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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Many drugs exhibit poor solubility, limiting their absorption and clinical efficacy. Dr. Tang developed a novel approach using nanotechnology to formulate these drugs with improved solubility. His research work demonstrated the utilities of this approach in delivering these drugs more effectively and safely. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Skierszkan studied the mobility of two metallic contaminants, molybdenum and zinc, in mine waste rock and tailings by using stable isotope analyses. His research provides practitioners with a new tool to trace the release and attenuation of metals in mine waste and thus improve environmental management at mine sites. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Nuclear pore complexes allow the transfer of molecules across cell membranes. Dr. Manhas found that these pore complexes are essential in the replication of DNA elements, called transposons, that move from one location in the genome to another. These findings help us understand the replication of viruses that are related to transposons. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Gerardo developed the world's first ultrasound transducer for biomedical imaging using inexpensive polymer materials. His new transducer design competes in performance with current ultrasound transducers for a fraction of the cost. This research illuminates the way for the creation of wearable cardiac monitoring systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Wen characterized autophagy, a cellular clearance process, in the light-detecting rod photoreceptors in the retina. She also examined the therapeutic effect of autophagy modulators on retinitis pigmentsoa, an inherited eye disorder. This research allows greater understanding of autophagy and the mechanisms of retinal degeneration. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Patterson examined Pasifika women's experiences of working in higher education using Pacific research methods. This research explored how Pasifika women continue to navigate towards community success despite racism and sexism in the academy by challenging these practices and protecting the interests of Pasifika students and communities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Forughi developed novel optical measurement methods to quantify moisture content in paper at high spatial and temporal resolution. He used these methods to investigate the effect of different parameters on paper drying, with the goal of improving the energy efficiency of papermaking. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Bontrager investigated how climate affects adaptation across the range of a native wildflower. This work illustrates the possibility for gene flow to help populations adapt to climate change. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Goodrich studied measurement, evaluation and research methodology. She examined the application of a general diagnostic model to large-scale assessments across Canada and the U.S. Her findings reveal that such application provides a way to gain detailed evidence about mastery, reading literacy, and pathways to proficiency. | Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Yuen studied precision manufacturing machines. He developed novel algorithms to plan the motion, control the precision, and the accuracy for a machine tool that combines a micro-milling machine and magnetically levitated actuator. Results can be used to manufacture high precision parts found in various high tech industries. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Hunter studied Vancouver poetry of the 1960s and 1970s, with a focus on two important magazines published in the city at that time, "Tish" and "blew ointment." This research contributes to an emerging scholarly engagement of the importance of literature from Vancouver, especially in its earlier formations. | Doctor of Philosophy in English (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Hawley studied microbial metabolisms and metabolic interactions in oxygen depleted ocean waters. Her research clarified details of microbial community nitrogen, sulfur based interactions along gradients of oxygen. Her findings have important implications for nitrogen availability and greenhouse gas production and consumption. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. South examined how prosocial behaviour towards others is impacted by an individual's sense of self and belonging status. She found that people who were more independent were less prosocial towards animal out-groups, if they felt a strong sense of belonging. This finding has implications for cause marketing and especially for animal charities. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Hall examined current and alternative approaches to adult guardianship - the framework that helps protect vulnerable adults. She developed a model that is consistent with legal principles and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This work responds to the problems arising in the context of dementia and old age. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Cameras cannot capture the full range of light intensities without losing image accuracy. Dr. Rouf proposed a computational optimization framework and developed methods for reconstructing high-fidelity photographs. This framework challenges expensive, conventional solutions and provides a practical use for everyday photography. | Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Islam examined how DNA is chemically modified in neurological diseases including Huntington's disease, brain cancer and alcoholism. Her work highlighted how we can use these DNA marks to understand how genes are regulated in different types of healthy and diseased tissues, and to diagnose and track the progression of neurological disorders. | Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Zhang studied micro direct liquid fuel cells for portable power devices, using experimental and computational methods. Her results show the design of catalyzed channel walls is a feasible approach to enhance the maximum power density. Her model will aid in the design of fuel cells with catalyzed channel walls. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Sheikhzadeh worked on improving the diagnostic process of cervical cancer. She demonstrated that novel imaging technologies could be employed to reduce unnecessary biopsies and developed algorithms to differentiate between grades of precancerous tissue. Her work will lead to fast and cost-effective diagnosis of this type of cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Carlson developed a simple, scalable method for the rapid stabilization of membrane proteins called the peptidisc. He used the technique to rapidly identify novel and known interactions between membrane proteins in the bacterial cell envelope. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Raven developed an animal model for evaluating experimental therapeutics that target bladder cancer. Using this model, he found that an embryonic cell pathway, Sonic Hedgehog, is activated in these cancers and that it can be blocked to reduce tumor growth. This research provides proof of principle for a new bladder cancer treatment. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Chan worked on developing ways to enhance the natural function of platelets by loading them with potential drugs, such as clotting factors. These modified platelets may improve the effectiveness of platelet transfusions during uncontrolled bleeding, and platelets loaded with other drugs may also be useful in treating diseases such as cancer. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Wang analyzed the pricing, competition and investment issues in the transportation industry. His research contributes to a better understanding of the economic impact and the interactions of new transport modes, such as high-speed rail or low-cost airlines. It also has policy implications for transport development in emerging countries such as China. | Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Transportation and Logistics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Luedee studied the environmental history of the Porcupine Caribou Herd. He demonstrated how the demarcation of political borders in the western Arctic and the creation of boundary concepts in the biophysical sciences, transformed human understandings of and relationships with this group of migratory animals during the twentieth century. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Ghadermarzy studied the problem of completing multi-dimensional arrays, i.e., tensors from noisy or 1-bit measurements of a subset of their entries. Tensor completion is applicable whenever the data has missing or corrupted entries which can be the result of a faulty sensor or when taking measurements is too expensive. He proved optimal bound on the minimum required number of measurements for certain classes of tensors. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Hoeppli studied how Regulatory T cells, a type of white blood cell, could be used like a drug to prevent graft rejection after organ transplantation. She found that these cells can be modified during cell culture to increase their effectiveness as a drug. Her research contributes towards improving the success of organ transplantation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |