News
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Rapid test to diagnose severe sepsis
October 24, 2014
A new test, developed by University of British Columbia researchers, could help physicians predict within an hour if a patient will develop severe sepsis so they can begin treatment immediately. Sepsis, a syndrome caused by infection, leads to organ failure and is responsible for up to five… read more
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Sea stars under attack
October 20, 2014
If a mysterious disease keeps spreading, we may no longer see sea stars along the seashore A year ago sea stars, commonly known as starfish, started disintegrating on the shores of Howe Sound, hit by a mysterious condition referred to as sea star wasting syndrome. The syndrome has decimated sea… read more
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UBC Science welcomes eight new Canada Research Chairs
October 20, 2014
Eight new Canada Research Chairs have been appointed and one renewed at the UBC Faculty of Science. The newly appointed researchers are helping improve stress-tolerant crops, solar electricity and tuberculosis treatments, and making big discoveries about the origins of planets and of life on Earth… read more
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Loss of big predators could leave herbivores in a thorny situation
October 16, 2014
Global declines in carnivore populations could embolden plant eaters to increasingly dine on succulent vegetation, driving losses in plant and tree biodiversity, according to UBC research published today in Science. UBC zoologist Adam Ford and colleagues used GPS tracking and feeding experiments… read more
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Fish moving poleward at rate of 26 kilometres per decade
October 9, 2014
Large numbers of fish will disappear from the tropics by 2050, finds a new University of Britsh Columbia study that examined the impact of climate change on fish stocks. The study identified ocean hotspots for local fish extinction but also found that changing temperatures will drive more fish… read more
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A bee in their bonnet
October 6, 2014
Beekeepers have launched a lawsuit against the makers of neonicotinoid pesticides. Are their concerns justified? Canadian beekeepers recently filed a class-action lawsuit against the makers of neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides that are coming under scrutiny. But do they have a case? UBC… read more
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Missing targets: UBC fisheries expert says we aren’t meeting our goals of protecting biodiversity
October 2, 2014
In 2010, the international community adopted the Strategic Plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity, agreeing to meet 20 targets to protect the diversity of animals, fish, plants and their habitats by 2020. As we near the midpoint to 2020, UBC professor Villy Christensen, co-author of the… read more
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New research decodes virus-host interactions in ocean dead zones
September 15, 2014
A new study by University of British Columbia and US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute researchers sheds light on the ecological role played by marine viruses in oxygen starved regions of the worlds' oceans. It's the first time researchers have used single cell genomics to explore… read more
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New president pledges to boost UBC research excellence
September 12, 2014
UBC's new President Arvind Gupta pledged in his formal academic installation ceremony today to increase funding for research excellence by $100 million during his presidency, supporting those who discover, develop, and deploy knowledge. He said the pledge to boost research excellence is… read more
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UBC chemist, astronomer honoured by Royal Society of Canada
September 9, 2014
UBC chemist Mark MacLachlan and stellar astronomer Harvey Richer have been elected fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, the society announced today. MacLachlan is an internationally recognized leader in supramolecular materials chemistry, applying concepts from nature to the design and… read more