Research Support Services & Infrastructure

The Office of the Vice President Research & International oversees a broad portfolio of research infrastructure and core services, including the Office of Research Services, the University-Industry Liaison Office, and the SPARC Office.

Office of Research Services

The Office of Research Services assists researchers in completing the first six steps of the research administration process outlined above. Other UBC units, such as Research & Trust Accounting and the University-Industry Liaison Office, become involved once a research account has been opened or research outcomes must be reported or managed.

The Office of Research Services (ORS) is responsible for overseeing the administration of research at UBC and its affiliates, in observance of policies and regulations established by UBC, the Government of Canada and federal funding agencies, and other regulatory bodies. ORS stewards the process of identifying funding opportunities through to preparing and submitting proposals, ensuring ethical compliance, and opening a research account.

Contact ORS if you need:

information and assistance in applying for research grants;

an institutional signature for grant applications;

to establish a research account and spending limits;

a certificate of compliance for research involving human subjects, animal subjects and biohazardous materials;

to transfer funds to research collaborators at other institutions;

to register a clinical trial; or

statistical information on research funding at UBC.

Researcher Information Services (RISe)

Research at UBC is administered through RISe, a secure online system that enables researchers to submit Conflict of Interest or Conflict of Commitment (COI/COC) declarations, and applications for ethical review of studies with human or animal subjects. Users can track COI/COC declarations and ethics applications through the approval process, as well as manage amendments and renewals. For more information, visit http://rise.ubc.ca.

Support Programs to Advance Research Capacity (SPARC)

SPARC provides expert strategic support to UBC researchers in all disciplines who seek funding for innovative research initiatives. Expert staff help to develop research partnerships and build interdisciplinary, inter-institutional teams that may involve government, the private sector and the community.

Services include Internal Review, strategic workshops, and brokering team development and partnerships with government, industry and consumer groups. SPARC's unique programs are tailored to meet the needs of researchers and to respond to emerging mandates and priorities of external funding agencies.

SPARC assists researchers in all disciplines and at all UBC locations. Visit sparc.ubc.ca or contact the SPARC Office directly to discuss your research interests and needs in detail.

University-Industry Liaison Office

The [University-Industry Liaison Office (UILO)] offers a range of services and guidance within the core areas of sponsored research and technology transfer:

As the bridge between the research activities and capabilities of the University and the needs of industry, our Sponsored Research Group drafts, negotiates and manages industry-sponsored research, as well as government and non-profit contracts and agreements.

Our Technology Transfer Group assesses invention disclosures for technical feasibility and commercial potential, and develops a plan for how best to progress with each disclosure.

The UILO’s active patent, copyright and trademark registration program protects and increases the value of UBC’s intellectual property. UBC’s record in securing U.S. patents exceeds that of any other Canadian University.

When invention disclosures are made at a very early stage, we may also help to develop technologies through our Prototype Development Program. The first of its kind in North America, this program produces proof-of-concept and working models of promising technologies to demonstrate market application, permit ongoing testing and support patenting.

When appropriate, we participate in the creation of knowledge based ventures by highlighting UBC spin-off company opportunities and aligning technologies and scientists with management experts and investors. We also offer guidance on issues such as corporate governance, and through our New Ventures program we help to foster and develop an informed entrepreneurial culture throughout the University.

Our staff are available to provide presentations on collaborative research, attracting sponsored research funding, intellectual property issues, technology transfer, entrepreneurship and spin-off company creation and support.

Moving Universities?

If you are transferring existing research funds or coordinating the ongoing management of intellectual property, please [contact the UILO] for assistance.

Granting Council Coordinators

Selected UBC faculty members are appointed by the Office of the Vice President Research & International to represent UBC before each major Federal funding agency. The coordinators work closely with researchers to ensure that information is disseminated and initiatives are developed to provide support for research and scholarship. More information is available at www.research.ubc.ca.

Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)

Coordinator: Dr. Michael Blades Ph: (604) 827-5281

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Coordinator: Dr. Janice Eng Ph: (604) 714-4105

Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)

Coordinator: Dr. Ralph Matthews Ph: (604) 822-4386

Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Coordinator: Dr. Rabab Ward Ph: (604) 822-4924

Affiliated Hospitals and Health Authority Research Institutes

UBC operates academic space at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI), the Child and Family Research Institute, the Providence Health Care Research Institute, and the BC Cancer Agency under Memoranda of Agreement. UBC faculty working at any of these locations are entitled to support from the Point Grey campus, but considerable support services are provided at the home sites, including:

Clinical ethics reviews organized from the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, St. Paul’s and BC Cancer Agency sites;
Behavioural ethics reviews from the Pt. Grey campus;
Access to internal reviews, support funding, etc.;
Grant Facilitators located at each site that provide a variety of functions and services to hospital-based researchers and staff;
A free shuttle bus service between all sites, every 30 minutes, 5 days a week (the service starts early and leaves the UBC Campus from the front of UBC Hospital, beside Emergency, on the hour and the half-hour); and
To reduce traveling time for researchers during major CIHR deadlines, Sameera Wazir (604-875-4111 ext. 68455) will travel to each hospital site the week of the deadline to arrange institutional signature.

Indirect costs funding for CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC and NCE awards made to faculty working at hospitals, the BC Centre for Disease Control and BC Cancer Agency are split 50:50 between UBC and hospital research offices (except for Tri-council clinical trials, which are split 80:20 in favor of the hospital).