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Welcome to Pathology's Bi-Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025

UBC Micro-certificate in Health Data Analytics – Free Online

Join the upcoming information session about the new UBC Micro-certificate in Health Data Analytics, designed for healthcare professionals and researchers. Meet program instructors, learn about the curriculum and outcomes, and find out how this training can enhance your career or organization. The micro-certificate includes three four-week online courses combining independent study with live sessions.

Details:
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: Free
  • Instructors: Dr. Anita Palepu, Dr. Raymond Ng, Dr. Rob Bergen, Dr. Lianping (Mint) Ti, Dr. Leon Ruocco

Link: Register for the session

 

 

Weekly Province-wide Pathology Rounds

🩺 Weekly Rounds Update

Please note: Province-wide Pathology Rounds have now concluded for the 2024-2025 Season – have a fun-filled summer!.

Province-wide Pathology Rounds for the 2025-2026 Season will begin on Friday, September 5, 2025 – a calendar invitation will be coming soon!

🔁 Missed a session? View recordings of previous rounds here: Past Rounds Archive

💡 Have ideas for future rounds or speakers? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at pathassist@pathology.ubc.ca
Students in class listening to a lecturer

Dr. Cheryl Wellington Featured on CBC: Brain Injuries and Intimate Partner Violence

Dr. Cheryl Wellington, Professor and Vice Chair of Research in our department, was featured on CBC’s Early Edition and four other CBC morning shows across B.C. discussing her team’s critical research on brain injuries in survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). She highlighted UBC’s leadership in advancing diagnostics, rehabilitation, and advocacy in this area.

▶ Watch Dr. Cheryl Wellington on CBC: Brain Injuries & Intimate Partner Violence

Students in class listening to a lecturer

Dr. Philipp Lange's Lab Featured in The Analytical Scientist

Dr. Philipp Lange, Associate Professor, Dept of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC and Investigator at the Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program, was interviewed about his lab's National Personalized Proteomics Pipeline for pediatric cancer treatment. The project represents a collaborative effort supported by the Canadian National Proteomics Network, ACCESS, and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute.

Read the full article here
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Three Department Faculty Members Awarded CIHR Project Grants

Dr. Honglin Luo, Dr. Aly Karsan, and Dr. Katey Enfield, from Pathology and Laboratory Medicine were among 45 UBC Faculty of Medicine researchers awarded over $40 million in Canadian Institutes of Health Research funding. Dr. Enfield's project focuses on developing biomarkers of immunotherapy response in lung cancer, Dr. Karsan will study hematopoietic stem cell aging, and Dr. Luo will investigate novel therapeutic strategies for viral myocarditis. Congratulations!

Full announcement and full list of awardees
Students in class listening to a lecturer

Three Department Faculty Members Receive Federal Research Funding

Dr. Ali Bashashati, Dr. Ying Wang, and Dr. Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu from Pathology and Laboratory Medicine were among 35 UBC Faculty of Medicine researchers awarded funding through federal research granting agencies. Dr. Bashashati received an NSERC Discovery Grant for machine learning integration in cancer diagnosis, Dr. Wang was awarded funding for microscope equipment replacement, and Dr. Kizhakkedathu received New Frontiers funding for novel vascular device technology to prevent bloodstream infections.

Full announcement and full list of awardees/a>
Students in class listening to a lecturer

Dr. Diana Ionescu Co-Awarded CIHR Grant for HPV FOCAL LEGACY Study

Congratulations to Dr. Diana Ionescu, Clinical Professor, UBC Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, and Consultant Pathologist at BC Cancer, for her role as co-applicant on the newly funded CIHR Project Grant: HPV FOCAL LEGACY. This 5-year study, led by Dr. Gina Ogilvie, will evaluate long-term outcomes in cervical cancer prevention using data from the FOCAL trial. The project received over $1.28 million in federal funding and aims to inform national screening strategies. 👏 Well done, Diana!
Students in class listening to a lecturer

Lockwood Lab Identifies Key Driver of Drug Resistance in Lung Cancer

Dr. William Lockwood and his team at BC Cancer have discovered how lung adenocarcinoma cells develop resistance to EGFR inhibitors. Their study, published in Oncogene, highlights the role of the protein ILK in helping cancer cells survive treatment. Targeting ILK could improve outcomes for patients.

▶ Read more at BC Cancer

▶ View publication in Oncogene
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Dr. Tara Spence Completes Faculty Emerging Leaders Program

We are happy to congratulate Dr. Tara Spence, Clinical Assistant Professor, on completing the 2025 Faculty Emerging Leaders Program (FELP). Over six months, Dr. Spence engaged with colleagues across UBC’s Faculty of Medicine to explore key areas of academic leadership, including wellbeing, equity, conflict resolution, and strategic decision-making. Well done, Tara, on this achievement and your continued commitment to leadership development!
Students in class listening to a lecturer

First Preprint from PhD Student Vriti Bhagat

Congratulations to PhD candidate Vriti Bhagat (Verchere Lab, BCCHR) on her first preprint! Her study shows that elevated plasma proinsulin and PI:C ratios can predict type 1 diabetes onset in NOD mice—pointing to potential biomarkers for early detection.

▶ Read the preprint

Pathology Picks:

Here are some additional reads you might be interested in:

  • Enhancing Active Learning through Generative AI: Personalization, Creativity, and Real-Time Feedback in Higher Education
    Participants will experiment with AI tools to create prompts, simulate real-time feedback, and generate context-specific discussion questions and case studies.
    Register here
  • Academic Integrity and AI
    This workshop will explore academic integrity in an age of increased availability and capability of GenAI tools. It will review current frameworks, what instructors can do in their courses to continue to ensure learning rigor and measure learning outcomes, review UBC’s guidelines around the use of GenAI tools, and reflect student experiences and views. It will also highlight the resources available at UBC.
    Register here
  • Course Design Intensive – August 2025
    The CDI is a three-week workshop that combines synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. In the first week, you’ll engage in independent reading and reflection through guided activities on Canvas. We’ll then meet in person on August 11 to share insights and consolidate our learning.
    Register here
  • UBC Farm’s Saturday CSA Program
    Program Dates: June 10 – October 25
    Pick-up Time: Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
    Skip the line and enjoy a weekly box of fresh veggies!.
    Register here
  • Yoga on the Mall
    Yoga on the Mall is a free, inclusive outdoor yoga series hosted weekly at Fairview Commons on UBC’s Main Mall every Wednesday from July 9 to August 14, 2025. Open to students, faculty, staff, Musqueam, UNA residents, and the wider UBC community, the event promotes wellness, mindfulness, and social connection.
    View more

📣 Have News to Share?

Do you have a story, publication, award, event, or other exciting update to share with the UBC Pathology community?

We’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to Debbie Bertanjoli at dbertanjoli@pathology.ubc.ca.

Let’s celebrate our collective achievements and keep our community connected!