Team:British Columbia/TeamLocation

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia, established in 1908, educates a student population of 50,000 on major campuses in two cities and holds an international reputation for excellence in advanced research and learning. The largest campus is 30 minutes from the heart of downtown Vancouver, a spectacular campus that is a 'must-see' for any visitor to the city -- where snow-capped mountains meet ocean, and breathtaking vistas greet you around every corner. The Vancouver campus boasts some of the city's best attractions and recreation facilities, including the Museum of Anthropology, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, and endless opportunities to explore forested trails in the adjoining 763-hectare Pacific Spirit Regional Park.

Michael Smith Laboratories

In 1987, the University of British Columbia made a bold investment in the future by establishing Canada's first interdisciplinary biotechnology unit. Under the visionary leadership of Dr. Michael Smith, the UBC Biotechnology Laboratory was created and a gifted team of young scientists were recruited. In 2004, the Biotechnology Laboratory was renamed the Michael Smith Laboratories in honour of the founding Director.

There are approximately 250 research personnel in the Laboratory, with research activities falling into four major areas of emphasis: molecular genetics, fermentation and bio-process engineering, plant and forestry molecular genetics, bioinformatics. There is a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary interaction and overlap of interest among the different groups. Awards from prestigious national and international organizations are continually recognizing the faculty members for their excellence.

British Columbia, Canada

Vancouver, one of the world's most spectacular cities, welcomed the world as host city of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The city of Vancouver is renowned for its incomparable natural beauty and cultural diversity. For thousands of years the Coast Salish people have called the area now known as Vancouver home. Their history and cultural traditions, upholding a deep respect for nature and humanity, are tightly woven into the city's cultural fabric.

Today, Vancouver's cosmopolitan appeal can be attributed to its international population of citizens; there are Aboriginal populations as well as British descendants, Chinese, Japanese, German, Indo-Pakistani, French, Italian, Dutch, Scandinavian, Ukrainian, Filipino and Greek, among other diverse nationalities. As a world-class city, Vancouver continues to draw the world's great nations together in a celebration of human spirit and achievement.