Faculty of medicine researchers are among the UBC recipients of funding through the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) for their work on topics including rare cancers, obesity and diabetes therapeutics and genome sequencing and analysis.
One of the UBC faculty of medicine-led projects received $6.84 million for research infrastructure to better understand how bodies manage obesity and diabetes. The goal of the project is to identify and leverage the body’s natural strengths to design therapies that correct the metabolic defects that cause obesity, diabetes and related health issues that are on the rise in B.C.
“We welcome this B.C. Knowledge Development Fund support, which gives a vital boost to our team’s ongoing research into diabetes and obesity,” said Dr. Jim Johnson, UBC faculty of medicine professor and project lead. “This funding enhances our team’s ability to explore how the body regulates energy, opening up new treatment avenues for individuals affected by these serious chronic conditions.”
Through the BCKDF, the B.C. government awarded a total of $52.3 million to support infrastructure for 21 research projects at UBC as well as additional projects at the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, University of the Fraser Valley and British Columbia Institute of Technology.
