Thompson Rivers University | Health & Biosciences

Key facilities

TRUGen: Applied Genomics Laboratory is a high-throughput genomic sequencing lab with a focus on the Canadian food, beverage and nutraceutical industries.

EVED Lab: Extracellular Vesicles and Endothelial Dynamics lab is equipped with state of the art equipment to assess whole human physiology, cell culture & extracellular vesicles and novel cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Advanced Chemical Analytical Lab: equipped with NMR, HPLC, GC, Mass spectrometer, and Capillary Electrophoresis.

Population Health Building/High Fidelity Simulation Centre: computer-driven high fidelity mannequins for innovative research that is not possible on patients.

Major collaborations

Ombaashi – Funded by CIHR, provides trainees and new researchers the opportunity to be familiar with traditional healing knowledge, skills and attitudes from national and international Indigenous mentors.

Indigenous Community Wellness Knowledge in Action: Research on how Indigenous communities traditional wellness knowledge practices have been sustained and how present day community activities incorporate traditional practice.

Researching Older Adults’ Repositioning (ROAR): Studying older adults’ view on the repositioning of primary and community care, their roles and how this best meet their needs.

Researchers

Dr. Rod McCormick, Professor and BC Regional Innovation Chair in Aboriginal Health, is an international expert in Indigenous mental health and has spent his career focused on Indigenous youth suicide prevention.
Dr. Mark Rakobowchuk, Assistant Professor, exercise physiology. Research explores risk and disease by identifying how blood vessels develop and grow.
Dr. Naowarat Cheeptham, Professor, microbiology, is isolating bacteria from several caves in BC and Alberta in order to identify new options to combat antibiotic resistance.
Dr. Lisa Bourque Bearskin, Associate Professor, aims to improve the delivery of health related services for Indigenous people in Canada.

Special programs and work integrated learning initiatives

Thompson Rivers University’s Research-Informed Learning programs, offered through the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and Co-operative and Experiential Learning programs, offered through TRU’s Department of Career and Experiential Learning, assist students in finding research placements, internships, and co-operative learning opportunities with university partners, locally, regionally, and abroad.