Dr. Samuel Aparicio
Samuel Aparicio, Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is named Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada as part of the Life Science Division. Dr. Samuel Aparicio is one of six UBC professors who have been elected as Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) – the highest honour a scholar can achieve in the arts, humanities and sciences in Canada.
Dr. Aparicio’s work on the genomes of breast cancers has provided new insights into the tremendous breadth of tumour genetic heterogeneity. The cells within tumours are not identical, and tumours are now best thought of as complex communities of cells composed of genetically distinct cellular sub-populations. His work has linked this genetic heterogeneity to cancer evolution and recurrence, providing a much-needed explanation for how treatment-resistant cancers may arise.