UBC-grown biotech companies lead global pandemic efforts
Millions of Canadians have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, but many may not realize that a key component of the injection was developed right here at UBC. Acuitas Therapeutics, a UBC spin-off company co-founded by Dr. Pieter Cullis, developed the lipid nanoparticle technology that allows the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine to enter human cells. For the […]
A simple and safe additive could cut agrochemical pollution
Adding a simple polymer to fertilizers or pesticides (agrochemicals) could dramatically reduce agricultural pollution, suggests a new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia. When agrochemicals are sprayed onto crops, a large amount typically ends up in the surrounding environment due to droplets splashing, rebounding or rolling off the target plants. This amount […]
Speeding up COVID-19 testing with artificial intelligence
A University of British Columbia-led study has identified a computer technique that health facilities can use to screen, diagnose and monitor COVID-19 pneumonia more efficiently. The researchers found that a pre-trained neural network called DarkNet-19 can rapidly and reliably detect COVID-19 on chest X-rays. The network recognized the disease’s imaging patterns on nearly 6,000 chest X-rays with […]
Call for Open Educational Resource grant applications
The Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Vancouver is pleased to invite the UBC community to apply for the Open Educational Resources (OER) Rapid Innovation and Implementation Grants. The UBC Vancouver OER Fund, established through the UBC Academic Excellence Fund in 2019, aims to support affordable and inclusive access to learning materials through […]
Greening our world through automation
Research2Reality recently profiled the work of Dr. Curtis Berlinguette, professor of chemistry at UBC’s Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute. Dr. Berlinguette is working on the world’s first self-driving robot to help make new materials for clean technologies. Dr. Berlinguette co-leads Project Ada, short for Autonomous Discovery Accelerator for Materials Innovation, a group with the goal […]
Announcing the 2020/21 Open Educational Resources Fund awarded projects
The University of British Columbia is committed to making education more affordable and accessible through the use of open educational resources (OER). The Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic is pleased to announce the first round of 2020/21 OER Fund projects. As of February 15, over $220,500 in project grants have been approved to […]
Strengthening communities through learning
Inside a newly-renovated gym at UBC’s Vancouver campus, a unique space that combines research and clinical practice is improving health outcomes for patients. The UBC Physical Therapy and Research Clinic is based on a ‘student-led’ practice model and provides an innovative and team-based approach. “This clinic is meant to have higher quality of learning and […]
Call for Applications for Open Educational Resources (OER) Grants
The Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Vancouver is pleased to announce a new call for applications for the Open Education Resources (OER) Fund. In alignment with UBC’s strategic plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century, the Office of the Provost has committed $250,000 in annual funding for the next four years to support: The […]
UBC Okanagan initiative helps youth with developmental disabilities find work
Entering the workforce is a rite of passage for most youth, but it can be a considerable challenge for people with developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder. In fact, these two groups represent the most unemployed or under-employed category of citizens in Canada. In an effort to improve this scenario, the […]
UBC researchers help find solutions to the overdose crisis
In B.C., unintended death due to illicit drug overdose is the leading cause of preventable death. Between 2010 and 2018, the number of overdose deaths increased from 211 to 1,535 – an alarming increase that prompted former Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall to declare a state of emergency. To help tackle the crisis, in April 2018, […]