Michael Yuchi and Roger Page

On Friday, October 17, 2014, at a well-attended ceremony at the Life Sciences Centre at UBC, the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) presented the Michael John Page Postdoctoral Fellow Award to Dr. Michael Yuchi.

Michael Yuchi

Michael Yuchi was born in China, starting his science career at Fudan University, where he completed his B.Sc. After an internship in Shanghai at Coca-Cola Ltd, he headed to McMaster University, where he “collaborated with a local biotech company to use anti-freeze protein to improve the flavor of ice cream”. With other similar and even more challenging accomplishments, Michael achieved his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. He next completed a post-doc at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, rubbing shoulders with James Watson, and since 2010 has been a PDF at UBC, examining the structure and function of ion channels. Beyond science, Michael’s passion is football, and during the award ceremony, he ably and visually demonstrated the similarities between football and science! Clearly, Michael Yuchi is a worthy recipient of the Michael Page Award!

About Michael Page

Michael John Page was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario where he graduated from Port Arthur Collegiate in 1994.  He attended Carleton University in Ottawa graduating with his B.Sc. in Biochemistry in 1998, after which he entered the UBC Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduate program under Ross MacGillivray’s supervision. During his graduate studies, his fellow students recognized Mike’s achievements by selecting him for the prestigious 2001 Zbarsky Prize.  He then completed a highly productive postdoctoral fellowship studying the biological activity of thrombin with Dr. Enrico Di Cera at Washington University in St. Louis, and in 2010, moved to a junior faculty position at the University of California, San Francisco, mentored by Dr. Charles Craik. Tragically, Mike died suddenly in June 2013 at age 36, leaving a legacy of a thirst for knowledge and a love of life. This annual award is in his honour.

Special thanks to the Page Family and to New England Biolabs for their generous support.