Join us on June 12th as we combine two amazing Department of Medicine events into one inspiring day to celebrate innovation, collaboration, and discovery!
Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Time: 9:30am – 7pm
Location: *Paetzold Health Education Centre Auditorium, Jim Pattison Pavilion, Vancouver General Hospital, 899 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver BC
Registration Required: https://bit.ly/2024ResidentResearchExpo
*Zoom link is available for Faculty & staff located outside of Vancouver. Please indicate that you will be attending virtually when you register, or contact Natalie.Cheng@ubc.ca for Zoom link.
About the 2024 UBC Department of Medicine Resident Research Day & Research Expo
40th Annual Resident Research Day:
Our core Internal Medicine residents have been hard at work, dedicating themselves to innovative research projects in their respective fields. Join us as they showcase their cutting edge research findings, share insights, and engage in lively discussions! (please elaborate if you’d like to say more)
Research Expo:
Step into a world of innovation at the Research Expo, brought to you by the UBC Department of Medicine Research Office and Experimental Medicine Program. From poster presentations to keynote speakers, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with researchers, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the research endeavors within the UBC Department of Medicine.
Connect with fellow attendees and be part of a vibrant research community that shares a passion for advancing knowledge and transforming health. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to celebrate innovation, foster collaboration, and be inspired by the incredible work of our residents and researchers.
Event SCHEDULE
| Time | Schedule |
| 9:30am – 9:55am | Coffee and Welcome |
| 9:55am – 10:00am | Opening Remarks: Dr. Anita Palepu, Head, UBC Department of Medicine |
| 10:00am – 10:45am | Keynote Speaker: Dr. Najib Ayas, Associate Head, Research, UBC Department of Medicine |
| 10:45am – 11:00am | Break |
| 11:00am – 12:05pm | Selected Faculty & Experimental Medicine Trainee Presentations |
| 12:05pm – 1:30pm | Lunch & Poster Viewing |
| 1:30pm – 4:40pm | Resident Research Presentations (Paetzold) |
| 1:30pm – 5:00pm | Experimental Medicine Research Presentations (DHCC 1020) |
| 5:00pm – 7:00pm | Reception |
| 6:00pm – 7:00pm | Experimental Medicine & Resident Research Day Award Presentations |
PROGRAM LINK
2024 Resident Research Day Programme
Faculty SPEAKER BIOS
Dr. Genelle Lunken, RD, PhD (Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics)
Dr. Lunken completed her doctoral studies in Nutritional Science at Massey University in New Zealand, where her research primarily centered on investigating the impact of habitual dietary fibre intake on the response of gut microbiota to a prebiotic (fibre) intervention.
In 2017, Dr. Lunken relocated to Vancouver, Canada to commence a postdoctoral fellowship under the guidance of Drs. Bruce Vallance and Kevan Jacobson at the University of British Columbia (UBC). During her postdoctoral fellowship, her research interests expanded to explore the interplay between nutrition, the gut microbiome and inflammation using mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
As of 2023, Dr. Lunken established her own research laboratory at UBC. The central focus of her research program is to develop precision health strategies aimed at enhancing the efficacy of medical and dietary therapies, with a specific focus on developing therapeutics that target the gut microbiota. More specifically, her work will involve screening and identifying specific microbial components that enhance immune responses, ultimately leading to the design of live biotherapeutics and diets that can improve outcomes for patients living with IBD.
Dr. Tom Blydt-Hansen (Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics)
Dr. Blydt-Hansen is a Clinical Pediatric Nephrologist at the BC Children’s Hospital, and a Clinician Scientist at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. He is also the Director of the Pediatric Multi-Organ Transplant Program at BC Children’s Hospital and Associate Professor in the UBC Department of Pediatrics.
Dr. Blydt-Hansen’s research program uses proven techniques to identify signs of kidney injury and rejection in the urine of children who have had a kidney transplant. It focuses on the first year after transplant, since this is a period of the highest risk for rejection. Dr. Blydt-Hansen looks for metabolites and chemokines known as biomarkers that can identify the graft injury. These biomarkers could be then used to monitor the health of the graft and screen for any signs of an early rejection. This new way of graft monitoring harnesses a potential for a non-invasive, pain-free replacement of the current method, which is a repeated biopsy.
Selected Trainee SPEAKER BIOS
Jialin Han
Jialin Han is a PhD student and Research Scientist at the Nephrology Research Program at Providence Research, St. Paul’s Hospital. Their current research focuses on the epidemiology of kidney disease, particularly in patients with glomerular disease.
Estefania Espin
Estefanía Espín is a PhD Candidate at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (HLI), UBC. Her research involves developing prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers relevant to heart and lung conditions, including long-COVID. Her work in molecular biology is informed by patients’ experiences.
Paula Nunes
Paula Nunes is an M.Sc. student and trainee at the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU). Previously, she worked as a psychiatrist in Brazil and has conducted research in the field of mental health.