New Startup From UBC PhD Aims to Fix What’s Broken in Academia

Key Highlights:

  • UBC Okanagan PhD launches PositionScale to address systemic issues in academic research labs, including mentorship gaps, burnout, and lack of institutional support.

  • The startup debuts with the 2025 National Research Experience Report, the first of its kind to quantify lab culture challenges across Canada’s universities.

  • PositionScale offers data-driven consulting and tools to help PIs build healthier, more effective labs—and has already gained traction following global attention on academic burnout from a DW Documentary.

VANCOUVER, BC, April 24, 2025 – A groundbreaking new company, PositionScale, has officially launched and aims to transform Canada’s academic research system. Founded by a microbiome researcher and published PhD, the startup debuts with a first-of-its-kind report that exposes mentorship gaps, mental health concerns, and systemic inefficiencies in university labs across the country.

PositionScale addresses these challenges head-on by providing tailored support services to enhance laboratory operations, mentorship effectiveness, and institutional support systems. The urgency of this work has been amplified by widespread public concern over academic working conditions, spotlighted in a recent DW Documentary as well as numerous emerging stories that detail the abuse, burnout, and systemic dysfunction plaguing university research labs globally.

PositionScale directly responds to this growing crisis with a clear, evidence-backed mandate for change. Leveraging extensive national survey data, the 2025 National Research Experience Report identifies critical gaps in academic research environments, highlighting areas such as lab culture, mentorship quality, mental health, and career development.

The comprehensive report reveals that while many research labs provide supportive environments, significant challenges remain. Nearly 28% of researchers report unsupportive or toxic lab cultures, and over one-third experience insufficient mentorship. Furthermore, nearly half of surveyed researchers identified substantial gaps in training, specifically in experimental methods, data analysis, and scientific writing.

“Great research starts with great lab culture,” says PositionScale’s Director of Research, Dr. Negin Kazemian. “Our mission is to transform research environments by equipping PIs and institutions with strategic insights and practical solutions to foster collaboration, streamline operations, and enhance researcher well-being.”

Dr. Kazemian brings deep academic expertise to the role. A long-time scholar at UBC Okanagan, she earned her undergraduate, master’s, and PhD degrees at the institution. She has authored 12 peer-reviewed publications, contributed a chapter to a published academic textbook, and her research has been cited over 788 times. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship and has been featured in media outlets including CBC, ScienceDaily, and UBC News:

PositionScale’s innovative approach combines targeted mentorship programs, structured operational frameworks, and comprehensive training solutions designed explicitly for research laboratories. By prioritizing researcher well-being and professional growth, PositionScale aims to significantly increase productivity, retention, and research quality.

The launch of PositionScale comes at a critical time as academia increasingly recognizes the need for improved institutional support and mentorship structures. Universities across Canada can now access PositionScale’s solutions, which aim to address the challenges highlighted in the report and cultivate environments where researchers thrive.

For more information about PositionScale and to access the full 2025 National Research Experience Report, visit www.positionscale.com or the company’s Linkedin profile.

About PositionScale

PositionScale is a research services company helping university labs operate smarter, mentor better, and achieve more. Built by researchers, for researchers, PositionScale delivers data-backed insights, mentorship frameworks, and operational tools that support Principal Investigators (PIs) in managing people, projects, and compliance more effectively. Through its consulting services, national reports, and lab management resources, PositionScale empowers academic teams to improve culture, reduce inefficiencies, and unlock the full potential of their research environments. Learn more at www.positionscale.com.

Media Inquiries

Reuben Mann
Strategic Advisor
PositionScale
reuben@positionscale.com
+1 (778) 818-0180

Negin Kazemian, PhD
Founder and Director of Research
PositionScale
negin@positionscale.com
+1 (250) 859-1546