Science, Health and Technology

Credit: Andre Renard, Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto; CHIME Collaboration.

Canadian telescope detects 500 fast radio bursts in a year, quadrupling number of known FRBs

The CHIME telescope detected 535 new fast radio bursts during its first year of operation – from 2018 and to 2019 – quadrupling the number of known occurrences of the puzzling pulses of radio energy from far outside our galaxy.

Jun 9, 2021

Juvenile gorilla beringei. Credit: Douglas Sheil/CIFOR

A planet without apes? New research highlights danger to gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos in shifting habitats

New analysis published today reveals that if the pressures on great ape habitat remain unchecked, Africa’s great apes could lose between 85 and 94 per cent of their range by the year 2050. Jacqueline Sunderland-Groves, a great ape expert in UBC’s faculty of forestry explains what can be done to ensure the long-term survival of gorillas, chimpanzees and other great apes.

Jun 7, 2021

Childhood cancer discovery may stop tumour spread before it starts

A recent discovery in Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive and often fatal childhood cancer, has uncovered the potential to prevent cancer cells from spreading beyond their primary tumour site.

Jun 1, 2021

Strong school and family ties buffer gender-diverse teens from bullying and hostility

B.C.’s gender-diverse youth continue to face significant bullying and harassment, but a new report by UBC and McCreary Centre Society underlines how social supports like strong school and family relationships make a significant impact on their well-being.

May 31, 2021

Dissecting wild Pacific salmon tissues for molecular analysis and viral genomic sequencing. Credit: Amy Romer.

Salmon virus originally from the Atlantic, spread to B.C. wild salmon from farms: Study

Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) – which is associated with kidney and liver damage in Chinook salmon – is continually being transmitted between open-net salmon farms and wild juvenile Chinook salmon in British Columbia waters, according to a new genomics analysis published today in Science Advances.

May 26, 2021

UBC experts on COVID-19

UBC experts are available to comment on the provincial government’s plans for the gradual easing of COVID-19-related restrictions in B.C. at a 1 p.m. news conference today.

May 25, 2021

New program makes planning a birth after C-section simpler

UBC researchers have created a new interactive online program to support people who have had a previous C-section make better-informed decisions about navigating their next pregnancy and birth.

May 20, 2021

Researchers launch COVID-19 vaccine registry for pregnant and breastfeeding individuals in Canada

As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout ramps up across the country, the risks and benefits of immunization for pregnant and breastfeeding people remain largely unknown because the initial vaccine clinical trials did not include these populations.

May 19, 2021

Debunking COVID-19 myths: As the weather warms, UBC vaccine expert separates fact from fiction

Dr. Anna Blakney, assistant professor in UBC’s School of Biomedical Engineering, Michael Smith Laboratories and vaccine expert, addresses some popular myths about COVID-19.

May 18, 2021

UBC experts on Greyhound shutdown

UBC experts are available to comment on Greyhound Canada’s decision to permanently shut down all bus service in Canada.

May 13, 2021

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7, also called the UK variant. The green depicts viral DsRNA and red shows viral nucleocapsid protein – these are both viral biomarkers, and indicate that the cell shown is infected by SARS-CoV-2. Credit: Dr. Guang Gao, UBC LSI IMAGING

Canadian researchers lead development and testing of promising treatment for COVID-19 variants

A new anti-viral drug could improve COVID-19 outcomes and survival rates — and is highly effective against multiple variants — according to a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Université de Sherbrooke.

May 11, 2021

Where should our digital data go after we die? UBC study explores possibilities

People want control over what personal digital data is passed along after they die, along with tools to make it easier to do so, according to a new case study by computer science researchers at the University of British Columbia.

May 6, 2021

The renewable energy hub will transform an entire city block at UBC into a smart energy district, including the province’s first-ever hydrogen refuelling station for light- and heavy-duty vehicles. Credit: Dialog

UBC breaks ground on $23 million renewable energy hub

A new $21 million renewable energy hub will transform an entire city block at the University of British Columbia into a smart energy district, including the province’s first-ever hydrogen refuelling station for light and heavy-duty vehicles.

May 5, 2021

UBC experts on Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine approval for adolescents

UBC experts are available to comment on Health Canada’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for adolescents aged 12 and up.

May 5, 2021

Using cryo-electron microscopy, UBC researchers have revealed the structure of the N501Y spike protein mutant, shown above (in blue) bound to two copies of the ACE2 receptor (in red).

UBC researchers unveil first molecular images of B.1.1.7 COVID-19 mutation

UBC researchers are the first in the world to publish structural images of the N501Y mutation on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein—a change believed to be partly responsible for the highly infectious nature and rapid spread of variant B.1.1.7.

May 3, 2021

COVID-19 survey shows almost eight out of 10 adults are worried, bored, stressed, lonely or sad

The pandemic continues to take an emotional toll on people in Canada, with 77 per cent of adults reporting negative emotions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest mental health survey by UBC researchers, in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

May 3, 2021

Screenshot of video showing spike protein and lectins. Credit:
Daniel Canena and Peter Hinterdorfer, Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University

Potential ‘Achilles’ heel’ of SARS-CoV-2 virus captured on video

Proteins known as lectins can bind to the spike protein on the SARS-CoV-2 virus and prevent it from accessing human cells, an international team of researchers led by the University of British Columbia’s Dr. Josef Penninger has demonstrated.

Apr 30, 2021

A baby’s first poop can help predict risk of developing allergies

It may seem like an unusual place to go looking for answers, but the contents of a baby’s first diaper can reveal a lot about a newborn’s future health.

Apr 29, 2021

UBC-grown biotech companies lead global pandemic efforts

Millions of Canadians have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, but what many may not realize is that a key component of the injection was developed right here at UBC.

Apr 26, 2021

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Credit: CDC/Unsplash

UBC experts on ‘double mutant’ variant and COVID-19 in India

UBC experts are available to comment on the ‘double mutant’ variant known as B.1.617 and COVID-19 in India.

Apr 22, 2021