David Bidwell

Email: david-bidwell@news.ok.ubc.ca


 

A close-up image of a mother playfully interacting with her baby. The mother smiles warmly as the baby reaches out and touches her nose with a tiny hand. The background is softly blurred, creating a tender and intimate atmosphere.

New research from UBC and UBCO demonstrates that cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia can alleviate postpartum depression.

While many people believe that poor sleep during pregnancy is inevitable, new research has determined that cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi) while pregnant can not only improve sleep patterns, but also address postpartum depression.

Researchers from UBC’s Okanagan and Vancouver campuses, as well as the University of Calgary, discovered that delivering CBTi during pregnancy significantly reduces postpartum depressive symptoms after baby arrives.

“Early intervention is crucial for infant and parental mental health,” says Dr. Elizabeth Keys, an Assistant Professor in UBCO’s School of Nursing and a study co-author. “Our research explores how addressing sleep problems like insomnia can lead to better mental health outcomes for families, helping parents and their children thrive.”

CBTi is a therapeutic intervention that identifies thoughts, behaviours and sleep patterns that contribute to insomnia. Treatment includes challenging or reframing misconceptions and restructuring habits in ways that improve sleep quality.

“CBTi is the gold standard for treatment of insomnia and has consistently shown to improve symptoms of depression,” says Dr. Keys. “Its treatment effects are similar to antidepressant medications among adults, but with fewer side effects, and is therefore often preferred by pregnant individuals.”

Sixty-two women assessed for insomnia and depressive symptoms participated in the study—with half randomly assigned to an intervention group and half to a control group.

“We found that CBTi during pregnancy significantly improved sleep and reduced postpartum depressive symptoms for participants,” explains Dr. Keys. “These are enormously encouraging results for anyone that has struggled in those early weeks and months with their newborns.”

Results indicate that effective insomnia treatment during pregnancy may serve as a protective factor against postpartum depression.

“Our study adds to the growing evidence that treating insomnia during pregnancy is beneficial for various outcomes,” Dr. Keys says. “It’s time to explore how we can make this treatment more accessible to pregnant individuals across the country, with the goal of improving sleep health equity.”

The research highlights the interdisciplinary collaborations happening between UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses, along with researchers from across Canada. Dr. Elizabeth Keys is from UBCO while Dr. Lianne M. Tomfohr-Madsen, a Canada Research Chair in Mental Health and Intersectionality, is based at UBC Vancouver.

Dr. Keys and Dr. Tomfohr-Madsen are lead investigators on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Sleep Equity Reimagined team and members of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium.

The study appears in the October issue of Journal of Affective Disorders.

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The sun rises over the Columbia River Gorge in the fall season, Oregon.

UBC Okanagan is co-hosting the Columbia River Basin symposium with Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash.

UBC Okanagan’s prominent Indigenous scholar and activist, Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, will deliver the keynote address at the Columbia River Transboundary Water Governance and Ethics Symposium, to be held at Gonzaga University from November 12 to 14 in Spokane, Washington.

Dr. Armstrong will address the critical role of Indigenous knowledge in governance and the necessity of integrating youth perspectives in discussions about water stewardship.

Dr. Joanne Taylor, a UBCO postdoctoral research fellow in Columbia River Basin Governance and the symposium chair, says the event prioritizes youth engagement and seeks to empower the next generation of water warriors committed to protecting the Columbia River Basin.

“The Columbia River is not just a resource; it is a lifeblood for communities and ecosystems,” Dr. Taylor says. “We invite community members, scholars and advocates to join us in this important dialogue as we strive for a just and equitable governance system.”

UBCO and Gonzaga are co-hosting the symposium alongside their host Nations, the syilx Okanagan and the Spokane Tribe of Indians. The event will explore the emerging initiatives and public governance issues in the Columbia River Basin, focusing on the impacts of climate change, water quality, Indigenous fisheries revitalization and public engagement.

This symposium is particularly timely following the recent announcement by Columbia River Treaty negotiators about their agreement in principle.

The agreement between Canada and the United States marks a pivotal step in modernizing the Columbia River Treaty, which has been essential for decades for managing flood risk and generating hydropower.

Registration for the symposium is now open. Participants can expect robust discussions on water quality, climate change, governance and salmon restoration, guided by ethics, justice and intergenerational equity principles.

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Learn cardiovascular risk factors and the benefits of exercising and rehabilitation from local medical experts at MEDTalks: Healthy Hearts–Risks and Prevention on November 4 at Kelowna General Hospital.

What: The Southern Medical Program presents MEDTalks: Healthy Hearts—Risks and Prevention
Who: Dr. Kurt Hoskin, a UBC Southern Medical Program alumnus and Kelowna-based cardiologist, and Dr. Emmanuelle Massie, a Kelowna-based cardiologist
When: Monday, November 4, 7 to 8 pm
Where: UBC Clinical Academic Campus in Kelowna General Hospital, 2312 Pandosy St. A virtual option is also available.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, heart disease is the second leading cause of death after cancer and a leading cause of hospitalization. Roughly one in 12 Canadian adults live with diagnosed heart disease.

The public is invited to learn about cardiovascular risk factors and the benefits of exercising and rehabilitation from local medical experts at MEDTalks: Healthy Hearts–Risks and Prevention on November 4 at Kelowna General Hospital.

Dr. Kurt Hoskin is a Kelowna-based cardiologist and clinical instructor with the UBC Faculty of Medicine. He’s a Southern Medical Program alumnus who completed internal medicine and cardiology residencies.

Dr. Emmanuelle Massie is a cardiologist based in Kelowna. She completed her medical degree and residencies in internal medicine and cardiology at the University of Montreal. She also completed a fellowship in echocardiography at McGill University and a fellowship in heart failure in Geneva, Switzerland.

MEDTalks is a health education lecture series exploring current and emerging trends in medicine. Hosted by the Southern Medical Program at UBC Okanagan, researchers and health professionals share their insights and expertise.

The event is free and open to the public, with in-person and virtual options available; registration is required.

To register or find out more, visit smp.med.ubc.ca/community-engagement/medtalks.

 

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A woman reflects during a cognitive behavioural therapy session with a counsellor.

New UBCO research suggests that incorporating ketamine-assisted therapy into therapists’ personal experiences can enhance the competency of practitioners.

Therapists report that their personal experience with psychedelics helps them build stronger connections with patients and a heightened sense of competence in delivering ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT), according to a new study from UBC Okanagan.

The research, led by Dr. Elena Argento, Tashia Petker and Dr. Zach Walsh from UBCO’s Department of Psychology in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, found that first-hand experience could enhance therapeutic outcomes and improve patient safety.

“Therapists consistently noted that their own experiences with psychedelics helped them build trust with their clients and gave them a deeper understanding of the patient’s journey through therapy,” says Dr. Argento, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author.

“They expressed a strong desire for formal experiential training to be included in KAT programs to improve both therapist confidence and patient safety.”

The research, published recently in PLOS ONE, found that experiential learning could bridge training gaps and enhance therapeutic outcomes in this emerging form of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

“One of the main questions we had for this research was, ‘What do providers think is most important for therapist training and in the practice of ketamine-assisted therapy?’” says Petker, a clinical psychology doctoral student and co-author of the study.

“There’s been a proliferation of ketamine therapy clinics in North America; however, we’re lacking the research needed to form standards of training and practice for therapists. Our study provides a starting point for that work.”

The study, which interviewed eight licensed therapists from Numinus Wellness clinics in Canada and the US, aimed to understand how their personal psychedelic experiences influenced their competency, therapeutic relationships and ability to navigate the unique challenges of working with patients undergoing psychedelic therapy.

“Ketamine is not a mystical thing that goes in and introduces brand new knowledge or wisdom or anything like that. It’s not installing experience in you,” one participant reported.

“This is you teaching you.”

Key findings from the study emphasized the importance of relational safety, professional development and the ability to manage risks associated with treating clients who have experienced complex trauma.

The study also highlighted that while all participants valued their formal training, they felt that existing programs lacked the experiential component with ketamine that could deepen their understanding of the therapy process.

The research, coming at a pivotal time in the acceptance of psychedelic-assisted therapies, suggests that incorporating therapists’ personal experiences into formal training programs could not only enhance the competency of practitioners but also significantly improve the overall safety and effectiveness of KAT, offering an avenue for patients struggling with mental health challenges.

“Our research suggests that experiential training might help improve provider perceived competence in effectively delivering KAT and maybe other psychedelic therapies as well,” said Dr. Walsh, Professor and co-author.

“The next step will be for future research that directly compares therapists who’ve had psychedelic experiences to those who haven’t regarding patient outcomes. It’ll also be important to refine our understanding of what type of psychedelic experiences might be most valuable for therapist training.”

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Students at UBC Okanagan will highlight psychological principles and their real-world applications at Mindfest, Wednesday, at the Mary Irwin Theatre in Kelowna.

What: Mindfest—A dynamic event featuring presentations, competitions and interactive audience games focused on community health and wellbeing
Who: UBCO Department of Psychology
When: Wednesday, 6 to 9 pm
Where: Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts, 421 Cawston Ave., Kelowna

Explore the world of psychological research at UBC Okanagan’s Mindfest on June 26.

This event will spotlight innovative studies on the use of cannabis and psychedelics for mental health treatment, inventive community health strategies and novel mental health interventions.

Witness firsthand how these advancements are poised to transform understanding and approach to mental wellbeing.

“We are thrilled to be organizing this unique event that will feature some of the brightest minds in psychology at UBCO,” said Dr. Michael Woodworth, Professor of Psychology.

“Mindfest is an opportunity to see how our research directly improves mental health and community wellbeing. We are excited to share our findings with the public,” he added.

Mindfest will feature five psychology labs presenting their cutting-edge research.

Topics will include the potential of cannabis and psychedelics as treatments for mental health conditions, innovative approaches to improving community health, and new methods for addressing common psychological issues.

The event will also include a competition where attendees can vote for the most compelling research presentation, with one lab being crowned the top presenter of Mindfest.

Interactive games highlighting psychological principles and their applications will engage the audience throughout the event.

Up-and-coming country music singer Ben Klick will also perform live and light refreshments will be available.

To find out more, visit events.ok.ubc.ca/event/mindfest.

 

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A photo of a chimpanzee mother and its infant.

New UBCO research compared the human heart to those of chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos to better understand how they adapted differently over time.

An international research team from UBC Okanagan and Swansea University has uncovered a new insight into human evolution by comparing humans’ hearts with those of other great apes.

While humans evolved to travel long distances, likely to hunt, other great apes developed to meet the demands of their immediate forest environment and moved to seek shade if overheated, explains Bryony Curry, a doctoral student in UBCO’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences.

The human species’ greater bipedal locomotion and larger brains are two pieces in the puzzle that explain humankind’s evolutionary divergence from its common ancestor.

Now, through a comparative study that examines the differences between the human heart and those of several primates, researchers think they may have found another piece of the puzzle regarding how the hearts of primates and humans adapted differently over time.

The international study, published this week in Communications Biology, compared the human heart to those of chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos. These non-human great apes share more than 98 per cent of their DNA with humans making them the closest evolutionary relatives of humankind.

The non-human great apes were being cared for at wildlife sanctuaries in Africa and European zoos. During routine veterinary procedures, the team used echocardiography—a cardiac ultrasound—to produce images of the great apes’ left ventricle, the lower left chamber of the heart.

Within the left ventricle are bundles of muscle, called trabeculations, that extend into the chamber.

“The left ventricle of a healthy human is relatively smooth, with compact muscle as compared to the more trabeculated, mesh-like network in the non-human great apes,” explains Curry. “The difference is most pronounced at the apex, or bottom of the heart, where we found approximately four times the trabeculation in non-human great apes compared to humans.”

The team also examined the twisting and rotation of the heart. When a heart contracts, it deforms and then springs back to its original shape. The researchers measured this deformation and the velocity of this motion using an imaging technique called speckle-tracking echocardiography, which traces the speckled pattern of the cardiac tissue as it contracts and relaxes.

“We found that the degree of trabeculation in the heart is related to the amount of deformation, rotation and twist,” says Curry. “In humans, with the least trabeculation, we observed their hearts have the greatest function. This finding supports our hypothesis that the human heart may have evolved away from the structure of other non-human great apes to meet the higher demands of our unique ecological niche.”

Curry explains that humans have larger brains and are also more physically active compared to other great apes and this equates to a higher metabolic demand. This requires a heart that can pump a relatively higher volume of blood to the body. Higher blood flow also contributes to humans’ ability to cool down as blood vessels close to the skin dilate —observed as flushing of the skin—and lose heat to the air.

“In evolutionary terms, our findings suggest selective pressure was placed on the human heart to adapt so it can meet the demands of walking upright and managing thermal stress,” adds Dr. Robert Shave, Associate Dean of Research with UBCO’s Faculty of Health and Social Development. “What remains unclear is how the more trabeculated hearts of non-human great apes may be adaptive to their own ecological niches. Perhaps it’s a vestigial structure of the ancestral heart, though in nature form most often serves function.”

The research team is grateful to the staff and volunteers who care for the animals in the study, including the teams at Tchimpounga Wildlife Sanctuary in Congo, Zambia’s Chimfunshi Wildlife Sanctuary, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone, Borneo’s Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, the Zoological Society of London of the United Kingdom, Paignton Zoo in Devon, England, the Bristol Zoo Gardens, England, Burgers’ Zoo in the Netherlands and Germany’s Wilhelma Zoo.

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A photo of an Okanagan hillside burning during the 2023 McDougall Creek fire.

UBC Okanagan is presenting the Wildfire Coexistence Symposium from June 3-5 in Kelowna.

Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais isn’t going to rehash what everyone in the Central Okanagan already knows about wildfires when he opens the three-day Wildfire Coexistence Symposium in Kelowna next week.

The Assistant Professor in UBC Okanagan’s Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences says the event is tailored toward innovative wildfire solutions.

“We want to move beyond recognizing the problem to finding and implementing solutions that address the whole-of-society issue of wildfire,” he says.

“This is about understanding what’s happening around our communities and making us better prepared.”

Dr. Bourbonnais as well as his colleague and co-presenter from UBC Vancouver, Dr. Lori Daniels, have tailored the symposium to as broad an audience as possible. They will touch on new technology and new tactics.

They’ve designed the symposium to be engaging, with panels, moderated questions and audience interaction with over 20 experts in various fields.

“We want to bring together different segments of society, including First Nations, health sciences, forestry, wildlife ecology, the insurance sector and the economy to discuss solutions,” Dr. Bourbonnais says.

They’ll also take participants to sites affected by recent wildfires to show both worst-case scenarios and successful mitigation efforts. It’s meant for anyone living in the wildland-urban interface, firefighters, policymakers, foresters or urban planners, offering practical solutions for wildfire resilience.

Dr. Bourbonnais will also update participants on the research happening around the Okanagan. His team is building affordable sensors and distributing them to provide accurate, real-time data closer to the community.

For example, during the McDougal Creek wildfire in 2023, there were only a handful of weather stations in the entire valley providing operational information. UBCO had 15 of its sensors in the middle of the fire.

Six of them didn’t survive, but they provided valuable data until they were destroyed, showing wind speeds, temperatures and other critical information.

“This data helps us understand where our highest risk areas are around Kelowna and how to address them,” he says.

“Our team has been collecting data and validating results for three years as we continue to build and develop our system of affordable, easily deployed sensors. The system is filling real gaps in our understanding of wildfire risk and how we can use the data operationally with wildfire management agencies and fire departments.”

The June 3-5 event is happening in Kelowna. Free tickets to the Monday night event, Ashes to Action: Learning to Live with Wildfire, are moving quickly. Full symposium passes are still available.

“Knowing as much as possible about wind speed, wind direction and temperature on the ground helps shape strategies,” says Dr. Bourbonnais. “For proactive work, it’s about identifying where we see the highest risk around the Okanagan and getting ahead of it.”

Learn more at wildfire-symposium.forestry.ubc.ca.

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A photo of the decorative stone entrance to the UBCO campus.

A group of UBC Okanagan School of Engineering students are fundraising to reach the World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in Milan, Italy, this summer.

A dedicated group of engineering students at UBC Okanagan is willing to move heaven and earth to reach the World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in Italy this summer.

The students belong to UBCO’s Advanced Structural Simulation and Experimental Testing Group (ASSET) in the School of Engineering, which is guided by Associate Professor Dr. Lisa Tobber. They’re eager to present alongside Dr. Tobber in Milan, but need financial support to do so.

“ASSET is looking to challenge and expand the current understanding of earthquake engineering,” says Mahya Moghadasi, a graduate research assistant. “Each contribution to the journey is more than just financial support; it invests in safer, more resilient communities worldwide.”

It’s also a personal journey for Moghadasi, who experienced a 6.3 Richter earthquake as a high school student growing up in Iran. Like her classmates, she arrived at UBCO to further her understanding of how we can make buildings safer during natural disasters.

“That moment was a turning point,” she says. “The earthquake was a terrifying experience. The ground shaking left me feeling afraid and vulnerable. As we evacuated our apartment, I recall vividly questioning the structural integrity of the buildings around me amid the uncertainty of the situation.”

Nations in the region from Turkey to Iran straddle significant tectonic plate boundaries and have experienced some of the most devastating earthquakes in human history; however, ASSET’s research projects are widely applicable and can inform disaster resiliency and modern construction policy from Vancouver to Venice.

Vancouver, for example, rests near the Cascadian Subduction Zone and is especially susceptible to earthquakes.

The conference is a vital opportunity for ASSET to share its innovative approaches with the international engineering community. ASSET aims to convene a session at the Milan conference about cost-effective resiliency solutions in reinforced concrete structures.

Dr. Tobber is convening a technical session at the conference with a focus on recent advances in cost-effective resiliency solutions for earthquake engineering. She’s to cover economic and sustainability considerations of innovative techniques for seismic resilience.

The session would allow ASSET to demonstrate how seismic safety can be achieved more affordably, Moghadasi says. As the conference date approaches, the group’s participation hinges on the support of donors and sponsors.

“Attending this conference is crucial for us to exchange ideas with the world’s leading experts and bring back knowledge that can benefit British Columbians.”

Learn more about the students at crowdfundraising.ubc.ca/projects/ubco-asset.

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A section of the Kettle River is photographed from a bridge.

A section of the Kettle River in the British Columbia interior.

New research reveals a surprising truth about rivers: plants play a key role in shaping their very form.

Dr. Alessandro Ielpi, an Assistant Professor of Geomorphology in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science at UBC Okanagan, has found evidence supporting the theory that vegetation influences whether rivers flow in graceful curves or straighter paths.

“That plant life aids in shaping river landscapes is a notion that has been entertained for many years in the scientific community,” Dr. Ielpi says. “This kind of research helps pinpoint with a higher degree of confidence just how vegetation does that.”

The research, recently published in the journal Nature Communications, highlights a clear connection: rivers with healthy vegetation tend to meander more easily than those flowing through landscapes barren of plant life.

He says this discovery has significant implications for managing the environment, adapting to climate change and designing sustainable communities.

This notion is best demonstrated in the relation between the curvature of river bends—how tight any bends are—and the pace at which the river flow erodes its banks.

The research was based on a compilation of more than 50 rivers from around the globe. It used high-resolution satellite imagery of river landscapes analyzed sequentially over years.

“This difference in shape a river channel can attain has cascading effects,” Dr. Ielpi says. “Disturbances like wildfires in floodplains can disrupt vegetation patterns, leading to channels adapting their shape and potentially altering flooding patterns and ecosystem health. In a similar fashion, climate-driven changes like the greening of northern regions may alter river channels, impacting regional ecosystems and water flow.”

He explains that the benefits of healthy river vegetation extend far beyond shaping riverbeds. Healthy plant life along rivers can act as a natural defence against floods, mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events driven by climate change. This knowledge can be used to build climate-resilient communities.

Furthermore, insights from this research can inform greener urban design principles. By understanding how vegetation can influence rivers, planners and engineers can create cities that work harmoniously with natural systems, promoting healthier waterways and more livable urban environments.

Dr. Ielpi notes this research can empower communities. By understanding river dynamics, communities can take informed action for conservation and restoration efforts. This enhances recreational opportunities and protects vital ecosystems for future generations.

“The research serves as a reminder of the importance of interdisciplinary science,” Dr. Ielpi says. “By combining expertise in spatial analysis and remote sensing, ecology and environmental science, researchers gain a deeper understanding of our planet’s complex systems.”

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Nurse holding hands with patient for help, consulting support and healthcare advice. Kindness, counseling and medical therapy in nursing home for hope, consultation and psychology.

To observe National Nursing Week, UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing invites the community to acknowledge and support the pivotal roles of nurses, nurse educators and nursing students.

Their contributions are instrumental in shaping the future of care in British Columbia and nationwide.

“With the support of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, we are expanding our existing programs and developing new pathways and courses,” says Jacqueline Denison, Interim Director of the School of Nursing. “These new opportunities will shape the next generation of nurses.”

UBCO Nursing’s new and expanded programs are pivotal in adapting to and meeting the complex needs of today’s health-care landscape.

“Nurses perform vital work in our clinics, hospitals and communities. The new and expanded programs at UBC Okanagan will create more training opportunities for nurses looking to grow their knowledge as they care for British Columbians and their families,” says Lisa Beare, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

New Micro-Credentials in Primary Care
UBCO Nursing launched the first of four micro-credentials, a Primary Care Practice Essentials Certificate. The certificate will build nurses’ knowledge and skills in team-based primary care, which is crucial for health promotion, early disease detection and managing chronic disease.

Specialty Nursing Pathways
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, the school is supported in integrating specialty nursing education pathways—including critical care, perinatal and perioperative nursing—into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. This will allow new graduates to move quickly and competently into specialty nursing practice.

Indigenous Graduate Education in Nursing Program
The Ministry and the Canadian Institute for Health Research are supporting the development of the Indigenous Graduate Education in Nursing program. The program is a collaboration between several Indigenous communities and five BC post-secondary institutions.

The goal is to meet the health-care needs of Indigenous people through the mentorship and training of Indigenous nurse leaders.

Two Indigenous nursing students have completed the pilot MSN Research Methods course on Indigenous Health Nursing Approaches to Wellness at UVic as part of their pathway. Four new Indigenous Master’s students are set to begin the pathway at UBC Okanagan this month.

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