Congratulations to Sasha McDowell, PhD student in the Department of Zoology (supervisor: Dr. Michael Gordon), who received a 2022 Brain Star Award from the Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (CIHR-INMHA). Brain Star Awards annually recognize outstanding research performed by students and trainees in Canada; awardees…
Congratulations to Mohit Pandey (doctoral student in Dr. Artem Cherkasov’s lab) on receiving the CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarships. Award holders are top-level graduate students who are enrolled in the program at Canadian institutions, enabling a high-quality research training experience and to foster impacts within and beyond the research environment.
This investment is the result of SCN’s second and final two funding competitions for the 2022-2025 period to support world-class regenerative medicine research and clinical trials. The projects and clinical trials cover 14 different disease areas and illnesses such as, brain disorders, diabetes, heart and lung disease, cancer and spinal cord injury. As part of this funding competition, which opened…
The transfection potency of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) mRNA systems is critically dependent on the ionizable cationic lipid component. LNP mRNA systems composed of optimized ionizable lipids often display distinctive mRNA rich “bleb” structures. Here we show that such structures can also be induced for LNP containing nominally less active ionizable lipids by formulating in the presence of high concentrations of…
Scientists at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR) near Philadelphia have found that a drug discovered at SFU and patented several years ago may have potential lifesaving results in the treatment of conditions leading to sudden cardiac death. The drug, known as AR-787, was originally discovered and designed by former PhD student Mena Abdelsayed as…
Ahmad Samara is a PhD student in Dr. Tamara Vanderwal‘s lab and one of UBC’s newest “Friedman Scholar”. As a Friedman Award for Scholars in Health recipient, Ahmad will study for one year in the lab of Dr. Uri Hasson at Princeton University, where he will be able to expand his expertise in using naturalistic conditions to study functional brain development, while bringing…
UBC Faculty of Medicine professor Dr. Connie Eaves is the recipient of a 2023 YWCA Women of Distinction award in the category of Research, the Sciences & Technology. The annual awards, celebrating 40 years this year, honour individuals and organizations whose outstanding activities and achievements contribute to the well-being and future of our community. Dr. Eaves is a Distinguished Scientist at the BC…
Researchers from the Bohlmann lab revealed genomic insights for a cornerstone forest tree species of the Pacific Northwest, the iconic Western Redcedar (WRC). For thousands of years, and long before the arrival of European settlers, WRC has been integral to a multitude of practical, cultural and ceremonial practices of the Indigenous people of the region. WRC serves a central role in the…
Prenatal and early postnatal life represent key periods of immune system development. In addition to genetics and host biology, environment has a large and irreversible role in the immune maturation and health of an infant. One key player in this process is the gut microbiota, a diverse community of microorganisms that colonizes the human intestine. The diet, environment and medical…
A pair of late-stage Genome British Columbia (Genome BC) research and development projects tackling major public health challenges through genomics are receiving federal support through Genome Canada. A project from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Provincial Health Services Authority will assess the effectiveness of a new type of genome sequencing for screening genetic diseases in critically ill newborns. Early, accurate diagnosis can profoundly influence…
