Apr 10 2026, 4:00pm – 6:00pm
In-person at Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre, Room 9299, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver
Intended Audience
Trainees from the VCH and UBC research community

Are you a trainee at one of the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) centres or programs with a passion for science and a curiosity for cutting-edge research? Join the VCHRI Trainee Committee for Science Social Hour!

This event will feature research presentations by trainees across three VCHRI centres and programs. Expand your knowledge, engage in meaningful discussions and enjoy tasty snacks with your peers.

Learning objectives 

In this event you will get to a chance to:

  • Learn about the impactful research VCHRI trainees are conducting 
  • Engage with peers and make new connections
About the speakers
Chenai Kitchen, BC Centre for Substance Use
Cannabis use and illicit opioid cessation among people who use drugs living with chronic pain
    
Chenai Kitchen is a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her research examines the clinical and naturalistic use of cannabis among marginalized populations. Chenai is interested in interdisciplinary approaches that bridge substance use research, chronic disease management and health equity.
Nimmy Sebestian, Ovarian Cancer Research Centre
Lynch-SCAN — Lynch syndrome carriers' uterine cancer health assessment: Sampling and DNA-based detection
    
Nimmy Sebastian recently graduated from UBC with a B.Sc. in Integrated Sciences, specializing in physiology, immunology and public health. As a clinical research assistant in the Uterine Health Research Lab under the supervision of Dr. Aline Talhouk, she supports endometrial cancer research through participant management and coordination.
Unnati Yagnik, M. H. Mohseni Institute of Urologic Sciences
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer: Uncovering the proteomic story    
Unnati Yagnik graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in medical sciences. She is now a second-year master’s student in the Experimental Medicine program at UBC. She works under the supervision of Dr. Syam Somasekharan and primarily studies prostate cancer bone metastasis.