A new study led by investigators at BC Children’s Hospital has identified a metabolic marker that can flag whether a patient is likely to develop a disease brought on by lifesaving bone-marrow transplants. Their results were recently published in Blood. Chronic graft versus host disease occurs when a donor’s stem cells reject the recipient’s body, causing a disease that can affect…
A new research paper published by the BC-CfE laboratory’s scientists will help healthcare providers improve treatments for people living with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The study, led by Dr. Hope Lapointe, describes a new test that physicians can use to help “personalize” their patients’ HCV treatment. HCV infection is a major public health concern in Canada and around the…
A recent study by SFU health scientists found that older adults who received two doses of mRNA vaccine to protect against SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – were found to have weaker immune responses than younger adults. Available as a pre-print manuscript – which is awaiting peer-review – the study was co-led by Faculty of Health Sciences professors Mark Brockman…
Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a Vancouver based biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health and healthy ageing, is pleased to announce that two of its topical drugs produced significant inhibitory effects in a well-established mouse model of atopic dermatitis (AD). AD is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with significant unmet need that is often linked to depression and a decreased quality of…
This quarter we shine a spotlight on BCDRN trainee Dr Søs Skovsø. Søs completed her Post Doctoral Research Fellowship training and became a Research Associate in the Johnson Laboratory in the Life Sciences Institute at the UBC Vancouver campus. Learn more about Sos and her journey from Denmark to Canada to pursue her passion for science and healthy living with a positive outlook and…
AbCellera has announced that it entered into a multi-year, multi-target research collaboration and license agreement with Moderna to leverage AbCellera’s AI-powered technology to search and analyze natural immune responses to identify therapeutic antibodies against up to six targets selected by Moderna. “Over the past year, Moderna has demonstrated the speed and impact of its mRNA vaccine technology in helping to…
Sepsis is a global health crisis that affects 47 to 50 million people every year. At least 11 million of those people die – one death every 2.8 seconds. The UBC Action on Sepsis research cluster – a transdisciplinary group tackling the complex issue of sepsis prevention, diagnosis, and management across the human lifespan – works to further sepsis research and reduce the…
For some children with cancer the most painful part of their journey is when they start receiving life-saving treatment. To improve care for these and other sick children, it’s essential to understand why pain can be more intense in some kids than others, and how pain medications can potentially cause harmful reactions. To answer these questions, Dr. Catrina Loucks is studying genes…
Determining whether a patient has a predisposition to cancers or other harmful conditions can be a game changer for clinicians considering the benefits and risks of invasive procedures. About a decade ago, clinical medical geneticist Dr. Cornelius Boerkoel met a patient with characteristics of a disorder that could predispose him to certain types of cancer. The patient’s features suggested, but did not…
Xenon Pharmaceuticals, a neurology-focused biopharmaceutical company, today announced that its collaboration to develop treatments for epilepsy with Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. achieved a regulatory milestone with the approval of a clinical trial application (CTA) in Europe, triggering an aggregate payment of $10.0 million to Xenon. Mr. Ian Mortimer, Xenon’s President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “This $10 million regulatory milestone from…