Browse the latest news and discoveries relating to animal research at UBC.
News
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November 10, 2021
Domestic cats drive spread of Toxoplasma parasite to wildlife
New UBC research suggests free-roaming cats are likely to blame in the spread of the potentially deadly Toxoplasma gondii parasite to wildlife in densely populated urban areas.
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October 12, 2021
No apparent shortage of prey for southern resident killer whales in Canadian waters during summer
A popular belief that there are fewer Chinook salmon during the summer in Canadian waters for southern resident killer whales, compared to an abundance of fish for northern resident killer whales, has been debunked by a study led by scientists at the University of British Columbia.
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October 5, 2021
Cancer chemotherapy drug reverses Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice
A drug commonly used to treat cancer can restore memory and cognitive function in mice that display symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, new UBC research has found.
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August 9, 2021
Innovative coating for blood vessels reduces rejection of transplanted organs
Researchers have found a way to reduce organ rejection following a transplant by using a special polymer to coat blood vessels on the organ to be transplanted.
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August 5, 2021
Surprising insights into the migration pattern of world’s farthest-migrating species
The Arctic tern—which has the world record for the longest annual migration—uses just a few select routes, a key finding that could help efforts to conserve the species, according to a new University of British Columbia study.
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July 13, 2021
Physical fitness of wild Pacific sockeye salmon unaffected by PRV
The respiratory performance of wild Pacific sockeye salmon functions normally even when infected with piscine orthoreovirus (PRV), according to a new study released today.
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June 7, 2021
A planet without apes? New research highlights danger to gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos in shifting habitats
Globally, great ape populations and their habitats have drastically declined in recent history. New analysis published today reveals that if the pressures on their habitat remain unchecked, Africa’s great apes could lose between 85 per cent and 94 per cent of their range by the year 2050. As…
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May 26, 2021
Salmon virus originally from the Atlantic, spread to B.C. wild salmon from farms: Study
Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) – which is associated with kidney and liver damage in Chinook salmon – is continually being transmitted between open-net salmon farms and wild juvenile Chinook salmon in British Columbia waters, according to a new genomics analysis published today in Science…
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March 24, 2021
Female salmon are dying at higher rates than male salmon
Female adult sockeye from the Fraser River are dying at significantly higher rates than their male counterparts on the journey back to their spawning grounds, finds new UBC research. For every male salmon that doesn’t make it to their natal stream, at least two, sometimes three female salmon…
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November 17, 2020
UBC releases 2019 animal research statistics
UBC’s summary of animals involved in research at the university in 2019 is now available. This is the tenth consecutive year the university has published the data. UBC is one of only three Canadian universities to publish animal research statistics annually. The university publishes the data…