Paid Participants Studies List

Researcher: Ellie Saplywy, PI: Dr. Mark Beauchamp

Description: This study will involve completing a questionnaire on two occasions, separated by one week, as well as reading an online news article prior to completion of the second questionnaire. The 2 survey tasks will each take about 20 minutes to complete.

Eligibility: We are currently looking for men between the ages of 18 and 30 who currently do not engage with women’s professional sports (meaning you have watched no games in person or on TV/streaming service over the past 12 months).

Location: All study activities will be completed online.

Contact Information: If interested, please email Ellie (esaplywy@student.ubc.ca)

Reimbursement/Time: The 2 survey tasks will take about 20 minutes each. Participants will be entered in a draw to win 1 of 4 $50 CAD cash prizes

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted September 22, 2026.

Researcher: Cindy Yu (cyu42@student.ubc.ca) and Dr. E. David Klonsky (PI)

Description:

Now more than ever, young adults are turning to AI chatbots for mental health. We want to better understand your lived experience, in your own words, regarding conversations about suicidal thoughts or related serious distress specifically.

Eligibility:  You may be able to participate in this study if:

• UBC student
• Young adult (between ages 18-29)
• Fluent in English
• Have lived experience talking to an AI chatbot about suicidal thoughts or related distress

Location: online Zoom interview with a clinical psychology graduate student (video camera can be off if more comfortable)

Contact information: Please fill out this screening survey if you are interested in participating: https://flex.redcap.ubc.ca/surveys/?s=7ARKAY3J3LNXY9AD 

Researcher: Dr. Melissa Hunte (PI) and Dr. Warren Code (Co-PI).

Description: We are a UBC research team developing a new survey about how students use generative AI (GenAI) in their studies, and we are piloting an early draft to find where it can be improved. Interested individuals can choose to participate in an online survey or an interview.

• Participants complete one online survey (about 30 minutes) that asks how and why they use GenAI, their experiences with learning, and some background information (for example, program, year, language background, age, and gender). Any question can be skipped.
• As a completely optional alternative, participants may instead take part in a single think-aloud interview (up to one hour, in person or online via UBC-licensed Zoom), working through the survey aloud and explaining how they understood each question and why they chose their answers. Interviews are audio-recorded with consent; participants can skip any question and stop at any time.

Eligibility: Students currently enrolled at UBC Vancouver.

Location: Online (survey link provided below). If you choose to do the interview, it is your choice to have it online via Zoom or in-person at UBC Vancouver campus.

Contact information: Melissa R. Hunte, melissar.hunte@ubc.ca. Warren Code, 604-822-4691; warcode@science.ubc.ca. To take part in either the survey or interview, please click the following link: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_06yWGEqs9vfsEU6

Reimbursement/Time: The survey will take about 30 minutes and participants can choose to be entered in a draw to win 1 of 2 $50 UBC Bookstore gift cards. The interview will take 60 minutes and participants will receive a $20 gift card to the UBC Bookstore.

Study End Date: September 30, 2026.

Researcher: Talia Vacca (PhD Student) and Dr. Charles Chen (Supervisor)

Description: The aim of this study is to understand how mental health stigma and self-concept relate to academic adjustment, future career thinking, and overall well-being in emerging adults. The ultimate goal is to inform future research and programs that support students’ transition into adulthood.

Eligibility:

• Be aged 18-29
• Have a confirmed mental health diagnosis by a qualified professional (e.g., psychiatrist or psychologist)
• Are currently enrolled in a post-secondary in Canada
• Fluent in English

Location: Virtual/online survey via RedCAP

Contact Information: To participate, please email Talia Vacca at talia.vacca@mail.utoronto.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Eligible participants will be asked to complete an online survey that takes approximately 30-50 minutes. As a token of appreciation for their time, participants may optionally enter a prize draw to win one of 10 $50 Amazon e-gift cards.

Study End Date: March 1st, 2027.

Researcher: Vasileia Karasavva (Graduate Student) and Dr. Amori Mikami (Principal Investigator)

Description: If you participate, the study has two parts, both completed online. In Part A (which takes about one hour), you’ll complete questionnaires about your social media use, ADHD symptoms, and beliefs about mental health services. You’ll then be randomly assigned to one of four conditions for one week. Depending on the condition, you may receive short daily videos about ADHD, be sent popular ADHD-related TikToks, be asked to abstain from social media, or be asked to continue your usual habits. One week later, you’ll complete Part B (which also takes about one hour and takes place online), which is a follow-up questionnaire.

Eligibility: To be eligible, you need to be 17 – 25 years old, a UBC student, and suspect or know you have ADHD.

Location: The study is completed online.

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please complete the screening survey at the following link: https://ubc.yul1.qualtrics.com/app/comms-navigator/surveys/SV_8dfbuvrDabvotKK/anonymous-links.

Reimbursement/Time: You will be paid $5 for participating in Part A of the study and $10 for participating in Part B

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted February 21st, 2026

Researcher: Dr. Michael Woodworth (PI), Kassandra Roul (Co-Investigator, Graduate Student) 

Description: This study explores how hate-motivated incidents and crimes are experienced by victims/survivors in British Columbia and how police and community service providers respond to them. Participation involves a) completing a brief online pre-screener survey (approximately 5 minutes), and eligible participants will be invited to take part in b) a confidential 60-90 minute Zoom interview to discuss their experiences seeking support, navigating reporting pathways, and interacting with police and/or community organizations.

Eligibility: You are eligible to participate in this study if you are:  

• Aged 18 years or older
• Living anywhere in British Columbia
• Have personally experienced a hate crime or incident within the past 5 years
• Have personally sought/accessed services from police (e.g., reporting) and/or community agencies (e.g., victim services, settlement services, advocacy, counselling, etc.).

Location: This study is hosted at the University of British Columbia Okanagan; however, all study procedures will take place over Zoom.  

Contact Information: Please complete this short pre-screener form to determine your eligibility: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3K5gf2TydER2mMu

If you have any questions or desire further information with respect to this study, you may contact Kassandra Roul (Kroul@student.ubc.ca) at any time.

Reimbursement/Time: Participation in this study will take approximately 60-90 minutes to complete. Individuals who partake in an interview will receive a $50 honorarium as a thank-you for their time. No compensation is provided for completing the pre-screener alone. Not all individuals who complete the survey will be invited to interview. All participants will be notified of their eligibility by the end of April 2026.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted February 3rd, 2026

Researcher: Dr. Raymond Lam, Department of Psychiatry

Description:The UBC Mood Disorders Centre at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health is recruiting for a feasibility study exploring the use of two separate non-medication treatments, light therapy and ion therapy, as maintenance treatment in major depression. We are interested in exploring factors affecting the two treatments as maintenance treatments (to help prevent the return of symptoms) instead of medications in people with Major Depressive Disorders who wish to stop their antidepressant treatment.

Participation would include daily use of a bright light device or ion device provided by our clinic for 6 months, as well as regularly completing self-rated scales and meeting the study doctor for assessments. However, half of the treatment devices have been modified so that they are inactive (placebo). You have a 1 in 2 chance (like flipping a coin) of receiving an active or an inactive device.

Eligibility:

We are looking for people who

• are 19-65 years old
• meet criteria for major depressive disorder (not bipolar disorder)
• are currently taking an antidepressant, with no dose change in the past month
• are interested in stopping your antidepressant
• are feeling well (no longer depressed), according to a clinical interview
• do not have a seasonal pattern of depressive episodes (seasonal affective disorder)
• do not have any other major medical or psychiatric conditions
• do not have a problem with substance use currently or within the past 6 months.

Location: UBC Mood Disorders Centre, at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health

Contact information: Research coordinator, Lam.MDDResearch2@ubc.ca / 604-822-8012, https://app.reachbc.ca/project/study/424

Reimbursement/Time: $15 per visit (1-2 hours)

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted March 31, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Lawrence Ward (PI)

Description: This experiment will explore how people process visual stimuli. It will involve viewing and responding to visual stimuli presented on a computer screen. You will receive weak electrical stimulation on the scalp. Your eye movements will be monitored.

Eligibility: Must be 18-35 years old.

Location: The experiment will be conducted in the Psychophysics and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (Kenny Building)

Contact Information: Email Mehak Dhaliwal at wardlab (at) psych.ubc.ca to organize a time to participate.

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $10.00 for each hour of participation. The study will take approximately 2 hours to complete on each of two separate occasions.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 3, 2025. Updated May 31, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Dinesh Pai (Principal Investigator), Wendy Greening, Ashika Kamboj, and Ganidhu Abeysirigoonawardena (Research Assistants).

Description: This study aims to investigate facial muscle activity and eye movements during simple facial expressions and eye movement tasks. Participants will wear non-invasive facial sensors while performing facial expressions and eye movements while viewing a computer monitor. Eye movements and facial movements will be recorded using eye-tracking and video-based motion capture systems.

Eligibility:  You may be able to participate in this study if:

• Adults between 19 and 70 years old.
• Have normal vision without wearing eyeglasses (can view a monitor at 1m) and normal hearing.
• Do not have thick facial hair that obstructs the forehead or upper cheek.
• Do not have a history of facial nerve dysfunction or movement disorders affecting facial muscle activity or eye movements.
• Must be able to understand spoken and written English instructions and perform the required facial expressions and eye movement tasks.

Location: Room X527, ICICS/CS Building, 2366 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, UBC Vancouver campus.

Contact information: To participate, please email face-study@cs.ubc.ca with your availability.

Reimbursement/Time: The study session will take approximately 1 hour. Participants will receive $20 CAD reimbursement for their participation.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted September 11th, 2026.

Researcher: Christian Schütz, PhD, MD, MPH, FRCPC (PI);  Kalina Christoff, PhD; Stefanie Todesco, PhD Student

Description: The main purpose of this study is to assess a new method to study e-cigarette users’ experience of craving. To do this, you will be asked questions about your craving regularly while watching film clips.

Eligibility:

The study team will determine your eligibility based on your responses to a survey and through potential follow-up assessments completed via phone or in-person, if required. You may be able to participate in this study if you:

1. Are between 21 and 35 years old at the start of the study
2. Use e-cigarettes containing nicotine ≥ 5 (greater than or equal to) days/week for at least 1 year
3. Can verify e-cigarette use status with a saliva test
4. Willing to abstain from any nicotine use for ≥12 (greater than or equal to) hours prior to 2nd visit
5. Are not actively trying to quit or cut down on your level of e-cigarette use
6. Are able to provide informed consent
7. Are able to complete assessments in English

Location: If you agree to take part in this study, you will first need to complete an online survey to determine your eligibility. You may be contacted by phone or email to arrange completion of some follow-up questions (questions will be completed via phone interview). If you are then invited to and agree to participate in-person sessions, you will complete 2 in-person sessions at the University of British Columbia.

Contact Information: Please contact our research team at brainlab.scans@ubc.ca to express interest or for questions/concerns.

Reimbursement/Time: Session 1: 1 hour; $20; Session 2: 1.5 hours; $30

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted May 18, 2026.

Researcher: Lakshmi Yatham (Principal Investigator), Vy Ngo (Research Coordinator)

Description: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of single-dose psilocybin (25 mg)-assisted therapy in comparison to active placebo (1 mg micro-dose) psilocybin-assisted therapy in patients with bipolar II depression who have already tried two treatment options for their current episode of depression. Participants will have a total of 11 study visits (including 5 therapy sessions) over a period of up to 16 weeks. Compensation will be provided for participation. The assignment to 25 mg vs 1 mg group is random, and neither the participant nor the study staff will know to which treatment group the participant has been assigned.

Eligibility:

Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible to participate:

• Aged 19 to 65 years, inclusive.
• Diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder.
• Currently experiencing a depressive episode.
• Have tried at least 2 treatments at a therapeutic dose for the current depression, for a minimum of 6 weeks each.
• Otherwise generally healthy.

Individuals meeting any of the following criteria are not eligible to participate in this trial:

• Recent (past 6 months) use of any psychedelic drugs (e.g., psilocybin-containing mushrooms, ketamine, LSD).
• Alcohol/substance use disorder within the past 6 months.
• Are pregnant or lactating.

Location: Mood Disorders Centre (2^nd floor of UBC Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health), 2215 Wesbrook Mall.

Contact information: Please email or call the study coordinator at bipolar.research@ubc.ca or (604) 822-3769.

Reimbursement/Time: The total time commitment required for the study is approximately 24-30 hours and participants will be compensated for their time and travel expenses.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted July 30th, 2026.

Researcher: Ziyi (Kaseya) Xia (Contact, Graduate Research Assistant), Dr. Robert Xiao (PI)

Description: We are conducting a VR research study on virtual haptics interaction, exploring how physical and virtual spaces can be merged to create more natural, embodied experiences. Participants will wear a Meta Quest 3 headset and complete guided tasks such as touching virtual targets on a real table and rating their embodiment level, followed by a short survey and brief interview. No prior VR experience is required.

Eligibility:

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-50 years old

• Be able to communicate in English

• If you need to wear glasses to see, your glasses need to be less than 142mm in width and 50mm in height to fit into the VR headset. Or you would have to wear contacts when participating.

· Exclusion Criteria:

• Blindness and Deafness

Location: ICICS 509x

Contact information: Kaseya Xia (zxia0101@cs.ubc.ca)

Reimbursement/Time: Your participation will take approximately 1h and will be done in our lab in the ICICS building. You will be compensated $16 for your participation.

Study End Date: September 10th, 2026

Researcher: Dr. Raymond Lam, Department of Psychiatry

Description:The UBC Mood Disorders Centre at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health is recruiting for a feasibility study exploring the use of two separate non-medication treatments, light therapy and ion therapy, as maintenance treatment in major depression. We are interested in exploring factors affecting the two treatments as maintenance treatments (to help prevent the return of symptoms) instead of medications in people with Major Depressive Disorders who wish to stop their antidepressant treatment.

Participation would include daily use of a bright light device or ion device provided by our clinic for 6 months, as well as regularly completing self-rated scales and meeting the study doctor for assessments. However, half of the treatment devices have been modified so that they are inactive (placebo). You have a 1 in 2 chance (like flipping a coin) of receiving an active or an inactive device.

Eligibility:

We are looking for people who

• are 19-65 years old
• meet criteria for major depressive disorder (not bipolar disorder)
• are currently taking an antidepressant, with no dose change in the past month
• are interested in stopping your antidepressant
• are feeling well (no longer depressed), according to a clinical interview
• do not have a seasonal pattern of depressive episodes (seasonal affective disorder)
• do not have any other major medical or psychiatric conditions
• do not have a problem with substance use currently or within the past 6 months.

Location: UBC Mood Disorders Centre, at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health

Contact information: Research coordinator, Lam.MDDResearch2@ubc.ca / 604-822-8012, https://app.reachbc.ca/project/study/424

Reimbursement/Time: $15 per visit (1-2 hours)

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted March 31, 2026.

Researcher: Christopher Gray (student lead), Nicola Hodges (Principal Investigator)

Description: Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate the influences of perception on our own motor system. In this research study, we examine motor reactions to images of famous tennis and soccer players.

Eligibility: 

– Between ages 18-50 years old

– Identify as male

– Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

– No existing injury to the dominant hand and foot

– No known neurological disorders

– Must be able to understand and speak English

– Must be familiar with famous tennis and soccer players

Location: Room 2105, 5955 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Gateway Building). https://maps.ubc.ca/?code=GWHB

Contact Information: If you meet the requirements and are interested, please email cgray06@student.ubc.cawith “Famous Faces Study” in the email subject line. You will receive a pre-screen survey to complete prior to testing.

Reimbursement/Time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 45 minutes. A $15 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted May 7 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Joan Ongchoco

Description: You will be asked to do computer-based tasks that will involve responding to shapes, images, and/or tones using the keyboard and mouse. This study will take place at Kenny 3203. You can knock and the researcher will come out to get you set-up!

Eligibility: 18-35 years old, normal or corrected-to-normal vision, must be fluent in English. Should be able to do computer-based tasks.

Location: Room 3203 (third floor), Douglas T. Kenny Building, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

Contact Information: To participate, please email the Research Assistants at ubcperception@gmail.com

Reimbursement/Time: The study will take 60mins and the participant will be reimbursed through a CAD $15 Amazon gift card.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted May 1, 2026.

Researcher: Jeremy Thomas (Graduate Student), Yoyo Luk (Student), Dr. Hyosub Kim (Principal Investigator)

Description: We are looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study on motor skills. We are interested in how cognition supports human skill automatization, which is the process by which humans transition from being slow and deliberative to being fast at executing motor skills. Testing will involve making reaching movements over a graphics tablet in a simple video game-like setting, while we measure reach movement trajectories.

Eligibility: 

• Healthy volunteers aged 18 – 35 years old
• No known history of neurological impairment
• Normal to corrected-to-normal vision (i.e., 20/20 with glasses or contacts)
• You are able to comfortably make reaching movements up to 25 cm while holding on to stylus (i.e., pen) or robot handle

In addition, you do not possess or exhibit either of the following:

• Impaired vision that cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses
• Hearing or other motor/sensory deficits

Location: Gateway Health Building, Room 2101 (5955 University Boulevard)

Contact Information: You can contact Yoyo at: yoyoluk@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The study consists of two sessions and will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours per session. Participants will receive a $15 honorarium per session.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 29, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Hee-Yeon Im (PI), Jieun Cho (Post-doc), Erin Chiu (student), Alexis Fong (Research Technician)

Description: We are recruiting participants for a study on visual learning and perception.

You will complete a computer-based task where you will view simple visual patterns and learn to categorize them based on their features. You will receive feedback during learning and complete a short subsequent test with new images. Some individuals may experience eyestrain and/or fatigue. If you are very prone to eyestrain or having trouble staring at a screen for a prolonged amount of time, we ask that you do not sign up for this study.

Eligibility:

• 18 years or older
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
• Fluent in English

Location: Room 4205 (4th Floor), IMM Lab, Kenny Building, UBC Vancouver Campus (2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: Please contact the IMM Lab using immlab.ubc@ubc.ca to coordinate participation or with any further questions.

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $10 CAD for the participation. The experiment will take ~60 mins.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 23, 2026.

Researcher: Kailey McMillan, Chloe Fichter, Dr. Anthony Herdman (PI)

Description: We are currently recruiting participants for a research study at the University of British Columbia (UBC), led by Dr. Anthony Herdman, Ph.D., in the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. The current study explores how people with normal hearing respond to the sounds that are used in a specialized type of hearing test. One of the most common uses of this specialized test is to check the hearing of newborn babies. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to listen to a series of beep and chirp sounds while your brainwaves are scanned with electrodes gently placed on your scalp. We are seeking adult volunteers who meet specific criteria to help us assess the efficacy of these AEP stimuli. If you decide to join the study, you will be asked to participate in the following tests:

• A brief demographics questionnaire.
• A visual examination of your ears (otoscopy).
• A brief hearing screening.
• An auditory brainstem response (ABR) test with different brief tone stimuli

Eligibility:

We are looking for participants who:

• Are between the ages of 19 to 35.
• Do not have any current concerns or complaints about their hearing.
• Have never been diagnosed with a hearing loss.

You will not be eligible to participate if you:

• Are younger than 19 or older than 35.
• Have a history of diagnosed hearing loss, ear infections, auditory processing disorders, or neurological conditions.
• Have recently used or currently using substances that might impact your reaction time.

Location: Woodward Instructional Resources Centre (IRC) on UBC campus.

Contact Information: Please email branelab@audiospeech.ubc.ca if you are interested in participating.

Reimbursement/Time: The study is estimated to take 1.5-2 hours. Participants will receive a gift card as a token of appreciation for your time completing the study

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 18th, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Hee Yeon Im (PI), Dr. Deborah Giaschi (Co- PI), and Alex Cook (Graduate Researcher)

Description:This neuroimaging study (MEG/MRI) seeks to evaluate participants’ learning of new motor movements through a behavioural task. You will first complete a quick visual assessment, and then play a video game in the MEG scanner. The video game involves using a mouse cursor to interact with animated images on the computer monitor. This will be followed by a short MRI scan, where you will be asked to lie in the MRI scanner for 15 minutes.

Eligibility:

• Children aged 6-11
• Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
• No metal in your body

Location: ImageTech Laboratory at Surrey Memorial Hospital (Building A, Level 1, 13750 96 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3V 1Z2)

Contact Information: Please contact Christina at immlab.neuroimging@ubc.ca if you would like to participate or have any questions.

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive an honorarium for helping us out. The study will consist of one visit that takes around 2-2.5 hours.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 15, 2026.

Researcher: Christopher Lamb (PhD candidate) and Dr. Lara Boyd (principal investigator)

Description: Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, which may or may not cause pain and/or other symptoms. Increasing evidence suggests that symptomatic knee osteoarthritis involves changes in how the nervous system transmits and processes information from the knee joint. This study aims to use different tools such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and quantitative sensory testing to assess differences in nervous system sensitivity between individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and individuals without any knee pain.

This study involves a single session in the Brain Behaviour Laboratory at UBC hospital. This will include:

• Filling out a variety of questionnaires
• Pain sensitivity testing at the knee and back of the forearm using quantitative sensory testing
• Measurement of “excitability” of 2 different parts of the brain using TMS

Eligibility: You may be eligible if you:

• Are between 45-80 years old
• Have movement-related knee joint pain
• Do not have TMS contraindications (e.g., cochlear implants, pacemaker, metal implants)
• Do not have any of the following:
  • diagnosis of cognitive impairment
  • history of head trauma, psychiatric diagnosis, neurodegenerative disorder, neurological diagnosis or substance abuse
  • current use of schedule 1 pain medication(s)
  • diagnosed with autoinflammatory condition (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis)
  • leg injury, surgery or injection within 6-months.

Location: UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion (2211 Wesbrook Mall), Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z3

Contact Information: If interested, please reach out to Chris Lamb at clamb02@student.ubc.ca, or Jordan Brocato (lab manager) at 604-827-3369 or brocato@mail.ubc.ca. Alternatively, you can fill out a brief screening survey here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/ form/SV_7aFJZWL7dwwWh9k 

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will be provided with $25 to compensate for time and parking costs. Participants will be required to go through a brief safety screen via email or phone to determine eligibility prior to data collection. Data collection will take place during a single session at UBC hospital and will last 2-3 hours.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 8, 2026.

Researcher: Research coordinators, Dr. Raymond Lam

Description: This study involves standard treatment for depression and randomization into placebo groups. Patients will be treated by a psychiatrist for 12 weeks with an antidepressant medication approved to treat depression. The study will involve a total of 8 in-person visits over 12 weeks.

Throughout the visits, the study will involve 2 x Collection of blood (Baseline, Week 8) 2 x Stool Sample Collection (Baseline, Week 8) 2 x Urine Collection (Baseline, Week 8) 2 x Electroencephalography (EEG) (Baseline, Week 8) 1 x Electrocardiography (ECG) (Screening only) 8 x Clinical assessments done by a psychiatrist (at each week study visit)

Eligibility: Are between 18-65 years of age. Have been diagnosed with depression or suspect you may have depression, and are currently feeling depressed. in activities, change in appetite, poor sleep, fatigue, low self-esteem, and poor concentration. Are willing to take a standard antidepressant medication as treatment for your depression. Are willing to undergo blood/lab tests and brain scans.

Location: UBC Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor), 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3

Contact Information: Research coordinator, Lam.MDDResearch2@ubc.ca/604-822-7804, https://app.reachbc.ca/project/study/356

Reimbursement/Time: To be discussed/12 weeks

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted March 31, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Hee Yeon Im (PI), Victor Cui (MSc student), Gursahil Purba (student), Rundong Wang (student), Alexis Fong (Research Technician)

Description: Ensemble coding refers to the brain’s ability to rapidly and efficiently extract summary statistics or overall patterns from a group of visual elements, rather than processing each individual item in detail. For example, instead of analyzing every single face in a crowd separately, we can quickly perceive the average emotion or identity of the group. This mechanism allows for the global perception of complex visual scenes, helping us make sense of cluttered environments at a glance. In the first part of the study, participants will watch a clip with multiple actors depicting different emotions and evaluate the intensity of their overall emotion. In the second part, participants will watch a series of dynamic emotional clips and then evaluate the intensity and identify the emotional categories.

Eligibility:

•  18 years or older
• Fluent in English

Location: Room 4205 (4th Floor), IMM Lab, Kenny Building, UBC Vancouver Campus (2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: Please contact the IMM Lab using immlab.ubc@ubc.ca to coordinate participation or with any further questions.

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $10 CAD for the participation. The experiment will take ~60 mins.

Study End Date: Ongoing.

Researcher: Dr. Douglas Sladen (Principal Investigator), Asha Hui (Research Student)

Description: We are conducting a study to explore how well children understand speech in virtual reality (VR) environment. We are looking for children with typical hearing between the ages of 8-14. During the study session, we will ask the child to wear VR goggles and listen to sentences whilst noise is playing in the background, and to repeat the sentences back. Following this, the child will be asked to rate how similar VR is to real life on a scale between 0 and 10 with 0 being “not similar” and 10 being “very similar”.

Eligibility: You are eligible to participate in this study if you are:  

• Between the ages of 8-14
• Have normal hearing in both ears
• Use English as a primary language

Location: This study is located in the Friedman Building (2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3) on UBC campus.

Contact Information: If interested, please email ashahui@student.ubc.ca or fill out this interest form (https://rc.med.ubc.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=FYJERPKKD7NAMLPE).

Reimbursement/Time: The anticipated study duration will be one hour. A $30 amazon gift card will be provided upon completion of the study. 

Study End Date: February 19, 2027. 

Researcher: Dr Miriam Spering (Principal investigator), Abibat Akande, Anthony Herdman

Description: We are looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study on audiovisual multisensory integration on manual interception. If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to look at a moving object on a screen and follow its motion with your eyes. You will also be asked to intercept it by hitting it on the screen with your finger. 

Eligibility:  To participate, you must fulfill the following requirements:

• be between 19-49 years old.
• have normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity.
• do not have hard contact lenses.
• have no history of neurological disease (such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, trauma to the head, including a concussion within 12 months of the study).
• have no history of eye disease (such as strabismus or amblyopia, known a “lazy eye”)
• do not have an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator.
• have no history of psychiatric disease (such as schizophrenia or depression).

Location: The study location is 2366 Main Mall, Computer Science building, ICICS Room X715, UBC campus.

Contact Information: Please email Abibat: akande02@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The experiment consists of a single session lasting up to 90 minutes. You will be compensated $10/hour in cash upon completion of this study. 

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted February 3rd, 2026

Researcher: Dr. Jennifer Coelho (UBC, local PI), Dr. Linda Booij (Douglas Mental Health Institute, PI)

Description: The aim of the study is to investigate brain processes in a large sample of youth with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), and reversibility of AN-associated brain changes in remission. Participants will complete questionnaires at 4 time points and undergo an MRI scan and clinical interview at the start of the study, and after 12 months.

Eligibility: Youth 12-18 years old of any ethnicity, gender, or sex,  who are in good physical health with no mental health problems or a personal/family history of eating disorders. Youth must not have any MRI contraindications (e.g. no orthodontic braces, pacemaker, stents etc.). Eligibility screening will be conducted with a research assistant.

Location: BC Children’s Hospital (4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: Please email edresearch@bcchr.ca and a research assistant will be in contact with you.

Reimbursement/Time: Participation involves four appointments:

• Appointment 1 (in-person): MRI scan, questionnaires, and interview
• Appointment 2 (virtual): Questionnaires
• Appointment 3 (virtual): Questionnaires
• Appointment 4 (in-person): MRI scan, questionnaires, and interview

Participants will receive $60 for appointments 1 and 4, and $25 after completing the questionnaires at appointment 2 and 3. In total they will receive $170 for their participation.

Study End Date: December 2026

Researcher: Tamara Vanderwal (PI), Daria Hammond (RA)

Description: Researchers at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute are seeking healthy children for a Movie fMRI Test-Retest Study. We are interested in testing a new method of MRI brain scan alignment in children. Participants will watch G-rated movie clips during an MRI brain scan and complete a series of tasks and games.

Eligibility:

• ​Children ages 6-12
• No neurological or psychiatric disorders
• Not taking any medications that affect the brain.
• Fluent in English.
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision.

Location: BC Children’s Hospital (4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: If you’re interested in and meet eligibility criteria, please contact movielab@bcch.ca or fill out our participant interest form (https://rc.bcchr.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=CDE893KT739JPN3E).

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will first take part in a virtual screening session. If they are eligible, participants will complete 2 study sessions at BC Children’s Hospital, each about 3 hours long. They will receive $60 compensation, as well as an image of their brain. 

Study End Date: October 31st, 2026.

Researcher: Lakshmi Yatham (Principal Investigator), Shannon Reid (Research Coordinator)

Description: This study is examining whether cannabidiol (also known as CBD) is effective in treating episodes of depression in people diagnosed with bipolar disorder when added to their regular medications for 6 weeks. Participants visit the clinic for a screening visit and a baseline visit, as well as visits at week 2, 4, and 6 to complete clinical assessments with a study doctor, laboratory tests, and answer questionnaires. Eligible participants will receive either placebo (i.e. an inactive substance) or 200-600mg of CBD to take daily for 6 weeks. The assignment to placebo vs CBD group is random, and neither the participant nor the study staff will know to which treatment group the participant has been assigned.

Eligibility: Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible to participate:

·         Aged 19-70 years

·         Diagnosed with bipolar disorder

·         Currently experiencing depression

·         Currently taking medication for mood stabilization (e.g. lithium, epival/valproate, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole, ziprasidone, and/or lamotrigine)

Individuals meeting any of the following criteria are not eligible to participate in this trial:

·         Current or past month daily use of CBD/cannabis

·         Have met criteria for an alcohol/substance use disorder within the past 6 months

·         Are pregnant or lactating

Location: Mood Disorders Centre (2^nd floor of UBC Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health), 2215 Wesbrook Mall

Contact Information: Please email or call the study coordinator at bipolar.research@ubc.ca or (604) 822-8045

Reimbursement/Time: The total time commitment required for the study is approximately 7-8 hours over 8-10 weeks, and participants will be compensated for their time and travel expenses.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted October 31, 2023; updated October 13, 2026

Researcher: Dr. Rosie Shrout (PI)  

Description:

We are looking for breast cancer survivors to participate in a study exploring how relationships and stress affect health during survivorship. Survivors can participate individually or as a couple with their romantic partner. Researchers are interested in relationships that are going well and those that are having difficulties. You do not need to be in a relationship to participate in this study.

This study has multiple ways to participate, depending on interests and availability. Participation could involve an online survey followed by a seven-day diary study with short questionnaires on a mobile app; this portion of the study can be completed individually or as a couple. As a couple, you may also complete a visit with researchers that can be completed virtually or in person at the University of British Columbia.

Eligibility:  You may be able to participate in this study if:

• You are a female breast cancer survivor (stage I-III)
• For couples, those who are living together are eligible

Location: Online and Douglas T. Kenny Building, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4  

Contact information: Please fill out this screening survey if you are interested in participating: https://flex.redcap.ubc.ca/surveys/?s=7ARKAY3J3LNXY9AD 

Please reach out to us over email if you have any questions: relationshipsandhealthlab@psych.ubc.ca  

Reimbursement/Time: If participating individually, you may earn up to $50. If participating as a couple, you may each earn up to $125 ($250 per couple).  

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted August 26th, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Dongwook Yoon (Principal Investigator). Shuna Zhu (Research Assistant).

Description: This UBC study aims to understand how people seek relationship advice from generative AI. Participation involves completing a brief online screening survey. If selected, participants will take part in a paid 60-minute semi-structured interview. The interview will explore what motivated them to turn to AI for relationship advice, how they used AI, and how they felt about it. The interview may be conducted via Zoom or in person at the UBC Vancouver campus.

Eligibility:

• Have used generative AI to seek relationship advice (e.g., advice about starting a relationship, dating, marriage, ending a relationship, etc.).
• At least 19 years old
• Must be able to communicate in English and have access to a computer with internet for the screening survey and (if applicable) Zoom interview.

If you are interested in participating, please fill out our pre-screening survey linked here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_enU6VvlWQ1XZ7IW

Location: Those who are selected from our pre-screening survey will participate in interviews conducted in person at the Department of Computer Science, ICICS Building (2366 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4), UBC Vancouver campus or online via Zoom depending on your preference.

Contact information: To participate, please complete the screening survey at https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_enU6VvlWQ1XZ7IW. If you have any questions, please contact Shuna Zhu at szhu43@cs.ubc.ca.

Reimbursement/Time: The screening survey takes approximately 2 minutes. The interview takes approximately 60 minutes. Participants who participate in the interview will receive $25 CAD via electronic transfer.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted August 5th, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. S. Evelyn Stewart

Description: We’re recruiting for a 12-week clinical trial of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory celecoxib as an add-on to current usual treatment in children and youth. Participants do not need to stop current medications or treatments in order to enroll. After the screening process, participants will be randomized to either Celecoxib or placebo for 12 weeks. Study tasks include two blood draws, a diagnostic interview, online surveys, and 3 visits with a study physician.

Eligibility:

We are looking for people who

• Live in BC
• 7-18 years old
• Clinical diagnosis of OCD
• Further eligibility criteria will be determined during the screening process after initial contact

Location: Participation can take place either virtually over Zoom or on-campus at BC Children’s Hospital.

Contact information: If you are interested in participating, please contact the study team at aceocd@bcchr.ca

Reimbursement/Time: $25 digital gift card after the first two study appointments (1-2 hours each), $50 digital gift after the final appointment (1-2 hours). Approximate participation time of 5-7 hours across 14-16 weeks.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted July 9, 2026.

Researcher: Anam Bashir and Dr. Julia Harten

Description: Researchers at UBC are studying the real experience of renting a basement suite — the affordability, the everyday conditions, and what it means to call a basement home. Your experience matters and deserves to be heard.

Eligibility: Currently living or have lived (for at least 6 months) in a basement suite (NOT ground level) in the City of Vancouver or Surrey. 

Location: in-person (place of convenience for the participant) or online

Contact Information: anamb@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time:

• $25 Gift Card

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted June 27, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. Dongwook Yoon (Principal Investigator), Gale Chen

Description: We are a research group at the University of British Columbia, and we are looking for LGBTQ+ youth and parents of LGBTQ+ youth to participate in a paid research study.

Our research investigates how LGBTQ+ youth and their parents envision digital tools for strengthening parental support. Participants will take part in a 1-hour interview followed by a 2-hour co-design session. Both sessions will be in person at the UBC campus (preferred) or on Zoom. Participants will discuss their relationship and brainstorm ideas for digital tools tailored to their specific needs. The Principal Investigator for this study is Dr. Dongwook Yoon.

Eligibility:

• Youth should identify as LGBTQ+ and are between the ages of 14 and 24.
•   Parents should be the parent of a LGBTQ+ youth between the ages of 14 to 24.
• You must be comfortable participating in English.

Please note that we are not recruiting participants in pairs — youth can participate without their parent, and vice versa.

Location: The study is conducted in-person at the UBC Vancouver campus in the Department of Computer Science (preferred) or on Zoom. The total time is 3 hours per person.

Contact Information:

Gale Chen

galesc@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive a $30/hr compensation for participating in a 1-hour interview, and a 2-hour co-design session. Maximum compensation is $90 per participant. For in-person participation, public transportation and parking costs will be reimbursed with receipt.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted June 15, 2026.

Researcher: Dr. S. Evelyn Stewart (PI)

Description: Anxiety disorders can significantly interfere with youth’s lives, so it is important to better understand how and why these disorders develop through mechanisms like genetics. To better understand the development of anxiety disorders among youth, we need to include larger samples of youth in current genetic research.
Participants in the GAYA study will complete questionnaires online, provide a DNA saliva sample, and play two phone games on the GAYA app.You can complete this study entirely at home if you wish, and you will be able to complete the study in less than 45 minutes.

Eligibility:

– 10-19 years of age

– Speak English

– Able to use a smartphone

Location: Online or at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
938 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please contact the study team at GAYA@bcchr.ca.

Reimbursement/Time: What participants will be paid $15 after completing the study. The study would take approximately 45 minutes to complete

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 10, 2024; updated October 13, 2026