FUNDING SUCCESS

Dr. James Lan from our department @UBCPathLabMed and Dr. Paul Keown are leading a groundbreaking project to improve organ-matching for kidney transplants. This new method aims to reduce rejection and improve patient outcomes. The project has received $5.8M in funding from Genome BC, Genome Canada, Michael Smith Health Research BC, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and others. 🔗 Read More

Dr. Ali Bashashati has been awarded the 2024 🔗 Plunge for the Cure Grant for his project titled "Role of AI-driven histopathology image analysis in predicting response to PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in high grade serous ovarian cancer." The grant amounts to $125,000 over two years, provided by the Plunge for the Cure Foundation through the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.

WELCOME TO HANNAH SAUVE, UBC'S PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE'S HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER

Hannah Sauve has joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as the Human Resource Manager.  She will be helping faculty and managers with staff human resource issues such as classification, performance reviews and interpretation of the collective agreements.  Hannah will also be helping with academic appointments and promotions.  Her office is located in the Koerner Pavilion, room G105, and she will be onsite Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the near future.  Hannah can be reached at Hannah.sauve@ubc.ca.

Previous to her appointment in our Department, Hannah was the Assistant Human Resource Manager in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

Welcome, Hannah! We look forward to working with you.

HUMAN IMMUNOLOGY - BEST RESEARCH PAPER OF 2022 AWARD

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Karen Sherwood, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC; Director of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, VCH; and Scientific Program Manager, Genome Canada Transplant Consortium, has been awarded first place in the Best Research Paper of 2022 by the Human Immunology Editorial Board.

Her paper, "Genome Canada precision medicine strategy for structured national implementation of epitope matching in renal transplantation," has received this prestigious recognition. 🔗 Read the award-winning paper

Congratulations, Dr. Sherwood!

***CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGIST - DR SUEFAY LIU***

It is a great pleasure to announce that Dr. Suefay Liu has passed the Royal College Medical Microbiology exam. Suefay will be joining the Medical Microbiology staff at VGH in August. Pls join us in congratulating Suefay on reaching this important milestone, and wishing her all the best in her future career.

***CALL FOR CV UPDATES: ANNUAL REPORT & DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW****

Please update your CVs in our 🔗 Faculty Activity Database to help us prepare for the annual report and departmental review in September. We will be extracting data related to your published work and teaching within the next few weeks.

Your participation is crucial in showcasing our collective efforts to elevate the department, attract top young minds, and recruit distinguished faculty. Accurate records in the Faculty Activity Database (FAD) will ensure that your contributions are recognized and documented in our reports, adding significant value to our department.

We are enhancing the system, and the new layout will be available this summer.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

🔹 New Research on Deep Learning in Diagnostic Neuropathology.
Dr. Stephen Yip and Dr. Ali Bashashati, along with their colleagues, have published an insightful paper on the practical application of deep learning in diagnostic neuropathology. This research explores how AI can transform histological analysis in the era of precision medicine. 🔗 Read the full paper.

🔹 Testing Equivalence in Disease Conditions.
Dr. Philipp Lange and his team have published a significant paper in the Journal of Proteome Research. The study, which emphasizes the importance of understanding what does not change across various conditions, establishes a statistical framework for testing equivalence in disease, biological, and technical conditions. 🔗 Read the full paper.

🔹 Advancing Cancer Treatment with DNA-PK Inhibitors.
Dr. Andrew I. Minchinton and his colleagues have published an impactful study demonstrating that the DNA-PK inhibitor AZD7648 is a more potent radiosensitizer than the PARP inhibitor Olaparib in BRCA1/2 deficient tumors. This finding could significantly advance treatment strategies for certain cancer patients. 🔗 Read the full paper.

🔹 Alzheimer's Disease and Plasma Biomarkers.
Jennifer Cooper, PhD candidate at UBC, along with Dr. Cheryl Wellington and colleagues, have published new research from her thesis. The study investigates the impact of the APOE4 genotype on Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers in a cognitively resilient senior population. The findings reveal that being an APOE4 carrier modifies p-tau-181 concentrations, highlighting its significance in interpreting biomarker levels regardless of clinical disease status. 🔗 Read the full paper.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A LABORATORY FAILS A PROFICIENCY TESTING CHALLENGE?

Understanding Proficiency Testing Failures Discover the steps and reasoning behind the processes that follow a non-passing grade in proficiency testing, crucial for ISO 17025 and ISO 15189 accreditation. Join the conversation with CMPT and Terri McCaskill, a Proficiency Testing and Quality Control specialist at BC’s Diagnostic Accreditation Program (DAP).

🔗 Read more

IMAGE QUIZ

Image Quiz! A 65 year old woman had a right breast lumpectomy showing a well circumscribed firm nodule with a lobulated and granular cut surface. Histologic features are shown in the image. What is the correct diagnosis?

1. Ductal adenoma
2. Fibroadenoma
3. Intraductal papilloma
4. Invasive ductal carcinoma
5. Tubular adenoma