HIFI Awards enable interdisciplinary groups of health researchers to undertake innovative activities that have the potential to create change. HIFI catalyzes cross-faculty and cross-campus collaborations at the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
The 2023 HIFI Awards will enable 10 interdisciplinary health research teams to undertake innovative activities that have the potential to create change. Funded projects represent collaborations from different faculties across both Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
Congratulations to all of the teams receiving an HIFI Award, including Department of Medicine members:
PLASMA METABOLOMIC BIOMARKERS FOR DETECTING HEART ALLOGRAFT ACUTE REJECTION
HIFI AWARD: $25,000
This study will be the first to use untargeted metabolomics to identify potential biomarkers that can predict heart transplant rejection, leading to more efficient, non-invasive, and cost-effective diagnosis and clinical management for heart transplant patients in North America. This health collaboration will generate important pilot data for future grant applications to continue this work.
Team:
- Scott J. Tebbutt, Professor, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Tao Huan, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
- Chengliang Yang, Research Associate, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Casey P. Shannon, Director of Data Science, PROOF (Prevention of Organ Failure) Centre of Excellence, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Sara Assadian, Director of Clinical Research, PROOF (Prevention of Organ Failure) Centre of Excellence, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Linda Lapp, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Yukai Wang, Graduate Student, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
- Paloma Burns, Clinical Research Manager, PROOF (Prevention of Organ Failure) Centre of Excellence, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Alyssa Hui, Lab Technician, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
SLEEP DISRUPTION, BEHAVIOURAL FACTORS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AS DRIVERS OF ACCELERATED AGING AMONG NIGHT SHIFT WORKERS
HIFI AWARD: $25,000
This research project will establish a cross-faculty and cross-campus collaborative relationship that will drive novel research and training opportunities in the area of circadian disruption and healthy aging. The study aims to reveal valuable mechanistic insights and produce critical preliminary data with which to secure funding for future large-scale studies of preventative interventions.
Team:
- Parveen Bhatti, Associate Professor, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
- Nancy Sin, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
- Najib Ayas, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
- Brian Dalton, Assistant Professor, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
For a full list of HIFI Award recipients, please visit UBC Health