Congratulations to Drs. Kiran Soma and Terry Snutch on being named 2025 UBC Distinguished University Scholars!
Dr. Kiran Soma, a professor in UBC’s Department of Psychology, received this recognition for his significant research contributions in the fields of psychology, neuroscience and endocrinology.
“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my wonderful trainees, collaborators, colleagues, and staff – who were absolutely essential to my work over the last 21 years at UBC!” says Dr. Soma. “This award reflects the combined efforts of many people. Also critical was the funding from federal and provincial governments, so many thanks to these funding agencies!”
Dr. Soma has published over 145 papers on neural circuits, hormones, behaviour, and immune function and received over 10,000 citations. His innovative use of mass spectrometry to measure steroids in the brain has sparked research collaborations ranging from hormone changes across the lifespan to how acute stress and trauma affect behaviour.
Dr. Terry Snutch, a professor with Michael Smith Laboratories and UBC’s Departments of Psychiatry and Zoology, received this recognition for his significant contributions in the field of molecular neurobiology and for the discovery and development of new therapeutics to treat brain disorders.
“I am thrilled to have received this notable accolade from UBC in acknowledgement of my lab’s concerted efforts to better understand how calcium signalling drives brain physiological processes, together with our work to develop effective treatments for neurological disorders,” shares Dr. Snutch.
His groundbreaking discoveries, including identifying and characterizing the diverse family of calcium channels in the nervous system, have fundamentally shaped the field and led to important therapeutic targets for neurological disorders. He also helped drive the global development of Oxford Nanopore’s third-generation sequencing technology. Most recently, a calcium channel blocking drug conceived and developed by Dr. Snutch passed pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of essential tremor, the most common movement disorder worldwide.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Snutch led the creation of the Canadian COVID-19 Genomics Network, which mobilized national partners to sequence the genomes of over 433,000 patient samples and helped to inform public health policy across Canada. He also holds 116 patents related to drug discovery development, which is a testament to his exceptional innovation and impact in research.
Drs. Soma and Snutch are among 10 UBC faculty members who have been named Distinguished University Scholars at UBC for 2025. The Distinguished University Scholar program recognizes members of UBC Faculty who have distinguished themselves as exceptional scholars and achieved recognition as leaders in their field.
