Browse the latest news and discoveries relating to animal research at UBC.
News
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November 22, 2017
Bowhead whales come to Cumberland Sound in Nunavut to exfoliate
Aerial drone footage of bowhead whales in Canada’s Arctic has revealed that the large mammals moult and use rocks to rub off dead skin. The footage provides one answer to the mystery of why whales return to Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, every summer, and helps explain some unusual behaviour…
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October 31, 2017
Alzheimer’s disease might be a ‘whole body’ problem
The scientists attached normal mice, which don’t naturally develop Alzheimer’s disease, to mice modified to carry a mutant human gene that produces high levels of the protein called amyloid beta. Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia, has long been assumed to…
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October 11, 2017
Herbivores help protect ecosystems from climate change
Plant-eating critters are the key ingredient to helping ecosystems survive global warming, finds new UBC research that offers some hope for a defence strategy against climate change. “The herbivores created space for other plants and animals to move in and we saw much more diversity and…
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September 26, 2017
Some marine species more vulnerable to climate change than others
Certain marine species will fare much worse than others as they become more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, a new UBC study has found. After analyzing the biological characteristics of 1,074 marine fish and shellfish, the study identified 294 species that are most at-risk due to…
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September 13, 2017
New UBC research suggests bird songs isolate species
Two birds that look the same, but have songs so different they can’t recognize each other, should be considered distinct species, suggests new UBC research. “Songs are important for birds and who they choose to mate with,” said Benjamin Freeman, a Banting postdoctoral fellow…
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August 29, 2017
New osteoporosis treatment uses traditional Chinese herb to prevent bone loss
An herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine might hold the key to a new osteoporosis therapy that could prevent bone loss without causing side effects. Using a compound derived from red sage, UBC researchers have found a way to selectively block an enzyme called Cathepsin K (CatK),…
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August 21, 2017
Warmer waters from climate change will leave fish shrinking, gasping for air
Fish are expected to shrink in size by 20 to 30 per cent if ocean temperatures continue to climb due to climate change. A new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia provides a deeper explanation of why fish are expected to decline in size.
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May 8, 2017
Brain injury causes impulse control problems in rats: study
New research from the University of British Columbia confirms for the first time that even mild brain injury can result in impulse control problems in rats. The study, published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, also found that the impulsivity problems may be linked to levels of an…
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April 20, 2017
Drug created from malaria parasite shows promise as bladder cancer treatment
A drug created from a malaria protein stopped tumour growth of chemotherapy-resistant bladder cancer, offering hope for cancer patients not responding to standard treatments. “This is the first study where we put the concept of using malaria proteins for cancer therapy into a direct…
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March 31, 2017
‘Whale breath’ reveals bacteria threatening endangered killer whales
Droplets and exhaled breath caught from the blowholes of killer whales along the Pacific coast are providing scientists with insights into whale health and revealing bacteria and fungi that may be a threat to the mammals. “We wanted to find out what sort of bacteria and fungi are present…