Organization: Univ of British Columbia

Investments in imaging research generate returns

A commissioned study by RTI International shows that investments in medical imaging research at four Canadian universities generated a 28% return on investment. The study — supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research —examined outcomes from $387 million in investments in facilities, equipment and research programs at McGill…

CDRD Ventures spins off Sitka Biopharma Inc

CDRD Ventures Inc (CVI) has launched a spin-off company with a novel platform technology that improves drug absorption for cancer treatments. Sitka Biopharma Inc‘s first chemotherapeutic treatment targets high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The technology was developed at the Univ of British Columbia with assistance from the Centre for Drug R&D and further advanced as…

CDRD Ventures spins off Sitka Biopharma Inc

CDRD Ventures Inc (CVI) has launched a spin-off company with a novel platform technology that improves drug absorption for cancer treatments. Sitka Biopharma Inc‘s first chemotherapeutic treatment targets high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The technology was developed at the Univ of British Columbia with assistance from the Centre for Drug R&D and further advanced as…

Dalhousie opens big data analytics institute

Dalhousie Univ has officially launch the Institute for Big Data Analytics, Canada’s first academic research unit dedicated to expanding knowledge in the field, and partnering with industry across a range of sectors. The institute will be directed by Dr Stan Matwin, a Canada Research Chair holder in Visual Analytics. Big data analytics is a rapidly…

CLS joins Composites Research Network

The Saskatoon-based Canadian Light Source has joined the Composites Research Network (CRN) — a western Canadian-based organization supporting the composites industry. The network is led by the Univ of British Columbia which was awarded $9.8 million in early 2012 from Western Economic Diversification Canada. CRN has nodes at UBC, UBC-Okanagan, Univ of Victoria, Univ of…

Institutions to receive CERC chairs announced

The results of the first phase of the second smaller round of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program have been announced with eight universities given the go-ahead to nominate world-renowned researchers to fill 11 chairs. The competition was announced in the 2011 federal Budget and launched last December, with 10 chairs worth $10 million…

Gates Foundation funds UBC program for pregnant women

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is providing a $17-million follow-on grant to the Univ of British Columbia to locate and treat pregnant women at risk of succumbing to pre-eclampsia, an often-fatal onset of high blood pressure. The grant follows $7.4 million in support previously provided by the foundation, allowing UBC’s Child & Family Research…

BC government invests in prostate cancer research

The Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC) has received a $5-million grant to further research for new treatments to control the progression of prostate cancer. The VPC is a centre of excellence jointly operated by the Univ of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths among…

WD funds new Composites Research Network

The Univ of British Columbia will lead a new Composites Research Network spanning the four western provinces to capitalize on the rapidly expanding global composites industry. The network is being created with $9.8 million in funding from Western Economic Diversification. Nodes will be established in each province, including Manitoba which is home to the Composites…

Genomics-based test for forest pathogens funded

Genome British Columbia and Genome Canada are providing $4.3 million for the development of a DNA-based diagnostic test to detect and monitor pathogens damaging Canadian forests. The Genomics-Based Forest Health Diagnostics and Monitoring project is expected to generate annual economic benefits in the “tens of millions of dollars”. The project is led by Dr Richard…