SBME Interfaces: Recent Episodes
UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Welcome to SBME Interfaces. Our goal with this show is to introduce you to the people who interface with the School of Biomedical Engineering from students and faculty to staff and industry—and everyone in between. Biomedical Engineering is shaping an exciting future for health, healthcare and personalized medicine where the possibilities are limitless, and the human impact is immeasurable.
Communicating with conspiracy theorists.
Teaching students to be advocates for science.
Rebuilding trust in science communications.
Special guest host Dr. Jenna Usprech and I sat down with Dr. Gabriel Potvin to discuss all this and more in our latest episode.
All episodes available on to watch on YouTube
Guest:
Gabriel Potvin
Associate Professor of Teaching, UBC Chemical and Biological Engineering
Dr. Potvin's current focus is in engineering pedagogy and curriculum development, with a particular interest in problem-based learning, laboratory instruction, sustainability education, and interdisciplinary education.
The challenges we face as a society, and as a species, are complex and multi-faceted. Engineers must be able to tackle them in creative ways, and be comfortable working on collaborative open interdisciplinary projects. The training of engineers must include these skills. To this end, he aims to create developmental opportunities for students, and actively support a number of undergraduate design teams, student projects, student competitions, and special research projects. He is a steadfast advocate of science and engineering literacy, and is also involved in a number of STEM outreach initiatives.
Learn more about Dr. Potvin here
Special Guest Host:
Jenna Usprech
Assistant Professor of Teaching, SBME
Dr. Usprech, PhD, PEng, is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the School of Biomedical Engineering. She received her PhD from the University of Toronto, her Master’s from Queen’s University (both in different areas of tissue engineering research), and her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Engineering from the University of Guelph. Dr. Usprech joined UBC in 2019 so that she could introduce new areas of the field to undergraduate students and continue to be immersed in biomedical engineering education. She is particularly passionate about student wellness, science communication, and classroom strategies that promote critical thought and retention of material.
Learn more about Jenna here
Hosts:
MIGUEL EICHELBERGER
Communications & Engagement Manager, SBME
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Learn more about Miguel here
UBC iGEM and Undergraduate Innovation.
Interdisciplinary scientific exploration.
Changing course through UBC iGEM.
We sat down with iGEM Executive Directors past and present, Emilia Chen and Janella Schwab, on all this and more in our latest episode.
Guests:
Emilia Chen
UBC iGEM 2021 Executive Director
Student, Microbiology & Immunology and Computer Science
Emilia Chen is a fifth year student studying Microbiology & Immunology and Computer Science. She is passionate about finding the intersection of computational and biological sciences. Synthetic biology has opened her eyes to the infinite possibilities we and the great power of multidisciplinary collaboration. She has been the Executive Director of the UBC iGEM team, and served as both software lead and a wet lab member. Her iGEM experience has truly transformed her undergraduate path, and she was thrilled to lead the team in creating something extraordinary together.
Janella Schwab
UBC iGEM 2022 Executive Director
Student, Honours in Applied Animal Biology
Janella Schwab is a fourth year honours student studying applied animal biology. She is itrigued by the parallels between the natural and human worlds and how synthetic biology can narrow that gap. Her curiosity in this field was harboured by having the opportunity to participate in iGEM during high school, after which she joined UBC iGEM in 2019. As the Director of UBC iGEM she hopes to inspire this admiration for biological systems in others, especially those outside the scientific community. In her spare time you can find her either climbing mountains or thinking about climbing mountains.
Learn more about UBC iGEM
Host:
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Learn more about Miguel's work here
Getting science communication 80% right.
Concussion recovery and inspiring research.
The Olympics, doping, and human potential.
We sat down with Dr. E. Paul Zehr on all this and more in our latest episode.
Guest:
E. Paul Zehr
Author & International Science Communicator
Professor, University of Victoria
Affiliate Professor, UBC Department of Medicine
E. PAUL ZEHR, Ph.D., is a professor, author, and martial artist at the University of Victoria. He is passionate about the popularization of science using superheroes as foils for human achievement and ability. His recent pop-sci books include BECOMING BATMAN (2008), INVENTING IRON MAN (2011), PROJECT SUPERHERO (2014), and CHASING CAPTAIN AMERICA (2018).
His innovative work as head of the Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory focuses on the recovery of function after neurotrauma using integrated whole body movement.
At an early age martial arts got him into science and he continues his daily practice in Victoria where he also teaches karate and Ryukyu kobujutsu in the community.
Paul is a regular speaker at conferences and comic conventions including San-Diego International Comic Con and New York Comic Con and has presented to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on the science of superheroes. In addition to articles and interviews on exercise, science and superheroes in Flipside: The Science, Engineering, and Technology Magazine for Teenagers, Scientific American Online, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maxim, Popular Mechanics, Discover and Maclean’s magazines, Zehr also blogs at Scientific American.
Zehr won the 2012 Craigdarroch Award for Research Communications at the University of Victoria and the 2015 Science Educator Award from the Society for Neuroscience. "Project Superhero" received the 2015 Silver Medal for Juvenile Fiction from the North American Independent Book Publishers.
Learn more about Paul's work
Host:
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Learn more about Miguel's work here
Our renewed interest in science.
The state of scientific funding in Canada.
Supporting both applied and pure research.
We sat down with Dr. Alejandro Adem on all this and more in our latest episode.
Guest:
Alejandro Adem
President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Professor Alejandro Adem was appointed President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in October 2019.
As a highly accomplished researcher in the field of mathematics and a faculty member at the University of British Columbia, Professor Adem has significant leadership experience in the Canadian research and innovation ecosystem. Before joining NSERC, he was CEO and Scientific Director of Mitacs (2015–19) where he oversaw a significant expansion of its domestic and international internship programs, as well as launching the Mitacs Canadian Science Policy Fellowships, an Indigenous engagement initiative and an innovative entrepreneurship program. Prior to that, he served as Director (2008–2015) of the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences , a research and training consortium supporting the mathematical sciences across Western Canada. From 1989 to 2004 he was a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA).
Professor Adem is currently the Chair of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee and Vice-Chair of the Governing Board of the Global Research Council. Over his career he has served on a variety of scientific, editorial and governance boards for the worldwide mathematical sciences community, and is a member of the International Mathematical Union's Committee for Women in Mathematics.
Alejandro Adem is a Canadian citizen who was born and raised in Mexico City, and is a proud member of the Latin American community in Canada. He is married and has two grown children.
Learn more about Alejandro here
Host:
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Learn more about Miguel's work here
Connecting Climate Change to our gut.
Doing better in the EDI space.
Did we learn from the pandemic?
We caught up with Dr. Carolina Tropini on all this and more in our latest episode.
Guest:
Carolina Tropini
Assistant Professor, SBME & Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology
Dr. Tropini’s interests lie at the nexus of medicine, microbial biophysics, and engineering. Working in the field of the gut microbiota, she is applying novel tools to longstanding questions regarding the stability of microbial communities and their response to perturbations during disease. By combining imaging, microfluidics and computational techniques to animal studies, she is building a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the complex interactions between microbes and their hosts. Dr. Tropini is also keenly interested in teaching and outreach, particularly with the goal of building a common language between physicists and engineers, biologists and clinicians.
Learn more about Carolina here
Host:
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Learn more about Miguel's work here
In this special episode, Miguel Eichelberger chats with Payam Zahedi, former host and Strategic Planning and Operations Director for the school as he looks back over his time with SBME, and says farewell.
Guest:
Payam Zahedi
Former Strategic Planning & Operations Director, SBME
Current Director, Office of the Vice Principal, Research, UTM
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Learn more about Payam here:
Host:
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
We chat with Dr. Ubaka Ogbogu, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, and the Katz Research Fellow in Health Law and Science Policy, at the University of Alberta, Recipient of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations Distinguished Academic Early Career Award and a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellow (2020).
We discuss the national and international biotechnology policy process, how Biomedical Engineering fits in the Canadian economic landscape over the next five years, and our biggest challenges moving forward.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Ubaka Ogbogu
Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, UofA
Katz Research Fellow in Health Law and Science Policy, UofA
Ubaka Ogbogu is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law and the Katz Research Fellow in Health Law and Science Policy, at the University of Alberta. Dr. Ogbogu is a recipient of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations Distinguished Academic Early Career Award. He holds a doctorate in law from the University of Toronto, a Master of Laws degree from the University of Alberta and undergraduate degrees in law from the University of Benin, Nigeria and the Nigerian Law School. Ogbogu’s scholarly work is focused broadly on the ethical, legal and societal implications of novel and emerging biotechnologies and associated research. His publications have explored a diverse range of issues in this field, including the ethical and legal issues associated with stem cell research, gene and engineered cell therapies, biobanks, germline gene editing and assisted reproductive technologies.
He has led or been involved in many prominent national and international biotechnology policymaking activities and writes and comments frequently in the popular press on matters relating to the impacts of biotechnology and science on society. Ogbogu has served as the Chair of the University of Alberta’s Research Ethics Board No. 2 and as a member of numerous boards and councils, including the Health Quality Council of Alberta, Council of Canadian Academies Expert Panel on Somatic Gene and Engineered Cell Therapies, the Council of Canadian Academies Expert Panel on Medical Assistance in Dying, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Stem Cell Oversight Committee, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Governing Council’s Standing Committee on Ethics, and the International Society for Stem Cell Research Task Force on Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation.
Learn more about Ubaka here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you ac
We chat with Karen Cheung, Associate Director and Professor at SBME (as well the Graduate Program Director), on the school, the SBME graduate program, chatting with the Prime Minister, advocating for women in STEM, and much more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Karen Cheung
Associate Director and Professor, SBME
Graduate Program Director, SBME
Karen C. Cheung is a Bioengineering Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as well as an Associate Director and Professor in the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering. Cheung received her BSc and PhD degrees in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1998 and 2002, respectively. From 2002–2005, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland. Her research interests include lab-on-a-chip systems for cell culture and characterization, inkjet printing for tissue engineering, and implantable neural interfaces.
Learn more about Karen here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
We chat with Murali Chandrashekaran, Vice Provost International and Fred H. Siller Professor of Marketing and Behavioural Science at Sauder School of Business, on UBC, the role of Universities in building a more just and prosperous world, changing the way we teach and learn, and on SBME creating its very own "Learning Cauldron."
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Murali Chandrashekaran
Vice Provost International & Fred H. Siller Professor
UBC Sauder School of Business
Dr. Murali Chandrashekaran is UBC’s first Vice-Provost, International. Born in Bangalore, India, Dr. Chandrashekaran is no stranger to the international scene. He has lived on three continents, and has travelled widely across Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. He came to UBC in 2011, joining the Sauder School of Business as Director of the Robert H. Lee Graduate School and as Associate Dean, Professional Graduate Programs, and then started his role as Vice Provost, International in September 2017.
With a focus on deepening UBC’s engagement on issues of global relevance, he and his team manage more than 500 active institutional partnership agreements with universities and research institutions in more than 65 countries.
Learn more about Murali here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
On this episode recorded at the end of May 2021, we caught up with SBME Grad Students Maryam Tayyab and Emily Bliven on the Graduate experience at SBME, the role of student leadership, the SBME Graduate Association, and more.
All episodes available on to watch on YouTube
Guests:
Maryam Tayyab
MASc Student, Tam Lab, SBME
Maryam is a Master's student at the School of biomedical engineering, president of BMEGA and co-chair of BMEGA REDI subcommittee. Her research is on developing machine learning methods to predict clinical outcomes in populations with neurological disorders like Multiple Sclerosis. Maryam is a strong advocate of respect, equity, inclusion and diversity in the workplace and graduate school. In her free time, she loves to hike, hit the beaches and explore Vancouver every chance she can get.
Learn more about Maryam
Emily Bliven
PhD Student, Cripton Lab, SBME
Emily hails from the island of Alameda, California and studied Mechanical Engineering (B.Sc.) and Biomedical Engineering (M.Eng.) at the University of Portland in Oregon. She worked in industry researching fracture fixation plates, WaveCel helmet technology, and at a German biomechanics laboratory before moving to British Columbia. Her work at UBC concerns strengthening the femur with an orthopaedic implant to prevent fracture.
Learn more about Emily here
Hosts:
PAYAM ZAHEDI
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, SBME
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
MIGUEL EICHELBERGER
Communications & Engagement Manager, SBME
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In this episode, we interface with Paul Cubbon, Assistant Dean of Innovation at UBC's Sauder School of Business, Leader of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group, and Leader at the Creative Destruction Lab West (CDL-West).
We chat about innovation at UBC, Sauder’s impact on the local ecosystem, SBME’s potential to grow the BC Life Sciences Community, retaining talent and innovations in Vancouver, the Climate XPrize, and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Paul Cubbon
Assistant Dean, Innovation, UBC Sauder School of Business
Leader, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group
Leader, Creative Destruction Lab Vancouver
Paul Cubbon is the Assistant Dean of Innovation and a faculty member of the Marketing and Behavioural Science Division at the Sauder School of Business. He leads the Entrepreneurship Group and is also the Assistant Dean of Innovation and the Academic Director of Creative Destruction Lab Vancouver. He holds a B.A. Honours degree from Oxford University, and an MBA from Simon Fraser University.
Since 2000, Paul has committed himself to designing innovative and applied learning experiences in marketing communication, digital marketing and technology entrepreneurship. He has expanded venture start-up programs across campus, and beyond credit courses to support science researchers in finding product-market fit and venture creation.
He has won multiple awards including a UBC Killam Undergraduate Teaching Award, and in 2020, became a 3M Canada National Teaching Fellow.
Learn more about Paul here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In this episode, we interface with Dr. Gabrielle Lam and Dr. Jenna Usprech, both Assistant Professors of Teaching at SBME.
We discuss changing the way we teach (on the fly), what makes SBME special as a proving ground for integrated experiential learning, student wellness, changing our mindsets around teaching, and more.
All episodes available on to watch on YouTube
Guests:
Gabrielle Lam
Assistant Professor of Teaching, SBME
Dr. Lam is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in Materials Engineering at the School of Biomedical Engineering. She has a BASc in Materials Engingineering from the University of Alberta and a MASc & PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto. She draws on her research and educational experience in tissue engineering, biomaterials and regenerative medicine to design new curriculum and courses. Gabrielle’s particular interest is in integrating experiential learning to improve student development of self-regulated and collaborative learning skills.
Learn more about Gabi here
Jenna Usprech
Assistant Professor of Teaching, SBME
Dr. Usprech, PhD, PEng, is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the School of Biomedical Engineering. She received her PhD from the University of Toronto, her Master’s from Queen’s University (both in different areas of tissue engineering research), and her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Engineering from the University of Guelph. Dr. Usprech joined UBC in 2019 so that she could introduce new areas of the field to undergraduate students and continue to be immersed in biomedical engineering education. She is particularly passionate about student wellness, science communication, and classroom strategies that promote critical thought and retention of material.
Learn more about Jenna here
Hosts:
PAYAM ZAHEDI
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, SBME
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
MIGUEL EICHELBERGER
Communications & Engagement Manager, SBME
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In this episode, we interface with Shernaz Bamji, Associate Director of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and in the School of Biomedical Engineering.
We chat about following a career in academia, mentorship, the future of neuroscience, the exciting prospects for the SBME, and much more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Shernaz Bamji
Associate Director, DCMBH
Professor, Dept. of Cellular & Physiological Sciences
Professor, SBME
Shernaz Bamji is a Professor in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, is the current Associate Director of the Center for Brain Health at UBC, and is the incoming President elect of the Canadian Association for Neurosciences. She received her Ph.D. at McGill University and did her postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco, where she also gave birth to both her children. Dr. Bamji has a long-standing interest in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neural connectivity and synaptic plasticity. Her work has provided valuable information about fundamental mechanisms underlying learning and memory, as well as how these processes are perturbed in diseased states.
Learn more about Shernaz here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In this episode, we interface with Lynn Raymond, Director of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Louise A. Brown Chair in Neuroscience.
We chat about becoming a clinical scientist, working on Huntington’s Disease, UBC’s UG neuroscience program, the importance of collaborative science across health and healthcare, leadership and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Lynn Raymond
Director, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Louise A. Brown Chair in Neuroscience
Dr. Lynn Raymond combines neuroscience research with clinical practice in Neurology. Her lab investigates pathogenic mechanisms of Huntington disease (HD), as well as glutamate receptor structure-function, modulation and signaling. Working with HD mouse models, Dr. Raymond made significant contributions to focusing the field on altered striatal neuronal NMDA-type glutamate receptor (NMDAR) trafficking and excitatory synaptic signaling as central mechanisms of early striatal dysfunction. More recently, her lab has focused on early changes in cortical-striatal and cortical pyramidal glutamatergic synaptic plasticity, which may contribute to impairments in learning and cognitive flexibility, as well as promote selective neuronal degeneration. The lab also developed an automated home-cage system for assessing motor learning, and uses electrophysiological and optogenetic approaches to study cortical and striatal activity in awake behaving mice in vivo to determine circuit changes underlying HD. Dr. Raymond served as President for the Canadian Association for Neuroscience. She is Director of the HD Medical Clinic at UBC and a practicing neurologist. As Site PI of several clinical trials and observational studies, she contributes data to publications on multi-centre studies in HD
Learn more about Lynn here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In this episode, we interface with Kari LaMotte, Managing Director of entrepreneurship@UBC (UBC’s incubator and accelerator for ventures built by students, staff and faculty), and Co-Founder of Women Tech Founders.
We chat about venture creation in BC, Kari's path to entrepreneurialism, keeping ventures in Vancouver, leveraging the Medici Effect, and recognizing research as the foundation for critical solutions to healthcare and climate challenges.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Kari LaMotte
Managing Director, entrepreneurship@UBC
Co-Founder, Women Tech Founders
Kari LaMotte is the Managing Director of entrepreneurship@UBC, UBC’s incubator and accelerator for ventures formed out of the student, staff and faculty of the university. A lifelong entrepreneur, Kari has been involved in the BC technology sector for 20 years and is passionate about the growth of BC’s innovation ecosystem. Kari is the Co-Founder of Women Tech Founders, and is an active advisor and mentor to startups and founders.
Learn more about Kari here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In this episode, we interface with Dr. Kelly McNagny, SBME and Department of Medical Genetics professor, Associate Scientific Director of AllerGen Network and Director of two core facilities in BRC; and Dr. Fabio Rossi, SBME Research Director & Associate Director as well as the Director of the BC Regenerative Medicine Cluster.
We discuss everything from the legacy of BME at UBC to their paths to BME to making science fiction a reality as well as the resources and funding necessary to make it happen.
All episodes available on to watch on YouTube
Guests:
KELLY MCNAGNY
Professor, SBME and Department of Medical Genetics Associate
Scientific Director, AllerGen Network
Director, two core facilities in BRC
Dr. Kelly McNagny obtained his Ph.D. in cellular immunology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1990. There, he worked with Dr. Max D. Cooper from Howard Hughes Medical Institute at National Academy of Sciences. His research focused on cell surface proteins that regulate B cell maturation and homing. He then moved to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany where he performed his postdoctoral studies in the lab of Dr. Thomas Graf from 1991 to 1996. He continued his studies at the EMBL as a semi-independent visiting scientist from 1996 to 1998 prior to starting his own laboratory at The University of British Columbia’s Biomedical Research Centre.
Learn more about Kelly's work
FABIO ROSSI
Research Director, Professor, and Associate Director, SBME
Director, BC Regenerative Medicine Cluster
Fabio obtained his M.D. from the university in Genoa, Italy. During undergraduate studies, he investigated the mechanisms underlying chondrocyte differentiation in the lab of Ranieri Cancedda. He joined the Ph.D. programme at the European Molecular Biology Laboratories in Heidelberg, where he studied the influence of avian retroviral oncogenes on cellular differentiation under the supervision of Thomas Graf. His interest in this topic led him to continue his training at Stanford University, in Helen Blau's laboratory, where he pioneered the use of β-galactosidase complementation as a reporter of protein-protein interactions in live cells. He moved to the University of British Columbia to open his laboratory in 2001.
Learn more about Fabio's work
Hosts:
PAYAM ZAHEDI
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, SBME
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
MIGUEL EICHELBERGER
Communications & Engagement Manager, SBME
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to the Season 2 premiere of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Rick Hansen, the Man in Motion and founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation, on building a universally accessible world, resiliency, the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™, the exciting prospect of working with SBME, and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Rick Hansen
Founder, Rick Hansen Foundation
Medalist at Paralympic and Pan Am Games
Companion of the Order of Canada
Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
Rick Hansen is the Founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation and a passionate supporter of people with disabilities in Canada. Rick is best known as the “Man In Motion” for his epic 26-month, 34 country, 40,000 km wheelchair trip around the world to make the world inclusive for people with disabilities and to find a cure for paralysis.
Since the end of the Man In Motion World Tour in 1987, Rick has dedicated his life to creating a world that is accessible and inclusive for all by removing barriers for people with disabilities through the Rick Hansen Foundation. Rick and his team at the Foundation are dedicated to raising awareness, changing attitudes, helping create accessible spaces, and liberating the amazing potential of people with disabilities.
Learn more about Rick here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to SBME Interfaces
On our season one finale, we interface with Ananya Mukherjee Reed, Provost & Vice-President Academic at UBC Okanagan, on the social responsibility of post-secondary institutions, Equity and Diversity in Academia, giving ordinary citizens power over their own lives, poetry, and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Ananya Mukherjee Reed
UBC Okanagan Provost & Vice-President Academic
Professor Ananya Mukherjee Reed is Provost and Vice-President Academic at UBC Okanagan and Professor in the Department of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science. In 2020, Professor Mukherjee Reed was appointed Co-executive lead for Anti-racism at UBC. She is also Co-editor of the Canadian Journal of Development Studies.
Her scholarly work, especially since 2008, has sought to contribute to theories of alternative development, with a focus on the theme of justice. She has contributed to discourses in the fields of Development, Public Policy, Transitional Justice, Corporate Governance and Gender Studies. In 2003, Professor Mukherjee Reed became the Founding-Director of the International Secretariat for Human Development (ISHD), at York University, Toronto, where she worked previously. Under her leadership, ISHD has collaborated with leading international institutions such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), Geneva; United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Rome; United Nations Development Program (UNDP); and the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), Geneva. Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic.
In 2016, she was named as one of the five brilliant women from academia by Canadian Immigrant magazine in their Third Annual Tribute to ‘Immigrant Women of Inspiration’. In May 2016 she was honoured as a Pioneer of Change and for Excellence in Social Impact by Skills for Change, Canada. She has written and commented frequently in the media and has been interviewed by the Toronto Star, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, BBC online, The Hindu, Radio France, TV Ontario, the CBC, OMNI TV, etc. She is an avid lover of poetry, and passionately promotes the works of Asia’s first Nobel Laureate, the poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore.
Learn more about Professor Mukherjee Reed here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Andrew Szeri, UBC Provost & Vice-President Academic, on passion, the draw of UBC, the establishment of the SBME, UBC’s Academic Excellence Initiative, literature, leadership, and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Andrew Szeri
UBC Provost & Vice-President Academic
As Provost and Vice-President Academic for UBC Vancouver, Professor Szeri provides leadership for the university’s academic strategy, budgetary and planning processes. The role also includes overseeing UBC’s academic programs and support functions, faculty affairs, enrollment, sustainability and information technology.
Prior to this appointment, Professor Szeri served as Vice Provost for Strategic Academic and Facilities Planning, at the University of California at Berkeley, where he led academic program reviews of all departments and schools from 2014 to 2016. He also served seven years (2007-14) as Dean of the Graduate Division, with academic quality assurance and financial responsibilities extending to nearly 11,000 graduate students and 100+ degree programs campus-wide.
Professor Szeri was a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley, teaching in the areas of fluid mechanics and nonlinear dynamics. He has won several research awards, four teaching awards, and a recent award for excellence in student mentoring. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from Cornell University in 1987 and 1988.
Learn more about Professor Szeri here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 13 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Leanne Denis, Executive Director, Development & Alumni Engagement for the Faculty of Medicine, and Debbie Woo, Senior Director, Development & Alumni Engagement for the
Faculty of Applied Science, on the path to UBC development, bringing money and attention to worthy causes, excitement surrounding SBME, living a life of service and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Leanne Denis
Executive Director
Development & Alumni Engagement, Faculty of Medicine
Leanne has been fundraising since 2001, working primarily in health-related charities. She is passionate about connecting people to causes they care about and contributing to a thriving social-impact sector.
She is a member of the Dean's Executive Advisory Committee and responsible for the operations of a 26-member development and alumni engagement team, raising more than $70 million per year through a robust major gifts program. She participated in the Johns Hopkins Medical Philanthropy Institute in 2016, an intensive workshop for senior fundraisers in the academic medical setting and completed her CFRE certification in 2008 as well as a BCIT Associate Certificate in Fundraising Management in 2004.
Learn more about Leanne.
Debbie Woo
Senior Director
Development & Alumni Engagement, Faculty of Applied Science
Debbie Woo has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alberta. She joined the Development and Alumni Engagement team in 2008. From 1996-2008, she was the Director of Corporate Relations for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver Foundation. Prior to her career in development, she worked for a number of social service organizations serving individuals and families. She is passionate about service to society. She was an active volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Vancouver Chapter from 2002 - 2011, was on the Professional Development Committee, the Scholarship & Mentorship Committee, and the International Conference Education Committee.
Learn more about Debbie.
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 11 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Wendy Hurlburt, President and CEO of Life Sciences BC, On the BC Life Sciences community, where the SBME fits into the picture, mobilizing Life Sciences BC through a pandemic, leadership, and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Wendy Hurlburt
President and CEO, Life Sciences BC
Wendy Hurlburt, a passionate global executive with more than 25 years of experience in the Life Sciences and Technology sectors, is the President & CEO of Life Sciences BC. Wendy has held leadership positions in Johnson & Johnson, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, and Lexmark International where she provided strategic leadership across Finance, Business Development, Operations, IT, Privacy, Compliance, Regulatory, Quality and Risk Management. Her global experience includes leadership roles across Canada, the United States, Europe and South Asia.
Wendy has a BA in Finance & Economics from Western University Ontario, an MBA from Queen’s University, a Certificate in Strategic Leadership from the Sauder School of Executive Education and is a certified Privacy Professional (CIPP). Wendy serves on the Clinical Trials BC Advisory Board, the External Advisory Committee of the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcomes Science and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Government, Budget and Finance Committee. Previously Wendy served on the Board of the Centre for Research and Drug Discovery (adMare BioInnovations) and chaired CDRD’s Finance & Audit Committee, co-Chaired of the International Association of Privacy Professionals Vancouver Chapter and was on the GVBOT Women’s Leadership Council, most recently serving as the WLC Policy Chair.
Learn more about LifeSciences BC
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 12 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Dr. Ali Tehrani, Co-founder, President and CEO of Zymeworks Inc. on launching Zymeworks, the profound moment that inspired him to science, communicating on its behalf, self-reflection, the BC Biomedical ecosystem, leadership, and more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Dr. Ali Tehrani
Co-founder, President and CEO of Zymeworks Inc.
Dr. Tehrani is a co-founder of Zymeworks and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a member of the Board of Directors, since the company’s inception in September 2003. He has been an integral part of many of Zymeworks's corporate achievements, including raising seed and angel financing and overseeing technical operations and patent filings. Dr. Tehrani holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, and has a doctoral degree in microbiology and Immunology from the University of British Columbia.
While completing his PhD, he co-founded the Student Biotechnology Network, for which he received the UBC Faculty of Science Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership in 2002. Dr. Tehrani has served as a board director for the Student Biotechnology Network and LifeSciences British Columbia, on the MITACS Industrial Advisory Board, and on BIOTECanada’s Industrial and Environmental Committee. He was a council member on the Premier of British Columbia’s Technology Council from 2016 to 2018. Currently, he is a member of the board of directors of Creatus Biosciences Inc.
Hear more from Dr. Tehrani on the BC MedTech sector.
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 10 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Drs. Anna Blakney and Nika Shakiba, both Assistant Professors at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering, on moving and starting labs during a pandemic, science communication, using social media to educate the public about vaccines, the future of health and healthcare, and much more.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
Dr. Anna Blakney
Assistant Professor, SBME & Michael Smith Laboratories
Dr. Anna Blakney is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia in the Michael Smith Laboratories and School of Biomedical Engineering. She received a BSc in Chemical and Biological Engineering prior to pursuing her PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Washington. She then completed her postdoctoral training at Imperial College London, co-supervised by Prof. Robin Shattock and Prof. Molly Stevens. Her group is interested in molecular and formulation immunoengineering to develop the next generation of RNA vaccines and therapies. She is passionate about public engagement and is a part of Team Halo- a group of scientists and clinicians who educate the public about vaccines using TikTok.
Follow Dr. Blakney on TikTok
Dr. Nika Shakiba
Assistant Professor, SBME
Dr. Nika Shakiba is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at UBC. Her research program (https://shakiba.bme.ubc.ca) applies a combined systems and synthetic biology approach to reverse- and forward-engineer the role of cell competition in developmental and stem cell systems. Prior to joining SBME, Nika was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed her PhD in Stem Cell Bioengineering at the University of Toronto. Nika is a big believer in outreach and mentorship. Beyond her research and teaching, she is passionate about providing equity in mentorship and advice access through her latest project, Advice to a Scientist.
Check out Dr. Shakiba's Advice to a Scientist
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 9 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Dr. Gail Murphy, Vice-President Research & Innovation of UBC and Professor in UBC's Department of Computer science on the research landscape of UBC, leadership, entrepreneurialism, creating the right environment for students to become complete people, the exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary science both in SBME and around the University, and even Jane Austen.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
DR. GAIL MURPHY
Vice-President Research & Innovation, UBC
Professor, UBC's Department of Computer Science
Dr. Gail Murphy assumed the role of Vice-President, Research & Innovation on August 14, 2017.
Dr. Murphy is a professor in UBC’s Department of Computer Science and was formerly Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies) in the Faculty of Science. After completing her B.Sc. at the University of Alberta in 1987, she worked for five years as a software engineer in the Lower Mainland. She later pursued graduate studies in computer science at the University of Washington, earning first an M.Sc. (1994) and then a Ph.D (1996).
Dr. Murphy joined UBC in 1996 and was a key driver of the new Master of Data Science, a professional graduate program launching this fall — and has been instrumental in championing the creation of a Data Science Institute at the university. She also maintains an active research group with post-doctoral and graduate students.
Dr. Murphy’s research focuses on improving the productivity of software developers and knowledge workers by providing the necessary tools to identify, manage and coordinate the information that matters most for their work. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), as well as co-founder, board member and former Chief Scientist at Tasktop Technologies Incorporated.
Read One-on-One with Dr. Murphy
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 8 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Dr. Santa Ono, the 15th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia, on UBC, his second term, the changing conversation around mental health, and his excitement for the future of SBME at UBC.
All episodes available to watch on our YouTube Channel
Guest:
DR. SANTA ONO
15th President and Vice-Chancellor, UBC
Santa J. Ono PhD FRSC FCAHS is the 15th President & Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia.
Installed as President and Vice-Chancellor in 2016, he also serves as Chair of the U15 Group of Universities, on the Board of Directors of Universities Canada, and as Past Chair of Research Universities of British Columbia. He is also a member of the Boards of Fulbright and MITACS. He has also served on the Boards of the American Council on Education and the Council on Competitiveness and as Chief Innovation Advisor to the Province of British Columbia.
Prior to his appointment as President and Vice-Chancellor of UBC, Dr. Ono served as the 28th President of the University of Cincinnati and Senior Vice-Provost and Deputy to the Provost at Emory University.
A molecular immunologist educated at the University of Chicago and McGill, Dr. Ono has taught at Johns Hopkins, Harvard University and University College London. He has advised national and regional governments on higher education and mental health. He has also advised companies such as GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Novartis on R&D.
Dr. Ono has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors, USA and the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars. He holds Honorary Doctorates from Chiba University and the Vancouver School of Theology and is a recipient of the Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award from the American Council on Education, the Professional Achievement Award from University of Chicago, a Grand Challenges Hero Award from UCLA and the NAAAP 100 Award from the National Association of Asian American Professionals.
View Dr. Ono's TEDx Talk on Mental Health in our Youth
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 7 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Dr. Roger Wong, Vice-Dean of the UBC Faculty of Medicine on his passion for geriatric care and healthy aging, training doctors across British Columbia, UBC's Faculty of Medicine and much more.
Guest:
Dr. Roger Wong
Vice Dean, Education, Faculty of Medicine Clinical
Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine
Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Fellow, American College of Physicians
Roger Y.M. Wong, CM, BMSc, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FCAHS, is a Clinical Professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine in the University of British Columbia (UBC) Department of Medicine and is a Consultant Physician of the Geriatric Consultation Program at the Vancouver General Hospital. He is the Vice Dean (Education) in the UBC Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Wong has been appointed to the Order of Canada, the first time a geriatrician is appointed to the country's highest civilian honour, for his contributions to the field of geriatric medicine, including the advancement of policies, education and specialized, culturally sensitive health care.
Dr. Wong works tirelessly to advance academic and clinical health sciences related to geriatrics, and his work has made significant impact on the care for older people in Canada and the world. He was the 13th President of the Canadian Geriatrics Society and founded the state-of-the-art Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit in Vancouver, which has been implemented nationally and internationally. His clinical research focuses on hospital medicine in vulnerable older adults, including quality improvement in acute care geriatrics. Dr. Wong has made significant contributions in showcasing Canadian geriatrics around the world, culminating in his selection as the Trevor Howell Guest Lecturer in London, a prestigious honour bestowed by the British Geriatrics Society for an eminent physician or scientist with an international reputation.
Dr. Wong has published and lectured extensively on geriatric medicine and medical education. He is also a TEDx Speaker, and his TEDx Talk has been viewed by international audiences around the world.
View Dr. Wong’s TEDx talk here
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode 6 of SBME Interfaces
In this episode, we interface with Dr. Sally Thorne, Vice-Dean of the UBC Faculty of Applied Science, on the psychology and science of nursing, science-led public policy, end-of-life care, and so very much more.
Guests:
Dr. Sally Thorne
Associate Dean, UBC Faculty of Applied Science
Professor, UBC School of Nursing
Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Fellow, American Academy of Nursing
Sally Thorne, RN, PhD, FAAN, FCAHS, FCAN, DSc(Hon) is a Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia, where she has a longstanding program of substantive clinical research in the fields of chronic illness, cancer experience, and end-of-life care as well as scholarship in the fields of philosophy of science and the nature of evidence claims in a complex health policy environment. She is the author of a body of applied qualitative methodological writing, including Interpretive Description (2008, Left Coast Press) and its second edition Interpretive Description: Qualitative Research for Applied Practice (2016, Routledge). She is also Editor-in-Chief for Nursing Inquiry (Wiley), a journal that deals with critical scholarship in nursing and health care. Thorne has served as Board Director for numerous organizations, including the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, the Association of Registered Nurses of British Columbia and more recently for Nurses & Nurse Practitioners of BC. A Fellow of both the American Academy of Nursing and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, she was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau’s International Nursing Hall of Fame in 2017, 2018 was recognized by the Canadian Nurses Association with its Jeanne Mance Award, and in 2020 named a Charter Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing. She holds honorary doctorates from Queen’s University (2013) and Université Laval (2017).
By Sally Thorne: Why People Choose Medically Assisted Death Revealed Through Conversations With Nurses
Hosts:
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to Episode Five of SBME Interfaces
Join us as we interface with Rohit Singla, MD/PhD student at SBME, and Dr. Eric Zhao, UBC MD/PhD Alum, on the challenge of the program, the perspective shift of a COVID world, screenwriting, slime, entrepreneurialism and more.
Guests:
Rohit Singla
MD/PhD Student, School of Biomedical Engineering
Rohit Singla is a third year MD/PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. He received a Vanier Scholarship in Spring 2020, where he ranked first nationwide in the NSERC stream. He received a BASc in Computer Engineering and MASc in Biomedical Engineering, both at UBC. Halfway through his medicine degree, Rohit is now focusing on the development of intelligent kidney ultrasound to serve as a better marker for chronic kidney disease and kidney transplant. He's worked on engineering projects in multiple clinical areas including urology, anesthesiology, and maternal/fetal medicine. Rohit is an amateur screenwriter, a former football coach and a former radio show host.
Rohit on being named a Vanier Scholar
Dr. Eric Zhao
UBC MD/PhD Alum
Resident Doctor at UofT in Radiation Oncology
Eric Zhao is a resident doctor at the University of Toronto specializing in Radiation Oncology. He is an alumnus of the UBC MD/PhD Program, specializing in Bioinformatics. His research leverages genomics for discovery and clinical translation of novel biomarkers to guide cancer treatment. During his PhD, he demonstrated the clinical utility of examining DNA mutations for characteristic patterns of poor DNA repair. He showed that cancer cells which fail to repair their DNA are more vulnerable to platinum-based chemotherapies, potentially allowing oncologists to better utilize existing treatments. His work contributed to the Personalized Oncogenomics Program at BC Cancer. Eric has also served in numerous leadership roles including on the CIHR Working Group on Health Research Training and as President of the UBC Medical Student Society.
Dr. Zhao on the UBC MD/PhD program
HOSTS
Dr. Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel EichelbergerCommunications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
Welcome to SBME Interfaces, a podcast that introduces you to the people who interface with Biomedical Engineering from students and faculty to staff and industry—and everyone in between.
In our fourth episode, we interface with Dr. James Olson, Dean of the UBC Faculty of Applied Science on UBC, SBME’s new home, the Faculty of Applied Science’s new strategic plan, DIY vintage arcade games and the beauty of BC's Shuswap lake.
Guest Bio:
Dr. James Olson
Dean of UBC's Faculty of Applied Science since 2017
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineers
James A. Olson, PhD, PEng, is a professor of Mechanical Engineering and the dean of the UBC Faculty of Applied Science. He was the past associate dean of Research and Industry Partnerships, director of UBC’s Pulp and Paper Centre and is an internationally recognized forest products researcher who has been actively involved in the transformation of the forest sector into a vibrant diversified bio-products industry. He currently leads a $4M research consortium focused on industrial energy conservation, as well as a research group focused on the development of novel biomaterials. His research has been the recipient of 2 NSERC Synergy Awards, the 2008 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Innovation, the 2009 Fundamental Research Committee’s Van den Akker Gold medal and several best paper awards.
Dean Olson's Full Biography
Dean Olson's Message
HOSTS
Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In our second episode, we interface with Laia Shpeller and Nadine Truter on balancing school and life, virtual learning, their road to Biomedical Engineering, environmentalism, founding the CUPEC conference, hockey and Irish dance.
GUESTS:
Laia ShpellerCo-President, BMEUSA 3rd Year BME Student
Laia Shpeller is a third-year biomedical engineering student at The University of British Columbia. She is passionate about increasing healthcare accessibility in communities with limited resources and advocating for sustainable design within the biomedical field. As the Co-President of the Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student Association (BMEUSA), she works alongside SBME to provide the best possible experience for undergraduate students. Currently, Laia is in the midst of planning the Canadian Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Conference (CUBEC), building a machine learning model to help with cognitive assessments for Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and developing an improved sustainability model for UBC’s Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS).
Nadine Truter
Co-President, BMEUSA 4th Year BME Student
Nadine Truter is a fourth-year student at UBC in Cellular Bioengineering and has been co-president of the Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student Association for two consecutive years. With UBC’s biomedical engineering being such a new, innovative program, she wants to be influential in creating a driven, inclusive, and collaborative community for all of its students, one that thrives for years to come. Outside of her role as co-president, she is also a co-founder of the Canadian Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Conference (CUBEC), which focusses on connecting biomedical engineering students across the country with each other and industry leaders. Nadine’s passions lay in helping others and she hopes to develop a product, service, treatment, or therapy that positively impacts people’s lives. Nadine has a passion for environmental sustainability and strives to bring this with her wherever she goes.
HOSTS:
Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In our third episode, we interface with Priye Iworima and Elizabeth Castle on researching through the pandemic, community outreach, scientific literacy, representation and sibling rivalry/worship.
GUESTS:
Priye Iworima
SBME PhD Student working in Tim Kiefer's Lab
Priye is a Nigerian-Canadian Biomedical engineering student whose research focuses on developing a differentiation protocol to generate stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells that may be used as a potential therapy for type 1 diabetes. She is also interested in the optimizing process parameters for large scale manufacturing of stem cell-derived products. In her free time, she loves travelling to explore new places and cultures, music, eating and socializing with friends and family.
Elizabeth Castle
SBME PhD Student working in Peter Zandstra's Lab
Elizabeth has only recently called Vancouver home, having moved here from Calgary. She began her work in Dr. Peter Zandstra’s lab in January 2020, where she is working on pluripotent stem cells and regenerative medicine. Outside of the lab, she is interested scientific literacy and mental health promotion. She spends a great deal of her spare time in nature, hiking, surfing and snowboarding. She loves to cook and read read read, especially fiction as she sees more than enough non-fiction through her research.
HOSTS:
Hosts
Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.
In our first episode, we interface with Dr. Peter Zandstra on the future of medicine, the promise of the school, competitive rowing, and his flamingo-pink office as a first-time PI. We also discuss SBME’s new home, a state-of-the-art facility that is agile, ever-evolving, and devoid of scientific or academic boundary.
Working with partners across UBC, the SBME is building Western Canada’s new hub for transformative Biomedical Engineering education and research.
Learn more about Canada’s Living Laboratory here
Guest Bio: Dr. Peter ZandstraCanada Research Chair in Stem Cell Engineering
Director & Professor, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Director & Professor, Michael Smith Laboratories
Dr. Zandstra is internationally recognized for his distinguished contributions to the field of biomedical engineering. His research is advancing our fundamental understanding of how cells process information to make developmental decisions, while also leveraging this understanding to develop new cell-based biotechnologies to treat diseases such as leukemia. Dr. Zandstra is also driving the development and clinical testing of new therapies through Canadian biotechnology companies. A leader in cell and gene therapy manufacturing, Dr. Zandstra is catalyzing the growth of BME research, awareness and education across Canada and around the world.
Hosts
Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, School of Biomedical Engineering
Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.
Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering
Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.