The Box
At the Centre for Blood Research, my research typically embraces out-of-the-box thinking, addressing biological problems from an open-minded standpoint to gain novel insights. However, recently, I was forced to focus on what’s inside the box, namely the Canadian Blood Services box for transporting human blood products.
Paradigm Shifts in Cell Wall Biogenesis Understanding
Antibiotic resistance has become a major issue in recent years, and is believed to be directly linked to the livestock industry which accounts for ~80% of antibiotic use in North America. Frighteningly, this is expected to rise by nearly 70% globally by 2030.
Gene-trap Mutagenesis Identifies a Crucial Role for a Cryptic Member of the ABC Superfamily
The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) super-family of proteins is one of the largest families of proteins to have representatives in all living organisms from prokaryotes to humans.
CBR Research Day 2018: In Review
On Thursday, August 16, the Centre for Blood Research hosted their annual Research Day, an afternoon event recognizing the achievements of those involved in the CBR Summer Studentship Program. The program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to undertake a basic or clinic research project by partnering with CBR researchers.
Profile: Rhys Watson
Rhys participated in the CBR Job Shadow Program back in February 2017, working closely with Bryan Lin and Frank Lee, PhD candidates from the Pryzdial lab. Read on to find out more about Rhys, his learning experience at CBR, and his advice in engaging with people living with Hemophilia A.
2018 Neil Mackenzie Mentorship Excellence Award
The Neil Mackenzie Mentorship Award is given annually to honour the memory of Dr. Neil Mackenzie, a postdoctoral fellow formerly in Dr. Dieter Bromme’s lab. Dr. Neil Mackenzie was an excellent mentor within the Centre for Blood Research (CBR)…
CBR Summer Students Visit NetCAD!
Did you know that only 4% of Canadians donate blood? With thousands of British Columbians needing blood every day, units for transfusions cannot simply be taken off the shelf for research…
ECOSCOPE: Engaging the Next Generation of Academic Entrepreneurs
If you are like me, exploring a world outside of academia, namely, a career in the biotechnology industry, is very appealing. ECOSCOPE is UBC’s first training program that tries to bridge the gap between research, training, and innovation within the start-up space by promoting opportunities for grad students to work with founders on R&D projects.
SCWIST Wonderwoman Networking 2018
Searching for off campus networking opportunities? Considering a career in industry in BC? This post introduces the Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) annual Wonderwoman Networking Event.
The Work of a Bloodsmith: Progress in the Quest for Complete Blood Substitutes
There is an increasing global effort to reduce the demand for blood donations through the development of blood substitutes – synthetically derived molecules and materials which can recapitulate the functional role of blood. These substitutes, however, cannot recapitulate the full array of physiologic functions carried out by whole blood.