Past Events
General Meeting | Feb 21
Join us at our Third General Meeting of the 2023-2024 year.
AbCellera: How a UBC start-up grew into a global leader in antibody drug development
with Murray McCutcheon, PhD, Senior Vice President, Partnering, AbCellera
Since the first antibody medicine was approved in 1986, therapeutic antibodies have grown into one of the most important classes of medicines, with more than 160 approved products treating diseases such as cancer, auto-immune disease, and neurodegeneration, amongst many others. Founded as a start-up out of UBC in 2012, AbCellera has become a global leader in the discovery and development of new antibody medicines, with over 500 employees, sites in three countries, and a portfolio of 100+ antibody drug programs with 40+ partners. In this talk, I will first introduce the basic principles of immunology and antibody medicines. I will then highlight the key factors that have led to AbCellera’s success, including a focus on developing enabling technologies, a partnership-based business model, and our prowess in treating infectious disease, which led to the development of two therapeutics that treated millions of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, looking forward, I will talk about the critical importance of scaling up innovation-based companies in Canada in order to retain our talented graduates, grow our economy, and improve the health and productivity of Canadians.
Murray McCutcheon is Senior Vice President of Partnering and part of the executive team at AbCellera. In this role, Murray leads AbCellera’s business development, alliance management, and marketing teams. As a leader in the discovery and development of antibody medicines, AbCellera has partnered with 40+ companies, including many global pharma, to bring new medicines to patients. Murray and his team are responsible for identifying new strategic partners, negotiating the agreements, and managing the collaborations.
Prior to AbCellera, Murray worked at Harvard University’s Office of Technology Development, where he helped to commercialize intellectual property developed at Harvard and bring industry sponsored funding to researchers. Murray started his career post academia as a consultant at Lux Research, an advisory firm specializing in science-driven innovation, where he advised clients on technology development and commercialization strategy.
Murray completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University in 2011 and attained Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc. degrees in physics from the University of British Columbia, where he specialized in nano-photonics under the supervision of Prof. Jeff Young. He also earned a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Trinity College in Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
Murray is an active contributor to his community and is an elected Director on the Board of the University Neighbourhoods Association at UBC. He has also served on the Board of Triathlon BC.
Schedule:
1:00 - 1:45 pm Coffee and tea
1:45 - 2:00 pm Business Meeting
2:00 - 3:00 pm Speaker Murray McCutcheon
3:00 - 3:30 pm Q&A
Location:
Ponderosa Commons Ballroom, located in Oak House
Enter across from Harvest Market and continue to lower level
Stairs and elevator available
6445 University Blvd
Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2
Parking: The closest parking is either UBC West Parkade (2140 Lower Mall) or Fraser River Parkade (6440 Memorial Rd).
Please note this is an in-person event. A recording will be made available on the Emeritus College YouTube page after the event but there will be no hybrid option.
Wednesday, 21 February 2024 - 1:00pm
Vancouver Institute Lecture | Feb 17
NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE ORIGIN OF BREAST CANCER
with Dr. Steven Narod, Director, Familial Breast Cancer Research Unit, Women’s College Research Institute Canada Research Chair in Breast Cancer, University of Toronto
Dr. Narod leads an internationally renowned research program in cancer genetics, greatly enhancing our understanding of the factors that shape women’s risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. He and his team advocate for genetic testing for women who do not have access to current public programs, and they recently launched The Screen Project, a national initiative to make genetic screening available to all Canadians at an accessible price. The project assists in the evaluation of the benefits of wide-spread population-based genetic testing to reduce mortality of hereditary cancers before they start. Dr. Narod is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and the recipient of multiple awards, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and a Killam Prize in the Health Sciences. He has also been recognized as the world’s most cited researcher in breast cancer (2005).
Saturday, 17 February 2024 - 8:15pm
Travel Group | Feb 15
Rhone River Cruise
with Don and Lorna Blake with contributions from Paul Steinbok
In late May 2023, we embarked on an eight-day cruise on the Rhone River capped off by three nights in Paris. The river cruise began in the walled city of Avignon followed by visits to Arles, Viviers, Tournon and Vienne before terminating in Lyon where we stayed for two days before taking the high speed train to Paris. Walking tours led by knowledgeable local guides were available at every port. Viviers and Vienne were unfamiliar to us, but given the richness of French history, proved to be well worth the stop. At Tournon we enjoyed a trip on a narrow gauge railway along the Doux River gorge. Optional tours to Les Baux, Chateauneuf de Pape and the Camargue region will also be described.
Format: Zoom
If you wish to receive the zoom link for the meeting and are not already on the EC Travel group list, please contact Paul Steinbok at psteinbok@cw.bc.ca.
A zoom link will be sent out before each meeting.
Thursday, 15 February 2024 - 3:00pm
UBC Library Meditation Walk | Feb 14
The Meditation Walk: Mindfulness and Community Together at UBC
When: February 14 and 28 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Where: UBC Octagonal Labyrinth (6000 Iona Dr)
U of C Retirees Association (UCRA) talk | Feb 14
The Changing Face of Academia: Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence (including ChatGPT) in Higher Education
with Sara E. Eaton, PhD, Associate Professor, Werklund School of Education
Open to UBC Emeritus College Members.
Teaching and assessing writing have become increasingly complex with the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) apps and tools that students can access freely or at a low cost. Dr. Eaton’s discussion provides insights into how Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and similar apps are impacting teaching, learning, and assessment. One source of these insights is her recent research team project that addressed the question: What are the ethical implications of artificial intelligence technologies for teaching, learning, and assessment?
This session is not about how to use specific tools. Instead, we will delve into the broad ethical and practical implications of AI for educational contexts.
Wednesday, 14 February 2024 - 1:00pm
Photography Presentation | Feb 14
Photographing the Climate Emergency: Iconic images of our changing planet
with award winning photographer Marian Dodis.
Join award-winning photographer and documentary filmmaker, Marina Dodis, to dive deep into iconic imagery depicting the climate emergency.
Photographers and photojournalists have kept us on the edge of our seats for decades as the climate emergency has evolved from “warming” to “crisis” to “boiling point”. In this visual guest lecture, award-winning photographer and documentary filmmaker Marina Dodis will talk us through some of the iconic imagery of the climate emergency so far, with a candid look at their backstory. Join us for a fascinating talk as we discover who is in the picture, who isn’t, and why any of this matters.
Presented by the UBC Sustainability Hub.
This event is part of Climate Emergency Week at UBC, which seeks to convene and energize communities of climate action at UBC. Join our events, workshops and activities during Feb 12-16, and take collective action for justice, people, and the planet.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Marina Dodis is a documentary filmmaker with an extensive background in commercial and editorial photography. She has made or contributed to a dozen short films. She has travelled to over 20 countries, immersing herself in diverse cultures and social justice issues.