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. May classified a set of molecules produced by tumours which inhibit the immune response and enhance tumour growth. To combat this, he developed multiple approaches to engineer immune cells to overcome this inhibition. When applied to cell-based therapies, this has a potential to result in improved efficacy across diverse cancer types. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Wang's research focuses on accurately modeling Lithium-ion battery degradation from a data-driven perspective. He proposed various methods to enhance the generalizability of the model and developed a highly interpretable model. This study significantly advances the safe and reliable usage of Lithium-ion batteries. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Goyal developed a fast and accurate method to solve complex flow problems such as dust storms and the transmission of airborne viruses. The method uses the supercomputers efficiently to provide the solution five times quicker than the conventional method, allowing further investigation of complex flow problems in industries. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Zhang studied the displacement flows in narrow eccentric annuli. Her research spans a wide range of methods including 2D model development, 3D simulations and lab-scale experiments. A systematic classification metric has been built and the main emphasis lies in understanding the dispersion behavior of such flows. Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Qiu studied an aggressive soft tissue cancer called synovial sarcoma. He profiled human synovial sarcoma surgical specimens using epigenetic sequencing techniques and subsequently characterized epigenetic subgroups of the tumours. This research can guide emerging epigenetic therapeutic strategies in the treatment of this cancer. Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD)
2024 Dr. Li studied the functional roles of a cell adhesion receptor, integrin alpha6, in breast cancer cells. She found that splice variants of this integrin differentially modulate tumour cell adhesion, invasion and metastasis. Her work enhances our understanding of the roles of particular integrins in tumour progression. Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD)
2024 Parent-adolescent disputes tend to be seen through a lens of child noncompliance and parental control. Dr. Ji's studies challenge this view by examining resistance in parent-adolescent interactions at the dyadic level of analysis. He then tested a training he developed showing that social work students can be trained to see conflict complexly. Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (PhD)
2024 Dr. Freres studied processes causing instrumental mass bias in multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers. Her research helped improve precision and accuracy in isotopic ratio measurements and provided the geochemical community with greater resolution to interpret geological records and better understand the history of our planet. Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)
2024 Dr. Zhao investigated monolithic integration of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) on Si and Ge substrates. Successful VCSEL epitaxy on engineered Ge substrates has been illustrated with strong performance. Industry companies can use this study much more readily to adopt this technology. Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. De Souza developed a theoretical framework locating allyship as a social phenomenon. In several empirical studies, Dr. De Souza compared reactive and proactive efforts to improve women's workplace experiences, illustrating the importance of a multiple-dimensional view of allyship that prioritizes the desires of disadvantaged group members. Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Ramachandran explored the history of body classification systems in health and sport-focused areas, through the example of the somatotype. She found that the somatotype was used to characterize race, class, athletic ability, and intelligence biologically, demonstrating how measurement methods are value laden and warrant critical exploration. Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Cheung studied a protein involved in the autophagy pathway that removes waste from cells in the human body. His work investigated the structural and functional relationship of this autophagy regulator and its coordination with other proteins to facilitate the process, further delineating its underlying mechanism that leads to related diseases. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Baker's work focuses on the impact that Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous Ways of Knowing had on settler educators in the North Vancouver School District and found that educators have the responsibility to infuse Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous Ways of Knowing into practice. All learners will benefit as Indigenous Education is for all. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2024 Dr. Amburgey explores the interconnections between labor migration, environmental change, and disaster recovery in the Mustang region of Nepal's Himalaya. She argues that anthropology can contribute to policies and research on climate change to include local ecological knowledge. Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Kangarani-Farahani investigated the effectiveness of rehabilitation in autistic children with developmental coordination disorder, revealing lasting improvements in motor performance and changes in brain regions related to motor and cognitive functions. This study underscores the effectiveness of rehabilitation in this clinical population. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2024 Dr. Newman designed tools for running and analyzing complex, electronic auctions, with applications to markets for agricultural trade in developing countries and the sale of wireless spectrum rights. His work provides a blueprint for how economists can use computer simulations to compare auction designs. Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhD)
2024 Dr. Moraes examined how to prepare and perform trumpet auditions for professional Canadian orchestras. He interviewed some of the top Canadian trumpet performers and pedagogues on best practices for selected excerpts. His research will assist prospective orchestral musicians with audition preparation. Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Instrument (DMA)
2024 Dr. Hurtado Lozada's four mixed-method studies on party formation failure in Peru demonstrate that social organizations can replace traditional parties, involving disloyal voters and populist politicians. The absence of parties, then, contributes to a gradual but steady weakening of democracy. Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD)
2024 Dr. Odionu's research focused on innovative international investment law reform approaches emerging from Africa. Drawing on those approaches, he developed a Global South-oriented reform framework that integrates foreign investment, sustainable development, and climate action. His findings present implications for the fight against climate change. Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
2024 Dr. Wardman's research has focused on developing new enzymatic tools to manipulate proteins that are modified with certain sugars. To do so, he discovered new enzymes from Nature and also engineered these enzymes to better carry out these manipulations. The tools he developed will enable us to shed light on these otherwise mysterious modifications. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2024 Why volunteer to help others fix items that are easy to replace? Dr. Kaczmarek explored the motivations and aspirations of volunteers at community repair events, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on their activities. Her research reveals the social and material value of repair through the stories of those involved. Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD)
2024 Dr. Nikiforuk studied how the coronavirus which causes COVID-19 infects cells in the upper human respiratory tract to find that people's risk of infection varies. This finding will be useful in controlling coronavirus transmission and designing new treatment strategies. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2024 Dr. Bakhshi advanced understanding of tack in carbon fiber composites during automated deposition processes by creating a simulator system, developing new characterization methods, and integrating novel sensors with high-resolution X-ray CT and numerical simulation. This enhances insights into material behavior, process, and manufacturing outcomes. Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD)
2024 Dr. Nguyen studied the molecular machines responsible for the transcription of RNA using cutting-edge techniques like super resolution microscopy and next-generation sequencing. His work not only unraveled novel perspectives of transcription mechanisms, but also challenged previous paradigms to provide a better understanding of gene regulation. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2024 Dr. Kumar studied the mechanisms underlying protein quality control in cells exposed to DNA damage. His work focused on post-translational modifications and their role in regulating the dynamics of protein sequestration. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)

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