Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Canadian hospitals trialing new treatment options for COVID-19 patients

Hospitals across Canada are leading a research effort examining potential treatments for COVID-19 as part of the Solidarity Trial, a multinational initiative being coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Apr 9, 2020

One in two homeless people may have experienced a head injury in their lifetime

People who are homeless experience a disproportionately high lifetime prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a new UBC-led study published today in The Lancet Public Health.

Dec 3, 2019

Low THC levels not linked to increased risk of car crashes

New research led by the University of British Columbia suggests that THC levels less than five nanograms/ml of blood do not lead to an increased risk of causing car crashes in most drivers.

Jun 13, 2019

Scientists edge closer to root causes of multiple sclerosis

An international team of researchers led by the University of British Columbia has made a scientific advance they hope will lead to the development of preventative treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Jun 6, 2019

New protein “switch” could be key to controlling blood-poisoning and preventing death

Scientists at the University of British Columbia have discovered a new protein “switch” that could stop the progression of blood-poisoning, or sepsis, and increase the chances of surviving the life-threatening disease.

Feb 25, 2019

Inclusive primary care improves people’s health, finds UBC-Western study

Respectful, inclusive practices in primary care clinics can significantly improve the health of low-income, marginalized people who may have previously experienced trauma or discrimination, a new study from the University of British Columbia and Western University has found.

Dec 18, 2018

Gut enzymes could hold key to producing universal blood

For blood transfusions to be safe, the donor and patient blood types must match. Now researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a new, more powerful group of enzymes that can turn any type of blood into the universally usable type O—expanding the pool of potential blood donors and making blood matching safer and easier.

Aug 21, 2018

B.C. leads Canada’s largest-ever effort to improve kidney disease care

A B.C. team will co-lead Canada’s largest-ever effort to improve care for people with kidney disease.

Mar 31, 2016

Researchers closer to being able to change blood types

What do you do when a patient needs a blood transfusion but you don’t have their blood type in the blood bank? It’s a problem that scientists have been trying to solve for years but haven’t been able to find an economic solution – until now.

Apr 29, 2015

UBC welcomes $2 million for research on antibiotic resistance

Research into new ways of fighting antibiotic resistant bacteria has received a $2 million boost from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Apr 13, 2015

UBC researchers join new national team tackling dementia

Thirty UBC researchers are bringing their expertise to a nationwide investigation of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Sep 10, 2014

Funding for neglected global diseases research at UBC exceeds $20M

Researchers with the Neglected Global Diseases Initiative (NGDI) at the University of British Columbia have attracted more than $20 million in funding to find ways to eliminate diseases and conditions that kill millions of people in developing countries worldwide.

Sep 10, 2012

Severe flu increases risk of Parkinson’s: UBC research

Severe influenza doubles the odds that a person will develop Parkinson’s disease later in life, according to University of British Columbia researchers.

Jul 20, 2012

Multiple sclerosis patients have lower risk of cancer: UBC-VCH research

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients appear to have a lower cancer risk, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health. The […]

Jun 21, 2012

Vancouver, Montreal, Portland and Minneapolis among most “bikeable” cities in North America: UBC research

University of British Columbia researchers are making bikeability research easily accessible to consumers and city planners by introducing bikeability “heat maps” in partnership with Seattle-based Walk Score® at www.walkscore.com/bike.

May 14, 2012

Exposure to antibiotics linked to severity of allergic asthma: UBC research

Widely used antibiotics may increase incidence and severity of allergic asthma in early life, according to a University of British Columbia study.

Mar 16, 2012