Lucy Marzban, DMLS, PhD

College of Pharmacy research themes

  • Translational pharmacotherapy
  • Molecular biotherapeutics

Research affiliations

Principal Investigator, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Keywords

  • Beta‐cell death
  • Cell signaling
  • Diabetes pathogenesis
  • Islet amyloid
  • Islet biology
  • Islet inflammation
  • Islet transplantation
  • Molecular pharmacology

Research summary

Diabetes results from dysfunction and loss of insulin producing β-cells which reside in islets of Langerhans (small endocrine clusters) in pancreas. Islet transplantation has provided a promising approach for β-cell replacement in diabetes but is currently limited by short supply and post-transplant loss of islets. Dr. Marzban’s research program focuses on understanding how β-cells normally function and why they die in diabetes or following transplantation. Specifically, her group aims to identify the mechanisms by which protein aggregates called islet amyloid destroy β-cells. The ultimate goal of Dr. Marzban’s research is to develop new therapies to prevent or slow the onset of diabetes and enhance long-term survival of islet grafts.

Biography

Dr. Marzban is currently an associate professor at the College of Pharmacy. Prior to joining UM, she was an assistant and associate professor, University of British Columbia (UBC).

Education

  • DMLS, faculty of medicine (UTMS)
  • PhD, faculty of pharmaceutical sciences (UBC)
  • Postdoctoral fellowships from the faculty of medicine (UBC) and medical genetics (University of Geneva)

Awards

  • Killam Prize, faculty of medicine, UBC (2016)
  • Dental program (year 1) Student Teaching Award, UBC faculty of dentistry (2011 and 2014)
  • Pharmacy program (year 4) Student Teaching Award, UBC faculty of pharmaceutical sciences (2009)
  • Diabetes Canada (formerly Canadian Diabetes Association) New Investigator Award
  • Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) fellowship
  • Diabetes Canada (formerly Canadian Diabetes Association) fellowship
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research transplant fellowship
  • European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes fellowship
  • Bertram Hoffmeister fellowship
  • Outstanding Achievement By A Postdoctoral Fellow Award, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research graduate studentship

ORCID profile

Visit Lucy Marzban's ORCID profile for a complete listing.

Lucy Marzban's profile

Contact us

College of Pharmacy
Apotex Centre
750 McDermot Ave W
University of Manitoba (Bannatyne campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5 Canada

pharmacy@umanitoba.ca
204-474-9306
204-789-3744