Science, Health and Technology

Two pathogens linked to salmon health and survival in B.C.

Many wild salmon populations in B.C. have experienced substantial declines over the last three decades. New UBC research published today can help chart a course towards better protection of wild salmon.

May 19, 2022

MarCO-B, one of the experimental Mars Cube One (MarCO) CubeSats, took this image of Mars from about 7,600 kilometers away during its flyby of the Red Planet on Nov. 26, 2018. MarCO-B was flying by Mars with its twin, MarCO-A, to attempt to serve as communications relays for NASA’s InSight spacecraft as it landed on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The lonely fate of a robot on Mars

Covered in the red dust that sealed its fate, the NASA InSight lander is slowly shutting down, more than 250 million kilometres from home.

May 17, 2022

UBC nursing professor Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, director of the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre (SARAVYC), shares how we can better support the health of trans, bisexual and gay youth in B.C. Credit: Unsplash

It’s getting better for trans, bisexual and gay youth – but there’s still room to improve

Today, May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia celebrates sexual and gender diversity – and it also highlights the continued challenges faced by those with diverse genders and sexualities.

May 17, 2022

UBC experts on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. UBC experts are available to comment.

May 16, 2022

New UBC research aims to free Type 1 diabetes patients from daily insulin injections. Credit: Unsplash

B.C. researchers launching clinical trial for first genetically engineered stem cell-based therapy for type 1 diabetes

Researchers from the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) have received $1 million from Canada’s Stem Cell Network to conduct research and a clinical trial for one of the world’s first genetically engineered cell replacement therapies for type 1 diabetes.

May 12, 2022

A sockeye salmon jumping the falls on the Meziadin River, B.C. Credit: Andrea Reid

Wild Pacific salmon catches down 80 per cent, elders report

Wild Pacific salmon catches are one sixth what they were 50-70 years ago, Indigenous elders report. Employing Indigenous research methodologies, Dr. Andrea Reid interviewed 48 knowledge keepers from 18 First Nations across the Fraser, Skeena, and Nass rivers.

May 12, 2022

Researchers interviewed 20 women gig workers in Canada and the U.S. and found that women—who make up approximately half the gig workforce in Canada—often have to ‘brush off’ harassment for fear of losing work. Credit: Paul Joseph

Women working for apps like Uber and Doordash often ‘brush off’ harassment

Gig industry platforms such as Uber, Doordash, and TaskRabbit fail to acknowledge the realities of women workers’ experiences, putting women at financial and personal risk, finds a new study.

May 5, 2022

Festival-goers of all ages will get a chance to meet with world-class researchers and innovators, participate in hands-on experiments and see amazing scientific demonstrations. Credit: Sarah Race

Get hands-on with science, robots, ice cream and air cannons at UBC Science Rendezvous

Join UBC for Science Rendezvous, a free festival that takes science out of the lab and onto the streets, on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

May 4, 2022

UBC experts on access to abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court appears set to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in the U.S., according to a draft majority opinion leaked to news outlets. UBC experts are available to comment.

May 3, 2022

As of Oct. 31, 2021, there had been a total of 8,786 recorded cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy in Canada.

Catching COVID-19 during pregnancy increases risk of hospitalization, premature birth: national study

As Canada faces a sixth wave of COVID-19 infections, researchers at the UBC faculty of medicine are urging people who are pregnant to remain vigilant based on data from Canada’s first national, peer-reviewed study on COVID-19 in pregnancy.

May 2, 2022

Dr. John Madden and Yuta Dobashi with one of the hydrogel sensors. Photo by Kai Jacobson/UBC Faculty of Applied Science

Engineers at UBC get under the skin of ionic skin

In the quest to build smart skin that mimics the sensing capabilities of natural skin, ionic skins have shown significant advantages.

Apr 28, 2022

Photo of a coated versus an uncoated catheter. Credit: Kizhakkedathu Lab

UBC team discovers ‘silver bullet’ to keep medical devices free of bacteria

University of British Columbia researchers have found a ‘silver bullet’ to kill bacteria and keep them from infecting patients who have medical devices implanted.

Apr 27, 2022

Canada needs Indigenous-led fire stewardship, new research finds

As a new wildfire season approaches, many Canadians are reflecting on the devastating losses of last season, and considering what they can do to protect themselves and the places where they live.

Apr 26, 2022

Carbon removal research at a legacy mine site in western US. Credit: Bethany Ladd

UBC spin-off companies win $2 million in competition for carbon removal technology funded by the Musk Foundation

UBC spin-off Carbin Minerals will receive $1 million from XPRIZE and the Musk Foundation to remove thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Apr 22, 2022

Health research overlooks important differences between sexes

You might be surprised to learn how rarely health research accounts for the fact that male and female bodies are different.

Apr 21, 2022

Hotel Vancouver dinner menu, 1888. Credit: City of Vancouver Archives, AM1519-PAM 1888-17

Expect to see more squid and less sockeye salmon on “climate changed” menus

Vancouver seafood lovers may see more Humboldt squid but less sockeye salmon on restaurant menus in the near future due to climate change.

Apr 21, 2022

Credit: christopher catbagan on Unsplash

New toolkit helps tackle climate anxiety

UBC nursing student Natania Abebe and nursing lecturer Raluca Radu, who teaches a course on the health impacts of climate change, share strategies for dealing with climate anxiety

Apr 20, 2022

UBC experts on Earth Day 2022

On April 22, the world will celebrate Earth Day with the theme, ‘Invest In Our Planet’, amidst concern over accelerating climate change. UBC experts are available to comment.

Apr 19, 2022

Fionn Byrne analyzes how U.S. forces used landscapes to fight insurgency during the war in Afghanistan

New research highlights the role of green spaces in conflict

Green spaces can promote well-being, but they may not always be benign. Sometimes, they can be a tool for control.

Apr 14, 2022

The report used data from the B.C. Adolescent Health Survey from 2008, 2013 and 2018, each of which sampled around 30,000 students in grades 8-12 across the province.

New report shows improvements in LGBTQ youth lives and health, but more work needed

Most of B.C.’s LGBTQ teens experience safer environments and fewer health risks than previous generations, but more work is still needed to get them to where their straight peers are, according to new research.

Apr 13, 2022