June 17, 2013
UBC researchers with Microbiology and Immunology, Chemistry and the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) have partnered with an international investment company and a Chinese biotechnology firm to accelerate the development of new treatments for a variety of diseases.
The partnership--with Sichuan BoXin LaiTe Biotechnology and its major shareholder Heracles International Investment--is the first agreement of its kind between UBC and a Chinese biomedical technology company.
May 31, 2013
Sharks are worth more in the ocean than in a bowl of soup, according to researchers from the University of British Columbia.
A new study, published today in
Oryx – The International Journal of Conservation, shows that shark ecotourism currently generates more than US$314 million annually worldwide and is expected to more than double to US$780 million in the next 20 years.
May 22, 2013
Canadian and Swedish scientists today released genome sequences of two of the most economically important forest trees in the world.
Conifers supply raw materials for the Canadian forestry industry, which accounted for $23.7 billion in Canada’s economy in 2011. Gross output of the forest sector in Sweden in 2009 was $29.7 billion.
At 20-30 billion base-pairs and up to 10 times larger than the human genome, the white spruce genome, published in Bioinformatics, and the Norway spruce genome, published in Nature, are also the largest genome sequence assemblies to date.
May 22, 2013
Astronomers from across Canada and around the world converge on UBC to share the latest cosmic discoveries.
What are the best candidate worlds to find a real-life ET? How are cosmologists revising the latest biography of the entire Universe – past, present and future? How do some astronomers act like astronomical versions of Indiana Jones to uncover secrets in 'stellar graveyards'? How can Canadian educators learn lessons from South African experiences linking African cultural traditions with modern astrophysics? Where will Einstein fail?
May 15, 2013
Climate change has been impacting global fisheries for the past four decades by driving species towards cooler, deeper waters, according to University of British Columbia scientists.
In a
Nature study published this week, UBC researchers used temperature preferences of fish and other marine species as a sort of “thermometer” to assess effects of climate change on the world’s oceans between 1970 and 2006.
April 30, 2013
University of British Columbia zoologist Sarah Otto has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, an 150-year-old society charged with providing independent, objective advice to American policy makers on matters related to science and technology.
The Academy announced the election of 84 new members and 21 foreign associates from 14 countries today, in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
April 30, 2013
UBC's recently launched First Year Seminar in Science -- a small class experience focused on critical thinking and communication skills -- has been awarded the 2013 Alan Blizzard Award by Canada’s Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
The award recognizes advances made in student engagement and learning outcomes driven by teamwork and co-operation between instructors, faculty members and administrators across departments.
April 30, 2013
Deposits left by the eruption of a subglacial volcano, or tuya, 1.8 million years ago could hold the secret to more accurate palaeo-glacial and climate models, according to new research by UBC geoscientists.
The detailed field mapping and sampling of the partially eroded Kima' Kho tuya in northern British Columbia, Canada shows that the ancient regional ice sheet through which the volcano erupted was twice as thick as previously estimated.
April 22, 2013
Robert Shadwick, internationally recognized for his research in animal physiology and biomechanics, has been appointed head of the Department of Zoology at UBC.
His appointment will take effect July 1, 2013.
"I’m delighted to be working with Bob to continue to strengthen zoology research and biology education at UBC," said Dean Simon Peacock in announcing the appointment.
"He is deeply committed to the department and will be an outstanding asset in advancing Zoology's undergraduate education, graduate training, research and outreach goals."
April 17, 2013
‘Keep it simple’ is a good rule of thumb when designing biocontrol programs to combat weeds and invasive plants, according to a meta-analysis of studies by UBC biodiversity experts.
Biocontrol programs use an invasive plant’s natural enemies (insects and pathogens) to reduce its population. Most biocontrol programs combine many different enemies – typically about three different species, but sometimes as many as 25 – with the hope that at least one will prove effective.
