Writing by Deepesh Panwar from the Brumer Lab, Michael Smith Laboratories This is the second article in our Past, Present and Future series, where we explore the journeys of inspiring […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
It turns out those cellulose-based thickening agents found in common foods can be digested. Researchers at the University of British Columbia have shown that our gut bacteria can feed on […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
For Karen Reid, every action is vital for the ripple effect needed to shift to more sustainable choices. Operations Manager at the Michael Smith Laboratories (MSL), Karen brings a strong environmental passion rooted in her diverse research background, ranging from working with soil bacteria and ocean viruses, to plant and tree genomics. | www.msl.ubc.ca
Introduction by Santanu Sasidharan from the Tokuriki Lab, Michael Smith Laboratories Behind every success and research breakthrough lies a story of curiosity, persistence, setbacks, and moments of discovery. In today’s […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Three of our MSL faculty members are involved in projects recently funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant: Spring 2025 competition. These newly funded projects will advance health research in several disciplines, including cardiac health, cellular therapy development, and pandemic preparedness.| www.msl.ubc.ca
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In the News| www.msl.ubc.ca
Dr. Thibault Mayor (MSL, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology), together with a large team of collaborators including MSL’s Dr. Leonard Foster and Dr. David Ng, is launching a new interdisciplinary graduate […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) announced today a total of $589.7 million of research funding awarded through the Discovery Research Program. $48.6 million of this funding […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
By Sarah Anderson, PhD| www.msl.ubc.ca
Departments| www.msl.ubc.ca
Dr. Brett Finlay has been awarded the 2024 John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award, recognizing his outstanding mentorship of the trainees in his lab. This award, holding a […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
We are excited to congratulate Credo Casmil and Ayşe Erdoğan for receiving the 2024-2025 William and Dorothy Gilbert Scholarship in Biomedical Sciences. This award, established in 1995 by Professor Terrance […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
The Michael Smith Laboratories Pathway to Independence Award aims to support the research and career development of outstanding MSL Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates, and we are excited to congratulate the three individuals who were selected for this award in 2025. They will lead new projects aligned with their future career research focuses, which could lead to the generation of preliminary data for future grant applications to external funding agencies.| www.msl.ubc.ca
Departments| www.msl.ubc.ca
Three research projects lead or co-investigated by Dr. Peter Zandstra (MSL, School of Biomedical Engineering) have been awarded a total of $702,000 from the Stem Cell Network. This round of […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
When Seyed Amirhossein Nasseri began his graduate studies at UBC, the destination wasn’t entirely clear—but the direction was. “I didn’t always know what I wanted to research,” Nasseri recalls. “What […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Dr. James Piret (left) and Dr. Alina Kunitskaya (right).| www.msl.ubc.ca
The lab of Dr. Sabrina Leslie (MSL, Physics and Astronomy; SBME affiliate member) brings together researchers and approaches from physics and biology to drive forward the field of nanomedicine. Their […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
As the world marks World Immunization Week, attention turns once again to the lifesaving power of vaccines.| www.msl.ubc.ca
Writing and figure by Santanu Sasidharan from the Tokuriki Lab, Michael Smith Laboratories From towering white pines to the tiniest microbes, all life forms on Earth share a common […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Writing and diagram by Deepesh Panwar from the Brumer Lab, Michael Smith Laboratories Blood transfusion and organ transplantation are cornerstones of modern medicine, saving millions of lives each year. […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
A new approach to drug design can deliver medicine directly to the gut in mice at significantly lower doses than current inflammatory bowel disease treatments.| www.msl.ubc.ca
The Last of Us is back on April 13 and this season is more realistic than ever.| www.msl.ubc.ca
MSL faculty members Drs. Marco Marra and Peter Zandstra have been recognized for their impactful research by the Killam Trusts. Dr. Marra (MSL, Department of Medical Genetics) was awarded the Killam Prize in Health Sciences, and Dr. Zandstra (MSL, School of Biomedical Engineering) was awarded the Killam Prize in Engineering.| www.msl.ubc.ca
Researchers from BC Cancer and the University of British Columbia (UBC) have discovered that certain bacteria found in breast tumours could be linked to metastasis, or the spread of cancer […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Written by Drs. Phil Hieter and Hugo J. Bellen It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 to 12,000 rare diseases affecting more than 20 million people in the […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Dr. Marco Marra (Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Medical Genetics), through his role as the Terry Fox Leader in Cancer Genome Science, played a key role in announcing the ‘Finish […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Dr. Snutch’s ground-breaking translational research focuses on Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), a devastating neurodegenerative disease. Employing animal models, his research aims to test the effectiveness of Z944, a Stage 3 drug that his lab designed to address hyperexcitability in neurons, a feature linked to FTD dementia progression. If successful, this research could potentially pave the way for a promising therapeutic option for FTD patients within just 2-3 years.| www.msl.ubc.ca
February 11, 2025 marks the 10th annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, this day celebrates the importance of diversity in […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Two collaborative research projects by Drs. Leonard Foster and Wilfred Jefferies have received priority announcement funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant: Fall 2024 competition. Both projects focus on disease prevention, developing and testing new approaches to protect against Mpox and malaria.| www.msl.ubc.ca
We are excited to extend our congratulations to Dane Sands and Xianya Qu, the 2024-25 recipients of the Zymeworks Fellowship in Advanced Protein Therapeutics. The award, created in part in […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Writing and photography by Ashleigh Willis from the Miller Lab, Michael Smith Laboratories Sarah Ebert, a PhD candidate in the Miller lab at the Michael Smith Laboratories and the […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Dr. Marco Marra.| www.msl.ubc.ca
Writing and photography by Michelle Ng from the Marra Lab, Michael Smith Laboratories Our website states that the Michael Smith Laboratories is “where biotechnology research and educational outreach converge […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Writing and photography by Fangwu Wang from the Hirst Lab, Michael Smith Laboratories Reflecting on the history of the Nobel Prize, many of the most impactful discoveries in the […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
It is with heartfelt congratulations that we share that Dr. Marco Marra has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C.). This honour, bestowed upon over 7,600 Canadians […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
Research from Dr. Harry Brumer’s lab deepens our understanding of how a bacterium breaks down dietary fibre There are trillions of bacteria in the human gut microbiome. When we eat […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
On December 1, 2024, a bronze portrait of Dr. Michael Smith was unveiled in the Science World main lobby. The portrait honours his legacy in BC and across Canada, not […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories
We are excited to extend our congratulations to Jorge Holguín Cruz, a recent Master’s graduate from the lab of Dr. Jörg Gsponer (Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular […]| Welcome | Michael Smith Laboratories