Maira Jimenez, a woman with long brown hair, stands with arms crossed, smiling in a blue suit and pink shirt against a plain light gray background.

Maira Jimenez

Adjunct Faculty

Psychology: Health + Wellness

Vancouver

“Education is not about filling minds, but about igniting curiosity, empathy, and purpose—guiding students to think critically, act ethically, and grow beyond the classroom.”

mjimenezsanchez@adler.edu Connect on LinkedIn

OVERVIEW

With a background in biochemical sciences and education management, Maira focuses on the intersections of biological systems and psychological processes. She teaches Cognitive, Affective, and Biological Basis of Behaviour at Adler University, where she emphasizes inclusive, experiential learning that helps students make meaningful connections across disciplines.

She is currently completing her Ph.D. in experimental medicine at the University of British Columbia. Originally from Mexico, Maira is also engaged in science communication and community outreach, extending her commitment to learning beyond the classroom.

MEMBERSHIPS + ASSOCIATIONS

  • Canadian Association for Gastroenterology (CAG)
  • UBC Experimental Medicine Graduate Student Association – Co-President
  • Gut4Health Microbiome Core – Research Collaborator
  • Falling Walls Female Science Talents (Berlin, Germany)– Intensive Track 2025 Cohort

PRESENTATIONS + PUBLICATIONS

Publications

The gut-skin axis: a bi-directional, microbiota-driven relationship with therapeutic potential

2025 Gut Microbes, 17(1), 2473524
Author(s): Jimenez-Sanchez, M., Celiberto, L. S., Yang, H., Sham, H. P., and Vallance, B. A.
Publication Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2025.2473524

A69 UVB skin exposure modulates intestinal metabolism and host defense

2025 Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, 8(Supplement_1), i27–i28
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M., Yang, H., Sham, H., Dutz, J., and Vallance, B.
Publication Link: https://doi.org/10.1093/jcag/gwae059.069

Self-assembled high molecular weight inulin nanoparticles: Enzymatic synthesis, physicochemical and biological properties

2019 Carbohydrate Polymers, 215, 160–169
Author(s): Jimenez-Sanchez, M., Perez-Morales, R., Goycoolea, F. M., Mueller, M., Praznik, W., Loeppert, R., Bermudez-Morales, V., Zavala-Padilla, G., Ayala, M., and Olvera, C.
Publication Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.03.060

Presentations

Serving as a member of the Mini Med School, a health science youth outreach and public education initiative

2025 Scheduled to take place in Yukon, Canada
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M.

UVB skin exposure modulates intestinal metabolism and host defense

2025 Canadian Digestive Diseases Week – Quebec, Canada (Poster Presentation)
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M., Yang, H., Dutz, J., Sham, H. P., & Vallance, B. A.

UVB on skin exposure modulates intestinal homeostasis in mice

2024 Canadian Digestive Diseases Week – Toronto, Canada (Student Prize Oral Presentation)
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M., Yang, H., Dutz, J., Sham, H. P., & Vallance, B. A.

Advancing Microbiome Research Symposium – Having IMPACTT 3

2023 Having IMPACTT 3: Advancing Microbiome Research Symposium – Canmore, Canada (Poster Presentation)
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M., Yang, H., Dutz, J., Sham, H. P., & Vallance, B. A.

Asian Congress of Nutrition

2019 Asian Congress of Nutrition (ACN) – Indonesia
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M. (Participant)

6th International Conference on Food Factors

2015 6th International Conference on Food Factors – Seoul, South Korea
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M. (Participant)

International Innovative Biotechnology for a Green World and Beyond

2012 International Innovative Biotechnology for a Green World and Beyond – Daegu, South Korea
Author(s): Jimenez Sanchez, M. (Participant)

LEADERSHIP + ENGAGEMENT

  • Co-President of the Experimental Medicine Graduate Student Association at UBC
  • Mini Med School, a public outreach program where I design and deliver hands-on science activities for high school students to promote science in remote communities such as the Yukon.
  • Selected for the Falling Walls Female Science Talents Intensive Track — a highly competitive international program held in Berlin, Germany, where I collaborate with a global network of researchers committed to advancing equity and public engagement in science.

CURRENT RESEARCH + OPPORTUNITIES

My current research focuses on how environmental factors—such as UVB light exposure and diet—affect the gut microbiome and metabolome, and how these changes influence immune responses, mental health, and skin diseases. I explore the gut-brain and gut-skin axes using techniques like metagenomics, metabolomics, and pathway analysis. I am especially interested in the role of the microbiome in chronic inflammatory conditions. I welcome student involvement in data analysis, science communication, and translational research projects. I am also open to interdisciplinary collaborations that bridge microbiology, psychology, education, and public health.