UBC researchers leading projects awarded $30 million through CIHR Project Grants: Fall 2022 Competition

February 6, 2023

A total of 67 projects led by UBC researchers were awarded more than $30 million in combined funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant: Fall 2022 competition.

  • UBC researchers are leading 32 projects awarded Project Grants totaling $26.9 million
  • 11 projects led by UBC researchers were awarded Bridge Grants totaling $1.1 million
  • 24 projects led by UBC researchers were awarded Priority Announcement Grants totaling $2.4 million

On a national level, CIHR approved a total of 382 research grants, plus 93 bridge grants, for a total investment of approximately $325 million. In addition,190 priority announcement grants were funded for a total amount of $22 million and 12 supplemental prizes were awarded for a total of $375,000.

 
CIHR Project Grant Award Announcement


UBC-led Project Grants

  1. Deconvoluting Prognostic and Targetable Features of Endometrioid Ovarian Carcinomas of No Specific Molecular Profile
    Principal Investigator(s): Anglesio, Michael S (Obstetrics & Gynaecology); Koebel, Martin (University of Calgary); Talhouk, Aline (Obstetrics & Gynaecology); Carey, Mark S (Obstetrics & Gynaecology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  2. Understanding and Enhancing the Climate Resilience of Older Adults in Canada
    Principal Investigator(s): Baumbusch, Jennifer L (Nursing); Jodoin, Sebastien (McGill University)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  3. A pilot clinical trial to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of: A prospective, unblinded, randomized-controlled, multicenter biomarker intervention trial of a urinary CXCL10 clinical surveillance program in pediatric kidney transplant recipients for early ascertainment and treatment of subclinical allograft inflammation and preservation of kidney transplant function.
    Principal Investigator(s): Blydt-Hansen, Tom (Pediatrics)
    Research Institution: BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
     
  4. Role of XIST in human X-chromosome inactivation and health
    Principal Investigator(s): Brown, Carolyn J (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  5. Understanding epigenetic regulation and modulation of cell stress responses by the cholesterol transporter, scavenger receptor-B1 as a novel target for treating advanced prostate cancer
    Principal Investigator(s): Cox, Michael E (Urologic Sciences); Wasan, Kishor M (Urologic Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  6. Neck Muscle and Head-Neck Dynamics in Rollover Crashes
    Principal Investigator(s): Cripton, Peter A (School of Biomedical Engineering); Siegmund, Gunter Paul (School of Kinesiology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  7. Newly Optimized LNP Systems for Genetic drugs and Gene therapy in Neurological diseases
    Principal Investigator(s): Cullis, Pieter R (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology); MacVicar, Brian A (Psychiatry)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  8. High-throughput characterization of transcription factor variants in yeast
    Principal Investigator(s): De Boer, Carl G (School of Biomedical Engineering)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  9. Following reproductive and sexual health care and outcomes of adolescent and young adult cancer patients (FUTURE)
    Principal Investigator(s): De Vera, Mary A (Pharmaceutical Sciences); Mctaggart-Cowan, Helen M (Simon Fraser University)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  10. Investigation of Neutrophil Extracellular Trap DNA ( NET-DNA) induced signaling in the progression of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
    Principal Investigator(s): Dedhar, Shoukat R (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
    Research Institution: B.C. Cancer Research Centre (Vancouver)
     
  11. Re-imagining Recovery with Young People Who Use(d) Drugs and Their Caregivers in Metro Vancouver: A Longitudinal Qualitative and Community-Based Participatory Study
    Principal Investigator(s): Fast, Danya (Medicine , Anthropology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  12. CRF modulation of motivation, decision making and dopamine transmission
    Principal Investigator(s): Floresco, Stanley B (Psychology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  13. Life Course Trajectories of Mental Health from the Early Years to Young Adulthood: An Ecological Systems and Intersectionality Perspective
    Principal Investigator(s): Gadermann, Anne M (School of Population and Public Health)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  14. Physiological and morphological mechanisms of increased dyspnea in females with COPD
    Principal Investigator(s): Guenette, Jordan (Physical Therapy)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  15. Neuropathology of cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia
    Principal Investigator(s): Hirsch Reinshagen, Veronica (Pathology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  16. Evaluating the utility of long-read genome sequencing for uncovering causal genetic variation and epigenetic signatures of rare disease
    Principal Investigator(s): Jones, Steven (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: Genome Sciences Centre
     
  17. Localized immuno-cloaking organ engineering approach to prevent transplant rejection without immunosuppressants
    Principal Investigator(s): Kizhakkedathu, Jayachandran N (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Michael Smith Laboratories)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  18. The PELvUS Study - Pelvic floor Exercise to Lessen Urinary incontinence and Sexual dysfunction in people with spinal cord injury
    Principal Investigator(s): Lam, Tania (Kinesiology)
    Research Institution: Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute
     
  19. ACTIVE: Adding Life to Years in Cognitive Frailty by Preventing Falls
    Principal Investigator(s): Liu-Ambrose, Teresa Y (Physical Therapy); Li, Linda C (Physical Therapy); Madden, Kenneth M (Medicine)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  20. Innate immune mechanisms of viral myocarditis: Role of the cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway
    Principal Investigator(s): Luo, Honglin (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  21. Development and functional diversity of innate lymphoid cells
    Principal Investigator(s): McNagny, Kelly M (Medical Genetics, School of Biomedical Engineering)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  22. Trajectories of STBBIs, access to health services and psychosocial determinants among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in three Canadian cities
    Principal Investigator(s): Moore, David M (Medicine); Hart, Trevor A (Toronto Metropolitan University); Cox, John JLambert, GillesLachowsky, Nathan J (University of Victoria); Tan, Darrell H (University of Toronto); Grace, Daniel (University of Toronto)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  23. Comparing observation vs. bracing in radiologically dysplastic, stable hips in infants with developmental dysplasia of the hip. An International Multi-Centre Non-Inferiority Randomized Control Trial
    Principal Investigator(s): Mulpuri, Kishore (Orthopaedics)
    Research Institution: B.C. Children's Hospital (Vancouver)
     
  24. Deciphering the Hottest Immune Neighbourhoods in Ovarian Cancer to Advance Immunotherapy
    Principal Investigator(s): Nelson, Brad H (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: BC Cancer, part of PHSA (Victoria)
    *conditional award at time of posting
     
  25. Propagation of diet-derived immunoregulatory signals across tissues
    Principal Investigator(s): Osborne, Lisa (Microbiology & Immunology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  26. Synthetic amatoxins for applications in targeted therapy and molecular pharmacology
    Principal Investigator(s): Perrin, David M (Chemistry)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  27. Parent-of-Origin-Aware Genomic Analysis in Hereditary Cancer
    Principal Investigator(s): Schrader, Kasmintan A (Medical Genetics); Lansdorp, Peter M (Medical Genetics); Jones, Steven (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  28. The impact of chromosomal instability on ovarian cancer progression
    Principal Investigator(s): Steif, Adi (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: BC Cancer, part of PHSA (Vancouver)
     
  29. Dominant genetics of cohesin pathway proteins to kill cancer
    Principal Investigator(s): Stirling, Peter C (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: BC Cancer, part of PHSA (Vancouver)
     
  30. Genetic mapping of a stress response and pro-longevity network in C. elegans and human cancer cells
    Principal Investigator(s): Taubert, Stefan (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  31. Using translational biomarkers to define whether plane of motion and complexity of head kinematics modifies biomarker and neuropathological responses to concussion in mice and humans
    Principal Investigator(s): Wellington, Cheryl L (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine); Cripton, Peter A (School of Biomedical Engineering); Wu, Lyndia (Chun) (Mechanical Engineering); Kozlowski, Piotr (Radiology, Urologic Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  32. Smart Discharges in children over 5: Expanding a personalized public health approach to improving discharge care in resource-limited settings
    Principal Investigator(s): Wiens, Matthew O (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     

Full list of Project Grant Awardees

 


UBC-led Bridge Grants

  1. Decoding the impact of single cell mutational processes in triple negative breast cancer and high grade serous ovarian cancer.
    Principal Investigator(s): Aparicio, Samuel J (Molecular Oncology); 
    Research Institution: BC Cancer, part of PHSA (Vancouver)
     
  2. International Study to Field-Test a New Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Children with Lower Limb Differences
    Principal Investigator(s): Cooper, Anthony (Orthopaedics)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  3. A novel oncolytic virotherapy to overcome drug-resistance in acute myeloid leukemia
    Principal Investigator(s): Jiang, Xiaoyan (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: BC Cancer, part of PHSA (Vancouver)
     
  4. Targeting sodium channels for beta-cell protection and insulin secretion in diabetes
    Principal Investigator(s): Johnson, James D (Cellular and Physiological Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    *conditional award at time of posting
     
  5. Advanced Multi-parametric Retinal Imaging for AMD Classification Modeling
    Principal Investigator(s): Ju, MyeongJin (School of Biomedical Engineering); Beg, Mirza Faisal (Simon Fraser University); Navajas, Eduardo (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  6. Treatment of periodontitis by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor
    Principal Investigator(s): Larjava, Hannu S (Dentistry)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  7. Acute human gingivitis systems biology
    Principal Investigator(s): Overall, Christopher M (Dentistry)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    *conditional award at time of posting
     
  8. Investigating altered sensorimotor processing in Huntington disease
    Principal Investigator(s): Raymond, Lynn A (School of Biomedical Engineering)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  9.  Development and evaluation of novel nanoparticle formulations for therapeutic genome editing
    Principal Investigator(s): Ross, Colin J (Pharmaceutical Sciences); Blakney, Anna (School of Biomedical Engineering, Michael Smith Laboratories)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  10. Examining drivers of disparities in experiences and outcomes of perinatal care in Canada through community participatory action research
    Principal Investigator(s): Vedam, Saraswathi (Family Practice)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
     
  11. Genetic and acquired defects in prohormone processing in diabetes
    Principal Investigator(s): Verchere, Bruce C (Surgery, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia

     

Full list of Bridge Grant Awardees


UBC-led Priority Announcements

  1. People with Prediabetes and Mild Diabetes: characteristics, management and outcomes
    Principal Investigator(s): Ambasta, Anshula (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics); Thompson, Wade (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics); Dormuth, Colin R (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics); Lega, Iliana C (Unievrsity of Toronto); Butalia, Sonia (University of Calgary)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Patient-Oriented Research: Early-Career Investigator
     
  2. Cancer-driver events in normal endometrium: impact on healthy aging and reproduction
    Principal Investigator(s): Anglesio, Michael S (Obstetrics & Gynaecology); Mohamed, Ali Bedaiwy (Obstetrics & Gynaecology); Yong, Paul (Obstetrics and Gynaecology); Hanley, Gillian E (Obstetrics and Gynaecology); Tessier-Cloutier, Basile (McGill University);
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Women's Health Research - Early Career Researcher Grant
     
  3. Optimization of next-generation RNA vaccines for pandemic preparedness
    Principal Investigator(s): Blakney, Anna (Michael Smith Laboratories, School of Biomedical Engineering)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies Research
     
  4. Dissecting the molecular basis of dietary fibre metabolism by beneficial Bacteroidetes of the human gut microbiota
    Principal Investigator(s): Brumer, Harry (Michael Smith Laboratories, Chemistry)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes
     
  5. Identifying altered gene regulatory network states and underlying mechanisms in atrial fibrillation, a model polygenic disease
    Principal Investigator(s): De Boer, Carl G (School of Biomedical Engineering)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)
     
  6. Restoring gut symbiosis caused by a Western diet through a Mediterranean-like diet combined with novel probiotics that target the gut-brain metabolic interactome
    Principal Investigator(s): Gibson, Deanna L (Biology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes
     
  7. Endometriosis and ovarian cancer: Understanding which patients are at high risk for ovarian cancer
    Principal Investigator(s): Hanley, Gillian E (Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology); Anglesio, Michael S (Obstetrics & Gynaecology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - Priority Announcement: Early Detection/Cancer Prevention
     
  8. SNF2 Histone Linker PHD RING Helicase as a novel tumor suppressor gene and risk factor in lung adenocarcinoma development
    Principal Investigator(s): Lockwood, William W (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
    Research Institution: B.C. Cancer Research Centre (Vancouver)
    Project Grant - Priority Announcement: Cancer Research
     
  9. Systematic characterization of membrane contact sites in budding yeast
    Principal Investigator(s): Loewen, Christopher (Cellular & Physiological Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)
    *conditional award at time of posting
     
  10. Elucidating the mitotic mechanisms that are needed for alveologenesis in the pregnant mammary gland and are likely to be disturbed in pregnancy-associated breast cancer
    Principal Investigator(s): Maxwell, Christopher A (Pediatrics)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Breast Cancer Research
     
  11. Podocalyxin's role in tumor invasion, metastasis, and immune evasion
    Principal Investigator(s): McNagny, Kelly M (Medical Genetics, School of Biomedical Engineering); Roskelley, Calvin D (School of Biomedical Engineering, Cellular & Physiological Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Breast Cancer Research
     
  12. Artificial intelligence assisted Method, Optimizing the Prediction of Patient Outcomes among Long COVID-19 Patients.
    Principal Investigator(s): Nicolaou, Savvakis (Radiology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies Research
     
  13. Translating Epigenomics into Clinical Care for Synovial Sarcoma
    Principal Investigator(s): Nielsen, Torsten O (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - Priority Announcement: Pediatric Cancer Research
     
  14. A development platform for mutation-resistant vaccines and antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 future variants
    Principal Investigator(s): Plotkin, Steven S (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies Research
     
  15. Regulation of Periodontal Disease Pathogenesis by the Effects of Novel Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors
    Principal Investigator(s): Putnins, Edward E (Oral Biological & Medical Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - Priority Announcement: IMHA: Oral Health
     
  16. Assembly of a pseudo-peptide antibiotic active against gram-negative bacteria
    Principal Investigator(s): Ryan, Katherine S (Chemistry)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - Priority Announcement: Infection and Immunity
     
  17. A synthetic biology approach to unlocking the role of the ribosome in cell competition
    Principal Investigator(s): Shakiba, Nika (School of Biomedical Engineering)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)
     
  18. Exploring the potential of type-1 regulatory T cells in treatment and recovery from intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease
    Principal Investigator(s): Steiner, Theodore S (Medicine)
    Research Institution: BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
    Project Grant - Priority Announcement: Infection and Immunity
     
  19. Improving endometrial cancer risk prediction by including genetic, environmental, and temporal exposures
    Principal Investigator(s): Talhouk, Aline (Obstetrics and Gynecology)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Women's Health Research - Early Career Researcher Grant
     
  20. Harnessing early life developmental trajectories and the gut microbiota to identify new ways to prevent asthma and obesity.
    Principal Investigator(s): Turvey, Stuart E (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)
     
  21. Characterizing and validating diacetylspermine as a metabolic biomarker of drug response and precision treatment in triple-negative breast cancer
    Principal Investigator(s): Velenosi, Thomas J (Pharmaceutical Sciences)
    Research Institution: University of British Columbia
    Project Grant - PA: Breast Cancer Research
     
  22. A master transcription factor driving cell lineage reprogramming in neuroendocrine prostate cancer development and progression
    Principal Investigator(s): Wang, Yuzhuo (Urologic Sciences)
    Research Institution: BC Cancer, part of PHSA (Vancouver)
    Project Grant - Priority Announcement: Cancer Research
     
  23. Deep Learning-Based Design of Synthetic Promoters for Oligodendroglia-Specific Expression
    Principal Investigator(s): Wasserman, Wyeth W (Medical Genetics)
    Research Institution: BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
    Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)
    *conditional award at time of posting
     
  24. Care, Health, Economics, and Society: Spillover Effects of Caregiving in Canada
    Principal Investigator(s): Zhang, Wei (School of Population and Public Health); Sawatzky, Richard (Trinity Western University); Salmon, Amy L (School of Population and Public Health)
    Research Institution: Centre for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences (Vancouver, BC)
    Project Grant - PA: Patient-Oriented Research: Early-Career Investigator
     

Full list of Priority Announcement Grant Awardees