UBC Faculty of Medicine researchers have been awarded more than $26 million in federal funding to lead critical health research aimed at improving the lives of people across B.C., Canada and the world.
The funding, awarded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant: Fall 2024 competition, will advance research in key areas including cancer treatment, vaccine development, childhood wellbeing and more. Forty-six projects led by Faculty of Medicine researchers were awarded funding, including 33 Project Grants and 13 Priority Announcement Grants.
A total of 55 projects led by UBC researchers which were awarded $38.1 million in combined funding.
Faculty of Medicine Recipients: CIHR Projects Grants
- Shernaz Bamji, Cellular & Physiological Sciences
ZDHHC9 enzyme function in the formation and function of oligodendrocytes and neuronal connections
*Conditional award at time of posting - Pascal Bernatchez, Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Activation of the chronic endothelial function reserve for the prevention and regression of aortopathies. - Mark Cembrowski, Cellular & Physiological Sciences
A detonator neuron driving the cellular and behavioural expression of seizures - Carol Chen, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Epigenetic mechanisms of SETD2 neurodevelopmental disorders
*Conditional award at time of posting - Angela Devlin, Pediatrics
Understanding the impact of maternal folic acid intake on gestational diabetes and offspring pancreatic islet cell development
*Conditional award at time of posting - Quynh Huong Doan, Pediatrics
Cultural Adaption and Validation of MyHEARTSMAP, a Digital Psychosocial Instrument, For Chinese Youth and Families in Canada. - Colin Russell Dormuth, Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Co-PIs: Barbara Mintzes (School of Population & Public Health/Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics); Jessica Otte (Family Practice)
Safety Advisories Framework for Effective Risk communication – Phase 2 (SAFER-2) - Mark Gilbert, School of Population & Public Health
Co-PI: Bonnie Henry (School of Population & Public Health)
Adapting self-collection STBBI testing models for rural and remote communities in BC - Brett Hilton, Cellular & Physiological Sciences
The role of calcium-dependent vesicle release in corticospinal axon regeneration - Corinne Hohl, Emergency Medicine
Co-PIs: Brian Grunau and Andrew Kestler (Emergency Medicine); Kurt Lock (BCCDC); Mark Lysyshyn (School of Population & Public Health/Vancouver Coastal Health); Jessica Moe (Emergency Medicine)
Optimizing outcomes for patients presenting to emergency departments with opioid poisoning - Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Self-sterilizing Blood Storage Devices for Safer Transfusion of Platelets and Whole Blood - Calvin Kuo, School of Biomedical Engineering
Co-PIs: Tim Bhatnagar and Lise Leveille (Orthopaedics)
Assessing Remote Technologies for Return to Sport after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Children - Christopher Loewen, Cellular & Physiological Sciences
Characterizing new functions for tethering proteins at membrane contact sites in budding yeast - Christina Luong, Cardiology
Co-PI: Teresa Tsang (Cardiology)
High-precision Echo Assessment and Risk Triage of heart failure using Artificial Intelligence (HEART-AI) - Francis Lynn, General Surgery/School of Biomedical Engineering
Co-PIs: Megan Levings (Surgery/School of Biomedical Engineering); Bruce Verchere (Pathology & Laboratory Medicine/Surgery)
Building better beta cells in order to improve stem cell-derived islet transplantation outcomes
*Conditional award at time of posting - Brian MacVicar, Psychiatry
Lipid Nanoparticle-messenger RNA (LNP-mRNA) as a versatile therapeutic platform for brain diseases - Louise Masse, School of Population & Public Health
Co-PI: Eva Oberle (School of Population & Public Health)
Bridging the gap: Evaluating the real-world impact of Comprehensive School Health initiatives on physical activity, nutrition, and mental health/well-being of elementary school children - Joanne Matsubara, Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
Co-PI: Myeong Jin Ju, School of Biomedical Engineering
Extracellular Granzyme B Accumulates with Aging and Promotes Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) - Christopher Maxwell, Pediatrics
Elucidate the targetable mechanisms underpinning the development of a pregnancy-associated breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers. - Orson Moritz, Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
New animal models of retinal disease with retinal deposits - Eitan Prisman, Surgery
Assessing the role of 3D ultrasonography and image guidance during transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal cancer
*Conditional award at time of posting - James Russell, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Development of Lipid nanoparticle RNA systems as novel therapeutics for endotoxemia resulting from severe bacterial infections - Thiviya Selvanathan, Pediatrics
Brain Connectome and Neurodevelopment in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy - Christian Steidl, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Cellular ecosystems of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma - Stefan Taubert, Medical Genetics
Co-PI: Francis Lynn (General Surgery/School of Biomedical Engineering)
Role of Mediator subunit Med15 in maturation and resilience of endocrine cells in the pancreas
*Conditional award at time of posting - Scott Tebbutt, Medicine
Metabolomic biomarkers for early detection of acute cellular rejection in heart transplant recipients: a multidisciplinary approach to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes - Carlos Uribe, Radiology
Co-PIs: Francois Benard (Radiology); Arman Rahmim (School of Biomedical Engineering)
Precision Radiopharmaceutical Therapies with Theranostic Digital Twins - Victor Viau, Cellular & Physiological Sciences
Sex differences in inflammatory, neuroendocrine and behavioural responses: Impact of corticosteroid-binding globulin deficiency. - Yemin Wang, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Leveraging Epigenetic Reprogramming for Targeted Therapy in ARID1A/ARID1B Dual-Deficient Cancers - Jacqueline Whittaker, Physical Therapy
Preventing symptomatic post-traumatic osteoarthritis in young people at high risk: The Stop OsteoARThritis (SOAR) Randomized Controlled Trial - Matthew Wiens, Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Smart Discharges for newborns with sepsis: a personalized public health approach for improving discharge and post-discharge care in low-resource settings - Calvin Yip, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Investigating the molecular mechanism of autophagosome-lysosome fusion - Haishan Zeng, Dermatology & Skin Science
Co-PI: Stephen Lam (Respiratory Medicine)
Endoscopic Laser Raman Spectroscopy for Minimally Invasive Detection of Peripheral Lung Cancer
Faculty of Medicine Recipients: CIHR Priority Announcements
- Trevor Dummer, School of Population & Public Health
Co-PIs: Maryam Darvishian (School of Population & Public Health); Fabio Feldman (BC Cancer)
Understanding and Reducing Disparities in Cancer Screening Participation and Retention to Improve Early Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in British Columbia
Priority Announcement Area: Breast Cancer Prevention & Early Detection - Leonard Foster, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology/Michael Smith Laboratories
Accelerating Next-Generation Vaccine Development to Combat the Global Mpox Crisis
Priority Announcement Area: Global Health Research – Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies - Leonard Foster, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology/Michael Smith Laboratories
Innovative Expression Platform for Therapeutic Antibody Delivery
Priority Announcement Area: Global Health Research – Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies - Devon Greyson, School of Population & Public Health
When clinicians misinform: Assessing and understanding the impact of expert-provided misinformation on trans and gender diverse populations
Priority Announcement Area: Sex and Gender in Health Research – Sex and Gender Science for Health Equity in Priority Communities - James Johnson, Cellular & Physiological Sciences
Targeting Scn9a Na+ channels for beta cell survival and disease modification in type 1 diabetes
Priority Announcement Area: Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes - Bruce Verchere, Surgery
Islet macrophages: regulators of beta cell function in health and diabetes
Priority Announcement Area: Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes - Sunil Kalia, Dermatology & Skin Science
Co-PIs: Juan Avina-Zubieta (Rheumatology); Jan Dutz (Dermatology & Skin Science); Diane Lacaille (Rheumatology); Harvey Lui (Dermatology and Skin Science)
Mapping the current landscape, treatment patterns, and access to health services for eczema patients in British Columbia
Priority Announcement Area: Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis: IMHA Mandate Areas - David Wilson, Orthopaedics/Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
Co-PI: Parth Lodhia (Orthopaedics)
Biomechanical and imaging assessments of hip microinstability
Priority Announcement Area: Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis: IMHA Mandate Areas - Calvin Kuo, School of Biomedical Engineering
Co-PI: Jacqueline Whittaker (Physical Therapy)
Understanding Differences in Exposure to and Biomechanical Features of ‘Risky’ Movements between Female and Male Athletes in Soccer
Priority Announcement Area: Female Athlete Health - Elaine McKevitt, General Surgery
Surgical, oncologic, and patient reported outcomes following breast conserving surgery versus mastectomy in breast cancer patients: a prospective study
Priority Announcement Area: Breast Cancer Survivorship - Peter Stirling, Medical Genetics/Terry Fox Laboratory
Identification of novel DNA nuclease inhibition strategies
Priority Announcement Area: Genetics - Stuart Turvey, Pediatrics
Harnessing early life developmental trajectories and the gut microbiota to identify new ways to predict and prevent asthma
Priority Announcement Area: Genetics - Silvia Stringhini, School of Population & Public Health
Explaining life-course socio-economic inequalities in ageing trajectories
Priority Announcement Area: Population and Public Health – Early Career Investigator