Patty Wellborn

Email: patty.wellborn@ubc.ca


 

A photo of a bored young girl working on a laptop

In a first of its kind study, UBCO researchers examine what happens to a child’s brain when they remain sedentary.

A new study by UBC Okanagan researchers explores for the first time how sitting affects blood flow in children’s brains.

The School of Health and Exercise Sciences researchers wanted to determine how prolonged sitting impacts the blood flow to children’s brains and how exercise breaks can make a difference. Previous studies have been done on adults, but not a group of children.

“The young brain demands more energy than the adult brain,” says Dr. Christine Tallon, who led the study for her doctoral research under the supervision of Dr. Ali McManus. “This higher demand means a correspondingly higher level of blood flow to the brain. We are therefore quite concerned that prolonged sitting may be worse for children than for adults.”

To assess the impact of extended sitting, a group of children, aged seven to 13, visited a UBCO lab twice. On one visit, they sat for three hours straight. On a separate visit, they again sat for three hours but with a 10-minute exercise break—riding a stationary bike—each hour. For each visit, the researchers performed tests and measured blood flow in the brain using ultrasound.

“One test, called a neurovascular coupling task, looks at how blood flow increases when an area of the brain is engaged in a specific job,” says Dr. Tallon. “In essence, the act of thinking requires a quick, targeted hit of oxygen and nutrients, delivered by the blood.”

For this first test, the children were asked to solve a visual puzzle: looking for a Where’s Waldo character in an illustration. Visual stimulation is known to activate the occipital cortex which leads to a 20 to 30 per cent surge in blood velocity through the artery supplying it. However, the researchers found that with or without exercise breaks, the blood velocity remained unchanged. Dr. Tallon offers an explanation:

“As you might imagine, for children to stay seated for three hours presents a challenge. We allowed them to play games on electronic devices to keep them occupied and this likely impacted the test as the visual cortex would have been steadily engaged.”

This raises the question: if the brain is busy with a thinking task, is prolonged sitting actually a problem?

And this is where the second test comes in. Called cerebrovascular reactivity, this test did show an impact from excessive sitting.

Cerebrovascular reactivity is the ability of the brain’s blood vessels to dilate in response to stimuli—such as an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood—in order to increase blood supply.

A decline in cerebrovascular reactivity has been linked to a cognitive decline in adults.

To test cerebrovascular reactivity, the children were asked before and after the sitting period to breathe in a controlled mixture of air that included a higher than normal—yet still safe—concentration of carbon dioxide. This extra dose of carbon dioxide triggers the dilation of their brains’ blood vessels.

“After sitting for three hours without exercise breaks, the children’s cerebrovascular reactivity had decreased,” says Dr. Tallon. “In other words, the blood vessels had become sluggish.”

However, when exercise breaks were added, the children showed no sign of reduced cerebrovascular reactivity. Their blood vessels dilated at the same rate as prior to the test.

So, what does this mean for parents, teachers and caregivers who may have concerns about children being inactive for prolonged periods?

“Exercise is clearly beneficial and this is exciting,” says Dr. Tallon. “We did 10 minutes of exercise on the hour, but more research can help us identify the optimal dose of exercise to offset any effects of excessive sitting. We can safely say that having kids get up and move at least for a few minutes each hour is going to be good for them.”

The research was published in a recent edition of Experimental Physiology.

The post UBCO researchers study how prolonged sitting can impact children’s brains appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

A photo of a bored young girl working on a laptop

In a first of its kind study, UBCO researchers examine what happens to a child’s brain when they remain sedentary.

A new study by UBC Okanagan researchers explores for the first time how sitting affects blood flow in children’s brains.

The School of Health and Exercise Sciences researchers wanted to determine how prolonged sitting impacts the blood flow to children’s brains and how exercise breaks can make a difference. Previous studies have been done on adults, but not a group of children.

“The young brain demands more energy than the adult brain,” says Dr. Christine Tallon, who led the study for her doctoral research under the supervision of Dr. Ali McManus. “This higher demand means a correspondingly higher level of blood flow to the brain. We are therefore quite concerned that prolonged sitting may be worse for children than for adults.”

To assess the impact of extended sitting, a group of children, aged seven to 13, visited a UBCO lab twice. On one visit, they sat for three hours straight. On a separate visit, they again sat for three hours but with a 10-minute exercise break—riding a stationary bike—each hour. For each visit, the researchers performed tests and measured blood flow in the brain using ultrasound.

“One test, called a neurovascular coupling task, looks at how blood flow increases when an area of the brain is engaged in a specific job,” says Dr. Tallon. “In essence, the act of thinking requires a quick, targeted hit of oxygen and nutrients, delivered by the blood.”

For this first test, the children were asked to solve a visual puzzle: looking for a Where’s Waldo character in an illustration. Visual stimulation is known to activate the occipital cortex which leads to a 20 to 30 per cent surge in blood velocity through the artery supplying it. However, the researchers found that with or without exercise breaks, the blood velocity remained unchanged. Dr. Tallon offers an explanation:

“As you might imagine, for children to stay seated for three hours presents a challenge. We allowed them to play games on electronic devices to keep them occupied and this likely impacted the test as the visual cortex would have been steadily engaged.”

This raises the question: if the brain is busy with a thinking task, is prolonged sitting actually a problem?

And this is where the second test comes in. Called cerebrovascular reactivity, this test did show an impact from excessive sitting.

Cerebrovascular reactivity is the ability of the brain’s blood vessels to dilate in response to stimuli—such as an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood—in order to increase blood supply.

A decline in cerebrovascular reactivity has been linked to a cognitive decline in adults.

To test cerebrovascular reactivity, the children were asked before and after the sitting period to breathe in a controlled mixture of air that included a higher than normal—yet still safe—concentration of carbon dioxide. This extra dose of carbon dioxide triggers the dilation of their brains’ blood vessels.

“After sitting for three hours without exercise breaks, the children’s cerebrovascular reactivity had decreased,” says Dr. Tallon. “In other words, the blood vessels had become sluggish.”

However, when exercise breaks were added, the children showed no sign of reduced cerebrovascular reactivity. Their blood vessels dilated at the same rate as prior to the test.

So, what does this mean for parents, teachers and caregivers who may have concerns about children being inactive for prolonged periods?

“Exercise is clearly beneficial and this is exciting,” says Dr. Tallon. “We did 10 minutes of exercise on the hour, but more research can help us identify the optimal dose of exercise to offset any effects of excessive sitting. We can safely say that having kids get up and move at least for a few minutes each hour is going to be good for them.”

The research was published in a recent edition of Experimental Physiology.

The post UBCO researchers study how prolonged sitting can impact children’s brains appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

A photo of a teenage boy packing his school bag while his mother is preparing to go to work

Back to school can be exciting but with each new year comes change, especially for students entering middle school. UBCO experts provide some tips for parents to navigate those middle years.

Long before children are ready for middle school, their parents have heard the horror stories.

Online bullying, gender identity, social media, vaping, drugs, sex and dating…the list of potential pitfalls and obstacles can feel overwhelmingly endless.

It’s enough to disrupt even the most stable of households when a child shifts from the safety and security of the known into the uncertainty of a new school—especially if it’s around a milestone like the first day of middle or high school.

UBC Okanagan’s scholars and researchers want to help. Experts from across disciplines provide a few tips to help parents successfully navigate this new phase of their journeys.

“Make a plan,” says Dr. Stephen Berg, Associate Professor, Okanagan School of Education 

The start of another school year is an exciting and sometimes nerve-wracking time for everyone in a family. New activities and routines begin, so taking the time to plan and communicate with everyone in the family can help ease anxiety and nervousness going into the year.

Along with this, it is so important for children and youth to have proper nutrition. Having them take a water bottle to school—if allowed—helps maintain hydration and planning for healthy snacks and lunches helps with alertness and self-regulation in the classroom.

Of course, being physically active throughout the day is just as important. Even if there are no activities planned, something like going for a walk or other cost-effective activity gets children outside and can also be a great way to communicate and connect with each other.

“Encourage kindness,” says Dr. John Tyler Binfet, Associate Professor, Okanagan School of Education

A previous study involving 191 Grade 9 students from Central Okanagan Public Schools demonstrated that when the teens were encouraged to be kind, they surpassed expectations.

Within one week, more than 940 acts of kindness—sharing school supplies, giving compliments, helping with chores or encouraging others—were accomplished. As the bulk of the kind acts took place at the school, the findings show positive effects on school climate, student-to-student relationships and student behaviour.

I think adolescents can be misperceived, especially in schools. And if educators and parents can model kindness or provide examples of kindness, it will make being kind easier for adolescents.

“Keep the big picture in mind,” says Dr. Jessica Lougheed, Assistant Professor, Psychology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

For kids and teens in middle school and high school grades, back to school can be an especially challenging time. Often, tweens and teens are experiencing developmental changes in many domains at the same time—these include puberty, with more intense and less predictable emotions, as well as new activities, peer groups and schools.

Relationships with primary caregivers, understandably, can become more strained. The back-to-school season is yet another change. When routines change in such a big way, we typically see a period of less predictable daily dynamics in the household before everything settles into a new routine. Often, what’s going on in one area, such as your child’s school or social life, will influence other areas including their emotions or how they relate to family members.

If you notice a lack of balance in your household dynamic at the start of the school year, it might be helpful to keep the bigger picture in mind. Change is hard, and your tweens and teens are navigating an acute change to their daily schedules and activities at the same time as all of their other developmental changes. Irritability might be directed at you, but it might not be about you.

Check-in with your child when things are quieter and calmer, and it might be easier to make a connection then.

“Communicate well, and communicate often,” says Dr. Shirley Hutchinson, Lecturer, Psychology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Transitioning back to school, especially a new school, can be hard for both students and parents. Much of the anxiety stems from uncertainty and one of the best ways to deal with uncertainty is to try and collect as much information as possible.

Communication is key.

Parents should talk to their children and explore the new or returning school environment together. Talk about what the children are excited about and what they may be nervous about. And most importantly, talk about what worries are within their control and which ones are not. Knowledge goes a long way to reducing uncertainty and easing anxieties.

“Get those steps in and keep active,” says Dr. Ali McManus, Professor, School of Health and Exercise Sciences

Physical activity is just another word for movement and it can look like anything including riding your bike to school, cleaning your room, mowing the grass, walking the dog or playing sports.

The easier way to keep active is to get your steps in. In Canada, the recommended daily steps are 13,000 for adolescent boys and 11,000 for girls. But in middle school steps tend to decline and across Canada less than 10 per cent of our teens meet these guidelines. Here are four easy tips on ways to get more active: start small, make it social, do things you enjoy and make time in your day, every day, for activity.

“Provide a non-judgmental space to chat about the risks of vaping and smoking,” says Dr. Laura Struik, School of Nursing

Vaping has become common in school environments, with youth stating that the commute to school, school washrooms, recess and lunch are contexts where they are frequently exposed to vaping. Having open discussions about vaping with your child can help if they are feeling pressured, or even curious, about vaping.

Parents might also get some empty vape devices, free of charge at a vape store, to start the conversation and address the curiosity that frequently contributes to trying vaping. Role play can also help prepare a child to proactively think about how they might manage peer pressure situations that could make vaping tempting. And parental or family disapproval can play a strong role in preventing uptake of vaping among children and youth.

The post Navigating the middle years and beyond appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

A doctor supporting, consoling and comforting a female patient during a medical appointment.

A new resource is available for medical practitioners to help treat brain injury in survivors of intimate partner violence.

A first-of-its-kind resource is now available to help medical providers recognize and respond to brain injury from intimate partner violence.

The Intimate Partner Violence Traumatic Brain Injury Medical Provider Resource is designed to educate doctors and nurse practitioners in treating brain injury for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Created by an interdisciplinary team of 11 clinicians, researchers, advocates and persons with lived experience in Canada and the United States, the guide is a first step to providing better medical care for a currently underserved patient population, says Dr. Paul van Donkelaar, a Faculty of Health and Social Development Professor at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

Globally, one in three women will experience violence at the hands of a partner—Statistics Canada puts that number at 44 per cent in this country. Research indicates as many as 92 per cent of survivors may also experience one or more brain injuries from blows to the face, head and neck, and through strangulation.

Dr. van Donkelaar is an expert on concussions. He is co-founder and scientific advisor for Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research (SOAR) and one of the authors of the guide.

SOAR is a multi-disciplinary, community-engaged, non-profit initiative that applies scientific evidence to increase awareness, improve supports and services for survivors of intimate partner violence and brain injury.

Concussion, he explains, can cause a wide spectrum of physical, cognitive, neuro-behavioural and emotional symptoms. More severe forms of brain injury can cause seizures or sensorimotor, visual or language functioning deficits. Those who sustain IPV-caused brain injury are at risk of developing mental health and substance use conditions, and often face challenges related to housing and safety for them as well as their children.

Optimizing care for this unique population requires timely access to medical assessment and coordinated, interdisciplinary care that is currently unavailable to many survivors in Canada.

“We know failure to receive appropriate medical care following acute brain injury from IPV can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment of injuries,” he says. “It can also lead to the development of persistent symptoms and challenges and a return to environments where the survivor is at risk of recurrent and preventable injuries, and even death.”

Despite this, knowledge and awareness of this issue remains low among frontline service providers in a variety of sectors, and there are no clinical practice guidelines outlining a comprehensive approach to the in-office, medical assessment and management of those presenting with IPV-caused brain injury.

“In response to this urgent and unmet need, our team used existing research and expertise to develop the guidelines,” Dr. van Donkelaar adds.

The resource includes extensive information on the complex intersection of IPV and brain injury. It details how to conduct medical assessment, management and follow-up that includes multi-disciplinary referral considerations while honouring the unique needs of the patient population.

“Beyond providing clinical care for these patients, physicians and nurse practitioners can play an important role in advocacy,” says Lin Haag, a social work doctoral student at Wilfrid Laurier University and an investigator in the Acquired Brain Injury Research Lab at the University of Toronto. “They can advocate for necessary intersectional, trauma-informed, anti-racist and equitable health and social care systems as well share knowledge among other key stakeholders.”

The resource is free, and is the first of its kind addressing specific and targeted care for survivors of IPV-caused brain injury.

The goal is that it will act as a starting point to be refined by additional clinical experience and research, and help encourage and inform the development of international consensus clinical practice guidelines in the future, explains leading concussion expert Shelina Babul, who developed the Concussion Awareness Training Tool as part of her work with the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit at BC Children’s Hospital.

“We hope this resource will empower more physicians and nurse practitioners throughout Canada, and worldwide, to step forward and help care for this frequently under-recognized and underserviced patient population,” she adds. “Ensuring women get the diagnosis and care they need to achieve healthy outcomes after abuse is way past due.”

The Intimate Partner Violence Traumatic Brain Injury Medical Provider Resource and the full list of expert contributors are available to download at: abitoolkit.ca/resource-library/service-provider-resources

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A photo of one of the 2023 graduation processions.

UBCO celebrated the class of 2023 this week including the top academic students and medal winners.

 

This week UBC Okanagan celebrated the graduating students of 2023. As part of graduation, the top academic students are recognized for their accomplishments which often include high academic grades and community service.

Governor General’s Gold Medal

A passion for research, a personal connection and the desire to help a population often overlooked by researchers took Sarah Lawrason down a path that eventually led to one of UBC Okanagan’s top accomplishments.

Dr. Lawrason has been named UBCO’s 2023 winner of the Governor General’s Gold Medal. She completed her PhD in Kinesiology, spending several years researching people who live with incomplete spinal cord injuries (SCI). Her research led to the design, implementation and evaluation of a mobile-based physical activity program for people with an SCI who walk. The goal was to support this particular population to become more physically active.

“Physical activity is so beneficial for health and wellbeing, but there is little research and resources to support people with SCI and even less for those with an SCI who can walk,” she says.

Dr. Lawrason admits there is a personal side to her drive. Her brother sustained an SCI in 2016—helping him live the best life he can became part of her mandate.

The Governor General’s Gold Medal is awarded to the student who has achieved the most outstanding academic record as a doctoral or master’s student completing a dissertation or thesis.

While working on her PhD, Dr. Lawrason conducted five studies with the ambulatory SCI population—a growing segment often referred to as the “forgotten ones” because they have been completely overlooked in health research and promotion, she says. Her research engaged with the SCI community and tech-industry partners to achieve significant breakthroughs and help pave the way for further scientific and clinical applications.

She conducted her research under the supervision of Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, who describes Dr. Lawrason as someone with an exemplary record of high-impact, novel, interdisciplinary, community-engaged research who has made diverse and considerable contributions to society.

“Sarah has established an outstanding reputation for research leadership and conducted her PhD research with unwavering commitment to using community-engaged methods and improving the health of people with disabilities,” says Dr. Martin Ginis. “Of the 13 PhD students I’ve supervised, she ranks among the top in terms of breadth and depth of skill and is more than deserving of this recognition.”

Governor General’s Silver Medal winner

Solomon Thiessen, described as an “exceptionally gifted” School of Engineering student, has been named the winner of UBC’s Governor General’s Silver Medal. It is awarded annually to the student who has achieved the highest academic standing of all students in their graduating year. UBC awards three silver medals each year: one in arts, one in science and one for all other faculties including those at UBC Okanagan.

Thiessen recently completed his Bachelor of Applied Science with UBCO’s School of Engineering, impressing his professors by earning a final mark of 100 per cent on 12 of his engineering courses.

He has a keen interest in computer engineering and he minored in computer science. During his studies, he worked on a variety of projects including a portable MRI device with Drs. Rebecca Feldman and Sabine Weyand as well as a wireless sensor node network with Dr. Dean Richert. Despite his heavy course load, he also volunteered as a tutor in math, physics, applied science and computer science through the student learning hub and worked as a teaching assistant in the automation lab.

Within the School of Engineering, he was held in high esteem among the teaching staff, says Dr. Dean Richert, an Assistant Professor of Teaching in Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering

“It has been an absolute pleasure to witness Sol’s progression throughout his degree and I am delighted to see him being acknowledged as a recipient of this award,” says Dr. Richert. “Sol not only possesses exceptional academic prowess but also demonstrates an outstanding work ethic and professionalism, distinguishing himself as one of the most exceptional students I have had the privilege of working with.”

Thiessen has been accepted to the computer science master’s program at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. Following his studies at ETH Zurich, he plans to pursue a PhD in artificial intelligence. In the meantime, he is “tinkering” on a few software projects while working as a contractor for the Western Canadian Learning Network.

Lieutenant Governor Medal Program for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation

A well-travelled and active member of the UBCO campus community, Haja Mabinty (Binta) Sesay has been named the winner of the Lieutenant Governor Medal Program for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation.

Sesay has just completed her degree in International Relations and has been recognized for her leadership and dedication to helping make UBCO a more inclusive campus community. During her four years of study, she volunteered with the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office during back-to-school celebrations and spent two years volunteering with African Caribbean Student Club. She also held an executive role with the UBC Black caucus team and UBC’s Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force.

Sesay started her schooling in The Gambia and moved to the United Kingdom for part of her high school education, completing her last year in Jerusalem. She came to UBCO in 2018, having been attracted to the close-knit campus and knowing the programs were academically strong.

Although she applied for the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal, she had no expectations of winning the recognition and was surprised when notified she was the winner.

“Just getting the email to apply for the award made me feel accomplished,” she says. “I was super shocked when I got the email saying I was selected. I am so passionate about all the work I have done and never expect anything back, but it also feels nice to be recognized. I feel very honoured.”

The Lieutenant Governor Medal Program for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation recognizes students who have distinguished themselves through their post-secondary education with outstanding contributions to the promotion of inclusion, democracy or reconciliation.

Madison Tardif, who worked with Sesay at the UBC Equity and Inclusion Office, says she has played a key role in leading and working within various groups and committees to advocate for a more anti-racist and inclusive institution, with a particular focus on supporting the Black community.

“Binta has dedicated herself to the promotion of anti-racism across the university and in the broader community, advocating for changes that will continue to shape and improve the experiences of Black students, faculty and staff at UBC,” says Tardif. “Binta’s commitment to addressing structural inequities and advocating for a more inclusive campus shines in her leadership roles and her consistent desire to show up for and in solidarity with diverse communities.”

Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize

Madyson Campbell, who received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree Thursday, is the winner of the Pushor Mitchell Gold Medal Leadership Prize. Knowing she eventually planned to go to medical school, Campbell came to UBCO from Thunder Bay wanting to experience a few years living in a different province and knew the Okanagan would suit her lifestyle.

While working on her degree she participated in several multidisciplinary undergraduate research projects in health and worked on a student-led project to develop a pilot curriculum on a restorative approach to improve the experiences of patients who have been harmed within the health care system.

Campbell is a proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario and works to advocate for and ensure the voices of Métis youth are heard at the provincial and national levels.

“The support provided by this award is immeasurable, as it allows students like myself to continue our academic and leadership goals after graduating from UBC. This award has allowed me to pursue a research opportunity this summer at the University of Toronto. I cannot understate how deeply honoured I am to have been chosen by this committee. I will carry this recognition with me as I move forward in my academic and career pursuits.”

As a winner of the Pushor Mitchell award, she receives a $10,000 scholarship which she says will support her journey as she enters the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay this fall.

The Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize recognizes a top graduating student who has excelled academically and has shown leadership while earning their degree.

“Pushor Mitchell LLP is thrilled to support another exceptional graduate at UBC Okanagan with our Gold Medal Leadership Award, as they make their way to become the next generation of great leaders in our community, both in the Okanagan and beyond”, says Joni Metherell, Managing Partner for Pushor Mitchell. “We congratulate Madyson and all of UBCO’s 2023 graduates on their success.”

Heads of Graduating Class

University of BC Medal in Arts
Samantha Barg

University of BC Medal in Education
Isabela Richard

University of BC Medal in Engineering
Solomon Thiessen

University of BC Medal in Fine Arts
Josie Hillman

University of BC Medal in Human Kinetics
Melina Marini

University of BC Medal in Management
Aurora Gardiner

University of BC Medal in Media Studies
Amanda McIvor

University of BC Medal in Nsyilxcn Language Fluency
Sheri Stelkia

University of BC Medal in Nursing
Kayla Petersen

University of BC Medal in Science
Harman Sohal

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A photo of graduating students throwing their caps

Students in the class of 2023 will graduate in six different ceremonies at UBCO this week.

This week, UBC Okanagan will celebrate the graduating class of 2023. And while hundreds of students will cross the stage to accept their degrees, there will still be a series of unique firsts.

On June 8 and 9, UBCO will confer more than 2,300 degrees during six graduation ceremonies. On Thursday, the first-ever Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency degree graduates will receive their degrees.

“Graduation provides us the opportunity to recognize and congratulate our students and their successes,” says Dr. Lesley Cormack, UBCO’s Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. “I am incredibly proud of all of our students, with particular note for those receiving our first degrees in Nsyilxcn Language Fluency.”

The Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency degrees will be conferred by UBC’s Chancellor, the Honourable xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl Steven Point. Chancellor Point will also confer honorary degrees on suiki?st Pauline Terbasket, Executive Director of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, and Lindsay Gordon, Point’s predecessor as UBC Chancellor. Interim UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Deborah Buszard, who is the former UBCO Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, will share the stage throughout the six graduation ceremonies with Dr. Cormack, the current campus Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

There are three ceremonies on Thursday, the first beginning at 8:30 am, and three on Friday morning with the first also starting at 8:30 am.

Of the more than 2,320 degrees being presented this week, more than 450 students will earn their master’s degree, and 60 are being conferred as PhDs. These students have reached the highest level of achievement in their disciplines, says Dr. Cormack.

She also notes the students graduating this year continued their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and pivoted to online courses as the university quickly adapted to online and remote delivery of classes in 2020.

“I offer the UBC Okanagan class of 2023 my warmest congratulations for their remarkable achievements,” says Dr. Cormack. “These students persevered through an unusual time none of us could have predicted. They stayed dedicated to their studies as they not only transitioned to online learning, but back onto campus last year to complete their studies in-person. I am so grateful for this group of students as they showed grit and passion and worked through an extraordinary time to complete their studies. With these experiences, we know they have the ability to realize their highest ambitions, both personally and by shaping the world they’re entering as UBC alumni.”

The 18th annual graduation celebration happens Thursday and Friday inside the UBC Okanagan gymnasium. Parking is free during the day.

Quick facts:

  • 2,320 students will cross the stage during six graduation ceremonies
  • Two honorary degrees will be conferred, one each day
  • Thursday, 8:30 am, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
  • Thursday, 11 am, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Science
  • Thursday, 1:30 am, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies**
    ** Including the Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency
  • Friday, 8:30 am, Faculty of Health and Social Development*
    * Including nursing and social work
  • Friday, 11 am, Faculty of Education: Okanagan School of Education and the Faculty of Management
  • Friday, 1:30 pm, Faculty of Applied Science: School of Engineering
  • Parking is free both days

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Ingredients for preparing an omelet with bacon and cheese

New research suggests a low-carb breakfast can help people with Type 2 diabetes control blood levels throughout the day.

An international team, led by UBC Okanagan researchers, suggests a simple tweak to the first meal of the day might help people living with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) better control their blood sugar levels.

Dr. Barbara Oliveira conducts research with Dr. Jonathan Little’s Exercise, Metabolism and Inflammation Lab in UBCO’s Faculty of Health and Social Development. Their latest study, published this week in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, confirms that switching from a traditional western-style low-fat breakfast, like oatmeal, toast and fruit, to a low-carb meal higher in protein and fat, like eggs with bacon or cheese, can help people with T2D better manage their blood sugar for most of the day.

In fact, changing just one meal helped keep the blood sugar in check.

“We’re not talking about a complete diet overhaul,” says Dr. Oliveira. “One of many complications for people living with T2D is rapid or large increases in blood glucose levels after a meal. Our research indicates a low-carbohydrate meal, first thing in the morning, seems to help control blood sugar throughout the day.”

Controlling glucose levels is critical for reducing the complications of T2D including inflammation and cardiovascular disease—the major cause of morbidity in patients with T2D.

“Treatment strategies that can help lower post-meal glucose swings and rapid changes in glucose are crucial to managing this condition,” she adds. “We’ve determined that if the first meal of the day is low-carb and higher in protein and fat we can limit hyperglycemic swings.”

Low-carb diets have become trendy in recent years and have been recognized as a dietary strategy to improve glucose control, Dr. Oliveira explains. However, similar to all diets, it’s tough to follow, especially long term. Instead of asking patients to commit to every meal being low-carb, she and Dr. Little examined the idea of making just the first meal of the day low-carb to see how that impacts diet adherence, and more importantly, blood glucose levels.

Their 12-week study had 121 participants split into two groups. One was advised to eat from a selection of low-carb breakfasts containing approximate amounts of 8g of carbohydrate, 25g of protein and 37g of fat while the other was advised to eat from a selection of low-fat higher-carb options containing about 56g of carbohydrates, 20g of protein and 15g of fat. All the breakfast options in both groups provided 450 calories.

Participants had a variety of breakfast choices and were required to upload a photo of their meal, which was reviewed by a study dietitian to confirm compliance.

All participants were provided with a continuous glucose monitoring device they wore throughout the study and also undertook A1C blood tests, before and after the 12 weeks, to measure their average blood sugar levels. They also measured their weight and waist circumference at the beginning and end of the trial. As the study continued they reported feelings of satiety, energy and activity levels.

Dr. Oliveira notes while there were no significant differences between the low-carb and other group for weight, body mass index or waist circumference, the low-carb group did see a reduction in blood sugar levels and some were able to reduce their glucose-lowering medication. The upward and downward swings in blood glucose levels, known as glycemic variability, with the low-carb group was also significantly lower, suggesting the benefits of a low-carbohydrate breakfast for stabilizing blood sugars throughout the day.

One additional interesting finding was that people who had the low-carb breakfast self-reported lower calorie and carbohydrate intake at lunch and during the remainder of the day. This could suggest that a breakfast rich in fat and protein, while lower in carbs, can impact daily eating habits.

“Having fewer carbs for breakfast not only aligns better with how people with T2D handle glucose throughout the day, but it also has incredible potential for people with T2D who struggle with their glucose levels in the morning,” she adds. “By making a small adjustment to the carb content of a single meal rather than the entire diet, we have the potential to increase adherence significantly while still obtaining significant benefits.”

The research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Wollongong in Australia and was funded, in part, by peer-reviewed grants from the Egg Farmers of Canada and the American Egg Board.

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A photo of person with an ambulatory spinal cord injury working out

Research from UBCO demonstrates a mobile app can help motive people living with a spinal cord injury who can walk keep active.

A UBC Okanagan researcher has been testing the effectiveness of a mobile app that encourages people living with a spinal cord injury—but can walk—to get active.

Dr. Sarah Lawrason, a researcher in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, has focused her career on working with people who live with a spinal cord injury (SCI) but are ambulatory. She describes this population as an isolated, often misunderstood group of people because while they live with an SCI, they may not rely on a wheelchair all of the time for mobility.

“When people think of someone with an SCI, they picture a person who might be a paraplegic or quadriplegic—and that’s a person who has had a complete spinal cord injury,” she explains. “But a person who has had an incomplete spinal cord injury—who might be able to walk some of the time or with a device—can be ambulatory with an SCI. And this group is often marginalized.”

Dr. Lawrason, who conducts research with Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management based at UBCO, says about half of spinal cord injuries are incomplete. The ambulatory SCI population is often seen as different from others and not a lot of research has been conducted with this cohort.

Her latest study, completed while working on her doctorate, investigates the potential of a mobile health intervention app called SCI Step Together. Some participants were provided with the app to help set goals, track activity, connect or chat with fellow participants, as well as access an online coach and weekly educational components. The other participants did not use the app.

None were prescribed specific exercises, but they were encouraged to do activities that bring them joy. Participants were also provided The Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults with Spinal Cord Injuries, established by UBCO’s Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, Dr. Lawrason’s faculty supervisor.

To achieve essential cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength benefits, the guidelines recommend adults with an SCI engage in at least 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise and strength training on functioning muscle groups twice per week.

During the eight-week study, Dr. Lawrason checked weekly with participants to determine if they were accomplishing goals or facing barriers. Those with the app said they had greater fulfillment of basic psychological needs—including a sense of independence, competence and belonging—and knowledge than those without the app. And general results suggest the program is feasible, well-accepted and engages participants. The program significantly improved the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, knowledge and self-monitoring for leisure-time physical activity.

“This study is important because it’s the first exercise intervention for people with an SCI who walk, and one of the first mobile health programs for people with SCI in general,” Dr. Lawrason adds. “It is also indicative of a great partnership. SCI Step Together was developed in collaboration with Curatio Inc. to provide the mobile health platform. We also worked with several ambulators with SCI to make sure the content, delivery and format of the program met their needs.”

The study, published recently in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, was supported by a doctoral fellowship with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and a WorkSafe BC Doctoral Research Training Award.

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A photo of Heather Gainforth, Greg Gerard and Isaac Li

Drs. Heather Gainforth, Greg Gerard and Isaac Li are UBCO’s 2023 researchers of the year.

UBC Okanagan is celebrating six outstanding researchers with one of its most prestigious research awards—Researcher of the Year.

The award recognizes the ways in which UBCO researchers—three faculty and three graduate student or postdoctoral fellows—are making the world a better place through excellence in research and scholarly activity.

The 2023 Researcher of the Year awards ceremony honoured faculty winners Dr. Heather Gainforth for health research, Dr. Greg Garrard for social sciences and humanities and Dr. Isaac Li for the natural sciences and engineering category.

Alongside her teaching in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Dr. Gainforth’s research in the area of spinal cord injury (SCI) is focused on helping people with SCI live better lives. She engages directly with people living with SCI and invites the SCI community to help direct her work, in order to focus on the community’s high-priority needs that have historically received little research attention. Dr. Gainforth is dedicated to getting her results to those who need it most.

Dr. Garrard researches how humans’ activities and their perceptions of their environments shape the physical landscapes they inhabit. As a Professor of Environmental Humanities in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, he’s a globally respected voice in sustainability who is focusing on the Okanagan region. His work asks people to interrogate their own perspectives on issues such as climate change or wildfires and helps individuals understand other perspectives to combat cultural polarization.

Immersed in the study of the physical interactions between cells, Dr. Li, Assistant Professor in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, is an emerging leader in his field. His interdisciplinary lab builds specialized, DNA-based molecular tools to visualize these interactions at the scale of single molecules and opens opportunities for controlling these interactions, which can lead to a variety of future impacts, including disease treatments.

“UBC Okanagan’s vibrant research community continues to foster top-notch talent, which is clearly evident from this year’s Researcher of the Year recipients,” says Dr. Phil Barker, Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation. “I’m so pleased to share and recognize the success of our incredible researchers and their important work.”

Three graduate or postdoctoral researchers were also recognized for their excellence in scholarly activity and highlighted as researchers to watch in the coming years:

  • Postdoctoral Fellow Researcher of the Year
    Dr. Femke Hoekstra, Faculty of Health and Social Development
  • Doctoral Student Researcher of the Year
    Melanie Dickie, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
  • Master’s Student Researcher of the Year
    Hanna Paul, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

“It’s inspiring to see the breadth of subject matter and the quality of research conducted by our students and postdocs,” says Dr. Peter Simpson, Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. “These researchers are changemakers—conducting research to investigate some of the world’s most challenging problems and producing creative work that addresses the human condition.”

The distinguished award honours leaders at UBCO who have reached across disciplines to have major impacts in their fields, says Dr. Barker.

“Here at UBC Okanagan, we know that working together across traditional boundaries is key to helping advance discovery,” he adds. “These researchers epitomize that call to action and I look forward to seeing where it will lead their fields in the years to come.”

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An MRI of a brain after trauma

As many as 92 per cent of women who experience violence at the hands of a partner may experience brain injury, which can lead to chronic physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms.

Lingering trauma from a brain injury can increase challenges facing survivors of intimate partner violence in child custody and access cases, according to new research from UBC Okanagan.

Dr. Paul van Donkelaar, a Professor in the Faculty of Health and Social Development, oversaw the research conducted as part of UBC’s Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury Through Research (SOAR) project. Researchers explored the ethics of how a woman with a brain injury, sustained through partner violence, might be treated in Canada’s justice system.

“A brain injury will contribute to the way the person behaves in fairly predictable ways, and that needs to be considered during legal proceedings between survivors and perpetrators of intimate partner violence,” he says. “This paper is the first of its kind that looks at how the legal system might use a brain injury diagnosis in parenting disputes, and how women are unfairly treated—including during a custodial challenge.”

As many as 92 per cent of women who experience violence at the hands of a partner may experience brain injury, which can lead to chronic and sometimes debilitating physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, memory issues, trouble with sleep and difficulty regulating emotions.

The research, published in the Journal of Law and the Biosciences, was conducted by Quinn Boyle, a doctoral student working with Dr. Judy Illes at Neuroethics Canada. While there have been recent improvements when it comes to mental health issues in custody disputes, Boyle says this is not the case with a brain injury.

“If a lawyer raised the diagnosis of depression, anxiety or PTSD as a reason why a woman would be unfit to parent, they would be scoffed at,” says Boyle. “For the most part, basic mental health disorders are no longer used against a woman during a parenting dispute where intimate partner violence is involved because evidence has shown that they can be managed effectively.”

There is a lot of overlap between mental health symptoms and those of a brain injury, he adds.

“If we’re now saying there is a likelihood of brain injury, we may have a situation in the Canadian justice system where that brain injury is used against the woman during a legal challenge for custody of her children,” he says. “A lawyer could hypothetically say the brain injury is a concern and that the woman is unfit to parent.” More specifically it is the lack of gold-standard treatment for brain injury that creates uncertainty about a woman’s recovery trajectory and timeline. It is this uncertainty that will likely be weaponized against women.

Current legislation and confidentiality laws surrounding health information leave these women vulnerable as the brain injury can be disclosed in court regardless of their preference, and also be critically examined and weaponized by opposing counsel. The lawyers interviewed unanimously expressed their strategy as opposing counsel would include using a brain injury to argue the mother is unfit to parent, as their professional duty is to represent the best interests of their client. This is despite them acknowledging it as abhorrent, immoral behaviour earlier in the interview.

Dr. Deana Simonetto, Assistant Professor with the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and co-author of the paper, says this research provides good insight into a family’s experience of parenting with a brain injury and what the legal system does in terms of parenting disputes.

“It’s important to think through how the legal system is structured and how women have been historically treated in parenting dispute cases,” she says. “We want to do the best for them, so our solutions need to change these structures. However, they are not easily changed.”

In a crime that is under-reported, and where there are often no witnesses, it’s already difficult for survivors of intimate partner violence to receive the supports they need. Given brain injury often goes unrecognized and undiagnosed, the challenges facing survivors are even greater.

“A brain injury can leave a person seeming out of sorts and confused. The police might think they are acting erratically, and interpret the behaviour as being caused by substance use or mental health issues, rather than a physical injury to the brain,” says Dr. Simonetto.

Current and previous SOAR research has focused on developing education and training for frontline workers—including police, paramedics and shelter workers—to better recognize and respond to brain injury from intimate partner violence.

The next step, says Dr. van Donkelaar, is to raise awareness in the legal system of brain injuries caused through intimate partner violence. This latest paper provides four recommendations, including training lawyers and judges about brain injury and its effect on survivors of intimate partner violence. The authors also propose organizations conduct brain injury assessments on survivors of intimate partner violence to prioritize allyship with medical experts who are willing and able to advocate for women in parenting disputes. Lastly, they recommend that women are offered complete transparency so they know how a brain injury diagnosis might be used against them in court.

“We need to work with the relevant agencies at the provincial levels—those that work with lawyers and judges—and help them recognize that brain injury is likely occurring in victims of intimate partner violence,” says Dr. van Donkelaar. “When a brain injury is involved, we need to better understand the injury and do the right thing both from a medical and legal perspective.”

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