MICROFLUIDIC

DEVICE IDENTIFIES
RED BLOOD CELL
'SUPER-STORERS'
APRIL 2020
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
MEMBER PROFILES

A NEW PLAYER IN BLOOD-

BRAIN BARRIER INTEGRITY
 D

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT CBR PUBLISHED BY
Knowledge Translation Committee

Notes from the

4 PROFILES
DESIGNERS 
Andy Hsu & Dr. Stefanie Mak
The CBR aims to improve the health and well-being Director
of patients through innovative research in blood and
blood-related processes.
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Dr. Amy Glenwright*
Dr. Amy Lee 8 Daniel Luo
Andy Hsu
Bronwyn Lyons
RESEARCH
Corrie Belanger
New Player in BBB
Cristyn Fung
Emel Islamzada
Dr. Georgina Butler*
Dr. Geraldine Walsh*
6 Integrity 12 Melanie Dostert
GOALS
Dr. Isabel Pablos
J. Andrew Alexander*

CBR Research & Clinical Goals

Dr. Katharine Sedivy-Haley*
Dr. Kerryn Matthews
Lily Takeuchi
Maria-Elizabeth Baeva
7 Host Tissue Factor
On Virus Envelope 14 Maria-Elizabeth
Baeva
• Improve the quality and safety of blood Dr. Michael Hughes*
Morgan Alford

10 Connecting the
20 Dr. Hongshen Ma
product collection, storage and delivery Nathanael Caveney
• Create new knowledge to better treat
Immunological Dots
Nathan Naidu
Dr. Pierre-Marie Andrault
bleeding and clotting disorders Sarah Bowers*
• Develop novel approaches to Dr. Shawna Stanwood*
Sreeparna Vappala
The Search for
11 24 Dr. Christian
modulate the immune system to Dr. Stefanie Mak*

Patient-driven. Innovative. Community. treat inflammation and infections and * indicates Editorial Board member "Super-storers" Kastrup
promote wound repair
COVER ART  Erin Tanaka
Over the past year, donor support has helped us develop novel approaches BLOG cbr.ubc.ca
to battle severe bleeding in rural areas, delineate the mechanisms of FACEBOOK @cbrubc AWA R D S OPINION
TWITTER @CBR_UBC
inflammatory diseases, and increase the quality of blood products used in
2019-2020 Travel
5 16 Social Media 101
INSTAGRAM  @cbr_ubc
transfusions – only a few examples among many pioneering discoveries.
With your continued support, the CBR will further transform innovative
CBR magazine is published by the
Knowledge Translation (KT) Committee,
Awards
a group of CBR undergraduates, graduate
ideas into life-enhancing solutions. students, postdoctoral fellows, research

9 CIHR Project Grant

22 Vaccination
associates, and technicians who are in-
terested in science writing, blogging, and
The CBR needs you to help fund our programs, which range from $50 to
$100,000. We invite you to explore opportunities at the CBR where your
mixed media communications. It is distrib-
uted free of charge to CBR and UBC alum- Recipients Advocacy
ni, friends, and the scientific community.
partnership with us will result in positive impacts on education, training and Opinions expressed in the magazine do not

13 SLAS 2019 26 Stem Cell

necessarily reflect the views of the centre
meaningful research. Examples of initiatives that need your support include: or the university.

Address correspondence to:

Treatments
Opportunity Cost The Centre for Blood Research
4th Floor, Life Sciences Centre
Reward leadership in students and staff with the Neil $50

17 CSHL Conference
2350 Health Sciences Mall
Mackenzie Mentorship Award Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
EVENTS
Expose trainees to diverse career opportunities with the $1,000 The KT Committee publishes week-

E D U CAT I O N 18 Earl Davie

ly at CBR News (cbr.ubc.ca) and covers a
CBR Career Night
Symposium
wide range of topics, from recent research

23 ASH 2019
Jumpstart a postdoctoral fellow’s career with the $5,000 highlights and opinion pieces on science
and academia, to event coverage and CBR
Postdoctoral Transition Award
CBR Education Commitment initiatives. If you are interested in partici-
pating in the KT Committee, email Stefanie
Support a clinical fellow in Translational Research Studies $75,000

29 Career Connect
• Support student research through at: stefanie.mak@ubc.ca or talk to one of
the members! All undergraduates, gradu-
Make a CBR Symposium possible $25,000- competitive undergraduate, graduate, Day
28 Great Wall
ate students, PDFs, RAs, and technicians
$100,000 and postgraduate awards are welcome to join.

Explore further: CBR.ubc.ca/support-us • Offer a range of stimulating educational CONTACT Symposium

Edward M. Conway, MD, PhD symposia, workshops, and seminars
stefanie.mak@ubc.ca

Director, Centre for Blood Research

Tel: 604.822.4252  |  Email: ed.conway@ubc.ca
• Provide cutting-edge career
development opportunities for our
Knowledge 30 GRC on
Atherosclerosis
31 Magazine Cover
Art Contest
trainees Translation
Committee
Science beyond academia
2 3
Director’s Note Awards

Learning Science by Travelling the World: 2019-

Notes from Conway’s Chair - 2020 CBR Travel Awards
April 2020 O ver the past five years, the Travel Awards provided by the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) have been supporting the ongoing
professional development of Postdoctoral Fellows (PDF) and Research Associates (RA). This year, CBR is delighted to expand this
funding opportunity to graduate trainees. Up to $1,000 is awarded for PDFs and RAs, while up to $500 is awarded for graduate students.

W hen the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) team of editors and
writers were compiling and laying out all the fabulous stories,
reports and photos for display in this issue of the CBR Magazine, the
Year-round, the recipients will attend and present at various vibrant conferences across the globe. With memorable stories to tell upon their
return, award recipients compose a short reflection summary detailing their educational experience. These summaries are then published on
the CBR website.
best parts of BC were revealing themselves. The short winter days were
Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Travel Award recipients!
lengthening into bright skies, the ski slopes were still busy even while
spring was in the air, and the buds of cherry blossoms were starting to
appear. At the CBR, the energy was palpable, as undergraduate science
students were excitedly discussing potential projects to join the CBR
summer studentship program; GAP students were wrapping up their
program, looking forward to a well-deserved celebratory event; PIs had
submitted their CIHR project grants, ever optimistic in pursuit of new lines of impactful research.

And then, suddenly, the world changed. A chance event - a new, highly infectious coronavirus,
Dr. Jane Ru Choi, Dr. Kalyan Golla, Dr. Mona Khorshidfar, Dr. Isabel Pablos Ocampo,
COVID-19, emerged. Its seemingly simple and attractive structure, represented by artists as
Ma Lab Kim Lab Devine Lab Overall Lab
colourful pretty little spikes emanating from a spherical core, belies its menacing capacity to cause
devastating disease. Indeed, the virus stopped us in our tracks, curtailing research activities, halting
education programs, and creating havoc in lives literally around the globe. Evoking descriptions of
the black plague that killed millions in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, this pandemic and
the quarantine efforts designed to contain it, are now causing widespread economic and social ruin,
beyond anyone's expectations.

The word "unprecedented" has entered into our everyday vocabulary. This is not only for
the damage that COVID-19 is eliciting, but it is also for how communities around the world are Dr. Maren Smith, Dr. Marine Theret, Farshad Babaeijandaghi, Arjun Baghela,
responding. From a research point of view, CBR investigators have stepped up in an unprecedented Hancock Lab Rossi Lab Rossi Lab Hancock Lab
manner, nimbly redirecting all their efforts to characterise the mechanisms by which the virus
triggers cellular and organ damage; searching for innovative and urgently needed therapeutic
approaches. With strict social distancing, video conferencing has become the norm, and the CBR's
education programming team is taking full advantage, designing creative tactics to ensure the
support and engagement of our members. Overall, there is an unprecedented worldwide collegiality,
with everyone's efforts focused on mitigating the effects of a common enemy.

No doubt, we will emerge from this extreme challenge. Things will be different. But we will be
stronger, wiser, with a deeper appreciation of life and the value of the work we do at the CBR and Eric Cheng, Peter Grin, Emel Islamzada, Jerry Leung,
UBC. Cheung Lab Overall Lab Ma Lab Kastrup Lab

Be well and stay safe!

Bronwyn Lyons, Enoli De Silva, Marie-Soleil Smith, Han Qi (Wayne) Zhao,

Strynadka Lab Kim Lab Côté Lab Devine Lab

4 5
 Research Research

A New Player in Blood-Brain-Barrier Integrity Host Tissue Factor on the Virus Envelope—A New
B y B R O N W Y N LY O N S , G r a d u a t e S t u d e n t , S t r y n a d k a L a b Antiviral Target?
B y A N D Y H S U , A d m i n Te a m

Figure 1: Vasculature of mice imaged using fluorescence

microscopy. Wild-type (PodxlF/F) and podocalyxin
knockout (PodxlTie2Δ
(PodxlTie2ΔEC) mice were treated with
lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Vasculature was imaged using
649-LEL (green) and permeability was assessed using
Texas red (TR) labelled 70-kD dextran (TR-DEX70). The
authors describe the permeability as ‘dextran clouds’ in the
podocalyxin knockout mice, signifying leakage of dextran
outside of the blood vessel. Modified from Figure 4B from
Cait et al. (2019).

P odocalyxin (Podxl) is a protein primarily expressed on the

inner surface of blood vessels and specialized kidney cells called
podocytes1. Although Podxl plays a critical role in kidney development
function. As the dye is a relatively large molecule (70 kDa), leakage
suggests a serious deficiency in BBB function.

and function, its purpose in blood vessels has remained cryptic. In a A big downfall related to treatment of neurological diseases is the Digitally-colourized transmission electron microscopic image of the H1N1
new finding recently published in PNAS2, the McNagny lab (Centre inability of therapeutics to penetrate the BBB to reach neurological enveloped virus. Photo credit: CDC/ C. S. Goldsmith and A. Balish.
for Blood Research) has determined a new role for Podxl in the tissue. As part of their study, Cait et al. illustrate that a small molecule is
maintenance of the blood brain barrier (BBB) during inflammatory capable of entering the brain in LPS-treated ΔPodxl mice, as evidenced
disease. by a loss of motor function and suppression of brain electrical activity.

The inner surface of blood vessels is lined with vascular

endothelial cells (vECs). Vessels that nourish the brain and central
The authors concluded that Podxl is important in maintaining the
integrity of the BBB during acute inflammation, as revealed by the
drastic effects observed in ΔPodxl mice. This research represents an
V iruses are small genetic bundles that hijack the metabolic
processes of infected cells and can make us sick. One type
of virus, called “enveloped viruses”, includes influenza, human
TF was able to infect different organs (brain, lung, heart, spinal cord
and liver) of mice, whereas HSV-1 lacking host TF in the envelope
showed decreased infection of these organs. The authors found that
nervous system, have specialized barriers that protect the brain from important step in understanding the role of Podxl in BBB function, immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). anticoagulants – substances that dampen blood clot formation by
excess fluid, plasma proteins and toxins. The barrier is reinforced and the potential for targeting Podxl for either an increase or decrease These invisible particles can pack a real punch; in 2018-2019 alone, interfering with TF-dependent pathways – prevented infection by TF-
by connections or junctions – composed of protein molecules – in function. Cait and colleagues note that activation of Podxl may influenza caused 3,657 hospitalizations, 613 ICU admissions and 224 carrying HSV-1, i.e. these anticoagulants have antiviral activity.
positioned between vascular cells. Disruption of these connections, assist with decreasing the permeability of the BBB in diseases such as deaths in Canada¹. The Pryzdial Lab (Candian Blood Services; Centre
such as during tissue injury, can result in increased BBB ‘leakiness’; this multiple sclerosis or stroke, whereas increasing the permeability may for Blood Research) is studying how these viruses make us sick, and Importantly, these results highlight the potential of targeting
can contribute to the observed pathology of inflammatory diseases, as help with temporarily opening the BBB to allow therapeutics to reach what we can do to combat this. host TF on the virus as an antiviral therapeutic strategy. Furthermore,
in the case of a stroke and traumatic brain injury. BBB deterioration is brain tissue. these findings suggest that it is worth investigating which proteins
thought to be associated with a worse prognosis for neurodegenerative As the name implies, enveloped viruses are wrapped in a derived from different host cells are incorporated as effectors into viral
diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, consistently one of the major Interested in learning more about where this project is going in the membrane or envelope. The virus uses different proteins in this envelopes. Identifying new envelope antiviral targets will provide novel
causes of death in Canada3. future? Check out the Science in the City article to see a mini-interview membrane to bind to host cells which are required for infection. A avenues of research and promote the development of new antiviral
with the authors of the paper4. Video examples of the behavioral previous study by Dr. Michael Sutherland and co-workers in the drugs to prevent countless deaths and hospitalizations.
Cait and colleagues2 used transgenic mice that selectively deletes changes can be seen in the article’s supplementary information. Pryzdial Lab demonstrated that several enveloped viruses incorporate
Podxl in vECs (PodxlTie2Δ ΔEC) to study the role of this protein in host “tissue factor” (TF), a protein essential for blood clotting and cell Maybe there will come a day when we will not have to worry
maintaining the BBB during acute inflammation. The authors induced ¹J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. (2009) 20: 1669-1676. signaling, into their membrane. They showed that this host-derived TF about enveloped viral infections!
acute inflammation in mice by administering lipopolysaccharides ² Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A. (2019) 116: 4518-4527. enhances viral infection of cells in vitro².
(LPS) – a component of bacterial cell walls – and then monitored ³https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310039201 ¹https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-
changes in permeability of the BBB. ‘Clouds’ of the red dye (TR- ⁴https://scienceinthecity.com/2019/03/01/podocalyxin-is-required-for- By preparing the model enveloped virus HSV-1 in a TF-inducible conditions/fluwatch/2018-2019/annual-report.html
DEX70) in Figure 1 indicate areas of leaky vessels in the brains of maintaining-blood-brain-barrier-function-during-acute-inflammation/ cell line, Sutherland et al. further elucidated the role of host TF in viral ²Blood. (2012) 119: 3638–45.
LPS-treated ΔPodxl mice, whereas wild-type mice retain their barrier c infection in vivo in a recent study³. HSV-1 that incorporated host ³J. Thromb. Haemost. (2019) 17: 482–91. c

6 7
 Profiles Profiles

When Extraordinary
Daniel mixes his love for musicals, breweries, and nature into PI.” He also recommends removing yourself from school (e.g. by not
his graduate life. Yearly, he helps organize a myriad of amazing staying in the lab or on campus for too long) and building a supportive
events: Bard on the Beach, Brew-Off, and Trivia Night for students to community with those who hold similar values (e.g. within your lab or
Meets Ordinary: help relieve their stress. As president of the CBR Health & Wellness
Committee, Daniel believes that mental health is just as important as
by joining clubs). The challenge with graduate school, Daniel says, is
that it is an “environment where you have to strive to be your best” so

Profiling Daniel Luo physical health. In his free time, Daniel makes sure to take care of his
own physical health and enjoys hiking and running. He even has a
“try to see yourself as not just a scientist, and to take the time to figure
out your life beyond that.”
goal to run a half-marathon one day! Through these hobbies, Daniel
B y C R I S T Y N F U N G , A d m i n Te a m has met new people and learned more about different activities. So, if you are looking for a study buddy, an arts and crafts friend,
“You have to go in without an agenda and just put yourself out there,” or just need great life advice, then look no further than Daniel Luo! C
Daniel says. He advises others to be open to trying new things when

A lthough Centre for Blood Research (CBR) member Daniel Luo

describes himself as a “typical 25-year old who plays games, reads
books, listens to podcasts and socializes at the pub”, his passion for
an opportunity arises. It is all about serendipity! For example, Daniel
enjoys baking and shares this life skill with children by volunteering at
kid camps. His artistic interests include painting, drawing and crafting
research, work ethic on committees, and optimistic mindset is anything
pieces such as glitter canvases, costumes, and paintings. Currently, he
but ordinary. As a PhD student in the Kizhakkedathu Lab, Daniel has
is working on painting a park bench! Why not follow in his steps? He
made the most of some amazing opportunities. In this CBR member
notes, “You can't be sure if you don't like something until you try it.”
profile, we investigate how he is able to juggle the challenges of graduate
That is definitely some sage life advice we should all live by.
school while organizing events, working as a teacher’s assistant, and being
a member of a variety of committees, including acting as president of the
The secret to success in graduate school? Daniel advises: “Time
CBR Health & Wellness Committee. Daniel even occasionally finds the
management is an essential skill. You have to learn when you are taking
time for crafts, baking, and painting. “How can one person do so much?”
on too much work and when to say no. It might be difficult at first but
you may ask. Read on! Daniel’s recent artwork
it’s how you’ll grow and maintain trust with your supervisor and/or
Daniel Luo with a tardigrade

Awards

CIHR Project Grant Recipients

Congratulations to the two CBR members who received the CIHR Project Grants!
The Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant competitions support researchers at any career stage to
build and conduct health-related research and knowledge translation projects. The Fall 2019 competition funded a total of 385
projects and invested approximately $275M.
Daniel’s drive to be actively involved in his community stems
from a desire to give back as much as he has received, if not more. As
a Chemistry student, Daniel is actively involved in the department’s
student associations dedicated to improving the quality of life on
campus. For example, as part of the Chemistry Graduate Student
society (CGSS) Initiative Committee, Daniel helped establish
an award to recognize science outreach in the department. He
also successfully executed a long-form mental wellbeing study in
the Chemistry Department to identify points of concern for the
graduate student body. Daniel encourages not only community
involvement, but also professional development. As part of the
CGSS, he helped organize the Chemistry Career Information Event
for graduate students to network and consider professions outside of Dr. Hongshen Ma Dr. Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu
academia. Alongside this event, Daniel helped organize workshops
focusing on professional skills such as “Panic to Power”, “Resumé- "Non-contact screening technology to expedite cell line "Novel hyperbranched polyglycerol-derived biliary excretable
building”, and “Salary Negotiation”. development for antibody production" osmotic agents for peritoneal dialysis - preclinical evaluation"
Daniel’s victory pose after a successful hike

8 9
 Research Research

Connecting the Immunological Dots: (Ca2+)n We A Novel Microfluidic Device to Aid in the Search
Do It? for Red Blood Cell “Super-storers”
B y M A R I A - E L I Z A B E T H B A E VA , M S c C a n d i d a t e , J e f f e r i e s L a b By EMEL ISLAMZADA, Graduate Student, Ma Lab

In the Multi Scale Design Lab at the Centre for Blood Research,
under the supervision of Dr. Hongshen Ma, and in collaboration with
Dr. Mark Scott, a Canadian Blood Services senior scientist, we have
developed a unique microfluidic ratchet device that sensitively and
accurately quantifies the deformability or “squeezability” of red blood
cells in donated units. The device sorts red blood cells based on how
well they can squeeze through a series of very small constrictions,
the latter which mimic the blood vessels and small openings in the
circulation. Once the cells are sorted in the device, an individual
deformability curve or a “deformability signature” can be generated.
Lymphocyte (dark red) surrounded by erythrocytes. This can be compared between units to see which have red blood
Photo credit: CDC/ Dr. Chandler Ballard
cells that best retain their ability to deform. We aim to use this device
Image of red blood cells being sorted through a microfluidic device to create an individual deformability profile of red blood cells from
based on deformability donated blood and predict their circulation times in the recipient.

W hen we think about how lymphocytes work, we tend to think

that antigen presentation and signalling are the be-all and end-
and CD4+ effector memory T cells (which are responsible for rapidly
dealing with a previously recognized pathogen) and indications of So far, we have tested red blood cells from eight donors, and found
two among them whose red blood cells are minimally affected by cold
D
all of immune system activation and function. However, there are chronically activated B cells. Many of the lymphocyte subtypes also onated red blood cell units are a vital component of patient
many carefully organized and necessary steps that must occur in order had an upregulation of the inhibitory factors PD-1 and/or CTLA-4. storage. Thus, the device was able to identify potential “super-storers”,
care, supporting patients with a wide variety of disorders. These
to have a proper immune response. One of these crucial elements is the Interestingly, when they tested Ca2+ flow, although the T cells had a i.e. donors with red blood cells that exhibit very little time-dependent
include severe kidney disease, hemoglobin and bleeding disorders,
calcium (Ca2+) channel. In lymphocytes, Ca2+ channels are responsible decreased Ca2+ flux, it appears that the B cells had some compensatory changes in their deformability. We also show that the deformability
bone marrow failure syndromes and recovery from chemotherapy.
for mediating not only activation, but also homeostasis, maturation, mechanisms, since their Ca2+ flux was unaffected. profile of an individual donor stays fairly constant with repeated
Some patients, like those with thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, have
and apoptosis. This study is the first to demonstrate a link between a donations. Another very exciting finding was that all donors’ red blood
a lifelong dependency on blood donations. However, not all blood
mutation in the voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channel CaV1.4 and To characterize the functioning of these lymphocytes in vivo, cells have unique deformability profiles, and very different responses
units are the same, and the benefit they can deliver to a patient can
lymphocyte dysfunction and exhaustion. CaV1.4 knockout (KO) mice were infected with a murine version of a to cold storage.
vary from unit to unit. Certain donors have red blood cells that will
chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection. This mimics a situation wherein last in cold storage and in the circulation of a recipient for longer.
Immune exhaustion has recently come to some mainstream patients with a primary immune disorder are infected with a common Our study illustrates the potential of deformability-based
Unfortunately, there is no method to identify these donors or predict
attention thanks to Drs. James P. Allison of the University of Texas virus. The infected, mutated mice had higher CD4+ T effector cell and sorting to identify those “super-storers” who have extra hardy
which unit will confer maximal benefit to a particular patient after
MD Anderson Cancer Center and Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University lower CD8+ naïve T cell counts compared to wild-type infected mice. red blood cells. Although we are excited by these findings, we
transfusion.
sharing the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.1 They What is more, the central memory T cells, which are responsible for appreciate that there is still a lot of work ahead to confirm our
received the prize for their respective discoveries in cancer therapy remembering and mounting a stronger response to the virus should results with a much larger sample set. This will be enabled by
One factor that will affect the post-transfusion circulation
by inhibiting two of the most researched negative immune regulators: it reappear, in infected CaV1.4 KO mice demonstrated a greater support from the Canadian Blood Services. We are also pursuing
time is the deformability of a red blood cell. Red blood cells are the
CTLA-4 and PD-1. These receptors are present on lymphocytes as frequency of PD-1+ cells than the central memory T cells of infected studies with animal models to better understand the relationship
ballerinas of the cell world, being able to fold and deform, or squeeze,
inhibitory markers, meaning they prevent the immune system from wild-type mice. This suggests that these lymphocytes are unable to between red cell deformability and post-transfusion clearance rate.
through openings much smaller than their size as they travel through
over-reacting and causing an autoimmune disorder. However, chronic clear the infection and thus the infection will remain ongoing. the vasculature delivering oxygen. The deformability of red blood
exposure to pathogens can lead to immune system exhaustion, or This novel method has the potential to enable doctors to, for
cells is central to their proper function. During cold storage, the cells
a constant activation of cells, leading to a constant presence of these This study effectively demonstrated how a combination of example, select “super-storer” units for chronic transfusion recipients.
gradually lose their ability to deform. The cells that are less deformable
markers and the cells being unable to clear pathogens effectively. genetic and environmental factors can trigger immune dysfunction. All donated blood is valuable, and matching units to the recipients
won’t be able to transport oxygen efficiently and will be cleared from
To read more about it, check out the Science in the City article3, which who will benefit most from them could reduce the number of total
the recipient’s circulation shortly after transfusion. Being able to
Fenninger et al. were able to link mutations in CaV1.4 with interviewed the final author of the paper, Dr. Wilf Jefferies. transfusions needed by these patients and increase the overall blood
accurately measure deformability of red blood cells would allow blood
lymphocyte dysfunction, expression of inhibitory markers, and supply.
operators to distinguish donors whose red blood cells have a short
immune exhaustion by looking at cell types and frequencies in a mouse 1
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2018/summary/ storage and circulation time, from the “super-storers” or donors whose
model with the CaV1.4 gene (Cacna1f) knocked out.2 By analyzing 2
Front. Immunol. (2019) 10:2473. I thank Canadian Blood Services for supporting my graduate
red blood cells store well in the cold and also will circulate for longer
spleens of mice using flow cytometry, they were able to determine 3
https://scienceinthecity.com/2019/11/15/mutation-of-an-l-type- studies through the Graduate Student Fellowship Award. It is exciting
times in the recipient after transfusion.
that while a disruption in the CaV1.4 gene decreased overall CD8+ calcium-channel-gene-leads-to-t-lymphocyte-dysfunction/ c and rewarding to be part of this research stream, and potentially help
T cell frequency, there was an increased frequency of both CD8+ to improve blood transfusion practices in the future. c

10 11
 Profiles Awards

Society for Laboratory

Automation and
Screening (SLAS) 2019:
2-6 February
B y D R . K E R R Y N M AT T H E W S ,
Research Associate, Ma Lab

Secret Lives of CBR

Researchers: Episode 3. S LAS2019 was one of the most innovative, relevant and forward-
thinking life science and technology research conferences I have
service shut down Constitution Avenue to allow the US President to
drive to the Capitol Building to deliver the State of the Union speech.

Melanie Dostert attended. The opening plenary session, “Bench to Bedside to Babies”,
involved a functional ovary-on-chip to enable young women to have Thank you to the CBR for the RA travel award which gave
children after chemotherapy, and set the stage for the innovation and me the opportunity to attend this conference and to interact with
application aspect of the conference. Featuring 10 educational tracks, students, technicians, engineers and scientists at the forefront of new
By CORRIE BELANGER, PhD Candidate, Hancock Lab including cellular technology, high definition biotechnology and technologies for research. C
molecular libraries, the symposium included topics for everyone.
Melanie Dostert
A total of 5,126 scientists and engineers converged at the Walter

T he Centre for Blood Research (CBR) has many talented graduate concerts in a season for the public and is a great way for her to exercise
E. Washington Convention Centre in downtown Washington, D.C,
students, postdocs and faculty doing cutting edge research in her violin skills. Playing for the VPO is a challenging but rewarding
where short courses, scientific podium talks, exhibitor tutorials and 5
important fields, but they also have exciting lives outside of the lab. In hobby as it forces her to continue to develop her skills as a musician and
poster sessions prompted open discussions and networking between
the CBR Newsletter, we have started a column to honour the secret gives her the opportunity to present/perform publicly, something that
attendees. During the symposium, the best innovators competed for
talents and skills that CBR members have. Last month I wrote about will no doubt help her in her scientific career as well as her musical one.
a $10,000 USD prize, which was ultimately awarded to Cristian Soitu
James Baylis, a recent graduate of the Biomedical Engineering program Luckily, Melanie’s landlady is very understanding and enjoys the pleasant
from the University of Oxford for his talk “Microfluidic Chambers
and co-founder of a local biotech company. This month, I would like to sound of Melanie’s practice sessions. Other than violin, Melanie also
Using Fluid Walls for Cell Biology”. His invention is a simple method
introduce Melanie Dostert, a talented microbiologist and musician. enjoys hiking, camping and baking tasty German pastries when she is not
with potential for various applications in cell biology and is a great
in the lab. Though finding the time to have extracurricular involvement
example of what innovation is all about.
Melanie Dostert is a second year PhD student studying biofilm- with the VPO and these other activities can be difficult, Melanie feels that
associated antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. When she it is necessary to make the time to do things outside of graduate school
The best part of this conference was definitely the exhibition.
is not doing awesome science in the lab, Melanie spends much of her to keep good mental and physical health. Melanie is excited to get more
Over 300 multinational providers of laboratory technology and
free time playing the violin in the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra involved in her musical career once again, and is actively pursuing more
related products competed to leave us better informed, prepared and
(VPO). She plays “to take a break from graduate school and exercise musical groups to join in the near future. So if you’re looking for a new
positioned to recommend new products, services and tools. It was
different areas of [her] brain without the pressure for success” and she member to join your folk band or just want someone to play with, look
great competing in the daily multichannel pipetting challenge and
also happens to be quite talented! She has played the instrument since no further!
finding out some new and novel techniques that I can apply to my own
she was six years old, joining musical education classes as a child. When
research.
she got older, Melanie continued to play in multiple settings such as Melanie is just one of many exceptional graduate students in the
orchestra, folk bands, chamber music groups and private lessons, and CBR exhibiting impressive talents outside of research. If you would like
The conference was capped off by the annual celebration which
all this experience is evident in her playing. After taking a break from to be featured in next month’s column or know someone with a talent
was a fun, relaxed evening at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural
playing violin so intensively during post-secondary, Melanie is starting to be showcased in the CBR newsletter, email the Education Program
History. The food, drinks and time spent hanging out with an
to get back into the swing of things and making the violin a larger part Manager for the CBR, Stefanie Mak (stefanie.mak@ubc.ca). C
elephant named Henry was a night to remember. The walk back to the
of her life again. She has started this by joining the VPO which plays five
convention centre also turned out to be exciting as police and secret

12 13
 Profiles Profiles

CBR Member Feature: Maria-Elizabeth Baeva, B.Sc.

By MORGAN ALFORD, Graduate Student, Hancock Lab

P eople who change your opinions about life come in all forms. For me, these forms
usually entail lab coats and nitrile gloves. One of these PPE-endowed people
is a Master of Science candidate in the laboratory of Dr. Wilfred Jefferies named
Maria-Elizabeth Baeva. Before I met Maria, I was convinced that all successful What is the most rewarding role you serve in the community? What are your professional aspirations?
graduate students devoted the majority of their time to work at the benchtop. She I work as a disability coordinator for the Fraser Health Multiple When my parents ask, I like to keep it simple and say I want to become
has since taught me the value associated with being a well-rounded researcher, as Sclerosis (MS) Clinic. Patients often have to go on disability when they a doctor. But, more specifically, I'm really keen to pursue the MD/
she motivates those around her to engage with their studies through volunteerism. are diagnosed with this disease. This requires doctors to fill out lengthy PhD program. I can't think of a better way to marry my two passions:
Maria attributes much of her academic and extra-curricular success to her parents, medical reports and write letters to government agencies, employers, people and research. I love the idea of directly helping people but also
who are immigrants from Russia, and instilled in her many qualities of leadership insurance companies, banks, schools and others to explain the disease contributing to science and the advancement of knowledge. I have had
that contribute to her tenacity as an emerging figure in her field. Maria was delighted and why/how the patient’s functioning is affected. I get to assist with quite a few people tell me “you can't be a clinician and a researcher” and,
to sit down for an interview about her experience as a student member of the Centre this process to reduce the workload of medical professionals! My role because I'm a bit of a contrarian, I'm determined to prove them wrong.
for Blood Research (CBR). helps the clinic to keep this service free of charge for patients. Since
Maria-Elizabeth Baeva these patients are under financial pressure, it's rewarding to be able to What are you most proud of in terms of your Russian heritage?
help in this way. There are two things I appreciate and adore about Ruskies: their respect
and deference to education, and their resourcefulness. Generally,
What advice would you have for undergraduate researchers? Russians are big into being well-educated; they want to know a little bit
I have two pieces of advice: 1) carve your niche, and 2) network! To about everything. It keeps them well-rounded and makes it really fun
the first point, if you have an idea, say for a project or an event, or a to talk to them because they have an opinion about everything. I have
personal goal that you want to achieve, then you have to be the one a hypothesis that they are particularly resourceful because the public
to make it happen. People who can help you will recognize if you are systems that are meant to help and support them are inadequate. So,
driven, motivated and take active steps to pursue your goal. Secondly, they've become really creative in their approach to gaining the things
I would argue that learning how to network is even more important they need outside of government. Great examples of these resourceful
than learning hard research skills. Many of the opportunities that I have types are 20th century Soviet icons like Vysotsky, Dovaltov and Chagall.
benefitted from have presented through networking, and not necessarily
What inspired you to pursue graduate studies at UBC? in “traditional” networking areas. For example, my volunteerism at the What is your favourite “wild-type” (AKA non-academic)
Probably the Stockholm Syndrome (just kidding!) Actually, I did my Vancouver Aquarium led me to forge great academic connections. person activity?
undergrad at UBC and I loved the atmosphere and academic environment. I love the arts. I know it's a bit sacrilegious to not say hiking when living
This is a place that strikes the right balance between inspiring great research in Vancouver, but I am honestly truly happy when I am appreciating
and also having a vibrant social life. I love that I can sit in a lecture and be the arts. I frequent events like the Vancouver Film Festival and can
awestruck by someone’s amazing research in the morning and then go to a be found listening to opera at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, window-
bunch of different breweries or shows just off campus that same evening. shopping along Robson Street, browsing the works at the Vancouver
Art Gallery or watching drag somewhere on Davie Street. There's
What is the goal of your current research project? something powerful about all these unique forms of expression and
The goal of my research project is to figure out a better way to detect each definitely influences my personal and professional life.
Alzheimer’s. So far, researchers have failed to discover an effective treatment
for Alzheimer’s because we haven't characterized biomarkers that are If you could only use one size of pipette for the rest of your life,
associated with early cognitive decline, only those associated with advanced which size would it be and why?
neurodegeneration. To address this knowledge gap, I'm trying to “see” if the P20. Eyeballing the difference between 200 and 20 µL is way easier than
eyes can be a good “window” into what's going on in the brain. I'm using the difference between 20 and 10 µL. Test this hypothesis for yourself if
mouse models of Alzheimer’s to connect diseased brain pathology with eye Picture drawn by Maria-Elizabeth for the 3 Minute Thesis you don't believe me! C
pathology, in order to advance diagnostics and promote early intervention. Competition
Maria-Elizabeth presenting at the 3 Minute Thesis Competition

14 15
 Opinion Awards

Social Media 101: The Inaugural Systems Immunology Conference at

Tips for Scientists Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
By DR. AMY LEE, Hancock Lab
B y C R I S T Y N F U N G , A d m i n Te a m

I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural meeting on Systems Im-

munology at the beautiful Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL)
campus in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. The campus is located on the
but not least, we heard from Kristin Scheible and Petter Brodin on uti-
lizing systems immunology approaches to understand the dynamic
immune development of newborns and pre-term infants. Overall, the

D ear scientists, did you know you can amplify your passion for research and convey its results using social media? And the best part? It’s simple
and free. You can post your newly published paper online to increase the number of views and even number of citations. Your voice can reach
the general public to communicate why your research is important. That's right. You can now effectively procrastinate – browse social media to
north shore of Long Island, surrounded by beautiful forests with hiking
trails and a private swimming beach. Conference attendees could stay
in quaint little cabins in the woods uphill from the main conference
meeting was very enjoyable and gave me many opportunities to net-
work and have fruitful collaborative discussions, all with the generous
support from the CBR postdoctoral travel grant. C
strengthen your science career. centre, as well as share meals everyday with fellow conference attend-
ees during which great scientific discussions happened. I have always
For my first co-op position, I had the honour of working with the talented scientists at the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) and managing all enjoyed attending meetings at the CSHL campus, as it brings back fond
of our social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). Fast forward eight months, I believe I've gotten the hang of science Twitter and memories of fun science camps.
science communication. Seriously, our followers (probably) think it's some world-renowned scientist behind the scenes, right?

If you want to start building up your social media presence but don't know where to start or what to do, I've got you covered. Once you have
your account ready, just remember these 4 tips and I promise you will get that engagement (be it through views, likes, or followers):

1. Stay active frequently – Set a goal for yourself (ex: posting once a day, a few times a week, etc.) and make it a routine. This is to ensure that your
followers (and potential ones) know you're still alive and kicking! To meet my goals, I made a social media calendar. I printed out a monthly
calendar and wrote down content I wanted to post for each day. This way, I could easily plan content in advance and move it around. Then, to
save time, I scheduled my posts using the app Hootsuite.

2. Communicate your research in lay terms – This could be tricky. Even for scientists, explaining research in lay terms can be difficult but it's an
essential skill to have and you'll only get better with practice. I recommend figuring out the purpose and importance of the research. Then
when crafting your post, frame it as what this research hopes to solve and include its implications (also, throw in some statistics to show the
impact of the research). Before you post your message, be sure to run it through the de-jargonizer1, an app that highlights which words are
more technical and not so public-friendly. Not sure what word to replace it with? The thesaurus will be your best friend. Remember: you want
your research to be as accessible and relatable as possible!

3. Showcase the human side of research – With every institution, regardless of the field, researchers are all humans. It's crucial to portray that to The focus of this meeting was to bring together the diverse disci-
the public – that we have fun, hobbies outside of work, and even struggles. For instance, post photos of yourself at events, conferences, or just plines of experimental, computational and mathematical modeling to
your daily life. Share interesting facts about yourself, your thoughts/views, perhaps some funny stories about your research experiences and study the function and the regulation of the immune system. As sys-
your failures too. With each post, let your personality show and do not be afraid to form informal connections with other scientists or your tems immunology is a nascent field, this meeting created a fantastic en-
followers. Additionally, you can share health and wellness content and resources – something everyone can relate to. vironment for collaborations to take place between immunologists and
systems biologists. I particularly enjoyed talks on applying single-cell
4. Follow other researchers & research institutes on social media – When you run out of ideas on what to post, go check other social media OMICs to tease apart unique functions of immune cell populations
accounts of research institutes, scientists, labs, science companies and journals for inspiration. Curate your own special science feed by from heterogeneous samples (see work by Rahul Satija and Alexan-
choosing who to follow! Start by following your current lab mates and see who they're following or what content they're engaging with. Note dra-Chloe Villani), as well as identifying new cell types (see work by
that you don't have to always post original content; you could repost and/or share content that your followers might find interesting. Also, Ana Cvejic and AC Villani). Another exciting area of research focused
remember to save this content on your dashboard so you can easily repost it (when you're swamped with other work but still want to remain on providing functional insights to genome-wide association studies
active on social media). (GWAS) on immune diseases (see work by Emily R. Miraldi and Gosia
Trynka). As this is one of my research areas (and I presented a poster
Why not sign up or engage with science twitter today? You won’t regret it! on using transcriptional profiling of stem cell-derived macrophages
to provide functional insights to GWAS), I had a great discussion with
http://scienceandpublic.com/ c
1
Gosia on additional statistical analyses to shore up my hypothesis. Last

16 17
 Events Events
(L-R): Dr. Ross MacGillivray, Dr. Earl Davie, James Davie, Dr. Dominic Chung Shifting gears from the research talks, the post-coffee break session gave all a chance to listen to a patient’s perspective on hemophagocytic
All photo credits: Kitty Liu.
lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Joseph Banagan was diagnosed with HLH, a rare medical condition that causes one’s immune system to be
hyperactive. He captivated the audience with his positivity while sharing the story of his successful battle against this disease. His case
and treatment strategies were then discussed by Dr. Deonne Guiran of UBC. Rounding up the morning invited speaker talks, keynote
speaker Dr. Nancy Berliner (Harvard University) gave a comprehensive account of the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of HLH in
adults, highlighting the clinical differences between pediatric and adult HLH.

This led the way to the much-anticipated shotgun talks by poster presenters.
Presenters came up with creative ways to summarize their research into a 30-second-
long spiel. Many first-time Earl Davie Symposium presenters said that they enjoyed the
shotgun talks, with Rida Malik from McMaster University commenting, “Shotgun talks
pushed us to give the best message from our research.”

After a delicious lunch, Dr. Robert Montgomery (Versiti Blood Center of

Wisconsin), the final keynote speaker of the day, discussed the development of several
rodent models of von Willebrand disease in order to understand the biological
The 2019 Earl Davie Symposium—Expanding the relationship between von Willebrand factor (VWF) and FVIII. Subsequently, Dr. Nigel
Mackman (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) covered the link between
Horizons of Blood Research pancreatic cancer and the expression of tissue factor (TF) and touched upon the role
of neutrophil extracellular traps and neutrophils in cancer-associated thrombosis.
Keynote Speaker Dr. Robert Montgomery Dr. Mackman also joked that he was thankful to Dr. Davie for not cloning TF, which
B y D R . S H AW N A S TA N W O O D , J e f f e r i e s L a b &
(Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin). allowed him to “have a career.”
S R E E PA R N A VA P PA L A , P h D S t u d e n t , K i z h a k k e d a t h u L a b

Dr. Katerina Akassoglou (Gladstone Institutes and University of California, San

Francisco) described her group’s use of imaging tools to study the role of fibrinogen

T he Earl Davie Symposium is an annual Centre for Blood Research (CBR) event in honour of
Dr. Earl Davie, a pioneer in deciphering blood coagulation at the molecular level. This year’s
Symposium was held on November 13, 2019, at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Robson
in neurological diseases. Next, Dr. Eric McGinnis (UBC) presented an intriguing case
of a patient with highly discrepant FVIII test results, which led to a lively audience
brainstorming discussion.
Square. With Dr. Davie and his son in attendance, Dr. Ed Conway, Director of the CBR, opened
the meeting and announced Dr. David Lillicrap from Queen’s University as the recipient of the first
Wrapping up the outstanding event, Dr. Jonathan Lindner (Oregon Health
Naiman-Vickars Visiting Professorship in benign hematology. This Professorship was established (L-R): Dr. Stefanie Mak with poster award
& Science University) introduced a molecular imaging approach called contrast-
by the late hematologists Drs. Sheldon Naiman and Linda Vickars. This duo spearheaded several recipients Marie-Soleil Smith and Neha
enhanced ultrasound, which can be used to study atherosclerosis. Sharma.
hematology programs in the Vancouver area, and played an important role in the growth of CBR,
establishing an endowment fund that supports research, education, and training at the Centre.
Throughout the day, trainees were able to showcase their research through oral presentations: Kimsey Platten (Bloodworks Northwest)
discussed the role of lipoproteins in VWF self-association; Nabil Ali-Mohamad (UBC) described a self-propelled hemostatic spray, which
Following the announcement, Dr. Lillicrap delivered the first talk of the day on developments
has been shown to stop gastrointestinal bleeding in porcine models; and Hasam Madarati (McMaster University) shared his work on
2019 Naiman-Vickars Visiting in hemophilia care, remarking that with the advent of long-circulating clotting factor substitutes,
identifying proteases that may regulate the activity of ADAMTS13, a metalloprotease involved in maintaining hemostatic balance. Rida
Professorship in Benign Hematology Dr. mimetic antibodies and gene therapy, the current decade is witnessing an unprecedented time
Malik (McMaster University) summarized findings from a project investigating the role of histidine-rich glycoprotein using a short chain
David Lillicrap (Queen’s University). of innovation in the clinical management of hemophilia. Dr. Joe Italiano (Harvard University)
polyphosphate-induced thrombosis mouse model. Dr. Tahsin Özpolat (Bloodworks Northwest) discussed the use of N-acetylcysteine for
then gave some exciting insights into how his team is generating platelets in vitro from induced
patients with sickle cell disease. Trainee Dr. Valerie Tutwiler (University of Pennsylvania) opened the final set of presentations with her talk
pluripotent stem cells using bio-inspired technologies.
exploring the structural details involved in clot contraction, while Samuel Berryman (UBC) shared a deep-learning approach to identify
cell lines.
The last talk before the coffee session was by Dr. Jorge Di Paola (Washington University in
St. Louis), who spoke about genomic discovery approaches for inherited bleeding disorders. He
The Earl Davie Symposium also placed an emphasis on posters, a sentiment echoed by the poster presenters. Three posters in particular
commented that the reduced costs and advancements in genome sequencing have led to a quantum
were acknowledged with awards. These poster awards were presented to Chanel La (3rd place; Kizhakkedathu Laboratory, UBC), Marie-
leap in the understanding of these disorders.
Soleil Smith (2nd place; Côté Laboratory, UBC), and Neha Sharma (1st place; Liaw Laboratory, McMaster University). Congratulations to
all of the winners!
The coffee break was a hyper-efficient one filled with poster presentations and opportunities
to network. CBR trainees often have the privilege to meet world-class experts and share their
The success of the 2019 Earl Davie Symposium would not have been possible without the hard work of Dr. Ed Conway, Dr. Ed
research with them. However, this year, through the Naiman-Vickars Endowment Fund, CBR was
Pryzdial, Dr. Stefanie Mak, Mira Milutinovic, Andy Hsu, and the volunteers – thank you! Special thanks also go out to the sponsors of the
able to support 13 out-of-town trainees’ participation at this Symposium with travel awards. This
Symposium: the Naiman-Vickars Endowment Fund; Novo Nordisk; the Bayer-UBC Bleeding Disorders Collaboratory; Canadian Blood
Keynote Speaker Dr. Nancy Berliner also allowed the CBR researchers to learn more about the research accomplishments from other
Services; Pfizer; CSL Behring; Alexion Pharmaceuticals; New England Biolabs; Grifols; Octapharma; and Stago. C
(Harvard University). universities.

18 19
 Profiles Profiles

Meet the Researcher:

Prof. Hongshen Ma
B y L I LY T A K E U C H I ,
Brooks/Kizhakkedathu Lab

P rof. Hongshen Ma is a Principal Investigator at the Centre

for Blood Research (CBR), an Associate Professor with the
Department of Mechanical Engineering and School of Biomedical What got you interested in your current field?
Ma Lab members

What excites you most about your work? What are you most
Engineering, Senior Research Scientist with the Vancouver Prostate Both of my parents were biologists so I was always learning about proud of?
Centre, and Associate Member of the Department of Pathology and biology since childhood. There are a lot of interesting and unsolved In terms of research, I'm very proud of being able to sort red blood
Laboratory Medicine. Prof. Ma’s group works on developing new problems in biology and engineering tools could be incredibly useful cells based off deformability as it is a very unique capability and so far
technologies for medical research and treatment. to solve them. no other groups have been able to do the same. Going forward, we are
Prof. Hongshen Ma excited to pursue our single cell sequencing and machine learning work.
What inspired you to become an engineer/researcher? I'm also extremely proud of my trainees. They've all done fantastic work
I love solving interesting problems! Being in biomedical engineering, in my group and then go on to have great careers after their time at
you're always learning something new. In my training there's always UBC. Many of them have been scooped up by major companies, such
been an emphasis on the importance of sitting at the boundary of as Apple, Amazon, and 10X Genomics.
disciplines. If you can cross disciplines, it will open up a richness of
Can you share with us a bit about your research background? on developing imaging-based sorting and processing of cells. By different problems and opportunities. If you have any advice for trainees, what would it be?
I completed my undergraduate training in Engineering Physics at using machine learning to help us quantify different morphological Take prudent risks. Taking risks can be uncomfortable but can
UBC, then moved on to do my master’s degree at the MIT Media Lab. characteristics of cells, we are developing faster methods to identify How has your experience with the CBR impacted your potentially allow you to pursue something great. Also, try to diversify
Later, I completed my PhD in Electrical Engineering at MIT where I the cell types. We have also begun to do some work in developing research? by learning about other fields while focusing on doing something well
conducted work related to microfabrication, the process of creating technologies to measure secretions from cells. Fantastic! One aspect of the CBR is the benefit of being next to high- that you can hang your hat on.
small scale structures. Towards the end of my PhD, I was interested in level experts and being inspired by the research around me. It is also
studying whether we can use these microstructures to manipulate cells, a very professional environment for biological research. My trainees When you're not in the lab, where can we find you?
specifically, by creating structures at the similar length scale with cells are able to interact with and learn from trainees in other groups I enjoy running through Pacific Spirit Park, exercising, and spending a
to solve interesting problems in biology. One application of this is to and disciplines. We have been able to simultaneously draw on the lot of time chasing my two young children!
study the mechanical properties of cells, particularly, deformability of community of people for collaborations as well as develop our own
red blood cells as it is important for a number of areas including blood capabilities that are hopefully of benefit to other groups. To find out more about the Ma lab research, visit: https://blogs.ubc.ca/
storage, transfusion medicine and certain types of diseases such as hongma/ C
malaria.

Tell us about your research group and some of the current

themes of research in your lab.
I have a fantastic group of interdisciplinary students that work on
a number of different projects. In one stream, we study how the
deformability of red blood cells relates to the quality of cells under cold
storage conditions, such as at a blood bank. We also study how and why
certain donors may have red blood cells that can better maintain the
quality during storage compared to others. In another stream, we are
using deformability-based cell sorting to isolate circulating tumour
cells for studying the basic biology of tumours. We are also working 3D printers in the Ma Lab
Manufacture of a microfluidic ratchet device Microscope used to monitor red blood cell sorting

20 21
 Opinion Awards

Could a Spoonful of Sugar Help the Vaccine Go American Society of Hematology, 61st Annual Meeting
Down? in Orlando, FL
B y M A R I A - E L I Z A B E T H B A E VA , M S c C a n d i d a t e , J e f f e r i e s L a b By EMEL ISLAMZADA, Graduate Student, Ma Lab

W e have tried shaming them, we have tried mocking them and we have
tried giving them cold hard facts: but it seems like nothing can convince
anti-vaxxers to go get their infants vaccinated.
T hanks to the Centre
of Blood Research
Each year, about 5,000
abstracts are submitted,
(CBR) for choosing me and about 3,000 are chosen
to be one of the CBR for oral and poster pres-
Or is there?
Graduate Student Travel entations. I was honoured
Award recipients! With to present a poster discuss-
My personal interest in this story comes from a strange hobby of mine to
this award, I attended ing one of the fundamental
seek out vaccine hesitant folks on Facebook and then private message them.
the 61st American Socie- challenges in red blood cell
I try and understand how their fears and concerns override what (at least to
ty of Hematology (ASH) (RBC) transfusion. Not all
me) seems like an obvious fact: if you vaccinate your children, the likelihood of
Annual Meeting in Or- transfused RBC units will
them being ill from a preventable illness drastically decreases.
lando, Florida. ASH is confer the same benefit to
one of the world’s largest the recipient, as there is a
Provincial health care has also been struggling with this dilemma. Measles
professional societies, in- high degree of variability
requires a 93-95% population vaccine rate in order to establish herd immunity
cluding both clinicians and scientists, who work together on current in the circulatory half-life
– underneath this percentage, outbreaks become more likely. After noticing in
challenges in addressing blood diseases. It aims to promote research, of transfused RBCs from
2014 that vaccination rates among 2-year-olds in Quebec varied between 71-
Patch Adams (bottom), played famous- education, training, and clinical care in hematology. Attending this different donors. This var-
85%¹ , Gagneur et al. decided to use an innovative, patient-centered technique
ly by Robin Williams (top) in the titular conference allowed me to see the current highlights and updates in iability stems from the in-
called motivational interviewing (MI) to educate and persuade mothers of
1998 movie. Although he became known hematology research, and provided an opportunity to communicate trinsic ability of donor RBCs to withstand the deleterious effects of
newborns to have their child vaccinated. As described in the study, MI is based
for making his patients laugh, his philos- with more than 20,000 attendees working in the field. RBC storage. Currently, there are no biomarkers to identify donors
ophy was one of empathy and kindness on the principles of “1) empathizing with the client, 2) developing a discrepancy
who can potentially provide longer-circulating RBCs. I discussed the
in a clinical setting. (Image from Time between their current and desired behavior, 3) dealing with resistance without
The Annual Meeting, held from December 7 to 10th 2019, in- unique technology recently developed in our lab: the microfluidic
magazine, accessed February 4th 2020; antagonizing, preserving effective communication, and allowing clients to
cluded educational and scientific sessions, three poster sessions, and ratchet device. It is designed to sort RBCs based on their deformabil-
Universal/Getty Images; Carlo Durna explore their views, and 4) supporting self-efficacy”. Interestingly, this technique
exhibitions, all of which gave rise to lively discussions and network- ity using ratchet transport through microstructures that replicate the
Araujo—Corbis) was originally developed to assist with substance abuse recovery.
ing between attendees. Educational programs, designed for trainees human spleen. We used this system to assess the potential to predict
and junior faculty, included sessions about career development skills. the circulation time based on RBC deformability. We showed our de-
When this technique was first tested in 2013, there was a 15% increase in the intention of mothers to vaccinate at 2
Other educational sessions facilitated conversations between the ex- vice to be able to identify potential “super-storers”: these are donors
months old². This result is reaffirmed with Gagneur et al’s 2018 study, which showed an overall increase in vaccination rates of
perts in the field and the audience, encouraging questions and pro- with very little time-dependent changes in RBC deformability. I had
3.2, 4.9 and 7.3% at 3, 5 and 7 months of age, respectively, compared to controls³. Although these results may appear modest,
viding new insights on various disease and treatment topics. The sci- several visitors come to my poster, and enjoyed discussing the project
the authors are optimistic considering this was compared to current standard of care (an informational pamphlet on vaccines
entific program offered thirteen committees, my personal favourite with them and listening to their perspectives on RBC storage.
given post-delivery) that were not approached to participate in the trial. Additionally, the authors provide evidence that the
being the Scientific Committee on Iron and Heme, which explored
control group appears to have had a higher intention to vaccinate than if the participants were randomized. A higher percentage
their new roles in health and disease. Besides the engaging talks, one of my favourite highlights of this
of mothers in the control group already had a child, which is positively correlated with a higher intention to vaccinate. Given
conference was the sessions and workshops offered by the ASH Well-
these studies, the team has recently completed a randomized clinical trial with the hopes of definitively demonstrating the
ness Studio. We explored topics on resilience, stress management,
validity and efficacy of this technique⁴. Results are yet to be published.
and practised de-stress techniques.

The practicality of this approach should also not be understated. The interventions were carried out by nurses to
Despite a very busy schedule, attending this conference also pro-
consenting mothers 24-48 hours after delivery and lasted approximately 20 minutes. Ultimately, this study shows that if we’re
vided some opportunities for fun! Orlando, Florida is a beautiful city,
serious about increasing vaccination rates, people will “listen to reason” if we show them dignity, respect and empathy. Maybe
and it was wonderfully warm for the duration of the conference. The
Mary Poppins was onto something when she cheerfully proclaimed that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
Orange County Convention Center is located on International Drive,
Since I can not send those anti-vaxxers some sugar over Facebook, I can sweeten my discussion with MI techniques instead.
an area that offers visitors one-of-a-kind attractions, entertainment,
and lots of dining options. Visiting the Wheel at the Icon Park and
¹https://www.inspq.qc.ca/sites/default/files/publications/1973_enquete_couverture_vaccinale_enfants.pdf.
having a bird’s eye view of the city was a lovely experience. Pirate’s
²Library and National Archives of Canada (2013). 978-2-9813830-1-3 (pdf version).
Cove themed mini-golf course was conveniently opened late and al-
³BMC Public Health (2018). 18(1): p. 811.
lowed for some evening fun and relaxation. C
⁴BMC Public Health (2019). 19(1): p. 160. C

22 23
 Profiles Profiles
What was your best/worst experience as a trainee at the

Meet the Researcher:

University of Chicago?
I used to love staying in the lab all night looking at blood clots
under the microscope. I would work for 34 hours straight and
then go to Ultimate Frisbee practice. It was great. I got a first-

Dr. Christian Kastrup author paper published in PNAS, and thought everything was
going awesome…. but then I failed my comprehensive exam.
That was super embarrassing! But then I studied and passed it
the next time.
By MORGAN ALFORD, Graduate Student, Hancock Lab
What advice would you have for emerging researchers?
Talk science — any science, but particularly the opportunities
and challenges you face — with the people sitting next to you,
the people across the lab, people down the hall, the people in
What is the most rewarding role you serve in the UBC other offices, and to your friends and family. This will help you
community? solve your problems and probably make science even more fun
Enabling undergraduates to do research is a contribution and rewarding.
that is extra rewarding. There are relatively limited opportu-
nities for undergraduates to do publication-quality research,
given their busy schedules and the limitations faced by re-
I had the pleasure to meet Dr. Christian Kastrup at a convening of the NanoMedicines
Innovation Network (NMIN), a national association drawn from academia,
industry and other enterprises to leverage Canada as a global leader in developing
search labs. We accept as many undergraduates as possible
into my lab, where they then get mentorship by me as well as
next-generation therapeutics. I soon learned that, aside from his involvement in through graduate students. This is also important mentoring
NMIN, Dr. Kastrup is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and managing experience for the graduate students. In the
and Molecular Biology and a member of the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) last seven years, 40 undergraduates have been members of my
amongst others. His cutting-edge research is primarily concerned with understanding lab, and 25 of them have already been co-authors on papers,
mechanisms of blood clot formation and degradation. More recently, he has become and I am proud of that. None have been a first-author yet, but
interested in developing nanoparticle therapies for hemostasis and thrombosis. With I hope we will achieve that soon!
10 patent applications filed, Dr. Kastrup is a highly innovative researcher whom we
Dr. Christian Kastrup were fortunate to interview for this edition of 'Meet the Researcher.'
All Photo Credits: UBC Michael Smith Laboratories What excites you most about your current research?
We have several projects now where I believe we are on the brink of creating new medicines. Although in the past I have been a part
of projects that have had great potential of leading to new therapies, there is no drug being used in humans right now that is mine. We
are still several years or more away from beginning clinical trials with any of the technologies we are developing, but I have a lot of
confidence that the results we are seeing in our advanced models will be translated to people. Specifically, both the technologies we are
developing to halt hemorrhage in trauma and the RNA-based gene therapy approaches we are developing for hemostasis are working
extremely well in models and have relatively clear paths to clinical trials and approval.

What motivated you to join the NanoMedicines Innovation Network?

I joined the NMIN and the Research Management Committee because I see nearly limitless potential for gene therapy in modulating
diseases of the blood and beyond. This is particularly true for the non-viral approaches to gene therapy that is a focus of the network.
Can you tell us a bit more about your research background? Lipid-based nanomedicines can be used to knockdown almost any blood protein made in the liver, and can also be used to express
My background is in chemistry, but I first started participat- proteins in the liver – turning the liver into a bioreactor. Since most coagulation proteins are made in the liver, there is tremendous
ing in research through farming. I worked on cattle and hor- opportunity to create agents that modulate clotting, and thus bleeding, heart attack, stroke and other conditions.
ticulture farms growing up, and these led me into studying
plant biology at University and working at the University’s What do you hope to be a legacy of your research?
Horticulture Research Farm. After taking organic chemistry I I hope that the students I train will go on to solve the biggest scientific problems that society faces. Within my own lab, I expect that
switched to be a chemistry major and started working in a lab the tools we create to modulate clotting will be useful for us and other labs to uncover the mechanisms behind clotting-related diseases;
doing computational simulations and photochemistry. The I hope that this will lead to one or more therapies for thrombosis, severe hemorrhage or rare bleeding disorders.
experiments didn’t taste as good as they did on the research
farm, but I got fewer sunburns so I stuck with it. During grad What is your favourite “wild-type” (AKA non-academic) activity?
school, while working to identify new uses for microfluidic I enjoy fishing. I like all kinds of fishing, but fishing in streams for trout is my favorite. I especially enjoy it with my daughters (ages 5
systems, I became passionate about blood clotting. and 8), who have both been fishing regularly with me since they were infants. C

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 Opinion Opinion
specific disease-causing mutations; for example, brain cells from people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Stem Cell Treatments: Miracle Cures or Dangerous This approach could also be used for personalized medicine, testing how a particular patient will respond to different drugs for conditions like heart

Experiments? disease.

Researchers can, however, take a skin cell sample from a patient, create an induced pluripotent stem-cell line with their mutation and then make
B y D R . K A T H A R I N E S E D I V Y - H A L E Y, H a n c o c k L a b neurons out of those stem cells. This provides a renewable source of cells affected by the disease.

This approach could also be used for personalized medicine, testing how a particular patient will respond to different drugs for conditions like heart
disease.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.1
Vision loss from fat stem cells
W hen I was applying to graduate school in 2012, it felt like stem cells were about to revolutionize medicine. Stem cells have the ability to renew
themselves, and mature into specialized cells like heart or brain cells. This allows them to multiply and repair damage.
Stem cells can also be found in adults. While embryonic stem cells can turn into any cell in the body, aside from rare newly discovered exceptions, “adult
stem cells” mostly turn into a subset of mature adult cells.
If stem cell genes are edited to fix defects causing diseases like anemia or immune deficiency, healthy cells can theoretically be reintroduced into a
For example, hematopoietic stem cells in blood and bone marrow can turn
patient, thereby eliminating or preventing a disease. If these stem cells are taken — or made — from the patient themselves, they are a perfect genetic
into any blood cell — and are widely used in treating certain cancers and
match for that individual, which means their body will not reject the tissue transplant.
blood disorders.
Because of this potential, I was excited that my PhD project at the University of British Columbia gave me the opportunity to work with stem cells.
A major challenge with adult stem cells is getting the right kind of stem cell
in useful quantities. This is particularly difficult with eye and nerve cells.
However, stem cell hype has led some to pay thousands of dollars on advertised stem cell treatments that promise to cure ailments from arthritis to
Most research is done with accessible stem cell types, like stem cells from fat.
Parkinson’s disease. These treatments often don’t help and may harm patients.
Fat stem cells are also used in stem cell clinics without proper oversight or
Despite the potential for stem cells to improve medicine, there are many challenges as they move from lab to clinic. In general, stem cell treatment
safety testing. Three patients experienced severe vision loss after having
requires we have a good understanding of stem cell types and how they mature. We also need stem cell culturing methods that will reliably produce large
these cells injected into their eyes. There is little evidence that fat stem cells
quantities of pure cells. And we need to figure out the correct cell dose and deliver it to the right part of the body.
can turn into retinal cells.
'Embryonic', 'induced' and 'pluripotent'
Clinical complications
Stem cells come in multiple types. Embryonic stem cells come from embryos —
Currently, stem cell based treatments are still mostly experimental, and
which makes them controversial to obtain.
while some results are encouraging, several clinical trials have failed.
A newly discovered stem cell type is the induced pluripotent stem cell. These cells
In the brain, despite progress in developing treatment for genetic disorders
are created by collecting adult cells, such as skin cells, and reprogramming them
and spinal cord injury, treatments for stroke have been unsuccessful. Results
by inserting control genes which activate or “induce” a state similar to embryonic
might depend on method of stem cell delivery, timing of treatment and age
stem cells. This embryo-like state of having the versatile potential to turn into any
and health of the patient. Frustratingly, older and sicker tissues may be more
adult cell type, is called being “pluripotent.”
resistant to treatment.
However, induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cells can form tumours.
For eye conditions, a treatment using adult stem cells to treat corneal injuries has recently been approved. A treatment for macular degeneration using
Induced pluripotent stem cells carry a particularly high risk of harmful mutation
cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells is in progress, though it had to be redesigned due to concerns about cancer-causing mutations.
and cancer because of their genetic instability and changes introduced during
reprogramming.
A path of cautious optimism
While scientists have good reason to be interested in stem cells, miracle cures are not right around the corner. There are many questions about how to
Genetic damage could be avoided by using younger tissues such as umbilical
implement treatments to provide benefit safely.
cord blood, avoiding tissues that might contain pre-existing mutations (like sun-
damaged skin cells), and using better methods for reprogramming.
In some cases, advertised “stem cell” treatments may not actually use stem cells. Recent research suggests mesenchymal stem cells, which are commonly
isolated from fat, are really a mixture of cells. These cells have regenerative properties, but may or may not include actual stem cells. Calling something
Stem cells used to test drugs
a stem cell treatment is great marketing, but without regulation patients don’t know what they’re getting.
For now, safety concerns mean pluripotent cells have barely made it to the clinic,
but they have been used to test drugs.
Members of the public (and grad students) are advised to moderate their excitement in favour of cautious optimism.
For drug research, it is valuable yet often difficult to get research samples with
¹https://theconversation.com/stem-cell-treatments-miracle-cures-or-dangerous-experiments-120880 C

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 Awards Events

6th Great Wall Symposium – Institut Pasteur How to Promote Yourself to Biotech: 1st Annual
(Pasteur Institute), Paris, 2019 Career Connect Day, Vancouver BC
B y N AT H A N N A I D U , U n d e r g r a d u a t e S t u d e n t , a n d
B y N A T H A N A E L C A V E N E Y, P h D C a n d i d a t e , S t r y n a d k a L a b D R . I S A B E L PA B LO S , P o s t d o c t o r a l R e s e a r c h e r, O v e r a l l L a b

I
n late September, I had the
opportunity to attend the
6th Great Wall Symposium
Of course, since I was travelling to Paris, one of the cultural
epicentres of the world, I had to spend some time outside of the
Symposium exploring. Despite the fact that I happened to bring the
O n Saturday, January 18th, 2020, LifeSciences BC and BioTalent
Canada hosted their 1st Annual Career Connect Day with
attain foundational funding for new projects, to access and recruit
talent, and to continue with ground-breaking research.
the aim of introducing life sciences companies and organizations
at the Pasteur Institute in Vancouver rain to Paris with me when I went, I managed to have an
from across the province to talented individuals in attendance of the In addition to connecting scientists with other scientists, speakers
Paris, France. This biennial excellent time touring around the city and ducking into cafés when the
conference at the Sheraton Wall Centre in Downtown Vancouver. The also underlined that there are many careers in industry that are not
symposium focuses on the rain picked up. I spent time in some less touristy areas of the city that
primary focus of the conference was to demonstrate the vast array of “at the bench”. Nicole Quinn, Vice President of Communications at
study of the bacterial outer some collaborators of ours from the Sorbonne had recommended.
career options within the BC biotechnology sector, as well as to explore STEMCELL Technologies, described how she always had a passion
envelope, specifically the cell One of our collaborators in particular is a “foodie” and suggested
funding approaches towards projects and accessing talent. The event for science but recognized that she did not want to pursue a career
wall. The conference focuses multiple restaurants to visit in order to immerse myself in the French
featured information and career opportunities catered to individuals working in the lab itself. She explained how she translated her skills
on all aspects of research that food culture. All in all, my visit to Paris was a very enriching cultural
at all stages of their careers. Undergraduates, graduate students, post from the bench into skills that are valued by companies. Nicole went
study this system, including and scientific experience! C
Outside the Pasteur Institute docs, established researchers, and industry professionals were all in on to report that there are countless opportunities in communications,
microbiology, glycobiology,
attendance. sales, and business development within science for individuals who
immunology, and structural
wish to remain immersed in a scientific environment, but are looking
biology, and draws a diverse crowd of researchers from across the
for a slightly different path than basic research. Several companies
globe.
also explained the importance of fostering relationships within your
network, and how a single contact can be instrumental in establishing
The Great Wall Symposium has been expanding ever since its
a career trajectory, even if it isn’t necessarily in a linear direction.
inception in 2009, and the 2019 symposium was the biggest one to
date, with around 250 participants. The conference was split into six
Overall, this event was a great way to discover the plethora of
key sessions focusing on building, modifying, interacting, inhibiting,
opportunities offered within BC and how Vancouver’s biotechnology
regulating, and coordinating the bacterial cell wall. The Symposium
sector is rapidly growing, offering a myriad of career opportunities
placed great emphasis on bringing researchers together across
for eager individuals. The conference also revealed that pursuing a
all aspects of bacterial envelope study to foster interdisciplinary
career in science is not limited to academia, but rather, that there are
relationships and highlight the interconnected nature of our research.
Some of the company exhibitors that were present included many other options beyond the bench that can be entirely fulfilling
Amgen, AbCellera, STEMCELL Technologies, Zymeworks, and and challenging. Importantly, this day included lots of time for talent
I presented a poster of our recent work in Dr. Natalie Strynadka’s
Chinook Therapeutics. They provided the opportunity to network and seekers to informally ask questions that you might not otherwise
lab. The focus of this work is on the protein YcbB (also known as LdtD),
discuss various available positions in product and drug development. ask at an interview. For example, how do companies accommodate
which is an L,D-transpeptidase involved in beta-lactam resistance and
In the morning session, companies spoke to the hundreds of industry employees who wish to balance family life with career development
typhoid toxin release. We have structurally characterized the E. coli
positions in BC alone, that are currently vacant and available, and for and advancements? The encouraging answer from one company was
YcbB (Caveney, Caballero, et al., Nature Communications, 2019) and
which they are actively seeking to fill with talented individuals! Speakers that managing working hours, which may be difficult with young
I have followed this up recently with the structures of the Salmonella
gave tips on how to prepare a resumé for industry using key phrases families, is not a problem since they work in teams. Many companies
typhi and Citrobacter rodentium YcbB proteins. It was exciting to share
such as, “problem solving, time management, critical thinking”, and were recruiting and this type of networking opportunity could easily
these new structures with the researchers who share the same level of
highlighting that you are a team player. Perhaps the most important have resulted in a job offer for those seeking positions.
interest in these proteins as I do! Two of the invited speakers at the
tip was to always have an elevator pitch well-rehearsed, as this can
symposium talked about the role of YcbB from a microbiological
rapidly and effectively open up opportunities. The afternoon was filled Special thanks to LifeSciences BC and Biotalent Canada for
standpoint, and it was wonderful to see that people have benefitted
Louis Pasteur's Tomb with presentations by BioTalent Canada, NRC-IRAP, MITACS, New organizing this event and providing the means to learn about all the
from the structures we have provided in this field.
Ventures BC, and Work BC, who outlined numerous approaches to careers and funding opportunities within our community. C

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 Awards

CBR Cover
Art Contest
Gallery
Outdoor fireplace by the Grand Summit Hotel's lake
In February, CBR challenged our members to use
their imagination and design a cover art for the
April issue of our magazine. The cover art can be
2019 Gordon Research Conference on Atherosclerosis figurative or abstract, and can be in any medium.

B y D R . P I E R R E - M A R I E A N D R A U LT , P o s t d o c t o r a l F e l l o w , B r ö m m e L a b Sam Berryman, Ma Lab Check out the wonderful artwork from our tal-
Developing artificial intelligence for next ented and creative members!
generation single-cell assays
E ach year, the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) provides travel
awards to support its postdoctoral fellows and research associates
in their travel to scientific conferences. This year, thanks to the CBR
cathepsins K, S and V. Cysteine cathepsins are lysosomal proteases that
are highly expressed in macrophages and participate in the remodeling
of the vascular wall associated with the formation of atherosclerotic
Postdoctoral Travel Award, I was lucky to travel to Newry, Maine lesions. Vascular calcification is a common complication of
in the U.S.A. for the 2019 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) atherosclerosis and our lab showed that the cleavage of elastin
on Atherosclerosis from Sunday, June 16th to Friday, June 21st. This by cysteine cathepsins K, S and V can accelerate the calcification
international meeting has been held every two years since 1975 process. Conversely, mineralized elastin is more resistant to further
and gathers many experts in the field of cardiovascular biology. The degradation. We also demonstrated that the degradation of insoluble
conference focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms linked elastin fibers generates soluble peptides that can stimulate the
to the development of atherosclerosis as well as the latest therapeutic calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells and we made the same
strategies that are currently being investigated. observation in an ex vivo mouse aorta model. I had good discussions
around my poster, especially with those who were not very familiar
The conference was divided into nine sessions covering subjects with proteolysis and were looking for new ideas.
like dyslipidemia and diabetes, genetic regulation of vascular and
immune cells, and the contribution of non-coding RNA in vascular We stayed at a quiet resort in the middle of the mountains in
diseases. Crosstalk between immune and metabolic response in Newry, Maine. We had some free time in the afternoon which was
atherosclerosis as well as the contribution of innate and adaptative ideal for hiking or simply enjoying the fresh air at the hotel’s nearby
immunity in the pathology of the disease were also discussed. The lake. That is, if you did not mind the mosquitoes… Fortunately the
last session on the latest therapeutic approaches and diagnostic tools hotel was selling repellent! I also had the pleasure to meet with Dr.
was of particular interest to me since it emphasized the need for new Yajaira Suarez (from Yale University School of Medicine) with whom Nooshin Safikhan, Conway Lab Emel Islamzada, Ma Lab
diagnostic markers such as Lipoprotein a (Lpa) and novel therapies I had lunch during her most recent visit to the CBR. The last evening,
Vascular smooth muscle cells Microfluidic device sorting red blood
such as the genetic invalidation of PCSK9 in the treatment of familial we had the privilege to go up the North Peak to taste some American
hypercholesterolemia. lobster at the Peak Lodge (a ski resort). This concluded the meeting on cells
a high note and I definitely recommend it to any seafood amateurs. C
I was one of 112 poster presenters at the meeting. My poster was
about the regulation of vascular calcification by elastolytic cysteine

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We thank all our donors from academia, industry, and
the private sector for your generous contributions. cbr.ubc.ca