Note: Members of the ATM were previously referred to as Early Career Researchers (ECRs)
Dr. Khaled Abdelrahman, BPharm, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
apt.med.ubc.ca/profiles/khaled-abdelrahman/
My lab focuses on exploring the contribution of some G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to the impaired neurovascular coupling and cerebral blood flow autoregulation in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models. We employ in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo approaches to identify novel GPCR candidates that can be targeted pharmacologically to correct neurovascular coupling and slow neurodegeneration. My lab is also interested in studying what aspects of GPCR signaling are regulated in a sex-selective manner and how this can influence drug discovery in the area of neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Anna Blakney, PhD, PEng
Assistant Professor, Michael Smith Laboratories and School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculties of Science, Medicine and Applied Science, UBC
The Blakney Lab is a multidisciplinary group of engineers, immunologists and molecular biologists investigating the interactions between RNA, biomaterials and the immune system to prevent and treat disease.
Dr. Emily Brigham, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology | Research Scientist, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute | Legacy for Airway Health
My research is focused on: (1) the impact of diet and other metabolic factors on respiratory health in airways disease, (2) how these factors may augment or mitigate the symptomatic and inflammatory response to air pollution and other pro-inflammatory exposures, and (3) ways to translate these findings into actions to improve respiratory health and resiliency, particularly within susceptible populations.
Dr. Katelynn Boerner, PhD RPsych
Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine | Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute | Psychologist, Complex Pain Service, BC Children’s Hospital | Associate Member, Women’s Health Research Institute | Associate Faculty Member, Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity
Chronic pain affects many young people. Living with chronic pain can impact a child’s social, emotional, academic, recreational, and developmental outcomes. While there are pain treatments that work, most of them have been developed and tested on populations that do not reflect the diversity of young people we serve in our clinical settings. My research focuses on making pain research and care more accessible and equitable for young people. We do this by understanding the developmental, individual, and social factors that are involved in pain, and by thinking creatively about how to use this information to change practice. I am especially interested in understanding the role of sex, gender, and neurodiversity on pain, and have projects looking at the experiences of chronic pain in gender-diverse and autistic youth.
Dr. Emily Brigham, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology | Research Scientist, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute | Legacy for Airway Health
My research is focused on: (1) the impact of diet and other metabolic factors on respiratory health in airways disease, (2) how these factors may augment or mitigate the symptomatic and inflammatory response to air pollution and other pro-inflammatory exposures, and (3) ways to translate these findings into actions to improve respiratory health and resiliency, particularly within susceptible populations.
Dr. Kelly Brown
Dr. Jessica Dennis, MSc, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC | Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Dr. Jessica Dennis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia, and an Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. A genetic epidemiologist by training, Dr. Dennis applies computational methods to large-scale genomic and population health data to identify the basis of human health and disease. She uses a life-course perspective to understand how genes and environment contribute from conception onwards to variation in disease susceptibility, response to treatment, and recovery, so that we may develop precision, patient-centered care. A primary goal of her research is to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying the prenatal and early childhood origins of complex diseases, including psychiatric conditions. Dr. Dennis completed postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto, where she was a fellow in the interdisciplinary CIHR-STAGE Program (Canadian Institutes of Health Research Strategic Training for Advanced Genetic Epidemiology).
Dr. Yvette Drew
Dr. Alison Elliott
Dr. Laura Evgin, PhD
Scientist, BC Cancer | Assistant Professor, UBC |
Our lab uses immune-competent mouse models of lymphoma and other cancers to reverse translate CAR T treatment failure and (1) understand T cell intrinsic and complex microenvironmental interactions, (2) use this information to evaluate novel engineered CAR T cells and combinatorial strategies. We are using novel technologies to generate CAR T cells in vivo and manipulate cell therapies ex vivo.
Read Dr. Evgin’s ECR Spotlight Interview
Dr. Ryan Flannigan, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Urologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UBC | Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York |
Our research is highly collaborative across numerous domains depending upon the clinical problem that we are looking to solve. We are focused in the fields of male reproduction and sexual medicine. Male Reproduction We are interested in understanding the cellular dysfunction that contribute to males with defective spermatogenesis called ‘Non-obstructive azoospermia’. We are looking to apply these findings to develop a regenerative therapy paradigm through precision medicine-based bioengineering. We are also utilizing machine learning to aid in in vitro sperm identification from clinical samples. Sexual Medicine We are working to understand the molecular underpinnings of Peyronie’s disease cellular dysfunction to identify novel therapeutic targets and to screen and develop. We are working to develop digital technology solutions to improve diagnostic, management and systems-based solutions for sexual medicine care. Finally, we are working to develop a new generation of penile implant designs for males suffering for severe erectile dysfunction.
Read Dr. Flannigan’s ECR Spotlight Interview
Dr. Connor Forbes, MD, FRCSC, BC
Assistant Professor, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia | Scientist, Vancouver Prostate Centre | Minimally Invasive Urology, Vancouver Kidney Stone Centre
My translational research focuses on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Kidney Stones. I am interested in multi-omic approaches to assessing molecular pathophysiology of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, including in vitro organoid modelling and assessing patient tissue directly.
Dr. Devon Greyson
Dr. Ilker Hacihaliloglu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, UBC | Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, UBC | Associate Member, School of Biomedical Engineering, UBC
Research focus areas: Artificial intelligence, machine learning, ultrasound, chronic diseases, traumatic brain injury, brain health, and endometriosis, decentralized healthcare solutions.
Translational medicine interests: Generate ideas for community events, workshops, education initiatives and more. Provide a platform for researchers to connect for starting and continuing new collaborations.
Dr. Myeong Jin Ju, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UBC | Assistant Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Applied Science, UBC |
My research area is in biomedical imaging system development and image analysis, with a specific technology concentration on medical imaging and with knowledge translation and applications to preclinical and clinical vision research. Since I started my research career in biomedical engineering, I’ve been focusing on developing novel optical imaging systems and algorithms for quantitatively imaging biological dynamics in the human retina, more specifically, to develop new label-free optical imaging to contrast macro to sub-micrometre modulations in retinal tissue to single cell in vivo/vitro under a variety of pathophysiological challenges. Another my major research focus is to translate the novel technology to clinics, and ultimately benefit the general public. In particular, I’ve been leading one of the clinical research projects related to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) progress at the Vancouver General Hospital Eye Care Centre and a preclinical project for investigating retinal biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease at the Jack Bell Research Centre in collaboration with clinicians and vision scientists. Working with clinicians and vision scientists, I have expanded my understanding of retinal neurodegeneration pathology to a broader context beyond the anatomical structure, including the biochemical, cellular and tissue level factors that form a dynamic system of complex interdependency. Through collaborative research experience, I’ve been able to become a well-balanced independent researcher who explores and solves various clinical questions and clinical needs.
Dr. Ehsan Karim
Dr. Ramon Klein Geltink
Dr. John Kramer
Dr. Calvin Kuo
Dr. Zachary Laksman
Dr. David Liu, MD FRCPC FSIRMD FRCPC FSIR
Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering | Interventional Radiologist, Vancouver Coastal Health | Radiologist, BC Cancer Agency | Volunteer Professor, Miller School of Medicine/University of Miami |
Image guided minimally invasive surgery/procedures Machine learning in medical imaging Point of Care Ultrasound Solid tumor cancers Osteoarthritis Regenerative therapies requiring precision payload delivery (eg Islet Cell Transplantation)
Dr. Jonathan Loree, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Assistant Professor, The University of British Columbia | Medical Oncologist, BC Cancer | Colon Cancer Disease Site Co-Chair, Canadian Cancer Trials Group
Jonathan Loree is a GI Medical Oncologist at BC Cancer and Assistant Professor at The University of British Columbia. His research focus is on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), genomics, predictive biomarkers, clinical trials and health disparities. He serves as the Canadian Cancer Trial Group (CCTG) colon cancer disease site co-chair, co-leads the CommNETs translational research group and is a member of the NANETs guideline committee.
Read Dr. Loree’s ECR Spotlight Interview
Dr. Seth J Parker
Dr. Jonathan Rayment
Dr. Thiviya Selvanathan, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia | Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute | Pediatric Neurologist, BC Children’s Hospital | Affiliate Member, Women’s Hospital Research Institute
https://www.bcchr.ca/tselvanathan
My research uses advanced brain MRI and brain monitoring techniques to identify how early-life brain injury, clinical care in the NICU, and social determinants of health impact neurodevelopment in newborns at high risk for developmental disabilities. Understanding what factors impact brain development may point to new strategies for promoting long-term brain health in high-risk infants. I am also interested in identifying potential brain MRI-based markers of brain health and neurodevelopment that could be used in clinical trials of neuroprotective therapies in preterm and term-born infants with brain injury.
Dr. Dena Shahriari, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, School of Biomedical Engineering, UBC | International Collaborations on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) | Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS)
https://bioauglab.med.ubc.ca/?login
Read Dr. Shahriari’s ECR Spotlight Interview
Dr. Veena Sriram
Dr. Adi Steif, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC | Scientist, Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Research Institute |
The Steif Lab develops and applies computational methods for analysis of large-scale omics datasets. We collaborate with biomedical engineers, molecular biologists and clinicians to advance genomic technology and characterize tumour composition in order to elucidate the mechanisms underlying treatment resistance and cancer progression.
Dr. Tamara Vanderwal
Dr. Daniel Vigo