Dr John Schrader MBBS, PhD, FRSC is Director of The Biomedical Research Center (BRC), which he founded in 1986 at the University of British Columbia. Research at the BRC focuses on the immune system and its role in inflammation and tissue regeneration. After completing his clinical training, Dr Schrader gained a PhD in cellular immunology at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Melbourne Australia under Sir Gustav Nossal and did his post-doctoral training at The Rockefeller University under the Nobel Laureate Dr Gerald Edelman. Prior to joining UBC, Dr Schrader was an Assistant Professor at The Rockefeller University, and Head of the Immunoregulation Laboratory at WEHI.

Dr Schrader is a pioneer in the field of cytokines, small hormone -like proteins (such as TNF) that orchestrate the immune system and are key targets in novel therapies for inflammatory diseases like arthritis. His contributions to the field include the characterization of the first cytokine known to act on adult stem cells, interleukin -3, and the finding that interferon gamma, that was thought to be mainly involved with defence against viruses, was an intrinsic regulator of the immune system. The impact of his numerous publications and their influence on his peers is shown by the fact that he has the "Highly cited Scientist" ranking from the Thompson Reuters ISI. Dr Schrader is past President of both the Australian Society for Immunology, and the Canadian Society for Immunology, and is currently Secretary of the International Cytokine Society and Chair of the IUIS Interleukin Nomenclature Sub-committee. His current research interest is in novel antibody-based therapies for arthritis and in the biochemical signals that control cells of the immune system.