Celine Edwards is this year’s Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize winner.

Near-perfect grades, volunteerism and desire to help others leads to Pushor Mitchell recognition

It’s been a dream of Celine Edwards for as long as she can remember—to attend medical school at UBC and improve healthcare delivery for rural populations.

This week, Edwards graduates with a Bachelor of Science in microbiology. She walks the stage not only as a new graduate, but also with the Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize—the highest award available for an Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences student.

Now in its tenth year, the $10,000 prize recognizes a top graduating student who has excelled academically and shown leadership while earning their degree.

Andrew Brunton, managing partner at Pushor Mitchell LLP, says the firm is proud to recognize the accomplishments of another exceptional student at UBC Okanagan.

“We are happy to support Celine in her further studies and development as a community leader,” he says. “We hope she continues to chase her dream of improving healthcare in rural communities. We are proud to be a supporter of UBC Okanagan and to be able to add Celine to the distinguished list of Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize winners.”

Originally from a ranch in the small town of Falkland, BC, Edwards moved to Kelowna to attend UBC Okanagan after receiving a UBC Major Entrance Scholarship. Throughout her studies, she has received many undergraduate awards that recognize her academic excellence and her well-rounded character. Edwards’ decision to major in microbiology was based on its challenging nature and the fascinating research avenues it presented in health care.

Aside from her academic achievements, Edwards gave back to the campus community by working as a teaching assistant, a supplemental learning leader, running the Microbiology Course Union and conducting research on both Alzheimer’s disease and lung cancer. She also serves as a support group facilitator for people with Alzheimer’s, and has devoted much of her time to fundraising for Alzheimer’s research.

Edwards shifted her research direction from neuroscience to cancer last spring when she joined the Early Detection Research Team at the BC Cancer Agency. During her time as a medical physics research intern, she’s been working on characterizing the lung cancer treatment pathway in order to improve the quality and access of care.

UBCO Biology Instructor Janet Kluftinger says Edwards is more than deserving of the award.

“I had the pleasure of teaching Celine in two very challenging courses and in both her level of achievement was exceptional,” says Kluftinger. “Despite a rigorous academic commitment, Celine also managed to find time to pursue valuable volunteer and research opportunities. These experiences seem to have solidified her aspiration to pursue a career in medicine.”

Edwards plans to continue her research at the BC Cancer Agency this summer, before moving to Vancouver in August for her first semester of UBC Medical School. She is thrilled to have been accepted into her top choice of UBC’s Island Medical Program.

“Being selected as the recipient of this prestigious award not only means a lot to me and my family, but also my community,” says Edwards. “I’ll be using the award to finance my studies in medicine, enabling my dream of improving the healthcare and quality of life of people living in rural communities.”

UBCO graduate Celine Edwards crossed the stage at the 11 a.m. ceremony on Thursday, June 6.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

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Genetic makeup can define whether cancer therapy may do harm

A UBC Okanagan researcher has determined that genes on a specific chromosome may be the answer as to why thoracic radiotherapy leads to a lung injury in some lung cancer patients.

Christina Haston, an associate professor of medical physics, recently published a study examining how chromosome 6 can contribute to radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Her study finds that genetic differences can determine whether or not this lung injury follows radiotherapy in an experimental system.

Christina Haston, associate professor of medical physics.

“Currently, 50 per cent of cancer patients in Canada receive radiation therapy as part of their treatment course,” she explains. “In addition to effects on the tumour, up to 30 per cent of these patients develop side effects to this treatment, or injuries to non-tumour tissue.”

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive disease related to damaged lung tissue, making it difficult for patients to breathe and process oxygen effectively. Some lung cancer patients have developed pulmonary fibrosis after radiation, while patients with other cancers have developed it after receiving a specific cancer medication called Bleomycin.

“One of the limiting side effects of thoracic radiotherapy is the development of pulmonary fibrosis in a susceptible subpopulation of treated patients,” explains Haston. “However, the specific pathways contributing to fibrosis susceptibility in radiotherapy patients remain unidentified.”

It has been thought that white blood cells, the body’s natural defense mechanism, may contribute to pulmonary fibrosis. Building on this, her research has drawn a connection of chromosome 6 genes to fibrosis susceptibility.

She examined the susceptibility to pulmonary fibrosis on lab mice after radiation therapy and on mice after treatment of Bleomycin. The mice with a replaced chromosome 6 were protected from both radiation-induced and Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

“The recent findings by our lab have specifically identified these genetic differences to reside on chromosome 6,” she adds, explaining that her work may open the door to individualized cancer treatments depending on a person’s specific genetic makeup.

Her study, published in Radiation Research, was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

“This research aims to develop a pre-treatment marker based on knowledge of specific genes of radiation injury response,” she adds. “Such a marker could significantly affect Canadians with cancer, by sparing side effects and increasing the dose to a tumour which may, in turn, increase cure rates.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

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Learn about the world-changing discoveries and achievements

What: Nobel Night panel discussion at UBC Okanagan
Who: University researchers discuss this year’s Nobel Prizes
When: Wednesday, December 12, beginning at 7 p.m., refreshments to follow
Where: Lecture theatre FIP 204, Fipke Centre for Innovative Research, 3247 University Way, UBC Okanagan

On December 10, thousands of miles away from the Okanagan, world leaders will gather in both Stockholm and Oslo to watch the 2018 Nobel Prizes be officially awarded.

It was on this same day in 1901 when the first Nobel Prizes were awarded, fulfilling the intentions of Alfred Nobel’s will. For more than a century, the Nobel Prize awards and Laureates continue to garner international attention for their discoveries and achievements.

At UBC Okanagan’s Nobel Night, university professors will explain why the 2018 awards are relevant and significant in today’s changing world. From lasers to curing cancer to the economics of climate change and more, people will learn about some of the world’s most outstanding contributions in physics, chemistry, medicine, peace and economics.

The event will be emceed by UBC Okanagan Chief Librarian Heather Berringer. Following the presentations, there will be an opportunity for audience questions and a social with refreshments. Admission is free. For more information and to register: nobelnight.ok.ubc.ca

About the Nobel Prize in Physics

Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering Kenneth Chau will talk about the work of Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Stickland for their groundbreaking work in the field of laser physics.

About the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Associate Professor of Chemistry Kirsten Wolthers will discuss the work of Frances H. Arnold, George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter and their research in harnessing the power of evolution.

About the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Associate Professor of Medical Physics Christina Haston will highlight the accomplishments of James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo who were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in discovering a new cancer therapy.

About the Economic Sciences

Associate Professor of Economics John Janmaat will discuss the work of William D. Nordhaus and Paul M. Romer who have been awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel. The work of Nordhaus and Romer has broadened the scope of economic analysis by constructing models that explain how the market economy interacts with nature and knowledge.

About the Nobel Peace Prize

Professor of Political Science Helen Yanacopulos will speak to the accomplishments of Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad and their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

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Dana Klamut graduated this week with degrees in math and computer science (honours) from UBC Okanagan.

Winner excels at both math and honours computer science

Things have been adding up for Dana Klamut since she began her academic career at UBC’s Okanagan campus five years ago.

Graduating with degrees in math and computer science (honours), Klamut was recognized this week with the Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize—the highest award available for an Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences graduating student.

Now in its ninth year, the $10,000 prize recognizes a top graduating student who has excelled academically and has shown leadership while earning their degree.

“Pushor Mitchell is proud to be a supporter of UBC Okanagan and the Gold Medal Leadership Prize, and continues to promote the outstanding efforts of students,” says Managing Partner James Paterson. “We think that the selection of Dana Klamut is an excellent choice as winner. Her achievements epitomize academic excellence and support gender diversity. Her accomplishments are many and we are proud to be able to add her to our distinguished list of Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Prize winners.”

With a grade point average of 96 per cent, a number of academic accomplishments and a long list of volunteer hours, Computer Science Professor Yves Lucet says Klamut was a shoe-in for the award.

“She is clearly a top academic performer who takes her passion about the promotion of women in science to heart,” says Lucet.

Originally from Penticton, Klamut changed her academic focus to include both mathematics and computer science in her second year. After attending a women in computer science conference, which she called an “enlightening experience” she then grew more passionate about a career in the computer science industry.

In 2015, she helped organize the first-ever Canadian Undergraduate Computer Science Conference, and Lucet says her participation in the event was more than impressive. Along with planning the event, she recruited sponsors, promoted female participation, organized a panel on women in science while also participating in the event.

“Organizing a conference is very challenging, creating a whole conference series is unheard of for undergraduate students,” adds Lucet. “I honestly did not think undergraduate students could pull this off. I attended the conference and I can attest that the speakers were world-class. It left me speechless and the impact on attendees was deep and long-lasting, leading to a highly active course union. This is Leadership with a capital L.”

Ramon Lawrence, associate professor of computer science, taught Klamut in three different courses and he says she is one of the highest performing female students in computer science in the last 10 years. In 2016, she received an undergraduate student research award to study embedded database systems with Lawrence’s research group.

“Despite being the most junior member in the research group, by the end of the summer she made significant contributions which led to a refereed publication,” Lawrence says. “She is both a great role model for women in computer science and a proponent of increased diversity and female participation in the field.”

Klamut has plans to stay in the Okanagan and begin a career in the computer science industry. But she hasn’t ruled out graduate studies, saying she has become passionate about research throughout her undergraduate career and the award will provide that opportunity when that time is right.

“I am truly honoured to be this year’s recipient of the Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize and to be recognized in association with one of Kelowna’s most prestigious law firms,” says Klamut. “I am also grateful for the personal and academic growth that I have experienced during my time at UBC Okanagan due to the support and encouragement of my amazing professors and peers.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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Newly-minted PhD grad Walaa Moursi and her PhD supervisor Professor Heinz Bauschke celebrate her Governor General gold medal award.

Grade point average of 99 per cent solidifies award

A math whiz, who moved with her family more than 10,000 kilometers to continue her education, is UBC’s recipient of the gold 2017 Governor General Academic Medal—one of Canada’s most prestigious academic awards.

Walaa Moursi will receive her PhD in mathematics during convocation ceremonies at UBC Okanagan this week. The award is reserved for the graduate student with the highest academic achievement.

Moursi moved from Egypt, with her husband and young daughter, to pursue her studies in Canada; choosing UBC’s Okanagan campus. A keen student with a bright mind, she has been described by her PhD supervisor Professor Heinz Bauschke as one of the highest-performing students ever in UBC’s Mathematics Graduate Program.

Moursi has specialized in studying the most powerful algorithms in the field of optimization—widely used in applications such as medical imaging and data analysis. A rising star in every aspect, she has co-authored 14 published papers; two years ago, was chosen as the mathematics graduate student of the year. And last year she won UBC Okanagan’s distinguished Provost Award for Teaching Assistants and Tutors.

“Being a Governor General gold medal recipient is a great honour and an extremely prestigious recognition of my doctoral work,” says Moursi, who had a GPA of 99 per cent. “My study at UBC was a life-altering experience. I came to study Mathematics because of its beauty and while here I learned how to convert this beauty into useful tools that contribute to solving real-life problems.”

Currently, she is a Pacific Institute of Mathematics postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary. This fall she will spend four months as a research fellow at UC Berkeley, followed by two years with a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.

During this week’s convocation events, eight students are being recognized with gold medals for the highest academic achievement for their graduating class. Those students are:

• University of B.C. Medal in Arts: Josef Zagrodney
• University of B.C. Medal in Education: Sydney Hertz
• University of B.C. Medal in Engineering: Trevor Stirling
• University of B.C. Medal in Fine Arts: Gabriel Delaney
• University of B.C. Medal in Human Kinetics: Taylor Jordan
• University of B.C. Medal in Management: Damian Herman
• University of B.C. Medal in Nursing: Elizabeth Green
• University of B.C. Medal in Science: Matthew Basso

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UBC Okanagan’s Ben Tippett

Mathematical model of a TARDIS takes the ‘fiction’ out of science fiction

After some serious number crunching, a UBC researcher has come up with a mathematical model for a viable time machine.

Ben Tippett, a mathematics and physics instructor at UBC’s Okanagan campus, recently published a study about the feasibility of time travel. Tippett, whose field of expertise is Einstein’s theory of general relativity, studies black holes and science fiction when he’s not teaching. Using math and physics, he has created a formula that describes a method for time travel.

“People think of time travel as something fictional,” says Tippett. “And we tend to think it’s not possible because we don’t actually do it. But, mathematically, it is possible.”

Ever since H.G. Wells published his book Time Machine in 1885, people have been curious about time travel—and scientists have worked to solve or disprove the theory. In 1915 Albert Einstein announced his theory of general relativity, stating that gravitational fields are caused by distortions in the fabric of space and time. More than 100 years later, the LIGO Scientific Collaboration—an international team of physics institutes and research groups—announced the detection of gravitational waves generated by colliding black holes billions of light years away, confirming Einstein’s theory.

The division of space into three dimensions, with time in a separate dimension by itself, is incorrect, says Tippett. The four dimensions should be imagined simultaneously, where different directions are connected, as a space-time continuum. Using Einstein’s theory, Tippett explains that the curvature of space-time accounts for the curved orbits of the planets.

In “flat” or uncurved space-time, planets and stars would move in straight lines. In the vicinity of a massive star, space-time geometry becomes curved and the straight trajectories of nearby planets will follow the curvature and bend around the star.

“The time direction of the space-time surface also shows curvature. There is evidence showing the closer to a black hole we get, time moves slower,” says Tippett. “My model of a time machine uses the curved space-time—to bend time into a circle for the passengers, not in a straight line. That circle takes us back in time.”

While it is possible to describe this type of time travel using a mathematical equation, Tippett doubts that anyone will ever build a machine to make it work.

“H.G. Wells popularized the term ‘time machine’ and he left people with the thought that an explorer would need a ‘machine or special box’ to actually accomplish time travel,” Tippett says. “While is it mathematically feasible, it is not yet possible to build a space-time machine because we need materials—which we call exotic matter—to bend space-time in these impossible ways, but they have yet to be discovered.”

For his research, Tippett created a mathematical model of a Traversable Acausal Retrograde Domain in Space-time (TARDIS). He describes it as a bubble of space-time geometry which carries its contents backward and forward through space and time as it tours a large circular path. The bubble moves through space-time at speeds greater than the speed of light at times, allowing it to move backward in time.

“Studying space-time is both fascinating and problematic. And it’s also a fun way to use math and physics,” says Tippett. “Experts in my field have been exploring the possibility of mathematical time machines since 1949. And my research presents a new method for doing it.”

Tippett’s research was recently published in the IOPscience Journal Classical and Quantum Gravity.

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From advances in chronic disease interventions to improving wireless communications, innovative research projects at UBC Okanagan are attracting national attention.

This week, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) awarded $1 million to a diverse range of emerging initiatives across the Okanagan campus. Celebrating these and many other accomplishments, UBC Okanagan hosts its annual Celebrate Research Week March 6 to 11.

Philip Barker, UBC Okanagan Vice-Principal of Research

“I am delighted that the outstanding research taking place at UBC Okanagan is being recognized by the Canada Foundation for Innovation,” says Philip Barker, UBC Okanagan Vice-Principal of Research.“These awards reflect the hard work, commitment and vision in our research community. Our campus continues to excel and the recent funding announcement is testimony to this. I congratulate everyone involved.”

The CFI awards will support the establishment of five research facilities:

The Centre for Translational Research in Behaviour Change for People with Chronic Conditions

Led by Kathleen Martin Ginis, professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, this centre will become the site for community-engaged behaviour change research to promote health and well-being for individuals with chronic disease or physical disabilities. Initiatives include improving behavior-change interventions, developing, testing and evaluating the impact of interventions, and developing products and services for people with chronic conditions.

The Statistical Machine Learning Laboratory

Led by Jeffrey Andrews, assistant professor of statistics, this lab will develop new computational methods and software for discovering hidden information in large data sets. The lab will train students in cutting-edge statistical pattern recognition techniques that can be applied to data from numerous fields, including medicine, marketing, sociology, and biology. Collaborations with local industry and government agencies will provide additional benefits to the Okanagan region.

The Molecular and Materials Simulation Facility

Led by Gino DiLabio, associate professor and head of chemistry, this lab will be a high-performance computing laboratory which will simulate chemical reactions that can lead to, and protect against, human diseases. These findings will have implications for debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The center will promote collaboration with academic and industrial partners, and will train the next generation of simulation scientists.

The Laboratory for Single Molecule Mechanobiology

Led by Isaac Li, assistant professor of chemistry, this lab will determine how the mechanical forces from individual molecules regulate cell movement and chemical signalling, specifically in cancer and immune cells. The findings will lead to the development of new screening methods that will detect rare cancer cells from blood tests.

The Electromagnetics Testing and Characterization Laboratory

Led by Loïc Markley, assistant professor of electrical engineering, this lab will evaluate and develop new metamaterials, microwave circuits, and antennas for advanced wireless technologies. The facility will provide UBC Okanagan with the infrastructure necessary for state-of-the-art experimental research at microwave and mm-wave frequencies. This will lead to developments in telecommunications, wireless power, and imaging.

Celebrate Research 2017 public events

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Final

The Three Minute Thesis is a competition where current graduate students have three minutes to explain the depth, significance and wider impact of their research to the judges and audience for a chance to win top honours and prize money.

Date: Wednesday, March 8
Time: 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Location: University Centre Ballroom, room UNC 200
For more information: 3mt.ok.ubc.ca

Café Scientifique: Breaking the Cycle of Chronic Pain

Side stepping the effects of stroke

Someone in Canada has a stroke about every nine minutes. Are there new approaches to reduce the disability associated with stroke? Can healthy lifestyles help people reduce their risk of stroke and enhance recovery?

Join experts from UBC’s Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention and Interior Health for refreshments and a discussion about the latest approaches to reduce the effects of stroke.

Date: Thursday, March 9
Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Okanagan Regional Library, 1380 Ellis St., Kelowna
Free registration:  sidestepstroke.eventbrite.ca

School District 23 Science Fair

Young scientists will be at UBC Okanagan for School District 23’s two-day Science Fair. Participating individually and in pairs, students will interpret their science projects for judges and public viewers. On Saturday, students and the public can also explore educational opportunities in UBC Okanagan’s Engineering, Chemistry and Education programs.

Date: Friday and Saturday, March 10 and 11
Times: Friday, 4 to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.
Location: UBC Okanagan, Engineering, Management & Education (EME) and Fipke Centre (FIP).

Presentations will be held in UBC Okanagan lecture theatres on March 11

• 3-D Printing: 11:45 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. l FIPKE 204
• Engineering with Light: 11:45 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. l EME 0050
• What is Chemistry (and Why should we Care)? 12:30 to 1:10 p.m. l EME 0050

For more information visit:  sd23sciencefair.com

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UBC associate professor of math, Rebecca Tyson used computer modelling to determine pheromone baiting isn’t the best solution to control the mountain pine beetle.

A method to control the spread of mountain pine beetles—pheromone baiting—may actually help the pest’s population increase, UBC research shows.

A study by Rebecca Tyson, an associate professor of mathematics at UBC’s Okanagan campus, used mathematical modelling to examine several mountain pine beetle management strategies used in Banff National Park. The two-year simulation, which included then PhD candidate Shaun Strohm and University of Calgary professor Mary Reid, compared four separate management strategies: no management (monitoring only), pheromone baiting, tree removal, and finally, pheromone baiting combined with tree removal.

Other management strategies are prescribed burning and clearcutting—which Tyson says cause severe changes to the landscape and have not been proven to stop the spread of the beetle.

“What our study found is that where the beetle population is low, the pheromone is actually attracting more beetles and thus helping the beetle population increase,” says Tyson.

Tyson explains that each summer, the adult beetle emerges from a tree and looks for a new one where it will nest. Once that tree is found, the beetle emits a pheromone to attract other beetles to the same tree. Other beetles arrive, release more pheromone and the tree is attacked as adult beetles drill into the bark and make tunnels where they lay eggs. By the following summer, the eggs have hatched and turned into adults, and that tree is dead, with the needles turning red. The cycle continues as the beetles move to a neighbouring tree.

Under normal population control circumstances, when a tree is baited with pheromone, it is cut down in winter when the larvae are trapped inside, explains Tyson. Crews also search for other trees near the baited one, and all trees identified to contain beetles are removed.

“If all goes well,” says Tyson “the beetle population is so severely reduced that it dies out.”

However, her modelling indicates that pheromone baiting is not working precisely the way it was expected.

“From the field work done in Banff, we know that baiting didn’t stop the beetle epidemic,” says Tyson. “Baiting may have slowed it down, but it did not stop it.”

Tyson explains that when the beetle population is low, the beetles actually have a hard time finding each other in the first place. Additional pheromone, placed by humans, help those beetles find each other and attack a tree—the baited one.

“With pheromone baiting, this means that humans have put strong signals in the forest that help the beetles find each other. They can then collect in sufficient numbers to attack a tree,” she explains. “In these situations, baiting is making things worse for the trees.”

Tyson describes the mountain pine beetle as an endemic pest capable of killing entire stands of mature pine. And while the beetle has a short lifespan, climate change and warmer winters have helped the population increase during an epidemic that began in the late 1990s.

Simulation modelling such as the method Tyson used with the mountain pine beetle can be used to help predict the influence of management strategies without creating harm to the landscape.

“This information could be very useful in determining appropriate management responses to future epidemics, and possibly also to the current epidemic as it spreads across the boreal forest,” she says. “If more data is gathered on mountain pine beetle dispersal and response to forest edges, we can continue to refine our model and predictions to provide an informative approach for future management decisions.”

Tyson’s research was recently published in ScienceDirect. To find out more, visit: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380016302514

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The great horned owl’s food supply of northern hare may become scarce as global warming continues. Photo credit: Bob Lalonde.

A UBC study highlights the potential harm that climate change may have on a number of predator and prey relationships.

Rebecca Tyson, an associate professor of mathematics at UBC’s Okanagan campus, recently published a study on predator and prey relationships, how they change seasonally, and how climate change may lead to the extinction of some species.

With mathematical modelling, Tyson uses quantitative tools and computational models based on key features of real ecosystems and landscapes. These models can then be used to inform environmental management and conservation strategies.

“Researchers watch the population of a species over time, and they’re looking for specifics. Does the population persist, does it oscillate, is it stable?” says Tyson, explaining there can be a fine balance between the populations.

Tyson’s models suggest that as summers become longer due to global warming, as forecasted, the relationships between predators and their prey will change.

There are two types of predators, she explains. A generalist will eat berries, a small variety of prey animals and pretty much anything to survive. And a specialist lives on one food-type alone. Some predators, however, can switch from being a specialist in one season to being a generalist in another.

It’s these switching specialists she’s worried about. The great horned owl requires a steady diet of snowshoe hares for survival during the winter, but can survive on a wide variety of prey in the summer. During an extended summer, great horned owls may run hares to near extinction. This, in turn, puts other northern animals in danger such as lynx which survive on snowshoe hares, as they now do not have a steady supply of their food source.

“At the moment we have stable cyclical relationships between prey and predator,” Tyson says. “But we have found some new behaviour which leads us to ask whether longer summers make existing predator/prey relationships sustainable.”

Tyson says she hopes her findings, which she did not expect to find, lead to more field studies and research on seasonal animal relationships and climate change.

“This is a perfect example of a situation where we found something unexpected,” she says. “These predator/prey relationships are balanced, but when changes such as an overall warming of one or two degrees occur, we can get close to the point where these relationships become fragile and we risk losing species.

“When you lose a species, like the hare or lynx, you lose it forever.”

Tyson’s study was recently published in the journal The American Naturalist. To find out more, visit: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/688665

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A new program at UBC’s Okanagan campus may change the way radiation affects cancer patients and how they feel during treatment.

Starting this fall, in collaboration with the BC Cancer Agency’s Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre for the Southern Interior, the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences will offer a master’s and PhD program in Medical Physics (medicalphysics.ok.ubc.ca).

Assoc. Prof. Andrew Jirasek, chair of the newly developed medical physics graduate program, is excited about the opportunities in cancer research the program will bring to the Okanagan. Through innovative research on cancer treatment and prevention, members of the physics program are attacking cancer on several fronts.

“There is a great marriage between physics and medicine,” says Jirasek, explaining that UBC faculty work on a range of research projects in radiation oncology, medical imaging and biomedical spectroscopy.

“The outcome of our research will ultimately transform the way radiation therapy is delivered. This, in turn, will lead to better treatment for patients, improving the efficacy of radiation therapy while at the same time reducing the side effects.”

Jirasek and colleagues from engineering, biology and chemistry are using an optical technique called Raman spectroscopy to see how radiation may affect people at the cellular level. From here, dosage can be adjusted to be more precise and targeted.

“This is a very powerful technique. We can record and analyse information about how cells and tissues change throughout treatment,” says Jirasek. “Previously, the only outcome of treatment was disease status; for example if a tumor had shrunk or grown. Our hope is that this Raman analysis will provide accurate treatment evaluation sooner.”

Timing with cancer treatment is everything, he says, stressing the sooner successful therapy is implemented, the better for the patient.

Under this new Medical Physics graduate program, students will have access to a full graduate course curriculum in radiation oncology medical physics, and will have the opportunity to learn about, and work on, world-class research projects.

“As radiation is such a significant part of cancer therapy, it’s important to make it as effective as possible,” Jirasek says. “Advances in delivery technology have enabled radiation beams to be rotated and adjusted to target the tumour and spare the healthy tissue, which will reduce side effects.”

UBC Assoc. Prof. Andrew Jirasek

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