DR. YONGJIN PARK NAMED CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

🔹 Dr. Granville's Newest Published Work on Granzymes in Nature Reviews Rheumatology
This work, done in collaboration with viDA Therapeutics, delves into the impact of granzymes on various immune-mediated conditions and discusses the development of new therapeutics for treating autoimmune, rheumatic, and chronic inflammatory diseases. 🔗 Read the full study here

🔹 New Publication on Drinking Water Testing Quality co-authored by Dr. Lucy A Perrone
Sreya, M., Alam, MD. S., Daula, S., Lee, C., Restelli, V., Middlebrook, K., Noble, M.A., Perrone, L.A. Participation in a proficiency testing program promotes the quality of drinking-water testing and public safety. Front. Mol. Biosci. 11:1338549. 🔗 Read the full study here

🔹 A new study co-authored by Dr. Stephen Yip
"Preoperative Corticosteroids Reduce Diagnostic Accuracy of Stereotactic Biopsies in Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma," was recently published in Neurosurgery. This systematic review and meta-analysis highlights the significant impact of preoperative corticosteroid therapy on the diagnostic accuracy of biopsies for suspected primary central nervous system lymphoma. The findings emphasize the increased risk of nondiagnostic biopsies associated with corticosteroid use. 🔗 Read the full study here.

🔹 DeMarco Lab

• Patel K, Yang D, Feldman HH, Hsiung GYR, Nygaard H, Best JR, Dwosh E, Robillard JM, DeMarco ML. Personal value of Alzheimer’s disease biomarker testing and result disclosure from the patient and care partner perspective. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2024;10(2):e12463.
• Patel K, Yang D, Best JR, Chambers C, Lee PE, Henri-Bhargava A, Funnell CR, Foti DJ, Pettersen JA, Feldman HH, Nygaard HB, Hsiung GYR, DeMarco ML. Clinical value of Alzheimer’s disease biomarker testing. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2024;10(2):e12464.
• Clinical Chemistry Podcast with PALM graduate student Cyril Helbling: >Discussing advancements in diagnostic strategies for prion diseases. 🔗 Listen to the Clinical Chemistry Podcast

MEHWISH ANWER AWARDED CIHR POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

We are happy to announce that Mehwish Anwer, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, has been awarded a CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship. Mehwish expresses gratitude for the support from her mentors and is thrilled to continue her impactful work under the supervision of Dr. Cheryl Wellington. Join us in celebrating Mehwish's well-deserved recognition!

PALM GRADUATE STUDIES PROGRAM: DID YOU KNOW?

ⓘ Did you know that students entering directly into the PALM PhD Program only take 4 credits of courses (two x 2 credit core courses, both taught at VGH), and MSc students only take 12 credits of courses (two x 2 credit core courses plus 8 elective credits)? This is fewer credits than many other graduate programs.

ⓘ Did you know that our Program admits students four times per year (January, May, July, September) with our rolling admissions, and can admit strong students on short notice?

ⓘ Did you know that the PALM Comprehensive Examination has been revised to allow students to develop project ideas more closely related to their thesis?

YOU’RE INVITED! UBC PALM ALUMNI REUNION ON MAY 16TH

UBC Faculty of Medicine Alumni Engagement and the UBC PALM Graduate Studies Program are excited to invite you to the PALM Graduate Program Alumni Reunion! Alumni, current graduate students, faculty and staff of the PALM Graduate Program are all welcome to attend this engaging evening filled with networking, discussions, and reconnection with former colleagues and mentors.

Don't miss out on this evening of delicious food, reuniting with familiar faces, and making new connections! Register here before May 9th!

Check out our website to see who will be joining us!

CARMS 2ND ROUND MATCH RESULTS - DMP, HEMEPATH & NEUROPATH

We are very pleased to advise that we have matched to the following applicants in the 2nd round of CARMS:

• DMP: Dr. Opeyemi Peluola (USMG)
• HP: Dr. Elsire Boulanger Laborit (IMG)
• NP: Dr. Priscilla Silva Da Paz (IMG)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF FACULTY SERVICE AS CHAIRS OF DOCTORAL EXAMINATIONS

We thank the faculty members who served as Chairs for doctoral examinations in 2023. These Chairs ensure the fairness and adherence to UBC policies during exams, and have adapted to new technologies, including hybrid formats.

Special thanks to the following department members: Marcel Bally, Nevio Cimolai, Helene Cote, William Godolphin, David Granville, David Huntsman, Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu, Gerald Krystal, Michael Noble, Susan Porter, Haydn Pritchard, Fumio Takei, Bruce Verchere, Juergen Vielkind, Joanne Wright (chaired 2 exams), Cheryl Wellington.

Their efforts have supported the success of our doctoral candidates and the quality of graduate education at UBC.

NOTABLE CASES BY DR. HABIB MOSHREF RAZAVI

Today's notable case features a multiple myeloma displaying great examples of Dutcher bodies, which are abnormal accumulations of immunoglobulin overlying or invaginating into the nucleus—a rare finding in my experience. Surprisingly, Russell bodies are notably scarce. The patient, an 83-year-old female, presents with bicytopenia, AKI, compression fractures, and hypercalcemia. Her plasma cell burden is as high as 90%, accompanied by a paraprotein level of 45 g/L IgA kappa. (May-Grünwald Giemsa Stain x100 magnification).

🌟 UPCOMING EVENT: CEDAR SCIENCE CAMP FOR INDIGENOUS YOUTH

The Wellington Lab is excited to host the Cedar Science Camp for Indigenous children this July at UBC. This initiative, scheduled for July 24th from 10 am to 11 am, will offer engaging science activities designed to inspire and educate Indigenous youth, ages 8 to 12. The camp aims to expose participants to the wealth of post-secondary opportunities at UBC and is supported by our faculty and students. For more details, visit the UBC Cedar Camp website. 🔗 UBC Cedar Website | 🔗 UBC Cedar Instagram

🌟 RESEARCH SECURITY FOR FOM

Effective May 1, 2024, the Government of Canada will require researchers applying for Tri-Agency and CFI funding to consider the applicability of two distinct policies on research security: the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern and the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships. To further advise and support Faculty of Medicine researchers in navigating these policies, the Research Security team in the VP Research + Innovation office is conducting three webinars for the Faculty of Medicine. Each event will cover the same materials and leave significant time for answering specific questions from researchers and potential grant applicants.

Dates for webinars on Navigating Research Security Policies for Federal Funding:

1. May 2, 2024 – 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
2. May 9, 2024 – 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
3. May 23, 2024, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Please contact Sam Wollenberg (Research Security Advisor) if you have any questions: samuel.wollenberg@ubc.ca

🌟 STAY SAFE: PHISHING AWARENESS AND CYBERSECURITY TRAINING

Phishing Alert & Cybersecurity Education: In our continuous effort to maintain a secure digital environment, we remind all department members to stay vigilant against phishing emails. Do not click on unfamiliar links or download attachments from unknown sources. We also encourage everyone to participate in UBC's cybersecurity courses to enhance your understanding and practices related to privacy and security matters. These courses are designed to equip you with the necessary skills to protect yourself and our community. 🔗 How can I recognize a phishing email? | 🔗 Privacy & information security training

FUNDING PROGRAMS

2025 funding competitions are open! The Terry Fox Research Institute is pleased to announce the launch of its 2025 cancer research programs, funded by the Terry Fox Foundation.

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