Kizhakkedathu’s polymer lab is on the road to generating universal donor red blood cells
Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are vital for the treatment of a number of acute and chronic medical problems. Identification of donor RBCs that match the prospective recipient who requires transfusion is occasionally difficult, placing the patient at risk if a match is not available. At present no method is available for the generation of […]
Isis Carter
Q: Why did you decide to study at UBC? A: I decided to study at UBC because Brad and I were moving to Vancouver to be close to family. I had previously worked at the NZ Blood Service and was very interested in coagulation so when Cedric told me about the CBR it sounded like […]
Jessica Tamura-Wells, Summer Intern 2010
Jessica is a second year science student. She worked in the Pryzdial Lab this summer. “I’m learning so much and everyone in the lab is really great,” Jessica said. “I can’t imagine working in the science field without this kind of hands-on experience.
Stephanie Sellers
My association with the Centre for Blood Research began in 2008, when I started working on my MSc. and was fortunate to receive a two-year studentship. This was a part of the CBR’s Strategic Training Program in Transfusion Science facilitated by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. […]
Dr. Norman Bethune – A leading figure in transfusion medicine
CBR Norman Bethune Blood Transfusion Symposium is opening in March 2012. “I have an idea – I think we should organize an ambulant blood transfusion service.” Norman Bethune, 1936. Dr. Norman Bethune (1890-1939) was a Canadian physician who promoted universal access to health care and created the first mobile blood collection and distribution system, the […]
Challenging dogma: Jefferies and colleagues uncover new insights into the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). A UBC team led by CBR investigator Dr. Wilf Jefferies has performed studies in mice and humans that challenge current dogma and reveal new ideas as to the underlying cause of the brain dysfunction. They show […]
Second Annual CBR Research Day
On August 18, 2011, over 120 students, staff and faculty from the CBR gathered at the Life Sciences Centre at UBC for a stimulating afternoon of science and socializing. All the reserach themes and core facilities of the CBR were well represented from the most fundamental labs to the clinic. Summer students and their ever-supportive […]
Protein-protein interaction maps: The Kast lab devises novel approaches to analyze the vast amounts of data
Mapping protein-protein interactions is critical for deciphering complex cellular functions. For this reason, high performance mass spectrometers have been developed, allowing investigators to analyze hundreds of thousands of peptides from thousands of proteins. There is, however, a stumbling block: The ability to generate data in proteomic experiments far outstrips the ability to analyze it. As […]
Blood and guts: McNagny’s team identifies novel pathways involved in inflammatory bowel disease
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that is increasing in prevalence, and is characterized by weight loss, diarrhea, bleeding and fever. The disorder features invasion of the intestinal wall with the white blood cells, distortion of normal glanduloar structures, and multiple abscesses. Although it is known that altered regulation of the immune response […]
Hancock laboratory seeks novel anti-infective therapeutic strategies
Infectious diseases are responsible for a third of all deaths on the planet, and current therapeutifc approaches are under severe threat due to antibiotic resistance. The laboratory of CBR member Bob Hancock is engaged in research to address this growing problem. By using systems biology approaches to understand the mechanisms of action of antimicrobial petides […]