Michael Smith Health Research BC is providing funding to 44 early career researchers across the province through its Research Trainee program. The program supports post-doctoral or health professional researchers in the training phase of their research careers to enable career development and enrich BC’s health research talent.
The funding, announced today, includes a total of 34 awards to trainees at UBC and affiliated health research institutions, with four awards going to UBCO research trainees.
The 2024 UBCO award recipients are investigating important topics including relationships in foster care families, stroke rehabilitation and Type 2 diabetes as they continue developing as the next generation of the best and brightest health researchers.
Since 2001, Health Research BC has granted more than 1,400 Research Trainee awards, supporting the launch of successful careers in research, biotech, health policy and other sectors.
Read the Health Research BC announcement
UBC Okanagan funding recipients
- Jelena Komanchuk
Caregiver-Child Sleep and Relationships in Canadian Foster and Kinship Families
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus - Justine Magnuson
A personalized approach to non-physical practice after stroke
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus - Alexis Marcotte-Chénard
Integrating Exercise Snacks into Type 2 Diabetes Care: feasibility and management of cardiovascular risk factors
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus - Elise Wiley
Exploring the natural history of chronic disease self-management and health resource utilization after stroke
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus
Other UBC funding recipients
- Maryam Asadi Aghbolaghi
AI-based Platform for Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Discovery and Refinement
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute - Taqdir Ali
Advancing Orthopaedics Diagnostic Intelligence: Deep Learning and Generative AI models for Fracture Identification and Dialogue-driven documentation and Decision Making
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute - Mehwish Anwer
Using unbiased whole brain methods to understand how impact direction affects the neuropathology of traumatic brain injury in mice
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health - Ania Bogoslowski
How do neurons in breast cancer tumours control anti-tumour immune responses?
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus - Ariel Buchler
Matriptase-Selective Radiotheranostics for Metastatic Carcinoma
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Cancer - Daljeet Chahal
Cerebrovascular physiology of circulatory death in patients undergoing medical assistance in dying (MAiD)
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Transplant, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver General Hospital
Partners: Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation - Sing-Young Chen
Understanding sex differences in beta-cell resilience to stresses in type 1 diabetes
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus - Wassim Elkhatib
Structural and Functional Investigation of Neuronal Calcium Channel Modulation
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus - Lanlan Fang
Investigating oncogenic mechanisms in DICER1 syndrome-associated ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Jack Bell Research Centre - Manjurul Haque
Use of CAR Tregs to induce transplantation
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute - Isabelle Hardy
Consequences of preconception bariatric surgery for fetal size and pathological growth restriction: a linked population registry study.
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute - Ihoghosa Iyamu
Promoting the sustainability of digital interventions for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections in Canda: A multi-methods study
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Centre for Disease Control - Sanne Janssen
Elucidating how the Sotos Syndrome gene NSD1 controls gene expression during neuronal differentiation
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Life Sciences Institute - Ingrid Jarvis
Investigating the influence of residential green space on cognitive decline and dementia
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus - Zhen Jin
Uncovering the role of long non-coding RNA PAN3-AS1 in acute myeloid leukemia
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Cancer Research Centre - Mai-Lei Kinshella
Gender equity through strengthening maternal nutrition and health in resource-limited settings
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus - Laura Labonté
Risk factors for cognitive impairment and substance-induced psychosis in people living in precarious housing or homelessness
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Mental Health & Addiction Research Institute (BCMHARI) - Jerry Leung
Engineering Transfusable Platelets for Improved Hemorrhage Control
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Life Sciences Institute - Claire Liu
Surgical, oncologic, and patient reported outcomes following breast conserving surgery versus mastectomy: a longitudinal study
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Providence Health Care, UBC School of Population and Public Health - Jai Mahto
Structure-function relationship of retinal guanylyl cyclase, a key enzyme in phototransduction
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus - Yan Mei
Triggered release of anti-cancer drugs using hybrid lipid nanoparticle technology
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Life Sciences Institute - Richard Morrow
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health care services for hepatitis B
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Centre for Disease Control - Sheila Novek
Engagement and citizenship in long-term care: An exploration of resident and family councils
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus
Partner: Alzheimer Society of B.C. - Clement Quintard
Advancing Cardiovascular Research: Developing Vascularized Heart Organoids-on-Chips Integrating Immume Cells
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Life Sciences Institute - Jordyn Rice
SuPA Mobility: Supporting Physical Activity for Mobility in Older Adults with Mobility Limitations
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Centre for Hip Health and Mobility - Santanu Sasidharan
Development of mutation-robust vaccines and antibodies, and their implications for the evolution of SARS-CoV-2
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Michael Smith Laboratories - Yao Sun
Sensorimotor interactions between the lower limb and pelvic floor: neuroplasticity and implications for management of urinary dysfunction after spinal cord injury
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) - Sofie Tolmeijer
Accelerating the implementation of blood-based genomic testing for people living with metastatic prostate cancer in British Columbia
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus, Vancouver Prostate Centre - Karoliina Tuomela
Developing novel strategies to enhance CAR Treg manufacture and testing in transplantation
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute - Kaitlin Winter
Addressing antimicrobial resistance through the design and preclinical evaluation of a Klebsiella pneumoniae vaccine
Host Institution/Research Location(s): University of British Columbia/BC Children’s Hospital Vaccine Evaluation Centre