Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH)

Rewiring the Mind: How Science, Lifestyle and Wellness Shape Brain Health - Community Engagement Join UBC Connects at Robson Square, in partnership with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, to welcome Dr. Lara Boyd, Teresa Liu-Ambrose, and Silke Appel-Cresswell on how learning, exercis...

What if your brain is more capable of change than you imagined? Join our leading experts, Drs. Lara Boyd, Teresa Liu-Ambrose and Silke Appel-Cresswell, on November 3 to explore how science, lifestyle and wellness shape brain health.

Register today: communityengagement.ubc.ca/events/rewir...

YouTube video by Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health A day in the life at the Wellington lab

Join Simren from the Wellington lab for a look at a day in the life of a @sbmeubc.bsky.social Synergy research student!

This past summer, she researched biomarkers in the blood related to neuroinflammation from sports-related concussions.

A shared vision for better health - UBC Faculty of Medicine A unique initiative in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is bringing Indigenous patient partners and UBC experts together to address barriers to eye care.

"Seeing Change" is a unique initiative in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that brings together Indigenous patient partners and researchers in the UBC Research Excellence Cluster in Vision to address barriers to eye care.

Dr. Judy Illes - CSPC Abby Christopher is dedicated to environmental sustainability through her research and innovative policy proposal. Her proposal, “Harbouring Life: Managing Port Impacts on Coastal Ecosystems,” aims to...

We are pleased to share that Neuroethics Canada's Dr. Judy Illes has been awarded the @sciencepolicy.ca 2025 Trailblazer Award (Science for Policy) in recognition of her pioneering work and its profound impact on policy making in Canada and around the world! 👏 🎉

sciencepolicy.ca/posts/judy-i...

TBI IPV Hidden Harms | VetoViolence Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often have traumatic brain injuries. This training, designed for those who work with survivors of IPV, provides an introduction to brain injuries and how t...

Great to see this new resource from the #CDC. Thanks for including @soarproject.bsky.social amongst the resources! vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/tbi-ipv...

Look forward to welcoming you to UBC soon!

Early clues of MS found years before symptom onset A new study led by Dr. Helen Tremlett, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher and professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, sheds light on the earliest stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). Published in JAMA Network Open and with funding from the National MS Society and MS Canada, the research team found that the disease process may begin up to 15 years before characteristic symptoms used to make a diagnosis appear. 

By analyzing 25 years of health care data from across B.C., a new study led by VCHRI investigator Dr. Helen Tremlett identified early signs of multiple sclerosis, paving the way for earlier diagnosis & more effective prevention strategies:

Life After | VIFF 2025 Enjoy great movies at the luxurious VIFF Centre, one of the best cinemas in Vancouver and home to the Vancouver International Film Festival.

We're proud to be a community partner for the film LIFE AFTER at @viffest.bsky.social! This gripping investigative documentary examines the story of Elizabeth Bouvia, a young disabled woman with cerebral palsy, exposing the tangled web of moral dilemmas and profit motives surrounding assisted dying.

Dr. Shelina Babul on Concussions, Brain Injury Research and Public Awareness - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH Encased in a tough bony skull and suspended in shock-absorbing fluid, the brain is protected by several layers of defence. Responsible for everything from

This week is BC Concussion Awareness Week. The goal of this annual campaign is to improve British Columbians’ knowledge of #concussions and help spread awareness of proper concussion recognition, diagnosis and management.

Learn more about concussions from this article featuring Dr. Shelina Babul:

DMCBH labs host Indigenous students in 2025 seed2STEM program - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH The seed2STEM Summer Research Program for Indigenous Youth seeks to improve representation of Indigenous students in the academic disciplines of science,

This past summer, DMCBH members welcomed a number of Indigenous students into their labs as part of ICORD's seed2STEM program. Participants had the opportunity to explore neuroscience research and gain hands-on experience in lab environments.

Wellington Lab hosts first-ever open house - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH On Saturday, September 6th, the Wellington Lab hosted its first-ever Friends and Family Open House at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. This

On Saturday, September 6th, the Wellington Lab hosted its first-ever Friends and Family Open House at the DMCBH! This graduate student-led initiative allowed trainees to practice their knowledge dissemination skills and share their research with a general audience.

Read the recap + view photos ⬇️

SBME Synergy 2025 Undergraduate Summer Research Highlights - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH This past summer, the SBME Synergy Undergraduate Summer Research Program provided research opportunities for students interested in a career in biomedical

This summer, the @sbmeubc.bsky.social Synergy Undergraduate Research Program provided opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience working in different DMCBH labs.

Learn more about the students' experiences: www.centreforbrainhealth.ca/news/sbme-sy...

📢BMBDG Seminar!

Join us October 6, 2025 for an in-person presentation by Dr. Annie Ciernia.

📷 October 6, 2025, 2:30 PM, LSC 3

Hope to see you there!

Depression Curbs Ability to Actively Avoid Unpleasant Events Depression in young patients is linked to difficulty in taking action to avoid something unpleasant, while the ability to withdraw and not act remains intact.

1. Media coverage of a new paper by @ryantomm.bsky.social w @brandonforys.com, @dr-stan.bsky.social et al. Building on Stan’s rodent work, Ryan found that > depression levels were associated w reduced capacity to learn to actively button-press to avoid a nasty sound www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

Ethical challenges in critical care after overdose - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH In British Columbia, five people die every day due to unregulated drug overdoses. Many of these deaths occur after an overdose leads to cardiac arrest.

In BC, five people die every day due to unregulated drug overdoses. Many of these deaths occur after an overdose leads to cardiac arrest. Harjeev Sudan explores the ethical challenges along the continuum of care for substance use disorders and more.

Depression Curbs Ability to Actively Avoid Unpleasant Events Depression in young patients is linked to difficulty in taking action to avoid something unpleasant, while the ability to withdraw and not act remains intact.

Depression in young patients is associated with difficulty in taking action to avoid something unpleasant, while the ability to withdraw and not act remains intact, a study by Ryan Tomm, a PhD candidate in UBC psychology, suggests. Read more: www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

YouTube video by Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health A day in the life at the Cembrowski Lab

Join Riya from @markcembrowski.bsky.social's lab for a look at a day in the life of a @sbmeubc.bsky.social Synergy Research Program student!

This summer, she studied the hippocampal-amygdaloid transition area (HATA), a brain region that may play a role in major depressive disorder.

Dr. Kiran Soma elected as 2025 Royal Society of Canada Fellow - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH We are thrilled to announce Dr. Kiran Soma, a Professor in UBC’s Department of Psychology, has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) —

We are thrilled to announce Dr. @kiransoma.bsky.social, a @ubcpsych.bsky.social professor, has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) — one of the country’s highest honours for distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

Finding strength and connection through the BC Brain Wellness Program - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH When Gail Dodek Wenner first stumbled upon the BC Brain Wellness Program (BCBWP) while searching for research opportunities for her husband Richard, she

After Richard’s stroke, @bcbrainwellness.bsky.social became a lifeline for him and his wife, Gail. Together with Exercise Coordinator and kinesiologist Darius Darabi, they found strength, resilience and independence — showing how brain wellness transforms lives.

YouTube video by Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health Neuroscience in Film: Squid Game

Introducing our Neuroscience in Film series, where we take a closer look at the science behind what we watch on screen.

We asked Dr. Catharine Winstanley, a behavioural neuroscientist who studies impulse control and gambling, for her thoughts on Squid Game. Would you risk it all for the jackpot?

Burgers to Beat MS

Burgers To Beat MS is back at @aandwcanada.bsky.social! Buy a Teen Burger today and $2 will go towards supporting Canadians living with multiple sclerosis.

Toward Prognostic Humility for Unrepresented Patients at the End of Life Published in The American Journal of Bioethics (Vol. 25, No. 9, 2025)

In a recent article, researchers Harjeev Sudan, Dr. Daniel Buchman, and Dr. Judy Illes call for a patient-centered reimagining of the ethical standards and approaches to clinical decision-making regarding withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.

www.tandfonline.com/eprint/UAK5T...

YouTube video by Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health A day in the life at the NINET Lab

Join Adam from the NINET lab to see what a day in the life of an MD/PhD student looks like!

Under the supervision of Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, Adam is researching the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in individuals with treatment-resistant depression.

Honouring a pioneer in ALS research: Dr. Andrew Eisen’s enduring legacy - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH Dr. Andrew Eisen’s name is synonymous with progress in the field of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As one of Canada’s most distinguished

From reshaping our understanding of ALS with his “dying forward” hypothesis to founding the ALS Society of BC & ALS clinic at VGH, Dr. Andrew Eisen has transformed ALS research, care and advocacy.

Last week, we recognized his achievements with the naming of the Dr. Andrew Eisen Atrium in the DMCBH.

MS could start up to 15 years earlier than thought, new UBC research suggests | Globalnews.ca Research from the University of British Columbia suggests signs of multiple sclerosis could appear up to 15 years before classical symptoms develop.

A new study led by Dr. Helen Tremlett finds that people with #multiplescelorsis show increased healthcare usage up to 15 years before their first symptoms.

This suggests the existence of a “prodromal phase” to MS—a period where non-specific signs & symptoms occur before the onset of disease.

YouTube video by Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health A day in the life at the Wellington Lab

Join Isabella & Tetiana from the Wellington lab to see what a typical day as a neuroscience grad student looks like. From human biomarker research to animal models, see how their work comes together to fight Alzheimer’s disease.

Learn more about the Wellington lab:
wellingtonlabubc.wordpress.com

There is no known cure for ALS, but medical tourism exploits desperation for profit ALS is a progressive and fatal neurological disorder with no known cure. A new clinic offering treatment raises alarms about exploiting those living with ALS.

In a recent @ca.theconversation.com article, Drs. Judy Illes and Erik P. Pioro emphasize the importance of consulting healthcare teams and provincial ALS societies before investing in alternative treatments.

📖 Read the full article here:

How does #TraumaticBrainInjury (TBI) alter the brain? 🧠

To understand this, the Cembrowski lab at @dmcbrainhealth.bsky.social used spatial #transcriptomics to identify signatures of TBI at the region- and cell- specific levels.

See the abstract in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social : bit.ly/44ld8az

Celebrating brain health across the lifespan - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH Every year on July 22, the world comes together to celebrate World Brain Day, a global initiative orchestrated by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN)

Every year on July 22, the world comes together to celebrate World Brain Day. This year, we're focused on brain health for all ages – through childhood, adulthood, and into older age.

Read more about how research from the DMCBH helps us advance brain health across the lifespan:

DMCBH members awarded Spring 2025 CIHR project grants to support health research - Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health | DMCBH The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has announced the results of its Spring 2025 project grant competition. Congratulations to all the

Congrats to the DMCBH members who were awarded funding from CIHR's Spring 2025 project grant competition! Projects range from exploring how aerobic exercise supports brain health in perimenopause to harnessing AI for eye disease research.