Training Opportunities
Spring 2003 graduates from the Terry Fox Lab - UBC
 Graduates (L to R) : Brian Wilhelm, Josette-Renée Landry, Jessica Van Ziffle, Mark Klinger, Janet Kalesnikoff |
Congratulations to all of our graduates and a special congratulation to Janet Kalesnikoff who is also one of the six Canadian winners of the prestigious 
Governor General's Academic gold medal for 2003.
Postdoctoral Positions
Postdoctoral training (not leading to a further degree) is available at both the
post-PhD and post-MD level. Typically such training is for 2-3 years.
Candidates for such positions are encouraged to seek independent awards from
sources such as the Medical Research Council (April 1st and November 15th
deadlines), or the National Cancer Institute (February 1st deadline).
Candidates from outside Canada who can obtain funding from an agency in their
home country are also encouraged to apply.
Individuals with MDs are encouraged to enroll in PhD programs if they have not
already completed such a degree.
A limited number of grant-funded positions also exist for post-doctoral fellows,
both post-PhD and post-MD.
Interested individuals may apply by sending a curriculum vitae, transcripts
and names and addresses of three references to 
Dr. Dixie Mager, or directly to the faculty member with whom the applicant would
like to work.
Graduate Programs
Degrees
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Science (MSc) degrees in Medical
Genetics, Genetics, Experimental Medicine or Experimental
Pathology can be pursued within the Terry Fox Laboratory through the
University of British Columbia.
Each student's graduate program and course selection is decided upon by the
student and the supervisor together with the student's advisory committee.
Individual research programs typically encompass multiple aspects of cell
biology, biochemistry, immunology and/or molecular genetics.
Formal course work is usually completed during the first year of study, followed
by a comprehensive examination in the specific discipline being pursued.
Students can then devote their full attention to research.
Students with a first class honours (or equivalent) BSc degree may register
directly in a Doctoral program. Students registering in a Masters program are
encouraged to transfer directly into a Doctoral program after one year if their
course work is of sufficient standard. Individuals with an MD may also pursue
MSc or PhD degrees within the Terry Fox Laboratory. Those who wish to undertake
a combined MD/PhD program can also be accommodated.
Scientific Interactions
Attendance and participation in seminars and scientific meetings are an integral
part of the student's training program. Mastery in oral presentation and a
broad experience in modern molecular and cellular techniques are major benefits
of training in a large interdisciplinary setting. To facilitate this, students
and postdoctoral fellows present their research once a year in a weekly
Work-in-Progress seminar within the Terry Fox Laboratory, and in a seminar
series involving all units within the B.C. Cancer Research Centre.
In addition, a University seminar course is part of the academic requirements of
most graduate programs.
Students also play an active role in various small journal clubs and group
meetings. Opportunities exist to attend many seminars by outstanding scientific
visitors to Vancouver, including a weekly seminar series on cancer-related basic
and clinical research topics.
More advanced students are also encouraged to attend and expected to present
their own findings at international scientific meetings for which financial
support is available.
Courses
A variety of courses are available to meet the individual interests and
requirements of each student. Some of the non-seminar courses commonly taken by
Terry Fox Laboratory graduate students are listed below:
Biology and Genetics of Neoplasia. A lecture and seminar course on a
wide range of topics related to cancer. Taught by Terry Fox Laboratory faculty
and other cancer researchers. Recommended for all graduate students in the
Terry Fox Laboratory
Genetics. A lecture series on recent advances in genetics and an
overview of genetics in a variety of systems. The emphasis is on eukaryotic
genetics. Required of all students in the Genetics Program.
Advanced Human Molecular Genetics. Approaches and methods used in
human genetic analysis at the molecular level. Required for graduate students
in Medical Genetics.
Structure and Function of Nucleic Acids. The properties of nucleic
acids with emphasis on current topics related to replication, expression and
regulation of genetic material. Recommended for students in the Genetics
Program.
Molecular Regulation of Cell Growth and Differentiation. Topics
covered include cytokines and signal transduction mechanisms, actions of
oncogenes and tumour suppressor gene products, molecular concepts derived from
model systems, and strategies for cytokine therapy.
Advanced Immunogenetics. Cell-cell interactions, intracellular control
mechanisms, analysis of complex systems using transgenic animals and molecular
approaches.
Molecular and Cellular Biology of Experimental Medicine. Cell and
molecular function in normal tissues and in specific disease processes including
genetic, viral, bacterial, immune and physiological disorders.
General Principles of Pathology. Principles underlying the etiology,
pathogenesis, disordered physiology and pathologic anatomy of common disease
processes. Required of graduate students in Pathology.
Predoctoral Training
A variety of other training opportunities exists for individuals wishing to
gain experience in a research environment.
Students enrolled in university co-op programs such as those at UBC, the
University of Victoria or Simon Fraser University may apply to undertake a work
term in the Terry Fox Laboratory. These are usually decided in early November
for terms starting in January, and in early June for terms starting in
September.
In addition, a limited number of summer positions for undergraduate students
are usually available. Most of these are dependent on the receipt by the
candidate of a competitive summer Studentship funded by the B.C. Cancer
Foundation or the UBC Faculty of Medicine. The application deadline for these
Studentships is February 1st for the former and November 30th for the
latter.
It may also be possible for some undergraduate students at UBC to do a
directed studies project (eg. Medical Genetics 448) in the Terry Fox
Laboratory.
Occasional short term (6-12 month) opportunities are also available for
students who have recently completed their undergraduate degree or a MSc degree,
and who wish further experience in laboratory research.
Further inquiries about any of these programs can be obtained by writing
or phoning the Terry Fox Laboratory directly.
Fees and Financial Support
Payable tuition fees and other student fees change frequently and the most
current information is available from the UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies. This site explains the new UBC "PhD Tuition Fee
Award" program, effective September 2003, which fully covers tuition fees
for all PhD students in the first four years of their doctoral program.
Graduate students accepted for training in the Terry Fox Laboratory receive an
annual stipend which could come from a combination of independent Studentship
awards (eg. from UBC, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - CIHR or the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council - NSERC), the supervisor's research grant, or partial teaching assistantships.
MSc students are normally supported for up to two years, and PhD students for
up to 5 years, assuming satisfactory progress in the training program.
Individuals with MDs who are pursuing PhD degrees are generally supported at a
higher level, depending on their previous extent of training.
Applications
Applicants interested in any training position in the Terry Fox Laboratory, including graduate studies,
are encouraged to write directly to:
Please include a statement of your research interests and experience,
transcripts and names and addresses of two or three references. For students
interested in graduate training, this information can be transferred for
consideration by a specific UBC program (Genetics, Medical Genetics, Pathology
or Experimental Medicine). Alternatively, students may apply directly to a
specific graduate training program at UBC and indicate interest in a research
project or specific supervisor in the Terry Fox Laboratory.
Comments/Questions about this page?