As a thoracic surgeon in Japan, I would often see and treat patients with a past history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Deep inside, I would always think “Not again…”. Even if the patient wasn’t formally diagnosed with COPD and just had a long (sometimes extremely long) history of smoking, it would raise a flag in my mind. I knew that this person had a high risk of adhesion in their thorax and would probably suffer severe post-operative pneumonia. This pneumonia would cause a huge deterioration in their quality of life, and, even worse, could be life-threatening.

It was therefore quite exciting for me to have the chance to join HLI as a postdoctoral fellow, working on a new project aiming to develop a non-invasive treatment for emphysema. Emphysema is a specific type of COPD that involves damage to the alveoli (air sacs) in the lungs. While in Japan, I had dreamed of studying abroad someday, and had been asking my professor if there was any chance to do so. Fortunately, my university has a long-standing relationship with HLI (more than 30 years!), and in 2025, I was chosen to visit the HLI as an international researcher.

In my experience, most patients with emphysema take medicine to control their symptoms without seeing actual improvement of their disease. Those who have severe symptoms may be candidates for lung volume reduction surgery, but as a surgeon, I have never seen a patient undergo this procedure. Here at HLI, we are working with an industry partner, Ikomed Technologies, to develop a treatment for emphysema and test it in animal models. We started with rodents and, over the past several years, have been conducting studies in pigs as we move closer to first-in-human trials.

As a first step, I am evaluating lung function in these animals. Since they are pigs, we cannot ask them (!) if they are feeling any symptoms or having difficulty breathing, nor can we do spirometry (a test to determine how well the lungs work).

Next, I am learning how to objectively analyze my results without bias. This is a great challenge as pig lungs are huge. If we wanted to evaluate the morphological features of the lung through a microscope, realistically we would have to collect specific areas to analyze. With the lungs being so large, how can we collect specimens uniformly? How many samples should we collect to be able to capture the characteristics for the entire lung? All of these questions are completely new to me and would never have been brought up when I was in Japan.

HLI members have given me the support and advice I need to measure histology features, such as the mean distance between each alveoli, as well as lung compliance (through plethysmography). This is a technique to measure the change in lung volume following a change in pressure. A patient/animal breathes into a mouthpiece while inside an airtight box. The change in air pressure is measured as the chest expands. There are many experts at HLI who have been working on evaluating lung function in large animals, and they have given me guidance. 

In reality most days as a researcher are not about having great ideas that can change the world or discovering one of the true mysteries of science. Instead, working with diverse team members with different backgrounds can sometimes bring unexpected viewpoints not yet considered, and lead to new ways of understanding. This process is very satisfying and can bring great joy. Coworkers can also help with presenting results in a more easily understood manner.

A year ago, while working as a physician in Japan, I could have never imagined that I would have the opportunity to work at HLI. I am grateful to have the chance to work with a great team and to be surrounded with new discoveries. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I hope I can make great progress that can help me reach new milestones in my career. While research often leads to incremental step-by-step discoveries, I hope my contributions within the next year to discovery in the realm of COPD can make a difference in disease treatment.

Story by Basak Ashley Sahin.

Tao Sun is a Data Analyst (Bioinformatician) in Dr. Ying Wang’s lab at HLI.

With experiences at multiple institutions in Canada and internationally, working in diverse, multidisciplinary teams, Tao has built a career at the intersection of medicine, bioinformatics, statistics, and data science; focusing on cardiovascular and bioinformatics research through RNA-Seq and spatial transcriptomics.

Tao holds an MD, PhD, and MSc, with a background in clinical medicine, cardiovascular surgery research, and statistics. Over the past decade, Tao has developed expertise in biostatistics and bioinformatics, focusing on cardiovascular studies, RNA sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics.

A typical day in Tao’s life as a Data Analyst involves analyzing cardiovascular datasets, developing computational pipelines for RNA-Seq and spatial transcriptomics, and collaborating with colleagues on findings that advance understanding of heart and lung diseases.

The secret to scientific discovery is collaboration

Tao is passionate about the intersection of science and collaboration, focusing on transforming intricate data into meaningful biological insights while partnering with a variety of researchers and clinicians. Tao feels fulfilled when data-driven discoveries positively impact patients and improve public health.

Tao’s equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) journey commenced at Queen’s University in 2008, progressed at Western University starting in 2011, and thrived at McMaster University alongside the Unifor Union.

How experiences turn into advocacy

EDI has fostered inclusive spaces where Tao felt comfortable sharing ideas and learning. Working in diverse environments has broadened Tao’s perspectives, enriched collaborations, and strengthened resilience as a researcher navigating different institutional and cultural contexts.

Having encountered and navigated challenges as an international scholar and professional in Canada before joining HLI, particularly in terms of cultural adaptation and acknowledgment of previous experiences, Tao is inspired to foster a more inclusive environment for others.

At HLI, Tao hopes to design and support initiatives that amplify diverse voices and ensure an inclusive research culture.

A moment of pride

Small actions, lasting impacts

Tao recommends that anyone striving to enhance EDI should begin with small, consistent efforts. Simple actions, such as actively listening and amplifying underrepresented voices, and acknowledging contributions can create significant and lasting change.

Outside of the lab

Outside work, Tao enjoys reading, sports, and exploring Vancouver’s food scene. Tao likes spending time with friends, exploring nature around Vancouver, playing sports like ping pong and swimming, and discovering local Asian cuisine spots that which remind him of home and connect him to Vancouver’s multicultural community.

When Dr. Yara Alkhodair arrived at the University of British Columbia (UBC) from Saudi Arabia for a behavioural neurology fellowship, she expected to spend a year in the clinic. She ended up spending two – and helped launch an international collaboration now reshaping Alzheimer’s diagnostics in the Middle East.

Alkhodair’s extended stay brought her into the laboratory of Dr. Mari DeMarco, Clinical Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC, Investigator at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at St. Paul’s Hospital, and the driving force behind one of the few medical facilities in Canada offering comprehensive Alzheimer’s disease biofluid biomarker testing. Under DeMarco’s supervision, Alkhodair joined a research group that has become one of Canada’s most important training grounds for the next generation of dementia diagnosticians.

Originally invited to UBC for a one-year behavioural neurology fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Hsiung and his colleagues at the UBC Hospital Clinic for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, Alkhodair was invited to return for a second year to continue her clinical fellowship and complete a laboratory medicine and research rotation in the DeMarco lab. What began as a clinical placement evolved into something more expansive: hands-on training in biofluid diagnostics, a research collaboration, and a co-authored scientific publication.

The training model in DeMarco’s lab is distinctive. Trainees don’t simply observe – they contribute to active clinical work, collaborate with graduate students, and engage in front-line research. Alkhodair participated in weekly diagnostic case rounds, gaining experience interpreting complex biomarker panels and advising referring physicians. As an example of her impact, with her clinical skills combined with new knowledge on Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, she was able to identify a patient’s biomarker profile was more consistent with Lewy body dementia than Alzheimer’s, prompting a revised diagnosis and a change in management.

Alongside her clinical training, Alkhodair contributed to research with direct implications for patient access to new Alzheimer’s therapies. Lecanemab, the first approved drug targeting the amyloid plaques characteristic of Alzheimer’s, carries a rare but serious risk of brain inflammation or bleeding –a complication known as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, or ARIA. Carriers of two copies of the APOE4 gene face the highest risk, and Health Canada has determined this group should not receive the therapy. Alkhodair contributed to the DeMarco lab’s investigation of a blood test to measure APOE4 protein concentration – a faster, more practical alternative to traditional genetic testing.

That work earned broad recognition. Alkhodair co-authored a manuscript with DeMarco lab graduate student Cyril Helbling on APOE proteotyping for Alzheimer’s drug eligibility and risk assessment, and presented the findings at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference – one of dementia research’s most prestigious forums. She was also recognized by Saudi Arabia’s First National Platform and the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau in Canada for her contributions to behavioural neurology and dementia research during her time at UBC.

The impact extended well beyond the conference floor. Back in Saudi Arabia, Alkhodair organized and moderated a biofluid biomarker workshop at the 4th Annual Conference of the Saudi Chapter of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology in AlUla – and invited her UBC collaborators to participate. Helbling joined as an international panelist, extending the DeMarco lab’s reach across continents and sustaining a partnership that began in Vancouver.

Now, Alkhodair is leading the development of a neurodegenerative biomarker laboratory at the Neuroscience Centre of Excellence at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh – the largest tertiary care centre in the Middle East. The laboratory frameworks and clinical practices she developed during her UBC training are directly informing the new program’s design, and her collaboration with the DeMarco lab continues through ongoing scientific exchanges and joint initiatives.

That partnership is one example of a broader pattern. Trainees who come through this environment leave not only with technical expertise, but with the research skills, professional networks, and institutional knowledge to build programs of their own. Alkhodair arrived as a clinical fellow and left as a researcher, a co-author, an international conference presenter, and now the architect of a biomarker diagnostic program at one of the Middle East’s foremost medical institutions – one shaped by a training model she has since made her own. That she continues to bring her UBC collaborators into that work is a testament to what she, and those who train alongside her, carry forward.

As biomarker-guided Alzheimer’s care expands globally, the reach of that training model is increasingly felt in hospitals and clinics far from Vancouver.

On March 23, 2026, HLI hosted another insightful session as part of its Seminar Series, featuring Milad Vahedi, a PhD trainee working under Dr. Graeme Koelwyn. Milad’s talk, titled Chronic Exercise as a Modulator of Immune Responses in Aging: An Evolutionary Perspective, delved into the fascinating relationship between physical activity, our immune system, and the aging process.

Milad began by taking us on a journey back to our ancestors, who relied heavily on endurance activities like walking and running to hunt and survive. Their bodies adapted to these long-distance activities, improving their oxygen delivery to muscles. But the benefits didn’t stop there. These adaptations also fine-tuned their immune systems, helping them stay healthy by reducing inflammation and strengthening their defenses against disease.

Fast forward to today, and the situation has changed dramatically. With modern, sedentary lifestyles, many of us no longer engage in the kind of physical activity that our ancestors did. This lack of movement leads to chronic low-level inflammation, which can speed up aging and increase the risk of diseases associated with aging. Milad highlighted how this mismatch between our evolutionary biology and modern habits is a major driver of aging-related health issues.

However, the good news is that regular, chronic exercise can help counteract this process. Milad’s research suggests that staying active can regulate immune responses in a way that prevents or even treats aging-related diseases. In fact, exercise doesn’t just help with muscle health—it can play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy immune system throughout life.

Milad’s presentation was a powerful reminder of the importance of physical activity, not just for fitness, but for its broader impact on overall health and aging. His work is a step forward in understanding how we can harness exercise to help keep our immune systems strong and reduce the risk of chronic diseases as we age.

To learn more about Milad’s incredible work, feel free to check out his LinkedIn profile here: Milad Vahedi LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/milad-vahedi-72065839a/

This seminar provided an inspiring look at the long-term benefits of staying active, and Milad’s research is helping shed light on how simple lifestyle changes can have a profound impact on our health as we age.

On February 23rd, HLI hosted another engaging session as part of its Seminar Series, featuring Samuel Leung, a PhD student in Bioinformatics from the Computational Biology and part of Wang’s Lab at HLI. Samuel’s talk, titled Benchmarking and Developing Tools for Cardiovascular Drug Repurposing, explored an innovative approach to tackling the global heart disease crisis.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, yet developing new treatments is often slow and costly. Samuel’s talk shed light on a promising solution: repurposing existing drugs. This approach focuses on finding new uses for drugs that have already been approved and proven to be safe, significantly reducing the time and costs involved in clinical trials.

Traditional methods of drug repurposing can be hit-or-miss, often relying on chance observations of how a drug affects conditions it wasn’t originally designed to treat. These methods don’t offer much insight into how or why a drug works in a different context, making it difficult to predict if it will help with a new disease. Samuel’s research aims to improve these methods by using computational tools that better identify promising treatments for heart disease.

By evaluating and refining these tools, Samuel is helping pave the way for faster and more cost-effective development of new cardiovascular therapies. This research is an exciting step toward making heart disease treatments more accessible and efficient, ultimately saving lives on a global scale.

This session provided a fascinating look at how modern technology is being used to improve healthcare, and Samuel’s work is a crucial contribution to the field of cardiovascular treatment.

If you want to connect with Samuel and learn more about his work, feel free to visit his LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sleung124/

HLI is proud to celebrate the success of Dr. Janice Leung and Dr. Scott Tebbutt, who along with their co-applicants and research teams, have received over $1.8 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fall 2025 Project Grant competition. This funding will support important new research aimed at improving care for people living with lung disease, heart transplants, and health inequities across Canada.

 Understanding COPD Beyond Smoking

Dr. Janice Leung will lead the MAPLE-SEED Study, a project focused on understanding why some people develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) even though they have never smoked. COPD is a long-term lung disease that affects breathing and impacts more than 2.6 million Canadians.

While smoking is a major cause of COPD, it does not explain all cases. About one in five people with COPD have never smoked, suggesting other factors play an important role. Dr. Leung’s research looks at how life experiences and living conditions such as childhood hardship, income level, education, air pollution, diet, and neighbourhood environment can affect lung health over time.

The study focuses on changes in the body that occur at the molecular level, specifically through a process called DNA methylation. In simple terms, DNA methylation acts like a biological record of the experiences a person has had throughout their life. These changes can also reflect how quickly the body is aging, sometimes referred to as a “biological clock.”

Dr. Leung’s team hypothesizes that long-term exposure to social and environmental challenges speeds up biological aging and increases the risk of COPD and poor breathing outcomes.

Using information from two large Canadian studies that follow people over many years, the research will:

• Explore how life circumstances and resulting changes in DNA methylation affect lung health 
• Identify risk factors for  biological aging and COPD – and potentially ways to improve prevention and treatment

In the long term, the applicants hope that this work leads to the development of a simple blood test to help identify people at higher risk of worsening lung disease.

This research brings together experts from many fields, including lung medicine, public health, biology, and data science. The goal is to help prevent COPD, improve early detection, and reduce health disparities.

Improving Early Detection of Complications After Heart Transplantation

Dr. Scott Tebbutt’s research project focuses on improving care for people who have received a heart transplant. Over time, many transplant recipients develop a condition called cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), which causes the blood vessels of the transplanted heart to narrow. CAV is the leading cause of late transplant failure.

Currently, CAV is usually detected through invasive heart tests, often only after symptoms appear. Dr. Tebbutt’s team aims to develop a simple blood test that can detect signs of CAV much earlier, before serious damage occurs.

The research will look for small changes in the blood such as proteins and molecules that signal early injury or inflammation in the heart. By studying blood samples collected at different times after transplantation, the team hopes to identify patterns that clearly separate healthy recovery from early disease.

This research project will:

• Identify early warning signs of CAV using blood samples
• Track how these signals change over time in transplant patients
• Test how accurately these blood markers can predict disease
• Combine multiple blood signals into a reliable early-detection tool

Led by Dr. Tebbutt and Co-Applicant and HLI Research Associate Dr. Chengliang Yang, the long-term goal of this research is to improve monitoring, reduce invasive testing, and help patients receive treatment sooner.

Making Research Matter for Patients

Together, these CIHR-funded projects reflect HLI’s commitment to research that puts patients first. By studying how social conditions affect lung disease and by developing earlier, less invasive tests for heart transplant complications, these projects aim to improve quality of life, reduce health disparities, and support better outcomes for patients across Canada.

Congratulations to Dr. Leung, Dr. Tebbutt, and their research teams and co-applicants on being awarded these project grants.

On January 19, 2026, Zeren Sun, a PhD candidate working with Dr. Pascal Bernatchez, gave a talk as part of the ongoing Seminar Series at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (HLI). The presentation, titled “The Interplay Between Circulating Lipoproteins and Intramuscular Lipids in the Pathogenesis of Dysferlin-related Muscular Dystrophy,” explored the role cholesterol plays in muscular dystrophy (MD), a condition that causes progressive muscle weakness.

Zeren’s research focused on how imbalances in cholesterol levels, both in the blood and within muscle cells, could contribute to the worsening of MD. Healthy muscles depend on a proper cholesterol balance, something patients on cholesterol-lowering medications called statins know all too well, as they often cause statin-associated myopathies, such as muscle pain. But in people with MD, this balance is also disrupted, but differently. Zeren shared how disruptions in cholesterol can interfere with how muscles process fats, leading to muscle damage and reducing the ability of muscles to repair themselves, especially in the absence of a protein called dysferlin.

Using patient data, mouse models, and lab-grown muscle cells, the Bernatchez lab found that it is the presence of harmful “bad” cholesterol particles, the severity of MD is worsened. Their research also suggests that dysferlin might help control how cholesterol moves within muscle cells, which could lead to potential new treatment options. Additionally, certain dietary fats may help improve cholesterol balance in the muscles, offering a possible approach to managing MD. Zeren’s work emphasizes the importance of understanding how cholesterol affects muscle health and suggests that targeting cholesterol pathways might help improve treatment strategies for MD.

If you want to connect with Zeren and learn more about his work, feel free to visit his ResearchGate profile here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zeren-Sun

Yejin Kang Explores the Link Between Cholesterol and Muscular Dystrophy

On January 12th, HLI  hosted another insightful session in our ongoing Seminar Series. This week, Yejin Kang, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Bernatchez Lab, shared her exciting research on how cholesterol affects muscle health, particularly in the context of muscular dystrophy.

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of genetic conditions that cause muscle weakness and damage. Yejin’s talk, titled The Role of Circulating Cholesterol in Muscular Dystrophy and Muscle Regeneration, explored how changes in cholesterol levels can worsen the effects of this disease and even hinder the body’s ability to repair muscles.

One key takeaway from Yejin’s work is how statin intolerance, a condition that leads to muscle pain, can demonstrate how sensitive muscles are to fluctuations in cholesterol levels. Bernatchez’s lab has been studying the relationship between cholesterol and muscle dysfunction, using pre-clinical models and human samples to uncover new insights. In one experiment, they found that an unhealthy cholesterol level dramatically worsened the condition of mice with muscular dystrophy, leading to severe muscle wasting.

Yejin’s research doesn’t stop at understanding the problem. She is also working on finding better ways to prevent or treat this muscle degeneration by studying how different cholesterol levels impact muscle healing. The team is specifically looking at a group of mice with a genetic mutation similar to one seen in humans with muscular dystrophy, using them to test how cholesterol diets affect muscle regeneration after injury.

Her work is part of a larger effort to understand how metabolic factors like cholesterol can play a role in muscle diseases and could eventually lead to new treatment options.

The seminar was a wonderful opportunity to learn about the real-world impact of cholesterol on muscle health, and Yejin’s contributions to this important area of research are invaluable in the quest for better treatments for muscular dystrophy.

If you want to connect with Yejin and learn more about her work, feel free to visit her ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yejin-Kang