UBC immunologist Marc Steven Horwitz investigates how viruses can induce complex diseases like diabetes and lupus. Now he’s studying a cat and mouse game—how a common virus might be related to the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS). What is Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and how common is it? Epstein-Barr is the virus that causes mononucleosis, aka ‘mono.’ It’s also called the…
Dr. Mary De Vera, assistant professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC), is profiled as a Woman Leader in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by the Government of Canada in their 2018 budget, released yesterday. As Canada Research Chair in medication adherence, utilization, and outcomes, Dr. De Vera focuses on helping individuals correctly take…
The Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) is pleased to announce Dr. B. Brett Finlay, O.C., O.B.C., FRSC, FCAHS, Peter Wall Distinguished Professor at the University of British Columbia, as Chair of the newly appointed Expert Panel on the Potential Socio-economic Impacts of Antimicrobial Resistance in Canada. “Dr. Finlay is one of world’s foremost experts in the field of microbiology,” said…
One of the rarest of immune cells, unknown to scientists a decade ago, might prove to be a potent weapon in stopping cancer from spreading in the body, according to new research from the University of British Columbia. Cancer immunotherapy – harnessing a person’s own immune system to destroy cancerous cells — has taken off in the past few years,…
A project analyzing men’s toenails to find clues about prostate cancer prevention has been funded by Prostate Cancer Canada and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation. Led by Associate Professor Trevor Dummer at UBC’s Centre of Excellence in Cancer Prevention, and Anil Adisesh at Dalhousie University, the project will receive $180,000 over two years to measure individual exposures to toxic…
A simple blood test helps doctors recognize treatment resistance and recommend alternatives sooner. Patients can now know whether they have treatment-resistant prostate cancer from a simple blood test—giving clinicians additional time to administer alternative therapies. The promising finding is a result of a new study co-authored by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) researcher Dr. Alexander Wyatt.
In Grade 10, fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds begin making the academic decisions that may shape their lives, opting for electives in the sciences or the arts. What they choose will influence where they plan to go to university, what they plan to study, and who they ultimately become. For many scientists, their earliest interest in science is sparked by someone else.…
Pascal Biosciences Inc. (TSX.V:PAS) (“Pascal” or the “Company”) today announced the Company has discovered certain cannabinoids that enhance the immunogenicity of tumor cells, rendering them more susceptible to recognition by the immune system. This discovery is important because the leading class of new cancer fighting agents, termed “checkpoint inhibitors”, activates the immune system to destroy cancer cells. Enhancing recognition of cancer…
A Vancouver team led by TFRI-funded investigator Dr. David Huntsman has discovered an important therapeutic target for treating small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT). This is a rare, but extremely lethal, ovarian cancer in young women with no effective treatment. The present study, published in The Journal of Pathology (June 2017), suggests that SCCOHT tumour cells need the activity of…
Until now, researchers studying multiple sclerosis (MS) in mouse models have relied on models heavily weighted towards processes secondary to an autoimmune trigger. While discoveries made through these models have informed later translational research and clinical trials to improve drug treatment for people living with MS, a lack of a model for the unique biological process by which the disease…