Pictured: Dr. Erin Michalak. Image credit: Paul Joseph/UBC.
Congratulations
World Health Organization
Research from Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose and colleagues has informed the new WHO guidelines for risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia. Read the guidelines at who.int.
Related: WHO issues first advice on dementia: exercise and don’t smoke (REUTERS).
CIHR Gold Leaf Award
CREST.BD Network and Dr. Erin Michalak Recognized by CIHR for Transformation in Patient Engagement.
Related: Erin Michalak and CREST.BD awarded CIHR Gold Leaf Prize (CREST.BD).
CIHR New Frontiers in Research
Designed by the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC), the New Frontiers in Research Fund includes an investment of $275 million over five years, and $65 million ongoing, to support international, interdisciplinary, fast-breaking and high-risk research. Read more at research.ubc.ca.
- Dr. Mark Cembrowski: Generation and application of novel molecular biosensor in fear memory
- Dr. Julie Robillard: SOcial Co-creation of Robotic Aging TEchnologieS (SOCRATES)
NSERC Discovery Grants
The NSERC Discovery Grants Program supports ongoing programs of research with long-term goals rather than a single short-term project or collection of projects. Twelve members of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at the University of British Columbia received Discovery Grant funding in the most recent competition.
- Dr. Lara Boyd: Controllable Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator for Mapping Cortical Circuitry
- Dr. Brian Christie: Bidirectional Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Aging Brain.
- Dr. Kalina Christoff: Dynamic brain network interactions underlying human thought and spontaneous cognition
- Dr. Adele Diamond: Improving Executive Functions
- Dr. James Enns: Visual Perception and Attention
- Dr. Liisa Galea: Hormones and Learning and Memory
- Dr. Stan Floresco: Prefrontal-subcortical circuitry underlying cognitive flexibility
- Dr. Shannon Kolind: Creation of an atlas to study the role of myelin in normal brain function
- Dr. Joanne Matsubara: Regulation of inflammasome activity by a classic anti-apoptotic protein, XIAP
- Dr. Miriam Spering: Human eye movements as a model of visual prediction
- Dr. Wolfram Tetzlaff: Circuit-level control of forelimb motor behaviour and plasticity following injury
- Dr. Cheryl Wellington: Brain Vascular Tissue Engineering
MSFHR Implementation Science Team Project Grant recipients
- Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose: Implementing An Evidence-Based Exercise Program To Reduce Falls In Community-Dwelling Older Adults
CIHR Vanier Scholarship recipients
- Hong Lu (PI: Dr. Ann Marie Craig): Characterizing the roles of synapse organizers in mediating synaptic function and brain-based diseases
Related: Vanier Scholar Hong Lu finds his way in the details
- Wissam Nassrallah (PI: Dr. Lynn Raymond): Neuroprotective Effect of Sigma-1 Receptor and Activin A on Synaptic Function and Calcium Handling in Huntington’s Disease
Graduation 2019
- Faculty members honoured at the Academic Gowns and Emeriti Recognition Ceremony (Faculty of Medicine)
- Meet Jennifer Cooper (Faculty of Medicine)
- Alumni Spotlight: Meet Catriona Hippman (Faculty of Medicine)
So proud of my former @UBC @NeuroscienceUBC student, Meagan Auger, finalizing her doctorhood pic.twitter.com/vLSq0aIKAA
— Stan Floresco (@dr_stan) May 22, 2019
March: defend thesis April: get job offer May: convocation. It was a long road but I’m happy to wear a funny hat and know that I earned it! pic.twitter.com/V56GSRu0xE
— Shaina Cahill (@shainacahill) May 23, 2019
@UBC‘s been really good to me. It’s bittersweet to say farewell to this beautiful place & all the beautiful souls here who have helped me grow & believe in a brighter future.
But as part of this journey, I’m excited for the next chapter & hope to establish a new home @ @Stanford pic.twitter.com/8jh10IsNGQ— Leili Mortazavi (@LeiliMortazavi) May 26, 2019
Twitter highlights
I’m very impressed with the work underway at the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre at UBC’s Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health pic.twitter.com/6Zmdd4PIFZ
— Santa J. Ono (@ubcprez) May 16, 2019
Starting the Neurophotonics symposium @CAN_ACN. Full house! Here featuring @kurthaas4 and @ed_ruthazer, the creme de la creme of ???????? neuroscience! pic.twitter.com/z2mZJPqKhf
— Sheena Josselyn (@sjo09) May 22, 2019
“I find learning very rewarding,” says Emily. “And what’s cooler than learning about learning?” Congratulations to Emily Wang, a volunteer in @dr_swayne‘s lab, who is going to the @CIHR_IRSC Canadian National Brain Bee comp in #Hamilton this weekend https://t.co/vnahnjM6O7 #yyj pic.twitter.com/rQG34GiyuD
— UVic Division of Medical Sciences (@UVicMedSciences) May 23, 2019
Congratulations to UBC’s Dr. Erin Michalak for winning the CIHR Gold Leaf Prize for Transformation https://t.co/EObEHFlcqX
— Santa J. Ono (@ubcprez) May 25, 2019
Quandt lab members were stars presenting their @MSSocietyCanada funded work @ubcpathology day @UBCmedicine May 24th – so proud of this fantastic team! #toppresenter #greatwork pic.twitter.com/7ieU9x1RcJ
— Jacquie Quandt (@jacquiequandt) May 27, 2019
Media
- Loot boxes look a lot like gambling, UBC study finds (UBC News, May 1)
- Heart attack risk found to be higher for people with multiple sclerosis (VCHRI, May 1)
- New funding for cannabis research offers MS patients hope for the future (The London Free Press, May 1)
- April 2019 Award Winners (Science in the City, May 1)
- New research suggests no mental health benefits to eating your placenta (UBC Faculty of Medicine, May 2)
- B.C. study finds no mental health benefits to eating human placenta (Vancouver Sun, May 2)
- Socioeconomic status associated with impact of brain injury on preterm babies (SickKids, May 3)
- UBC researchers warn about video game loot boxes (Global News, May 3)
- Episode 54: Understanding Brain Imaging in Parkinson’s Disease (Parkinson’s: Substantial Matters, May 7)
- Super Awesome Science Show: The science of moms (Global News, May 7)
- Stress can lead to heart failure (Canadian Light Source, May 8)
- ‘Smart Drugs’ features experiment among those fuelled by need to succeed (National Post, May 9)
- Dr. Kalina Christoff appointed Interim Director of the Peter Wall Institute (PWAIS, May 9)
- Train your brain: How to keep your mind young (Spectator, May 11)
- UBC researchers collaborate to improve equity in child health (UBC Psychology, May 14)
- Neuroscience should take sex differences in the brain more seriously (Massive Science, May 15)
- #AANAM — Gut Bacteria May Play Role in Pediatric MS, Studies Suggest (Multiple Sclerosis Today, May 16)
- Examining ethical issues surrounding wearable brain devices marketed to consumers (Medical Xpress, May 22)
- Keep Your Brain Sharp (Good Times Magazine, May 22)
- Swayne Lab Volunteer Heads to National Neuroscience Competition (UVic Medical Sciences, May 23)
- Neuroethicists warn of extraordinary claims from ‘neurowearables’ (CBC Quirks & Quarks, May 24)
- New approaches to study the genetics of autism spectrum disorder may lead to new therapies (Medical Xpress, May 24)
- The risky use of video game ‘loot boxes’ is associated with problematic gambling behaviors (PsyPost, May 25)
- Publications of the Week: Emily Button, Wellington Lab (Science in the City, May 27)
- New Pannexin 1 research could shed light on neurodevelopmental disorders (UVic Medical Sciences, May 27)
- ‘A cavalier approach’: Experts urge the companies behind brain wearables to rein in their claims (STAT, May 28)
- The most effective therapies for treating bipolar disorder (Psych Central, May 30)
Did we miss something? Do you have a story tip? We want to hear from you! Send your research highlights, upcoming publications, trainee successes, and funding and awards news to emily.wight@brain.ubc.ca.
