Michael Smith Laboratories Graduate Entrance Award

The Michael Smith Laboratories Graduate Entrance Awards, first offered in 2026, are made available through an endowment established by the University in honour of Dr. Carl Hansen. Dr. Hansen, co-founder of AbCellera, is a UBC alum and MSL Adjunct Professor whose pioneering biotechnology research has advanced the development of pharmaceutical antibodies for disease treatment.

Each year, one or more awards with a combined total of up to $5,300 are given to recognize outstanding incoming graduate students supervised by faculty members appointed in the Michael Smith Laboratories. These awardees demonstrate academic and research excellence, as well as strong references and extracurricular involvement.

MSL faculty members can nominate one of their incoming graduate students each year during the second winter term. Interested incoming graduate students are encouraged to discuss this award opportunity with their supervisors.

William and Dorothy Gilbert Graduate Scholarship in Biomedical Sciences

This scholarship was established in 1995 by Professor Terrance Snutch in honor of William and Dorothy Gilbert of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to recognize exceptional accomplishments of doctoral students working in the Michael Smith Laboratories. Each spring, up to three awards may be offered, and each scholarship carries a value of at least $2,500 (CAD). Each Michael Smith Laboratories faculty member supervising graduate students in a UBC doctoral program is invited to nominate one outstanding PhD student from their laboratory as a candidate for this award.

Zymeworks – Michael Smith Laboratories – Department of Microbiology and Immunology Fellowships in Advanced Protein Therapeutics

Zymeworks Inc., a leading biotechnology company in British Columbia focused on immunotherapeutic research and development, partnered with the Michael Smith Laboratories beginning in 2018 to launch this fellowship, later also joined by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Created in part in recognition of the Nobel laureate Dr. Michael Smith, this fellowship supports outstanding PhD students from our two departments who are conducting research in the health sciences.

Beginning in 2021, one graduate student from each department is selected each year to be awarded a $20,000, one-year fellowship to support their contributions to the discovery and development of immunotherapeutics. Previously, two PhD students were awarded $20,000 each year over the course of a three-year fellowship from 2018-2020 in support of their research.