology development in genome sciences for students pursing an M.Sc. or Ph.D. This program is intended to accommodate the diverse background of students and the broad nature of genomic research in human, animal, plant, microbes, and viruses.
Program Objectives
- Generate a culture of innovation and discovery by exposing trainees at all levels to important and timely scientific problems being addressed using emerging technologies.
- Enable researchers to effectively work at the nexus of biology, engineering, and physical sciences by providing a unified training program including joint seminars, cross-disciplinary rotations, and hands-on training in new technology and methodology.
- Provide enriching professional development programs to assist the transition of trainees into both the academic and industrial workforces.
- Foster close interactions, collaborations, and intellectual exchange with other laboratories nationally and internationally.
Our goal is to be among the top 10 graduate programs in genome sciences & technology in North America.
What makes the program unique?
The Ph.D. program in Genome Science and Technology (GSAT) incorporates an innovative rotation program that allows students to access multiple highly skilled research faculty during their graduate program. These rotation opportunities allow student to learn the latest advances in genomic sciences and high through-put technologies. Rotations also allow valuable relationships to form for future collaborative opportunities.
The GSAT program has collaborative associations with both the Centre for High Through-put Technology and the Michael Smith Laboratories. Faculty members associated with the program have diverse backgrounds in genomics and proteomics, bio-engineering, systems biology, chemical biology,device and instrumentation development, and engineering.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Contact the program
Admission Information & Requirements
Program Instructions
Students who are selected for the GSAT rotation scholarship will not need to secure a supervisor before they are enrolled in the program. All other students must secure a supervisor before they can be admitted into the program. As well, they must meet the minimum admission requirements set out by Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies at UBC.
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: 100
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 7.0
Reading
6.0
Writing
6.0
Speaking
6.0
Listening
6.0
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
Applicants must have a Life-Sciences degree, with significant experience in a quantitative science OR a Computer Science/Math/Engineering/Physics degree with significant experience in Life Sciences. Although work experience may be taken into consideration if the degree is outside these areas.
Document Requirements
CV, Official transcripts, three letters of reference, Official English exam scores (if required)
2) Meet Deadlines
September 2025 Intake
Application Open Date
31 March 2024Canadian Applicants
International Applicants
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 Genome Science and Technology (PhD)
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.
Research Information
Research Focus
Systems biology, Genomics and proteomics, Chemical biology, Bioengineering, Device and instrumentation development, Computational biology
Program Components
Students who have been selected for the GSAT rotation scholarship will have the opportunity to rotate through three GSAT-Faculty laboratories before they make the final decision on their thesis supervisor.
Research Facilities
GSAT faculty are spread throughout the UBC campus, with most occupying the Michael Smith Laboratories building. A small number of GSAT faculty may reside off-campus at the BC Cancer Research Centre or hospital research labs and Institutions.
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 | $1,838.57 | $3,230.06 |
Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,515.71 | $9,690.18 |
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
Other Fees and Costs | ||
Student Fees (yearly) | $1,116.60 (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. |
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
All students accepted by a faculty member and enrolled in the program will be paid a minimum stipend of $24,300/year. Students who have been selected for the GSAT rotation scholarships will also have their tuition paid for the first two years of study.
Average Funding
- 8 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 8 students was $10,737.
- 22 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 22 students was $19,516.
- 2 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 2 students was $2,135.
- 25 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 25 students was $12,019.
- 3 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 3 students was $25,556.
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 20 hours a week.
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
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (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 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 16 |
Offers | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
New Registrations | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Total Enrolment | 37 | 43 | 39 | 40 | 38 |
Completion Rates & Times
Disclaimer
Upcoming Doctoral Exams
Tuesday, 10 December 2024 - 9:00am - 1410, Life Sciences Institute, 2350 Health Sciences Mall
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 Genome Science and Technology (PhD)
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.
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Haynes, Charles (Protein purification, recombinant proteins, molecular thermodynamics, biocompatible polymers)
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Hieter, Philip (Molecular biology of eukaryotic chromosome transmission )
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Hirst, Martin (Bioinformatics; Clinical oncology; Genomics; Immunology; Microbiology; Carcinogenesis; Cellular Differentiation; Epigenomics; Leukemia; Molecular Genetics)
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Holt, Robert (Immunogenetics, Metagenomics - Infectious agents in Cancer, Cancer Genomes, Neurobiology, DNA Sequencing)
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Hoodless, Pamela (Computational cell biology; Cancer; Genomics; Medical and biomedical engineering; Nucleic acids studies; Developmental Genetics; Embryology; Embryonic Development; Epigenetics; Heart Valve / Valvular Diseases; Heart valve formation; Liver; Liver development; Stem Cells and Organogenesis; transcriptional regulation)
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Huan, Tao (Bioinformatics, n.e.c.; Analytical spectrometry; Metabolomics; Separation science; Cancer progression and metastasis; Human nutrition and metabolism; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Machine Learning; Bioinformatics)
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Huntsman, David (hereditary cancer, molecular pathology, cancer biomarkers, Pancreas centre)
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Jefferies, Wilfred Arthur (Iron transport molecules)
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Johnson, James (diabetes, hormones, cell biology, signal transduction, apoptosis or programmed cell death, heart failure, heart disease, calcium signalling, pancreatic cancer, obesity, longevity, imaging, Causes of type 1 and type 2 diabetes at a molecular level discovery of genes and associated gene networks linked to diabetes risk and by known risk factors that predispose individuals to diabetes)
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Jones, Steven J (Bioinformatics, genome science, mutations, cancer progression)
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Joshi, Jaya (Biofoundries; biomass; Carbon; Engineering; Enzyme Design; sustainability; Synthetic biology)
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Karsan, Aly (Hematological tumours; Cancer molecular targets; Leukemia; Hematopoiesis; Genomics and epigenomics; Noncoding RNAs; Aging)
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Kieffer, Tim (Diabetes)
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Kobor, Michael (Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Genetic medicine; Genomics; Chromatin Biology; Epigenetics; molecular biology; Social Epigenetics)
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Kopp, Janel (Genomics; Modeling cancer; Pancreas; Pancreatic cancer; Pancreatic development)
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Korthauer, Keegan (Bioinformatics; Genomics; Statistics; Epigenomics; Single-cell analysis; Statistical genomics)
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Lange, Philipp (Bioinformatics; Genomics; Pathology (except oral pathology); Cell Signaling and Cancer; mass spectrometry; pediatric cancer; personalized medicine; post translational protein modification; Proteomics)
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Li, Xin (Molecules in plants, plants defence against pathogen infection, plant genes)
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Loewen, Christopher (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)
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Loucks, Catrina (Medical, health and life sciences; Pharmacogenomics; Pain management; Medical Genetics; Model organism genetics; Drug reactions)
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Marra, Marco (Genomics; Bioinformatics, n.e.c.; Epigenetics and epigenomics; Genetics, n.e.c.; Cancer genetics; Genetics; Epigenomics; Cancer biology)
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Marziali, Andre (Teaching methods, pedagogy, Robotics in education, Nanotechnology, Engineering Physics, Genomics, Biophysics, Genomics Technologies)
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Matthews, Benjamin (Genomics; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Zoology; Aedes aeygpti mosquitoes; Arboviral pathogens; Chikungunya; Comparative Physiology; Dengue fever; Genome of mosquitoes; Yellow fever; Zika)
Pages
Doctoral Citations
Year | Citation |
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2022 | Dr. Hamadeh studied how DNA repair is perturbed in selected cancers. He used single-cell methods to better characterize the function of several DNA repair enzymes and identified regions of the genome that are prone to abnormalities in the absence of those enzymes. This knowledge will aid in the future design of targeted cancer therapies. |
2022 | Dr. Ogbede studied genes important for how we react to chemicals such as approved drugs. He found that when particular genes are absent, cells are more vulnerable to certain chemicals, and cells that are made to produce an excessive amount of proteins are protected against the effects of these chemicals. |
2022 | Dr. Zhang studied the effect of insulin and insulin receptors on pancreatic cancer. She showed that low insulin levels and loss of insulin receptors reduce the number of precancerous lesions, and identified some mechanisms in the process. Her findings add to our understanding on how obesity and diabetes increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. |
2022 | Dr. Lim studied the patterns of gene expression changes across thousands of human and mouse datasets, which can be used to interpret results from genetic studies. The findings deepen our understanding of gene expression patterns and their potential for discovering gene functions related to human health and disease. |
2022 | Dr. Zhu studied the formation of protein macro-assemblies and aggregation in budding yeast. He identified proteins found in yeast protein aggregates under different conditions. By analyzing common features shared by those proteins, he uncovered the potential cause for aggregates formed by them and provided valuable resource for future studies. |
2022 | The placenta is an essential organ in pregnancy but much is unknown about how epigenetics contributes to its function. Dr. Yuan studied how epigenetic marks like DNA methylation are important to the placenta. This understanding of fundamental placental biology will be important for understanding and improving pregnancy-related health. |
2022 | Dr. Bayly studied large protein complexes called polyketide synthases, some of which produce widely-used therapeutics. Dr. Bayly used PKS12 from M. tuberculosis to explore and demonstrate new approaches for engineering these complexes. Her work contributes to ongoing efforts to engineer polyketide synthases to produce new therapeutics. |
2021 | Dr. Macdonald investigated practical uses for enzymes that carry out carbohydrate metabolism. This work lead to the discovery of 11 new enzymes and developed a suite of new tools that can be used for future enzyme discovery efforts, which can be applied toward making the next-generation of carbohydrate based materials. |
2021 | Dr. Cen studied the effects of insulin levels on insulin receptor expression. He showed that high insulin reduces insulin receptors in muscle, thereby causing insulin resistance. He also identified proteins that control insulin receptor expression and movement within cells. His findings improve our understanding of insulin resistance and diabetes. |
2021 | Tumours are heterogeneous entities composed of genetically and functionally distinct cell populations. Dr. LeBlanc's work characterized this heterogeneity in brain tumours, shedding light on the biology of these lethal cancers and providing a resource to help guide the appropriate use of brain tumour models crucial to research. |
Pages
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Information
Specialization
Genome Science and Technology combines training in genomics, with intensive training in new leading-edge genome science technologies, such as high-throughput techniques that acquire information from DNA sequence (genomics), protein expression and interactions (proteomics), and gene expression patterns (transcriptomics) to exploit information for a better understanding of biology.
Research Areas
- systems biology
- genomics and proteomics
- chemical biology
- bioengineering
- device and instrumentation development
- computational biology
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
Classification
September 2025 Intake
Program Enquiries
Contact the program
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