Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia

Congratulations to the Fall 2024 UBC Faculty of Medicine graduates!🎓 https://bit.ly/3B2Z2ys   Your hard work and dedication will improve health and wellness for patients and communities across B.C. and beyond. We can’t wait to see the incredible impact you’ll make.   Join us in celebrating the #Classof2024 and get to know some of this year’s inspiring graduates. 🎊   #UBCgrad

Earlier this month, the inaugural Transforming Health Symposium brought together leaders from across the #LifeSciences and health ecosystem to shape the future of #TranslationalMedicine in B.C. and beyond. Presented by Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub, UBC Academy of Translational Medicine and #UBC Medicine’s Precision Health Initiative, the symposium explored how we can elevate capacity for translational medicine to transform health for all. Learn more about the event and the discussions that were had around #AI, RNA-based therapies, #PrecisionMedicine and more, as well as a keynote speech from Professor Graham Lord. ➡️ bit.ly/3VaN7pq

Congratulations to the Faculty of Medicine recipients of the 2024 Michael Smith Health Research BC C2 and Reach programs! 👏 bit.ly/3OsupFY

Can a love for hockey transform men’s health? 🏒 New research from The University of British Columbia and Western University says, yes! bit.ly/3ATya4a Explore how the Hockey Fans In Training trial tapped into sports fandom and local partnerships to help men make meaningful health & lifestyle improvements. Results of the trial were recently published in The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine. “With this evidence, we are now adapting Fans in Training as a strategy among other populations at increased risk for chronic disease in Canada,” says principal investigator Dr. Robert Petrella, professor and head of the UBC Department of Family Practice. Learn more about the findings. bit.ly/3ATya4a

Congratulations to Dr. Patricia Janssen on being named a Leader in Digital Health by Digital Health Canada in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of digital health in Canada through leadership, influence, involvement, and impact! 🎉 ➡️bit.ly/3AP35P7 Dr. Janssen is Founder and CEO of SmartParent Mobile Health Inc., the first prenatal and parenting education program in Canada delivered via text messaging. She is a perinatal epidemiologist and Senior Scientist at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Janssen leads a Centre of Research Excellence entitled Advancing the Science of Physiologic Birth. She is a past recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Research in the Sciences and in 2020 was named one of the top 50 Changemakers in Public Health among alumni of the University of Washington School of Public Health. She was recognized by UBC in 2022 with a Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Achievement Award for Service to the University and Community.

How does #memory work at the cellular level? New insights from UBC scientists could unlock potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders. https://bit.ly/3Z9Drhh

Congratulations to UBC’s Dr. Poul Sorensen on receiving the 2024 Doctors of BC Terry Fox Medal for his outstanding contributions to #ChildhoodCancer research and translating scientific discoveries into clinical practice. 🌟 bit.ly/48YLcKe

Does breast cancer begin in the genes of a single cell? bit.ly/4fUUfxR A new study from UBC, BC Cancer, Harvard Medical School and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is shedding light on the genetic origins of #BreastCancer, using single cell genome sequencing to reveal cancer-like mutations in healthy breast cells. “While harmless on their own, these changes could be the basic building blocks of breast cancer,” said lead senior author Dr. Samuel Aparicio (Departmentof Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC, BC Cancer). Explore how the findings published in Nature Genetics (Nature Portfolio) offers clues to how breast cancer begins, and could lead to the development of lifesaving new strategies for early detection, prevention and treatment.

“This is our ultimate goal: to reduce the severity and burden of traumatic experiences in a safe and effective way so people can heal more fully.” UBC researchers are revealing how the brain creates, stores and retrieves memories, opening the door to new treatments for PTSD, Alzheimer’s disease and autism spectrum disorder. Learn more in the latest issue of Pathways. bit.ly/3Z9Drhh

Did you know #SpinalCordInjuries (SCI) from mountain biking exceed hockey, other high-risk sports? 🚵♂️ bit.ly/40OgDVm   A new UBC study in Neurotrauma Reports reveals the alarming number of people suffering #SCI while mountain biking, often leading to permanent and life-altering paralysis. In fact, the number of mountain biking-related SCIs each year in B.C. is comparable to—or higher than—those resulting from amateur football across the entire U.S.   “We hope these findings will prompt more awareness and initiate a discussion around how we can improve safety,” says study senior author Dr. Brian Kwon, a professor at UBC Department of Orthopaedics and the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD).   Read how the findings underscore the urgent need for enhanced safety measures, awareness and collaboration among health professionals, mountain resorts and the mountain biking community.   #SCIResearch