Ep. 383: Vancouver biomedical engineering shines bright
Guest: Dr. Peter Zandstra
As 2021 wrapped up, the Governor General of Canada awarded three British Columbians the Order of Canada, whose work was in biomedical research – a remarkable achievement for Peter Cullis, Connie Eaves and Peter Zandstra, each of whom are playing an increasingly important role in establishing Vancouver as a hub of exceptional research in biomedical life sciences research.
Zandstra, Eaves and Cullis are world-renowned scientists pushing the boundaries of research in drug development and stem cell tech. Dr. Zandstra says, “I'm excited to see biomedical engineering being recognized for its current and potential impact in Canada and abroad.” Zandstra goes on to say, “The appointments of Dr. Connie Eaves, a giant in stem cell and cancer therapy, as well as Dr. Pieter Cullis, one of the key scientists behind our ability to use mRNA technology in vaccine development, shows the impact of interdisciplinary research and education and projects to the leadership that UBC’s School of Biomedical Engineering is building at the interface of engineering and medicine.”
Dr. Zandstra is recognized for his more than 20 years of groundbreaking work at the intersection of biology and engineering – discoveries that have facilitated the development of technologies for stem cell-based therapies that are used for regenerative medicine and furthering the understanding of stem cell biology, immunology, and tissue regeneration.
Stuart McNish invited Dr. Zandstra to join him for a Conversation that Matters about the role his research has played in finding cures for debilitating chronic diseases and the greater life sciences and biomedical community in Vancouver and British Columbia.
