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Welcome to Pathology's Bi-Weekly Bulletin | January 9, 2026

Thank You for Faculty Service

We would like to thank the following Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine faculty members for their service as adjudicators for Faculty of Medicine award competitions:

• Dr. Yemin Wang – 2025–26 Faculty of Medicine Graduate Student Awards
• Dr. Marcel Bally – 2025–26 Faculty of Medicine Graduate Student Awards
• Dr. Wan Lam – 2025 Killam PDF Research Prize (Faculty of Medicine internal competition)

The Faculty of Medicine Dean’s Office expressed appreciation for their time and expertise, which supports the recognition of outstanding graduate students and postdoctoral fellows across UBC.

Dr. Cheryl Wellington Appointed CIHR Research Advisor

We are pleased to share that Dr. Cheryl Wellington, Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, has been appointed as CIHR Research Advisor to the Vice-President Research & Innovation at UBC.

Dr. Wellington’s appointment runs from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028. In this role, she will serve as UBC’s CIHR delegate and work closely with researchers, Faculty leadership, and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation to support health research and research capacity across the University.

We congratulate Dr. Wellington on this appointment and thank her for her continued leadership and service.

Dr. Li Wang Appointed PaLM Representative to CPD Advisory Council

The Faculty of Medicine Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program is seeking a faculty member from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine to serve on the CPD Advisory Council.

The Advisory Council is a formal Faculty of Medicine council and meets twice per year (spring and fall) for approximately 75 minutes per meeting.

Faculty interested in serving as the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine representative are invited to contact the Department.

New Assistant Professor Appointment

We are pleased to share that Dr. Yasir Mohamud has been appointed Assistant Professor (tenure track) in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Dr. Yasir Mohamud is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and a member of the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation. He previously obtained his Bachelor (2012) and Master of Science (2015) in Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa before completing his Ph.D. training in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (2021). He received the inaugural CIHR Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence Early Career Transition Award in 2023 and has recently opened his research lab at Centre for Heart Lung Innovation.

Dr. Mohamud’s research focuses on better understanding heart failure and viral heart disease, with a particular emphasis on mitochondrial biology and mechanisms of pathological inflammation. A key goal of his work is to elucidate why certain populations are at higher risk for viral-induced cardiac disease. Dr. Mohamud’s work integrates pathology, virology, and immunology to identify novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. He is currently establishing a translational virology laboratory with the goal of linking molecular discoveries to patient-centered outcomes. Dr. Mohamud is enthusiastic about mentoring the next generation of scientists and is actively seeking motivated graduate students to join his new research team.

Amirhossein Bahreyni Receives 2025 James C. Hogg Outstanding Young Investigator Award

Amirhossein Bahreyni, Ph.D. candidate in the Pathology and Medical Laboratory program, has received the 2025 James C. Hogg Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (HLI), University of British Columbia and St. Paul’s Hospital.

This annual award recognizes sustained excellence in research productivity, leadership, and scientific impact. Amir is supervised by Dr. Honglin Luo, and his research focuses on the development of novel and safe anti-cancer virotherapy with the potential for translation into clinical application for breast cancer treatment.

We congratulate Amir on this achievement and wish him continued success in his research.

Graduate Student Milestones

Vriti Bhagat, PhD candidate in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and a CIHR Vanier Scholar, marked several milestones over the past year. These include publishing her first preprint, guest lecturing in two undergraduate courses, and presenting her research on prohormone processing at international and national scientific meetings.

Vriti presented her work at the nPOD Scientific Meeting (Florida), the EASD Annual Meeting (Vienna), and the CIRTN National Meeting (Toronto). Her research is supervised by Dr. Bruce Verchere.

2026 Hecht Foundation Funding Opportunities

The Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation is offering two funding competitions in 2026 for Canadian organizations, focused on cancer and other serious diseases.

Funding streams:
• Basic Research – Proof-of-principle basic and preclinical research, primarily in cancer. Up to $450,000 per project over three years. Learn more
• Clinical Trials – Early-phase, investigator-initiated interventional cancer trials (feasibility, Phase I or II). Up to $1,000,000 per project over five years. Learn more

Eligibility:
Canadian researchers or mixed Canadian/international teams. Trainees may lead applications. Lead applicants must be affiliated with a Canadian qualified research institution.

Key dates:
Letter of Intent due January 31, 2026
Full application (by invitation) due April 1, 2026

For details, visit hecht.org.

St. Paul’s Hospital: From 1894 to a Future-Focused Health Campus

A recent Vancouver Sun feature traces the history of St. Paul’s Hospital from its founding in 1894 by the Sisters of Providence to the construction of the new St. Paul’s Hospital and health campus in the False Creek Flats. The article highlights the hospital’s long role in serving Vancouver’s diverse population and the growing limitations of the aging Burrard Street facility.

The new $2.18-billion St. Paul’s Hospital, expected to open in 2027, is designed to support modern and future clinical care, with single-patient rooms, advanced operating rooms, automated transport systems, and infrastructure built to withstand earthquakes and climate-related risks. A connected research and clinical support centre, scheduled for completion in 2029, aims to strengthen integration between research, innovation, and patient care.

Read the full article (Vancouver Sun)

Faculty Transition

We wish to share that Dr. Morgan Alford, formerly a Lecturer in the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc) Program in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, has taken up a new position at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Alford is now serving as an Assistant Professor of Teaching in Molecular Genetics & Microbiology. We thank her for her contributions to the Department and wish her every success in her new role.

New Publication: Rapid Intraoperative Molecular Diagnosis

Dr. Stephen Yip (Associate Professor) has a new paper exploring whether selected molecular results could be generated quickly enough to support intraoperative decision-making in oncologic neurosurgery (e.g., calling IDH-mutated vs. wild-type during surgery, rather than a broader “glioma” category). The paper also reviews current technologies for rapid intraoperative molecular diagnosis.

Read the paper on ScienceDirect

In Memory of Dr. Glen Tibbits (1949–2025)

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Glen Tibbits, a former Affiliate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, who died on November 10, 2025, following a three-year battle with ALS. Dr. Tibbits held an affiliate appointment with the Department until 2022.

Dr. Tibbits was a Distinguished Professor at Simon Fraser University, with joint appointments in Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, and a co-director of the Cellular and Regenerative Medicine Centre at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. A pioneering cardiac physiologist, his work advanced understanding of inherited cardiac disease and contributed to improved diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening arrhythmias. He was also a dedicated mentor whose influence shaped the careers of many trainees.

Beyond his scientific contributions, Dr. Tibbits will be remembered for his generosity, humour, love of travel, and the strong sense of community he fostered among colleagues, students, and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held on January 24, 2026, at Simon Fraser University, with both in-person and livestream options available.

Read the obituary