Latest Updates
The ExMED Student Advisory Subcommittee
We would like to create a safe environment for students to share their experiences and assure them that leadership will investigate and address grievances in an effective and timely manner. See ExMED Student Advisory Subcommittee
Supporting Iranian students
Updated December 5th, 2022.
The entire UBC community is concerned about the quickly escalating situation in Iran. Following the death of Mahsa Amini in mid-September, hundreds of protestors have since been beaten, killed and detained – including teenagers and university students such as Sarina Esmaeilzadeh and Nika Shakarami. These shocking and difficult developments may place exceptional stressors on students from the region.
The Experimental Medicine Program stands in solidarity with our Iranian students, faculty, and the UBC community in support of the fearless students seeking to safeguard human rights and human freedom. During this time of distress and crisis, we remind current and prospective students to seek available emotional and academic supports should the need arise.
Resources for support
Health and wellbeing resources: UBC’s Equity and Inclusion Office has provided several resources for students, as well as for staff, including:
- Students Assistance Program – a free 24/7 confidential wellness resource for crisis, grief, and trauma counselling.
- Health and Wellness – variety of health and wellbeing resources, services and programming available to UBC Vancouver students at students.ubc.ca/health and to UBC Okanagan students at students.ok.ubc.ca/health-wellness/.
Academic support for prospective students
Application deadlines: For prospective Iranian applicants and as well the larger international student community applying to Experimental Medicine, we are extending application deadlines. For the May intake will be extended to Dec 31 (for applicants to submit their files during the holiday). For the September intake will be extended to April 15.
Academic concessions for current students
Academic concessions can go through the Centre for Accessibility, but G+PS can also receive them directly. Programs can also use the Early Alert system if there is a student in distress or if they have concerns.
Financial support
Please contact Enrolment Services if you need to access emergency funding or are having issues receiving bursaries or other money from abroad. With the current sanctions and freezes, we are unsure of how many students are directly impacted by this.
Travel, visa or other issues
We encourage students to contact the International Student Development team as they are most up-to-date in providing support for international students.
ExMed Graduate Student Association
The Experimental Medicine Graduate Student Association (GSA) is the student representative organization for this department. For updates, information, and events, please visit the ExMed GSA page here.
COVID-19 related Research
Dr. Don Sin and Anthony Tam
ACE-2 expression in the small airway epithelia of smokers and COPD patients: implications for COVID-19.
Leung JM, Yang CX, Tam A, Shaipanich T, Hackett TL, Singhera GK, Dorscheid DR, Sin DD. Eur Respir J. 2020 May 14;55(5):2000688. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00688-2020.
SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 gene expression and RAAS inhibitors.
Milne S, Yang CX, Timens W, Bossé Y, Sin DD. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Jun;8(6):e50-e51. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30224-1.