Facilitated Access to Drug Safety Information via the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are the main cause of poor health outcomes and death. Gisladottir et al. (2025) led a research project examining the use of large language models (LLMs) in drug safety research. LLMs are artificial intelligence systems trained on vast amounts of text to generate human-like language. ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), Llama (Large Language Model Meta AL), and Mixtral are examples of LLMs that were tested in this study. Gisladottir et al. compared the capacity of the mentioned LLMs to pre-existing technologies in retrieving drug safety information from Structured Product Labelling (SPL).
Exploring the Role of Talin Autoinhibition in Platelet Aggregation and Hemostasis
A collaborative project between the Tanentzapf and Kim labs investigated how the disruption of talin regulation affects platelets and hemostasis 1.
UBC enzyme technology clears first human test toward universal donor organs for transplantation
This article was originally posted on the UBC News website and reposted here. UBC-developed enzymes successfully converted a kidney to universal type O for transplant, marking a major step toward faster, more compatible organ donations. The first successful human transplant of a kidney converted from blood type A to universal type O used special enzymes […]
Unlocking a mystery: How a healthy microbiome protects babies from chronic inflammation
This story is re-published from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research website. Photos credited to Phillip Chin. Link to original story: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/54370.html. Why does a sanitized environment protect us from infections but seem to increase the chances of developing chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and eczema? Why does exposure to some bacteria appear to […]
Could AI and lab-grown sperm solve male infertility?
This article originally posted on the UBC Faculty of Medicine website and reposted here. Using 3D bioprinting and other cutting-edge technologies, a team of UBC researchers led by Dr. Ryan Flannigan is bringing new hope to men with a severe form of infertility When Nivan Sharma imagines his future, it always includes children. But the third-year medical […]
UBC Medicine innovators join HATCH Venture Builder to develop transformative health solutions
Three start-up ventures founded by faculty of medicine community members have joined UBC’s HATCH Venture Builder to help bring innovative health solutions from the lab into the clinic.
Unconventional secretion of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease opens the door for new extracellular biology in viral infection
In a recent Cell Reports paper from the Overall Lab, Grin et al. reveal the unconventional secretion of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, 3CLpro, from infected cells into the extracellular milieu through gasdermin (GSDM)-D and GSDME pores activated by caspases.
Too Much of a Good Thing? Iron’s Role in Accelerating Myelodysplastic Syndromes
In a recent Blood commentary, Dr. Heather Leitch from the CBR highlights groundbreaking research from Antypiuk et al2 that links iron overload with the worsening of MDS symptoms, including bone marrow failure and increased risk of leukemia.
Lay Science Writing Competition 2024: Understanding graft versus host disease (GvHD)
In this blog, Katerina Rosenflanz, the author of the first-prize winning entry, provides some behind-the-scenes insights into the preparation of her LSWC submission.
The Role of Filamin A in Blood Clotting: How Platelets Change Shape to Stop Bleeding
The Kim lab in the CBR has been studying how platelets change shape, specifically focusing on a protein called Filamin A (FLNA), which plays a crucial role in the shape-shifting process.