UBC Faculty of Medicine researchers have been awarded more than $7 million in federal and provincial funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF).
The funds will support key research infrastructure, advance innovation and talent development, and accelerate research tackling some of the most pressing health challenges facing British Columbians, Canadians and the world.
More than 30 projects were awarded funding in areas like cancer therapy, childhood speech development, spinal cord injury and more.
The federal funding is part of a Government of Canada investment of $960 million for research announced on August 29. The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and of the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced support for over 4,700 researchers and research projects across Canada. These investments through grants, scholarships and programs are part of the government’s ongoing support for Canada’s research ecosystem.
Through the BCKDF, the Government of B.C. is investing $6.5 million for research infrastructure supporting 27 projects at post-secondary institutions across B.C. The BCKDF helps grow the economy by improving B.C.’s productivity and competitiveness, and provides other benefits including potential commercialization, spinoffs, patents, improved environmental management and discoveries that directly affect the health and well-being of British Columbians. The announcement was made on August 16 by Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, and Selina Robinson, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.
Faculty of Medicine recipients:
CFI JOHN R. EVANS LEADERSHIP FUND
- Laura Evgin, Medical Genetics
Delineating Aggressive B-cell Lymphomas Heterogeneity and Pathogenic Trajectories to Optimize Cell-based Immunotherapies
- Zu-hua Gao, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Hydrogel-based Adhesive Artificial Mucosa (HAAM): A Novel Versatile Platform for Cancer Therapy and Prevention
- Brett Hilton, Cellular & Physiological Sciences
Development of the Spinal Cord Injury Connectomics Laboratory
- Mahmoud Pouladi, Medical Genetics
The use of Human Stem Cells to Understand Mechanisms and Develop Treatments for Neurological Disorders
- Gregor Reid, Pediatrics
BRAvE at BCCH
- Teresa Tsang, Medicine
Transforming Heart Failure: Integrated Network Redesigned for Improved Outcomes (TOHFINO): An AI- Empowered Paradigm
- Catrina Loucks, Pediatrics/Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
The Loucks Pain Management Pharmacogenomics (PMP) Lab
NSERC DISCOVERY GRANTS
Projects marked with * below were awarded an additional $12,500 each for one year through the Discovery Launch Supplements program
- Lara Boyd, Physical Therapy
The neurophysiology underpinning human motor learning
- Franck Duong, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Bacterial Peptidisc Libraries to Isolate Outer Membrane Protein Binders
- Deborah Giaschi, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Motion processing and binocular vision in the developing human brain
- Ethan Greenblatt, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)*
Understanding the impact of nutrition on oocyte fitness
- Ilker Hacihaliloglu, Radiology
On-Device Continual Learning Methods for Point of Care Ultrasound
- Eric Jan, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Host cellular pathways modulated by a multifunctional insect viral protein
- Wilfred Jefferies, Medical Genetics, Urologic Sciences
Cellular and molecular biology underlying priming of the immune system
- Govind Kaigala, School of Biomedical Engineering*
Photoactuated programable microfluidic systems for high-purity filtration of biomolecules in sub-microliter volumes
- Michael Kobor, Medical Genetics
Elucidating the role of the histone variant H2A.Z in transcriptional regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- Sabrina Leslie, School of Biomedical Engineering
Biophysics of molecular interactions at the single-molecule level
- Christopher Loewen, Cellular and Physiological Sciences
Lipid Signalling in Yeast
- Thomas Oxland, Orthopaedics
Biomechanical Implications of Skeletal Muscle Stiffness on the Human Spine
- Courtney Pollock, Physical Therapy*
Interaction between physiological arousal, attention and motor learning when walking is challenged
- Julie Robillard, Neurology Division*
Intergenerational Determinants of Social Robot Usability
- Amritpal Singh, Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics*
Integrative methods for single cell multiomics
- Syam Somasekharan, Urologic Sciences*
Investigating the role of RNA-binding motif protein X-linked 2 (RBMX2) in nucleolar phase separation and functions
- Todd Woodward, Psychiatry
fMRI-detectable Brain Networks Involved in Working Memory in Humans
SSHRC PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
- Julia Schmidt, Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy
Developing peer-support programs across British Columbia for people with brain injury
SSHRC INSIGHT GRANTS
- Anne Gadermann, School of Population and Public Health
Pathways from early childhood to young adulthood: Early indicators of secondary and post-secondary graduation outcomes for children and youth in BC
- Glenda Mason, School of Audiology & Speech Sciences
Children’s Speech Development in Complex Words Online
- William Miller, Occupational Science
A community-based system for sharing Recreational Assistive Devices (RAD)
- Eva Oberle, School of Population and Public Health
Trajectories of positive youth development in schools: understanding diversity and assets in population subgroups
- Courtney Pollock, Physical Therapy
Retired Para Athletes’ Participation in Sport Leadership in Canada: Retention of Para Athlete Knowledge to Drive the Future of Para Sport
B.C. KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT FUND
- Laura Evgin, Medical Genetics
Delineating Aggressive B-cell Lymphomas Heterogeneity and Pathogenic Trajectories to Optimize Cell-based Immunotherapies
- Dr. Brian Kwon, Orthopaedics
Canada Research Chair in Spinal Cord Injury
- Dr. Mahmoud Pouladi, Medical Genetics
The use of Human Stem Cells to Understand Mechanisms and Develop Treatments for Neurological Disorders
- Dr. Sarah Purcell, Medicine
Human Nutrition and Energy Balance in Chronic Disease Laboratory
- Dr. Gregor Reid, Pediatrics
BRAvE at BCCH