Please read the information below regarding our policies for anatomical education & research. Links to downloadable (pdf) application forms for educational and research are located at the bottom of the page, as well as a downloadable version of the departmental policies.
Policies on the Use of Anatomical Material for Teaching and Research
These are the policies for access to donor bodies bequeathed to the Department of Cellular &
Physiological Sciences at the University of British Columbia.
The donation of one’s body to
the University of British Columbia is considered a unique bequest that an individual makes at their time
of death. It is a generous decision, made to further education and research in our community. Under no
circumstances can this gift be commercialized either directly or indirectly. The bodies gifted to UBC
are made available to further research and teaching activities within the faculty. There is an internal
charge to the unit requesting access on a cost-recovery basis to ensure the viability of the Body
Donation Program.
Infectious diseases are a potential threat for everyone involved in the handling and preparation of human remains. Although the Department has adopted policies to reduce risk wherever possible, it is important to note there is still the potential for contact with infectious diseases and appropriate precautions should be taken before handling the donor bodies.
Workshops and research projects that request access to donated bodies must be affiliated with, and run by,
a UBC Department or by UBC Continuing Professional Development on behalf of a UBC unit. Applications that
do not fulfill this criterion will be rejected.
The number of donor bodies we receive at any
given time is highly variable. We recommend that you plan ahead and submit your application at least one
year, and no less than six months in advance of your anticipated need. Since the number of donations
varies from year to year, we may not be able to meet your request in whole or in part.
Your request must fall under one of these two scenarios:
You wish to use donor bodies provided by the Department onsite in the Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences. To
coordinate your request with scheduled classes we strongly suggest that you file an application no less than one year in
advance.
You wish to use donor bodies provided by the Department offsite at
one of the following locations: Vancouver General Hospital Simulation Centre, Centre for Hip Health and
Mobility and Jack Bell.
The Department insists that the donor bodies are handled in a dignified manner and are treated with respect, and in the spirit in
which they were donated. The donors’ remains must be returned to the Department for disposal in accordance with the donation grant.
Timing of the return will be determined in discussion with the Program Manager.
- All donor bodies must be returned to the Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences within 6 months for cremation.
- Any requests to use space in the Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences must be made one year in advance, to provide adequate time to schedule around the undergraduate medical course and other courses held in the Department.
Please fully complete the appropriate form and return it via:
FAX: (604) 827-4209
EMAIL ATTACHMENT: body.program@ubc.ca
MAIL: Anatomical Committee
Dept of Cellular & Physiological Sciences
2350 Health Sciences Mall
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3