The UBC Faculty of Medicine is pleased to recognized the Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI) as a Faculty of Medicine Research Center, in recognition of its scientific contributions and its significance to the Faculty of Medicine’s mission and to the public’s health. By coming within the Faculty’s organizational structure as the Women’s Health Research Centre, WHRI will now have a…
The brain’s cells interact with one another in a very dense environment, some of them rearranging the exquisite network of cells when pruning old bits of neuron to form new connections and stronger lines of communication, or when repair is needed following injury. It is a dynamic process, and images in a textbook cannot convey the complexity of cell-to-cell interaction…
Roughly half of the western medicines used today were derived from naturally occurring plant metabolites. Plants produce over 200,000 of these specialized metabolites, but identifying medicinally useful ones is challenging, and obtaining sufficient quantities for human use poses an even greater challenge. Type-2 diabetes, a disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels due to the body’s inefficient use of insulin,…
UBC researchers have found a cheap, sustainable way to build a solar cell using bacteria that convert light to energy. Their cell generated a current stronger than any previously recorded from such a device, and worked as efficiently in dim light as in bright light. This innovation could be a step toward wider adoption of solar power in places like…
Shortly after WAT Medical’s leading product to treat nausea-induced vomiting, EmeTerm, received its FDA clearance earlier in April, it has now also received official clearance from Health Canada. Health Canada ensures all of its certified medical products are of the highest quality and are able to provide the best care for patients to improve their lives. WAT Medical has reached…
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women with one in nine developing the disease in her lifetime. This year, approximately 3,500 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the province of British Columbia. Treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or a combination depending on an individual’s disease. Now a new international study published in New England Journal of Medicine,…
Five FHS graduate students, who are citizens of Kenya, Botswana and Rwanda, were recently admitted as research fellows into the Sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE) consortium. The fellowship recipients are Khumoekae Richard (PI: Ian Tietjen), Gisele Umviligihozo (PI: Mark Brockman), Lorato Maje (PI: Angela Kaida), Fredrick Omondi (PI: Zabrina Brumme) and Grace Mwashigadi (MPH programme). SANTHE connects students with a multinational network…
Cervical cancer is among the easiest gynecologic cancers to prevent, and two screening tests can help detect the disease early: the routine Pap smear and testing for human papillomavirus, or HPV. The cytology-based Pap smear involves looking for cancer or precancer cells by testing cells taken from the lower end of a woman’s uterus, called the cervix. Diagnosing diseases by looking at single…
Cancer is one of the biggest health crises of our generation – statistics now indicate that nearly half of all Canadians will be diagnosed during their lifetime. And while an increasing number of Canadians are surviving at least five years past their diagnosis, cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in Canada. However, Microsoft Canada announced a partnership with BC Cancer yesterday…
Prof. Ed Pryzdial was one of the first people that I met when I joined the Centre for Blood Research (CBR). I remember in our first encounter when I introduced myself to him he said, “I know you; I knew you were joining the CBR before you knew!” Ever since, I always thought of Ed (Pryzdial) as the best friend…