Dr. Granville’s research program over the past 20 years has been focused on mechanisms by which tissues are injured and identifying therapeutic targets that can be exploited to reduce injury and/or promote healing. His research is presently focused on how aging, immobility and diabetes affect tissue injury, inflammation and repair in different types of tissues. Dr. Granville has identified a family of serine proteases, known as Granzymes (Granule-secreted enzymes) that are elevated and contribute to the pathogenesis of conditions associated with impaired healing and inflammation, including autoimmune diseases (eg. multiple sclerosis, discoid lupus erythematosus), pressure/diabetic ulcers, spinal cord injury, cardiovascular, pulmonary and skin injury.

In order to study granzymes in such a diverse set of indications, Dr. Granville has established an extensive network of clinical and scientific collaborators. He is currently taking this research to the next level with respect to translating his discoveries into the development and commercialization of novel, first-in-class therapeutics with the goal of entering the clinic by the end of 2017. Since arriving at UBC, his research has resulted in the filing of 30 patents, of which, all are owned by UBC and licensed to industry, and all include his UBC trainees as co-inventors. He is also the Scientific Founder and serves as the Chief Scientific Officer of the UBC spin-off company, viDA Therapeutics, Inc.