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Welcome to Pathology's Bi-Weekly Bulletin | Jan 10, 2025

Weekly Province-wide Pathology Rounds

Date: Friday, January 10, 12:00PM
Presentation Title: "New Approaches Towards Anti-Clotting Therapeutics, Surfaces and Anticoagulant Neutralizing Agents"
Presenter: Dr. Jay Kizhakkedathu

Learning objectives: • Understanding on the influence of biological polyanions such as polyphosphate, extracellular nucleic acids in thrombosis and inflammation • Novel strategies in the design of antithrombotic therapeutics and antithrombotic surfaces without bleeding challenges • Development of a universal heparin reversal agent utilizing charge switching polycation design.

You can also view previous rounds here. Rounds.

We welcome your participation and suggestions for topics or speakers. Please email your ideas to pathassist@pathology.ubc.ca.

The same Zoom link will be used for all rounds: Join Zoom Meeting
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/61199076992?pwd=3Ix1R2FwPB9rwimuOEfPmfhaO6onAa.1
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Graduate Student Achievements

Cyril Helbling, a PhD student in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, has been recognized with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (HLI) for his research and contributions. Cyril's 2024 accomplishments include:

  • Four-Year Doctoral Fellowship: A prestigious UBC scholarship supporting top PhD students.
  • Michael Noble Family Award in Laboratory Quality: Received for his poster presentation at Pathology Day 2024.
  • First Place – Oral Presentation at HLI Research Day: Recognized for his work on seed amplification assays as diagnostic tools for synucleinopathies.
  • CNPN Trainee Abstract Award: Honored for his abstract on α-synuclein proteoforms at the CNPN 2024 conference in Whistler.

Congratulations to Cyril on his exceptional achievements!

Graduate Studies: New Summer Course Announcement

Dr. David Granville has been working with the PALM Curriculum Committee to design a new course offering called "PATH 548T: Biotechnology - Translation and Commercialization of Research", 2 credits. The course aims to provide a basic introduction and understanding as to the steps pertaining to translating promising research discoveries through clinical trials and into the market. The course is planned to run 3 hours per week between May - July.

More information will be posted soon, but if you are in need of credits, keep this course in mind if it aligns with your needs!

Graduate Studies: PALM Curriculum Committee Role

We are seeking Faculty members to join our Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee
Committee members serve on the PALM GS Curriculum Committee and oversee the policy development and steering of the PALM Graduate Program Curriculum and Courses.
Committee members are responsible for attending quarterly meetings and actively participating in policy and curriculum review as well as development and steering the program in an ever-evolving educational landscape. We aim to maintain an evolving curriculum and a positive student experience of instruction while preparing our graduate students for success in their research at UBC and beyond.
We ask Committee members participate on the committee for no less than two years. The faculty members may hold either clinical or non-clinical appointments, but the majority of members should be members of the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and/or be recently or currently training, supervising, or teaching graduate students.
Time commitment depends on the number of meetings (normally 3-4 per year @ 1.5 hours) with occasional item review outside of meetings.

Please contact the Chair of Curriculum Committee, Dr. Jacqueline Quandt, if you are interested in this role.

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Departmental Research Featured in The American Journal of Pathology

The innovative work of Dr. Ali Bashashati, Director of AI Research at BC Cancer and UBC, was recently featured in The American Journal of Pathology. This collaborative effort, supported by Dr. David Schaeffer and team members Pouya Ahmadvand and Hossein Farahani, highlights the power of AI in advancing pancreatic cancer diagnostics.

The study presents a deep learning model capable of identifying molecular subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) using routine H&E-stained biopsy slides. This approach is a rapid and cost-effective alternative to traditional genomic methods, offering exciting possibilities for improving clinical outcomes and personalized treatments.

Read more about this achievement: Press Release: Elsevier News and Full Article: AJP Study
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Acknowledgment for Dr. Wan Lam and Dr. Leandro Venturutti

The Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Wan Lam and Dr. Leandro Venturutti for their valuable contributions to adjudication processes this year.

Dr. Wan Lam was acknowledged by the Faculty of Medicine Dean’s Office and Vice Dean, Research, Dr. Robert McMaster, for his role in adjudicating the 2024 Killam PDF Research Prize (internal competition).

Dr. Leandro Venturutti was likewise acknowledged for his participation in the adjudication of the Faculty of Medicine 2024-25 Graduate Student Awards competition.

We are grateful for their dedication and the time they devoted to supporting the recognition of achievements among postdoctoral fellows and graduate students in the UBC community. Their contributions reflect the department's ongoing commitment to fostering excellence and mentorship. Thank you both for your exemplary service!

New Publications by Faculty Members
Students in class listening to a lecturer
Students in class listening to a lecturer

Reminder: Last Chance to Register!
Tomorrow at 12:00 PM is the final deadline to register for the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Annual Seasonal Celebration on January 17, 2025.

We’d love to see you there to celebrate together with faculty, staff, and students. It’s a great opportunity to connect, relax, and enjoy some festive cheer as we kick off the new year.

📅 Date: Friday, January 17, 2025
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: MSAC - 2750 Heather Street
✉️ Please RSVP by January 10th so we can make proper arrangements 🔗 Registration
❓ Questions? Contact Donald Kinloch at pathassist@pathology.ubc.ca

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