Dr. Matthew Petrie has been appointed Regional Associate Dean pro tem, Interior, effective May 25, 2026 to May 24, 2027. Dr. Petrie is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and an emergency physician based at Kelowna General Hospital.

Dr. Petrie previously served as the inaugural Co-Director of Clinical Skills for the Southern Medical Program (SMP), helping to build the clinical skills program from the ground up. Over the years, he has served as a dedicated mentor to medical students and residents training in Kelowna, and has contributed extensively to curriculum development and implementation, as well as the renewal of the MD Undergraduate Program’s curriculum.

Dr. Petrie also leads multi-disciplinary medical education through numerous simulation and course education roles. As a co-lead with Real-Time Virtual Support at the Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia, he is at the forefront of multidisciplinary innovation, connection, and virtual medical support and education of health care providers in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across B.C.

During his term as Regional Associate Dean pro tem, Interior, Dr. Petrie will provide continuity and sustained strategic oversight of the SMP and training programs throughout B.C.’s Interior. Working in partnership with Interior Health, and in collaboration with faculty, staff and learners in the region, Dr. Petrie will provide support and leadership to maintain excellence in the delivery and growth of medical education and innovation across the Interior.

Dr. Petrie’s appointment follows the leadership of Dr. Sarah McCorquodale, who will be stepping into a new role as interim Provincial Program Director with the Family Practice Residency Program. She will also serve as Special Advisor to the Regional Associate Dean pro tem, Interior. She will begin both of these roles on May 25, 2026, for a one-year term.

During her tenure as Regional Associate Dean, Interior, Dr. McCorquodale was instrumental in expanding the SMP and supported the expansion of residency training programs across the Interior. Her efforts strengthened the integration of distributed medical education and research throughout the region, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

The Southern Medical Program (SMP) based at UBC Okanagan and Interior Health (IH) are pleased to announce Dr. Aleks Tkach as the new Clinical Scientific Director, Research.  Working with the SMP and IH Corporate Director, Research and Evaluation, this new jointly-appointed position represents a commitment to work with academic and clinical partners in new ways to collaborate on clinical research priorities.

Dr. Tkach is a distinguished vascular neurologist and has been a transformative leader at Kelowna General Hospital and as the Medical Director for the Interior Health Stroke Network since 2019. Dr. Tkach will continue to support stroke care as part of the clinical network moving forward.

Dr. Tkach brings a unique perspective to this role, having seen firsthand how the rapid integration of research into clinical practice can save lives. His leadership in implementing AI-driven imaging and advanced EVT protocols has drastically accelerated care delivery, demonstrating that scientific innovation is not a theoretical exercise but a vital tool for immediate patient recovery.

A passionate advocate for rural health equity, Dr. Tkach is dedicated to expanding clinical trials beyond urban centers and involving patients and rural health partners in that process. He recognizes the critical need to support the development of high-level research across diverse communities within Interior Health, ensuring that geography is never a barrier for patients to accessing the latest medical advancements.

With extensive experience in clinical trials and neuro-imaging research, Dr. Tkach is poised to lead a new era of decentralized, patient-centered discovery that serves throughout the Interior Health region and beyond.

Dr. Christopher West has been reappointed as the Assistant Dean, Research, Southern Medical Program (SMP) for a three-year term. Dr. West is an Investigator with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management and an Associate Professor with the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences. He is also a member of the UBC ICORD (International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries Research Centre). Over the past year, Dr. West has helped lead the ongoing development of the Faculty of Medicine’s research portfolio across the Interior Health region.

Dr. West earned a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science at Essex University followed by a MSc and PhD in Exercise Physiology at Brunel University. He then completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) at UBC. Dr. West has previously been a Michael Smith Foundation Health Research Scholar and a Heart and Stroke National New Investigator who also served as an Assistant Professor with the UBC School of Kinesiology. Dr. West’s research explores the circuits controlling cardiovascular and autonomic function following spinal cord injury.

Dr. West will continue to oversee health research activities at UBC Okanagan and across the Interior Health region. He will collaborate with SMP faculty members to ensure the program’s strategic research direction aligns with the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. West will also work to ensure that the best research opportunities are identified and invested in for the local environment and community.

Simran Gill
Supervisor: Dr. Christine Voss
Program of study: PhD in Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences

What’s your research focus?
My research focuses on the physical activity behaviors of children living with type 1 diabetes in the Interior of BC. I have measured their activity levels using wearable devices and conducted interviews with children and families to understand the barriers that make it difficult to stay active, as well as the supports that help. With insights from these conversations and collaboration with individuals who have lived experience of T1D, I am developing a tailored intervention to help children integrate physical activity into their daily routines, which I will soon be putting into action.

Why did you come to UBC Okanagan to pursue your studies?
I moved to UBC Okanagan to work with Dr. Christine Voss because her research on physical activity behaviors in children resonated with my passion for promoting health in young people. Her expertise in wearable technology and commitment to understanding how these behaviors influence health outcomes align closely with my values.

What do you love about living in the Okanagan?
The Okanagan is so beautiful, and I feel very fortunate to live here. It’s a place where the natural beauty speaks for itself—between the lakes, mountains, and endless trails. There is always something to explore whether it’s going to a winery, spending time by the water or hiking. Most importantly, it’s the people who make it feel like home.

Where’s your favourite place in the world to visit? And why?
My favorite place in the world is Harrison Hot Springs. Growing up, my family would go there every year, and it brings back so many happy memories of time spent with loved ones. There’s something special about the peaceful atmosphere and the way it always felt like a little escape.

What’s your most frequently used emoji?
Heart emoji

Brain Canada has selected Dr. Ryan Hoiland as part of its fifth cohort of Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research. This year, $2.1 million in funding has been awarded to 21 promising early-career researchers, each receiving a $100,000 grant.

Brain Canada’s flagship program continues to drive innovative research that has the potential to transform our understanding of the central nervous system and its impact on our health. The new funding will support Dr. Hoiland’s research to better understand the pathophysiology of hypoxic ischemic brain injury following cardiac arrest.

“The project will couple high-frequency patient physiology data with proteomic analysis of tissue samples including blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue,” says Dr. Hoiland, assistant professor at UBC Okanagan and investigator with the Centre with Chronic Disease Prevention and Management. “We hope to determine the specific disease processes that are associated with brain injury due to low brain oxygen levels in humans.”

This program is made possible by the Canada Brain Research Fund, an innovative arrangement with the Government of Canada, through Health Canada, and Brain Canada, and the Azrieli Foundation, as well as numerous major donors who believe that solving the brain’s mysteries will significantly improve the quality of life for people in Canada.

Nicole Ketter
Supervisor: Dr. Brodie Sakakibara
Program of study: Rehabilitation Sciences

What’s your research focus?
For my thesis, I investigated the prevention and self-management of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM), which is the diagnosis of two or more of stroke, heart disease and diabetes. We identified depression, poor vision, high blood pressure, chronic pain and mild activity limitations as new risk factors of 3-year CM onset. We also interviewed people with CM to learn about their experiences of managing multiple chronic conditions and how they self-managed their health.

Why did you come to UBC Okanagan to pursue your studies?
I did my undergrad at UBCO and loved the campus. I met Brodie during my BSc and worked in his lab for two years as a research assistant. I knew there would be no one better to do my MSc with, so I stuck around!

What do you love about living in the Okanagan?
Being able to experience distinct seasons that bring along all the best ways to get outside and play. And the mountains of course.

Where’s your favourite place in the world to visit? And why?
Somewhere with a beach! I’m torn between Melbourne Beach in Fl, Waimea Bay and Costa Azul Beach. The sun and saltwater combination can’t be beat.

What’s your most frequently used emoji?
? ?

Ty Sideroff
Supervisor: Dr. Christine Voss
Program of study: Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences, MSc

What’s your research focus?
My work up to this point has focused on physical activity behaviours in children with diabetes. The effect of physical activity on health outcomes, specifically quality of life, in children is what I’m most interested in. Starting my MSc this spring, I’m looking to continue studying physical activity and quality of life in children and plan to expand my research to children with congenital heart disease.

Why did you come to UBC Okanagan to pursue your studies?
When I transferred to UBCO in 2021 to finish my Bachelor’s Degree in Human Kinetics, I was attracted to the idea of staying in the Okanagan, where I grew up. As an undergraduate student, I was fortunate to find a home as a research assistant in Dr. Voss’ Lab of the CCDPM. Beyond gaining research experience, I formed relationships with professors and trainees who have supported and continue to push me to reach my goals. This year it was an easy decision to stick around when the opportunity came to do an MSc with Dr. Voss at the CCDPM.

What do you love about living in the Okanagan?
I have loved growing up in the Okanagan because it provides endless opportunities to explore the outdoors. I ride my motorcycle every summer and snowboard every winter, but I still have so many trails left to find. I also appreciate the amazing people who live here and the opportunities they provide to get involved with the community, such as the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes that is happening on June 23, 2024!

Where’s your favourite place in the world to visit? And why?
My favourite place in the world to visit is my parents’ house in Summerland. Especially in the summer when my two older brothers are in town, it’s the best place to sit in the sun and enjoy mom’s home-cooked dinner with a bottle of Okanagan wine. I owe a lot to my family and it’s never a dull moment when we all get together.

What’s your most frequently used emoji?
The thumbs-up emoji is always my go-to

On April 24, the Centre for Chronic Diseases Prevention and Management and Centre for Health Behavior Change hosted the UBCO SCI Research Day, bringing together researchers, community members, and experts in spinal cord injury (SCI) from four different labs on the Okanagan Campus. The event was marked by a keynote speech from Paralympic champion Josh Dueck, who shared his personal journey and experiences.

The event also featured an insightful panel discussion with researchers, healthcare professionals, and individuals living with SCI and MS, who shared their diverse experiences with research. These discussions facilitated an exchange of ideas among researchers, practitioners, and community members.

Dr. Ryan Hoiland has been appointed Assistant Professor (tenure-track) with the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences (CPS) and Investigator with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management (CCDPM) effective July 1, 2024.

Dr. Hoiland completed his PhD and MSc in Interdisciplinary Studies with UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences where he was awarded the Governor General’s Gold Medal. His graduate training focused on the physiologic mechanisms that regulate and preserve oxygen delivery to the human brain in acute and chronic hypoxic settings. As a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Hoiland joined Vancouver General Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit research team in 2019, and the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) in 2020.

Most recently, he has served as an Assistant Professor (grant tenure) with the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Medicine, Division of Critical Care Medicine. In his new role, Dr. Hoiland will lead a research program that simultaneously integrates basic and clinical research on acute brain injury and advances the research priorities of the CCDPM and the Department of CPS.

Local adults 19 to 65 years-old needed for new health study

A UBC Okanagan study is recruiting individuals from the Central Okanagan to support a new health research project.

UBC Okanagan Assistant Professor Dr. Sarah Purcell is exploring the feasibility and acceptability of weekly measures of resting metabolic rate (RMR) for 6 weeks using a portable indirect calorimeter.

Dr. Purcell, investigator with the UBC Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management says, “We hope to gain a deeper understanding of how repeated monitoring of RMR may be feasible for future randomized interventions.’”

Individuals that meet the following criteria are invited to apply:

• 19 to 65 years old
• A body mass index (BMI) above 18.5 Link to BMI calculator
• Able to read, write, and speak English
• Have access to mobile device (smartphone or tablet) with reliable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
• Live within the Central Okanagan. Travel to UBC Okanagan required

Participating in this study would involve two in-person visits (~3.5 hours/visit) to the UBC Okanagan campus for measurements of body composition, resting metabolic rate (“metabolism”) and health behaviour questionnaires. Participants will be provided a portable device for measuring RMR. Participants will be asked to use the device once a week for 6 consecutive weeks and answer an online survey. Each participant will receive an honorarium for their time.

If you are interested in participating, please complete the following pre-screening survey  https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_55vpDk6Jwh4GuPQ

For more information or questions, contact Sarah Craven at sarah.craven@ubc.ca