Assistant Professor (Partner), UBC Department of Psychiatry
Associate Medical Director of Supportive Care, BC Cancer
Email: johnjose.nunez@ubc.ca
Short Biography
Dr. John-Jose Nunez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia and the Associate Medical Director for Supportive Care at BC Cancer. He is dual trained as a subspecialist psychiatrist in cancer psychiatry and treatment-resistant mood disorders, and as a computational scientist, holding an MD and MSc in Computer Science from UBC. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (Psychiatry) and a graduate of the Department’s Residency Program Research Track. He was a two-time IMH Marshall Fellow (2022/23 and 2023/24), supported by the UBC Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the BC Cancer Foundation. He is an active member of national and international research networks, including CREST.BD, the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, the Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression, and the Multinational Association for Supportive Cancer Care.
Research Focus
Dr. Nunez’s research applies artificial intelligence, big data analysis, and other computational methods to improve mental health and supportive cancer care. His lab develops and evaluates approaches including structured machine learning and natural language processing, with a focus on real-world clinical data such as clinical documents, patient-generated text, and symptom and quality-of-life scales. The work spans predictive modeling (e.g., risk stratification, outcome prediction) and generative applications (e.g., decision support and navigation tools), and covers the full pipeline from method development through clinical validation, implementation, and direct engagement with patients, caregivers, and clinicians. Through collaborations with BC Cancer, UBC Psychiatry, the Department of Computer Science, and the UBC Data Science Institute, the lab advances AI that meaningfully supports patients across the mental health and supportive cancer care continuum, positioning UBC Psychiatry as a leader in computational psychiatry and digital mental health innovation.
