Meet the VPRI
Dr. Philip Barker
Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation
Dr. Philip Barker is Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus in Kelowna, BC. He also serves as Associate Vice-President, Research for both the Okanagan and Vancouver campuses.
Prior to joining UBC in 2015, Dr. Barker was the Scientific Director of the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University in Montreal, held a Canada Research Chair in Molecular Neuroscience (Tier 1), and was Chair of the McGill University Innovation Steering Committee.
Dr. Barker is a molecular biologist and biochemist. His research program examines how extracellular cues translate into intracellular signaling pathways that regulate life and death decisions in neurons and cancer cells.
The Barker Lab uses a variety of models systems to discern specific cellular pathways that regulate these key events with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets. Dr. Barker has published more than 100 scientific papers, has co-founded a successful biotechnology company, holds several patents, and has developed and licensed several technologies.
“I’d like to see UBC viewed as the most innovative and entrepreneurial university in North America, if not the world.”
One-on-One with Phil Barker
One-on-One is a Q&A series aimed at getting ‘behind the scenes’ with senior leadership at UBC.