Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation NID
2022 Dr. Benbow developed a pre-clinical model of migraine headache using monosodium glutamate (MSG). He subsequently applied his model to identify and validate a novel drug target that may be leveraged to treat and prevent migraines in people. Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Alford studied the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes infection of many bodily niches including the skin and lungs. Her research identified mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and virulence using host-like models of infection. Her findings will be used to develop new therapies for treating infections in clinical settings. Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Venkateswaran investigated the role of the interaction of a glutamine transporter with the metabolic enzyme, CA9 in hypoxic solid tumors. Her research work establishes a mechanism by which CA9 utilizes the amino acid, glutamine, to promote tumor growth and identifies novel targets to treat cancer. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Gagalova studies the genomes of conifers, conifer insect pest and cannabis to find unique markers of evolution. This research looks for genes and features in the genomes to make possible the feature applied research. Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD)
2022 Dr. Ingham's work involves the development of drugs based on radioactive metal atoms. He synthesized the metal grabbing components that these drugs require and tested them with several radioactive metals. His components were found to wrap around radioactive metals within minutes at room temperature, making radioactive drugs easier to assemble. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2022 Dr. Gray's research demonstrated how a health promotion intervention, called Choose to Move, could be implemented, adapted, and scaled up before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This intervention supported social connectedness and mobility, and reduced loneliness of older adults across BC. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2022 Providing forestry students with outdoor learning opportunities in forested landscapes is increasingly challenging with urban expansion. Dr. Coupland examined if local urban forests could provide additional outdoor learning opportunities. This research aims to increase in situ forestry education and aid in curriculum development. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2022 Dr. Amitzi focused on inhibition of DDX11 as a potential cancer therapy. She identified genetic interactions of DDX11 in human cells and adapted biochemical screening assays for DDX11 inhibitors. She also contributed to the development of a pipeline for discovery of novel cancer therapies that induce cell death by trapping protein targets onto DNA. Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Genetics (PhD)
2022 Dr. Eom studied the role of fish breathing against toxic chemicals in aquatic environments and found that the fish control their breathing by generating various patterns against toxicants, which is beneficial to increase survival rates. This information would help understand how aquatic animals respond to global and local toxicants. Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Recsky studied the unintended consequences of health information technologies in primary and community care. In partnership with a local health organization, she co-created a process to address technology-related safety concerns. This research advances our understanding of patient safety in the context of technology-supported healthcare. Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
2022 Dr. Bayly studied large protein complexes called polyketide synthases, some of which produce widely-used therapeutics. Dr. Bayly used PKS12 from M. tuberculosis to explore and demonstrate new approaches for engineering these complexes. Her work contributes to ongoing efforts to engineer polyketide synthases to produce new therapeutics. Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Couture's work explores some of the ways that individuals seek out and experience community though sporting practices. His findings offer insights into the nature and structure of community in the contemporary moment and extend ways of thinking about the relationships people have with physical activity, with technology, and with one another. Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Falardeau studied how the cheese microbiome affects the growth of foodborne pathogens. He discovered that differences between traditional and industrial cheese production practices affect the final cheese microbiome, and likely the risk of foodborne illness. This finding can help cheesemakers produce safer cheeses. Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD)
2022 Dr. Hu has shown how the protein complexes produced by Salmonella and other similar pathogens infect humans, animals and plants. Bacterial infections are one of the world's most common issues for hospitality and death. This research advanced our understanding of bacterial pathogenicity and aided the development of new drugs and vaccines. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Ramsook examined how neural mechanisms contribute to sex differences in the fatigue of the respiratory muscles. His work contributes to advancing the understanding of human physiology and exercise performance, with an emphasis on the unique qualities of the respiratory system in males and females. Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
2022 Dr. Caballero measured how much lysine children use when they eat different plant-based foods, such as rice, oats and corn. Her work will help develop dietary guidelines for children that consume a predominantly plant-based diet. These guidelines will ensure they meet their lysine requirement, which is important for adequate growth and development. Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (PhD)
2022 Dr. Sreenivasan investigated the importance of certain survival signals made up of cytokines that enable medulloblastoma cells to resist chemotherapy. Blocking these survival factors with inhibitors and cytotoxic drugs makes medulloblastoma cells susceptible to treatment and offers a novel approach to combat acquired chemotherapeutic resistance. Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD)
2022 Dr. Forrest examined the health implications of social networking through an investigation of mental and sexual health outcomes associated with app use among gay and bisexual men. His research findings have implications for public health programming in the digital era. Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)
2022 Dr. Li investigated the folding-unfolding mechanisms of four important metalloproteins at the single-molecule level. These studies revealed some fundamental principles that guide the folding-unfolding processes of metalloproteins in general. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD)
2022 Dr. Rahmani experimentally and mathematically examined the complex fluid flows in the railroad industry. His research resulted in a greatly improved understanding of the industrial process, along with suggestions to further improve the product formulation and application in the railroad industry. Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Delaidelli investigated novel mechanisms contributing to the progression of aggressive childhood brain tumors, such as medulloblastoma. His research uncovered new therapeutic vulnerabilities and clinically applicable biomarkers for this disease. Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD)
2022 Dr. Dalwadi studied how proteins come together and interact with one another to carry out important functions within the cell. His examination of the 3D shapes of three key protein assemblies help improve our understanding of fundamental cellular functions such as the production of mRNA from genetic DNA and the translation of proteins from mRNAs. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)
2022 Dr. Holanda accelerated the process of designing machine learning hardware systems by better understanding how those systems learn and how they behave when they fail. The design process enabled by Dr. Holanda's work illuminates the path towards making the development of those systems significantly faster, economical, and environmentally friendly. Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)
2022 Dr. Maharaj's work examines the law on mitigation of damages for breach of contract by establishing a robust framework that explains how the doctrine applies, why it applies, when it applies, and what it actually demands of contracting parties in practice. It will benefit judges, legal counsels, and the wider scholarly community in private law. Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
2022 Dr. Larocque characterized soil chemistry and soil biological communities in the salmon forests of British Columbia. These studies advance our understanding of the interconnection between marine and terrestrial environments. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)