Covid-19 vaccines have triggered the next wave of pharmaceuticals – Dr. Pieter Cullis
Quartz Magazine’s Katherine Ellen Foley has interviewed Dr. Pieter Cullis in a wide-ranging story exploring the dawning age of genetic medicine. “Covid-19 vaccines are the start of a new wave of genetic medicine—drugs that tweak DNA to keep us healthy,” begins Foley’s piece, which asserts, “chances are, you’ve never heard of Pieter Cullis. But if […]
Congratulations to Rachel Price on winning a Dragon’s Den Award
Rachel Price is a recipient of BCREGMED‘s Dragon’s Den Award. Rachel is a PhD candidate in the Teves Lab at UBC. In the lab, she studies the action of transcription factors during mitosis in mouse embryonic stem cells to investigate the mechanisms of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Outside of the lab, she enjoys knitting, hiking, and baking sourdough. […]
UBC researchers unveil first molecular images of B.1.1.7 COVID-19 mutation
UBC researchers are the first in the world to publish structural images of the N501Y mutation on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein—a change believed to be partly responsible for the highly infectious nature and rapid spread of variant B.1.1.7. Dr. Sriram Subramaniam The pictures, taken at near-atomic resolution, provide critical insight as to why the B.1.1.7 […]
Rachel Jun – Defended MSc Thesis
Congratulations Rachel! On April 19, 2021 Hee Jin Rachel Jun successfully defended her thesis, “Exploring the role of mutations in the signal peptides of VIM-2, NDM-1, and IMP-1 in the development of advantageous phenotypes in Escherichia coli.” Rachel have been training in Dr. Nobuhiko Tokuriki’s Lab.
UBC-grown biotech companies lead global pandemic efforts
Millions of Canadians have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, but what many may not realize is that a key component of the injection was developed right here at UBC. Acuitas Therapeutics, a UBC spin-off company co-founded by Dr. Pieter Cullis, developed the lipid nanoparticle technology that allows the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine to enter human cells. […]
Cloud computing support accelerates COVID-19 vaccine improvements
For the last 11 months, UBC biochemistry and molecular biology professor Leonard Foster and his team have been studying how SARS-CoV-2 – the virus responsible for COVID-19 – attacks the human body, in hopes of developing a more targeted vaccine with fewer side effects. Prof. Foster is confident that this technology will accelerate the […]
UBC-led team captures first-ever X-ray images of critical SARS-COV-2 enzyme in action
For the first time, a team of researchers has captured X-ray images of a critical enzyme of the COVID-19 virus performing its function. This discovery could improve design of new treatments against the disease. The COVID-19 vaccines currently rolling out are providing hope that the spread of the disease can be halted. But infection rates […]
UBC Today Research in focus: Dr. Annie Ciernia
Originally posted on: UBC Today Name: Annie Ciernia Title: Assistant Professor Department/Unit: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine Location: Vancouver What year did you start working at UBC? 2019 Provide an overview of your research in 75 words or less: My research focuses on understanding how our genes and environment combine to shape our […]
2020 – 2021 3MT Competition – Serena Chuang and Elaine Chen
Congratulations to 4th year Biochemistry students Elaine Chen and Serena Chuang for being selected as finalists to present their 3-minute thesis at the 2nd annual UBC Undergraduate 3MT competition which was held virtually February 27. Further congratulations to Serena for being one of two winners selected by a Faculty judging panel. The title of Serena’s […]
Nine grants to 13 LSI labs in CIHR Fall 2020 funding round
Nine LSI research groups have been awarded funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) 2020 Fall round. Drs. Douglas Allan, Yossef Av-Gay, David Fedida, Kenneth Harder, Jayachandran N. Kizhakkedathu, Lawrence McIntosh, Robert Molday and Filip Van Petegem, and Robert Nabi received full grants. Drs. Eric Jan, Michel Roberge and Ivan Sadowski received a […]