The BC Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) has awarded over $20 million for 78 research projects being led by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

The B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) supports the development of research infrastructure, like labs and equipment. The BCKDF helps B.C.’s institutions attract researchers, skilled technicians, and research users. This research infrastructure funding will foster innovation, help institutions collaborate with industry, create jobs, protect biodiversity and the environment, and keep people healthy and safe.

Among the teams who have been granted this funding to do life-changing research are projects headed by School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) faculty members.  

Man standing in front of a blurred office background. He has longer dark hair that seems to be tied at the back. He is wearing dark framed glasses, a white button down shirt and a grey 3/4 zip sweater.Dr. Calvin Kuo | HuMBL Lab
Affiliation: SBME
Funded Project: Wearable systems to characterize sensorimotor response to impulsive loads
Woman standing in front of blurred office background. She has long blond hair and is wearing a black blouse with a silver necklace.Dr. Anna Blakney | Blakney Lab
Affiliations: SBME and Michael Smith Laboratories (MSL)
Funded Project: RNA Enhancement and Clinical Translation (REACT) Platform
Woman standing in front of blurred office background. She has long dark hair and is wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a black sweater vest over top.Dr. Nika Shakiba | Shakiba Lab
Affiliation: SBME
Funded Project: Cell Competition Analysis Platform
Man standing in front of blurred office background. He is wearing a light blue button down shirt and has his arms crossed. He is also wearing a silver watch on his left wrist.Dr. Ali Bashashati | AIM Lab
Affiliations: SBME, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, BC Ovarian Cancer Program (OVCARE)
Funded Project: AI-driven platform for translating precision medicine discoveries in women’s cancers
Headshot of woman standing in a room that appears to have scientific equipment in it, likely related to her field of study. She has short blond curled hair that reaches her shoulders. She also has dark framed glasses, and is wearing a black button down shirt with a light brown blazer.Dr. Sabrina Leslie | Leslie Lab
Affiliations: SBME (Associate Member), Physics & Astronomy, MSL
Funded Project: Single-molecule and single-cell microscopy platform for therapeutics research and development
Tim Kieffer headshot. He is sitting next to a computer monitor that has a very colourful display.Dr. Tim Kieffer | Kieffer Lab
Affiliations: SBME, Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH)
Funded Project: iMAP in vivo Mesoscale Assessment of neuroProjectomes
Headshot of Megan Levings. She is wearing a white lab coat and appears to be in a laboratory.Dr. Megan Levings | Levings Lab
Affiliations: SBME, Surgery, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCHRI)
Funded Project: Canada Research Chair in Engineered Immune Tolerance
headshot of woman standing in front of the blurred exterior of a building. She has short brown hair and is wearing an intricately patterned blouse that looks like marble. She is also wearing a cord necklace with a circular pendant.Dr. Jane Hill | Hill Lab
Affiliations: SBME (Associate Member) and Chemical & Biological Engineering
Funded Project: Developing Breath as a Diagnostic Paradigm for Human Health
Headshot of Manu Madhav. He is wearing a red long sleeved sweater.Dr. Manu S. Madhav | NC4 Lab
Affiliations: SBME, DMCBH
Funded Project: Probing the interaction between representations and behaviour underlying navigation
What will the research teams be able to do with this funding?

With funding, research teams will be able to dive into yet-to-be-explored scientific terrain, translate theories to innovation, and set the foundation for exciting advances in healthcare that will benefit all.
UBC’s researchers will join teams from their peers from seven other universities in British Columbia in receiving BCKDF funding.

Ravi Kahlon | B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation
Headshot of Ravi Kahlon. He is wearing a full suit and seems to be standing outside.

“As part of our StrongerBC Economic Plan and commitment to prepare people for the jobs of tomorrow, we are investing in research capabilities at B.C. post-secondary institutions to help solve some of our society’s most pressing issues. These investments allow researchers to create new and innovative technology that will improve the lives of people throughout B.C.”
— Ravi Kahlon | B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation

What does the BCKDF do?

The BCKDF helps rebuild and grow the provincial economy by improving B.C.’s productivity and competitiveness. In turn, this increases potential commercialization, spinoffs and patents, as well as discoveries that directly affect the lives of British Columbians in medicine and the management of the environment. This funding injection is a testament to not only the growing biomedical industry in B.C. but also the growing need for novel healthcare solutions to serve our people.