Providence Research Profiles: Dr. Scott Tebbutt

Providence Research is home to many outstanding researchers engaged in groundbreaking work. In our Providence Research Profiles series, we spotlight some of the remarkable individuals contributing to our research community. This month, we are profiling Dr. Scott Tebbutt, the newly appointed Director, Research at Providence Research.

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Dr. Scott Tebbutt

Providence Research is home to many outstanding researchers engaged in groundbreaking work. In our Providence Research Profiles series, we spotlight some of the remarkable individuals contributing to our research community. This month, we are profiling Dr. Scott Tebbutt, the newly appointed Director, Research at Providence Research.

In addition to this new role, Dr. Tebbutt is a Principal Investigator and Director of Education with the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (HLI), the Chief Executive Officer of the Prevention of Organ Failure (PROOF) Centre of Excellence, and a Professor in the Respiratory Division of the University of British Columbia’s Department of Medicine.

In this well-deserved new role, Dr. Tebbutt will apply his extensive experience and expertise to support Providence Research’s vision and mission as outlined in the Discovery Forward Strategic Plan

Dr. Scott Tebbutt’s research is focused on molecular understanding of diseases and biomarker development

Dr. Tebbutt knew that he wanted to be a scientist since he was a child, when his interest in genetics was spurred by his curiosity while working on a farm. He received a degree in biochemistry at Oxford, then completed a PhD in plant molecular biology at the University of East Anglia’s John Innes Centre. He then returned to Oxford, and to human biology, for a postdoctoral fellowship focused on cystic fibrosis.

He was recruited to the University of Otago in New Zealand as a Research Fellow. At that time, the initial results of the Human Genome Project and the new tools of microarray technology were beginning to enable high-dimensional profiling of genes and genomes.

“It was this big revolution in biology, where it was hypothesis-generating, rather than hypothesis-testing, because you’re literally able to test almost the entire output of the human genome using these new devices,” says Dr. Tebbutt. He was recruited by Dr. Peter Paré to join the HLI and continue his work with microarrays, developing disease-focused applications.

His research focuses on understanding diseases and other health conditions at the molecular and cellular levels. His publications cover topics including inflammatory lung disorders, allergic rhinitis, heart failure, and newborn vaccine responses. One such study that will soon come to fruition is a clinical validation of a biomarker blood test for heart transplant rejection.

Dr. Tebbutt is driven in his work as a researcher both by curiosity and the ability to help people.

“The ability to marry helping people and health care with scientific curiosity - that is a very powerful, engaging and compelling combination,” says Dr. Tebbutt.

Role as Director, Research

In Dr. Tebbutt’s role as Director, Research, he will be supporting research activities within Providence, leading initiatives to enhance the integration of research and clinical care, and helping to ensure the organization is working towards the goals of its strategic plan.

Drawing on his experience as the HLI’s Director of Education, he will be supporting greater collaboration between existing training programs at Providence Research, enhancing learning by connecting trainees across different research centres.

He will additionally be continuing the work of previous Research Director, Dr. Mari DeMarco, with the biobanks at Providence Research, particularly surrounding the wider rollout of the OpenSpecimen database. 

Dr. Tebbutt will also be involved in the continued development of the Clinical Support and Research Centre (CSRC) at the new St. Paul’s Hospital, strategizing how to best optimize researchers’ abilities to work at the new site and create new opportunities for collaboration. 

He will help Providence Research prepare to move to the new building while continuing to push forward patient-oriented, cutting-edge research.

“We’re going to be at a big, brand-new hospital and brand-new research and clinical support building. How do we best utilize this amazing opportunity?” asks Dr. Tebbutt.