Seeking A boon for B.C. Helping immigrant 09 a cure for 12 babies – and 16 physiotherapists chemo brain their moms make the grade

UBC MEDICINE

VOL 8 | NO 2 FALL 2012 THE MAGAZINE OF THE UBC FACULTY OF MEDICINE

heart, lungs and hope

Inside: • Asthma education for a multi-ethnic mosaic • Detecting – and treating – the unpredictable • A hub and spoke for heart patients 06 10

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UBC MEDICINE VOL. 8 | NO. 2 FALL 2012 A publication of the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine, providing news and information for and about Message from the Vice Provost Health and Dean faculty members, students, 03 staff, alumni and friends. Focus on: Heart and Lung Send letters and suggestions Closing the gap in B.C. heart failure care 04 to [email protected] A specialist in detecting – and treating – the unpredictable 06 Distribution inquiries or address corrections: Signals Intelligence: Finding biomarkers for heart and lung ailments 07 [email protected] A “blockbuster” intervention for a multi-ethnic mosaic 08 Editor/Writer Brian Kladko Seeking a cure for “chemo brain” 09 Contributing writer Anne McCulloch Investigations & breakthroughs 10 Additional Research A boon for B.C. babies — and their moms 12 Melissa Carr A new opportunity to learn from others’ last days 13 Daniella Weber New arrivals to the Faculty/New publications 14 Distribution coordinator Elizabeth Kukely Helping immigrant physiotherapists make the grade 16 Design Forging closer ties with the world’s biggest health care system 18 Signals Design Group Inc. www.signals.ca An R&D enthusiast invests in urologic sciences 20 Online at A physician’s exploits summon an outpouring of support 21 http://med.ubc.ca/news/ Testing of stroke strategies gets a boost from a long-time partner 22 ubc-medicine-magazine Bayer Inc. commitment gives rise to the UBC Bleeding Disorders Collaboratory 22 A need expressed, and heard 23 Making a mark: achievements and awards 24 At 10-year mark, faculty’s aboriginal outreach shows its strength 26

Medical alumni news 27 DEAN’S GREETING

UBC MEDICINE 3

Message from the Dean and Vice Provost Health

Among the medical success stories of the past half-century, Sometimes, as in the case of the PROOF Centre’s biomarkers our treatment and prevention of heart and lung disease is near projects, action springs from the realization that a problem can be the top. Canada’s death rate due to respiratory diseases has overcome with enough talent, creative collaboration and tenacity. plummeted – from 59 deaths per 100,000 people in 1960 to an Sometimes, as in the case of BC’s Heart Failure Network, it’s driven estimated 38 in 2009. Mortality rates for ischemic heart disease by the conviction that the status quo is simply not good enough. between 1969 and 1999 decreased by 62 per cent and for acute This continuous innovation and improvement are hallmarks of myocardial infarction by 70 per cent. academic medicine, and there are many more opportunities in That good news, however, must be tempered by some sobering cardiology and pulmonology where we can apply it, with realities. Canada’s aging population, the prevalence of poor dietary potentially significant results. habits, the sedentary nature of modern lifestyles, as well as the That is why the Faculty of Medicine has made heart and lung persistent scourge of smoking, mean that the heart and lung health one of its explicit research priorities in its strategic plan. ailments will continue to be a major cause of illness and death. We believe we can make a difference, and with something as Fortunately, this is a battle we are already primed to fight, serious and prevalent as heart and lung disease, every innovation and this issue of UBC Medicine illustrates just a few of the many and improvement has dramatically positive implications for the ways the Faculty of Medicine is not only fighting – but winning. health of our population – in other words, longer, better lives for many more people. Our efforts take many forms, whether it’s developing biomarkers of heart and lung disease, standardizing heart failure care throughout the province, or finding new ways to communicate Gavin C.E. Stuart, MD, FRCSC vital messages to asthma patients. Vice Provost Health, UBC Dean, Faculty of Medicine But just as Canada cannot declare victory on the basis of declining mortality rates from heart and lung disease, these stories should not lull us into complacency. Instead, they should inspire us to do more.

about the cover Illustrating the multi-dimensional talents of UBC’s turbulent airflow in the lungs, and the intimate medical students, this issue’s cover image was created relationship between these two vital organs.” by Cyrus McEachern, MD ‘12, who is currently doing Dr. McEachern, who has done artistic work for BC an anesthesiology residency at McGill University. Transplant, and whose medically-themed work is “I wanted to create a somewhat abstract expression of included in the collection in the 7th floor waiting the beautiful anatomy and physiology at the core of all area of the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care of us,” he explains. “I drew shapes of light and overlayed Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, says, “I am them on a photographic self-portrait to illustrate the passionate about art in medicine, and plan to make electrical conduction of the heart, the laminar and it a substantial part of my career.” FOCUS ON: HEART + LUNG Closing the gaps in BC heart failure care UBC MEDICINE 5

L – R: Andy Ignaszewski and Bonnie Catlin. Photo credit: Brian Kladko

Bruce Hobson, a family practitioner in Powell River, typically needs of special populations (Aboriginal, Chinese, South Asian, has a handful of patients in various stages of heart failure – and the frail elderly) and improving palliative and end-of-life care. one of the most serious conditions he must treat. But until The network adopted a hub-and-spoke service model, with recently, he felt very much alone in caring for them. St. Paul’s serving as the provincial hub supporting clinical Yes, he referred patients to internal medicine specialists when excellence in advanced heart failure care, and each health necessary. But when patients came back to him with a diagnosis authority having one or two regional hubs providing advanced and test results, he was often desperate for guidance. diagnostic capacity and interventional care. Clinics and family practitioners, where the bulk of the care takes place, “I could look it up in a book or look it up online, but there was are the outermost spokes. nothing that was really helpful to me when I was seeing a patient one-on-one,” Dr. Hobson says. That collaboration has already resulted in the development of a heart failure algorithm for primary care physicians – His sense of isolation was broken by BC’s Heart Failure Network, step-by-step, diagrammatic instructions on caring for patients. led by Clinical Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) Andy Ignaszewski, The algorithm and related material are shared with primary provincial clinical nurse specialist for heart failure Bonnie Catlin, care physicians through continuing medical education programs Cardiac Services BC and the five provincial health authorities. and the British Columbia Medical Association’s Practice Support The network is working to ensure that all health care professionals Program, as well as a website (www.bcheartfailure.ca) and are working from the most up-to-date evidence about heart a newsletter. failure, as well as ensuring that patients – no matter where they The network is now developing a pocket reference guide for live in the province – receive the same quality of care and have community nurses when visiting heart failure patients, and equitable access to heart failure services. is establishing competencies for nurses in specialized heart The impetus for the network was motivated by gaps and function clinics. It’s also forging agreement on standardizing discrepancies around B.C. Doctors didn’t know about certain echo-cardiogram referral forms and reporting standards. tests, for example, or didn’t realize they could push up medication Currently, each hospital has its own echo reporting practices doses more quickly than they were accustomed to doing. – for example, how they quantify the ejection fraction, or the “Not to say some are wrong and some are better, but there was volume of blood pumped by each beat – so primary care no consistent standard for care – in how people were diagnosed, doctors often have a hard time making sense of the results in what patients were told to do, in the way patients were that are sent back to them. medically managed, and in dealing with end-of-life issues,” “The results are often not comparable with one another – some says Dr. Ignaszewski, a cardiologist at St. Paul’s Hospital. use a definitive percentage, some use a range,” Dr. Ignaszewski “If you asked me three years ago what happens to a heart says. “The doctors tell me they don’t understand the results, failure patient in the province, I would know what happens which is a waste of time, money and resources.” in some cities, but I wouldn’t know in a lot of places.” The network also has developed standardized education resources The catalyst for the network was a province-wide pooling of for health care professionals, patients and families. Dr. Hobson, an purchasing agreements with manufacturers of pacemakers active member of the network, says he now approaches his heart and defibrillators. Dr. Ignaszewski and other physicians failure patients with a much higher level of confidence – he not convinced the Provincial Panel for Cardiovascular Health – only knows more about what he should do, but also knows when and ultimately, BC Cardiac Services – that standardizing and where to turn for more help. In other words, he feels he is part heart failure care would be the best use of those savings. of an integrated system. A 35-member steering committee began organizing health “Now that there’s standardization of care, better communication care professionals around the province. A set of working groups is going to result, and we will all have a clear direction for were formed, devoted to such issues and tasks as tele-health, medication, education and complications,” he says. “It has data collection, diagnostic imaging, creation of educational made a big difference in my comfort level.” material for health professionals and patients, identifying FOCUS ON: HEART + LUNG

Andrew Krahn, the Sauder Family and Heart and Stroke Foundation Chair in Cardiology and Paul Brunes Professor in Heart Rhythm Disorders. Photo credit: Don Erhardt A specialist in detecting – and treating – the unpredictable

As sudden as cardiac arrest comes on, it’s often a foreseeable In Ontario, Dr. Krahn undertook a national study funded by event, arising from a confluence of risk factors – body weight, the Heart and Stroke Foundation that detected rare genetic diet, diabetes, smoking and lack of exercise. conditions in children and adults who have experienced a sudden cardiac arrest, as well as their family members, who may appear Some cardiac arrests, however, are not only sudden, but completely perfectly healthy. Once a genetic condition, such as “long QT unexpected, striking down otherwise healthy individuals while syndrome,” is identified, a potentially fatal cardiac arrest can they are exercising, playing chess, or even sleeping. be prevented through medication (typically beta-blockers) “This usually isn’t grandpa,” says Andrew Krahn. “This is or implantable defibrillators. the grandchild.” “When you diagnose long QT syndrome in an 18-year-old who Dr. Krahn, the new Head of UBC’s Division of Cardiology, has recently fainted for no apparent reason, the parents are usually devoted much of his career to the daunting task of stopping pretty wound up,” says Dr. Krahn, the President of the Canadian such seemingly random events before they occur. Heart Rhythm Society. “It’s rewarding to let them know that Recruited from the University of Western Ontario to lead cardiology you’ve seen this before, you understand it, and you can treat it.” research and education in B.C., Dr. Krahn is an internationally Now Dr. Krahn is working with Laura Arbour, a Professor of recognized expert in the genetic causes and management of Medical Genetics, to create a similar, province-wide network cardiac arrhythmias, causes of loss of consciousness, and that would refer individuals with inherited arrhythmia – and implantable heart rhythm devices. their relatives – to a clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital or Royal Jubilee Dr. Krahn’s responsibilities for building cardiology research Hospital in Victoria, or use telemedicine technologies to provide and teaching capacity, which he assumed in August, will remote examinations and counseling. Dr. Krahn and Dr. Arbour extend across the entire province. expect that for every individual identified due to an event, such He also will treat patients – mainly through the implantation as loss of consciousness, four more at-risk family members of heart rhythm devices and seeing patients in an emerging will be detected. clinic devoted to inherited heart arrhythmia – and will pursue As head of Cardiology, Dr. Krahn will provide strategic direction his own research into inherited arrhythmias. with the approximately 50 cardiologists at Vancouver General Dr. Krahn’s appointment was made possible by a confluence Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital, with the goal of enhancing of funding sources, including the Heart and Stroke Foundation, their educational programs and building research capacity. the Sauder family, and the B.C. government, which provided the “All of these things – my clinical, research and leadership roles funds for the Sauder Family and Heart and Stroke Foundation – interact to make for a lot of balls in the air, which I enjoy,” Chair in Cardiology; and the Brunes family, the VGH & UBC Hospital Dr. Krahn says. “I might be teaching a resident in the clinic about Foundation and Cardiac Services BC, which provided funds for one of these genetic problems, and in so doing also enrol the the Paul Brunes Professorship, named for a B.C. man who died patient in a research study to pinpoint the genetic cause, or to suddenly of heart disease in 2010, at the age of 31. improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. If I needed any One of the major attractions of the position for Dr. Krahn, who further motivation, the warm welcome I’ve received from the grew up in various towns around B.C., was the chance to create a B.C. cardiovascular community, and its obvious commitment province-wide network of clinics to diagnose and treat people with to excellence in patient care, research and teaching, has inherited arrhythmias – estimated to number about 7,000 in B.C. certainly done the job.” UBC MEDICINE Signals Intelligence 7

The Centre of Excellence for the Prevention of Organ Four years ago, a team of clinician-scientists led by Failure (PROOF Centre), a national Centre of Excellence for Bruce McManus, a Professor in the Department of Commercialization and Research based at St. Paul’s Hospital Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, galvanized around and UBC, has created a pipeline that scans thousands of blood a compelling idea – developing definitive and scalable samples for gene and protein expression signatures that correlate tests to answer questions that now depend on painful, with particular diseases, especially of the heart and lungs. invasive procedures or educated guesses.

Acute rejection: PROOF Centre’s most advanced biomarker set indicates whether a transplanted heart is surviving the patient’s immune system during the first year. If the test, based on the expression of eight genes and the presence of nine proteins, repeatedly comes back negative, a patient Predicting recurrent lung attacks: When patients show up could be spared a painful, somewhat risky heart biopsy, at hospital with acute breathing problems, or “lung attacks,” now a standard procedure for anyone receiving a new heart. it’s difficult for physicians to know if the episode will turn out In a test of more than 200 samples across Canada and inter- to be a rare flare-up, or the beginning of a downward spiral nationally, the test was 99 per cent accurate. PROOF Centre that requires more aggressive treatment, including daily is now starting a larger, clinical study involving 1,000 samples. exercise and respiratory therapy. PROOF Centre is analyzing clinical data and blood samples from 700 patients in the search for signals of the severity of a patient’s lung attack.

Confirming lung attacks: Lung attacks are not so easy to diagnose, and could be easily mistaken for a heart attack, Viable heart tissue: Ventricular assist gradual heart failure, or an embolism. devices (VADs), small pumps implanted PROOF Centre is exploring the possibility in patients with acute heart failure, of a gene expression blood test – based give the heart a break and create the on samples being collected from COPD opportunity for recovery. One PROOF patients who show up at St. Paul’s – that Centre project, still in the discovery stage, would confirm in a short time whether would determine if the heart muscle in a it’s indeed a lung attack. VAD-assisted patient has bounced back enough to allow for removal of the device.

Chronic rejection: Another heart rejection test is aimed at detecting chronic rejection of a transplanted heart, which would take place after a year post-transplant. Systolic vs. diastolic heart failure: A blood Because chronic rejection is a type of “hardening of the test in development would enable general arteries,” the test includes 18 proteins that correlate practitioners to differentiate systolic heart with the degree of blockage in vessels. failure (when the heart muscle becomes weak and baggy) and diastolic heart failure (when it’s thick and stiff). This would allow for more effective use of medications, Predictive test: A rapid, pre-transplant test because the drugs used for systolic failure under development would use gene expression don’t work for diastolic failure. in the donor heart and the recipient’s blood to see if a transplanted heart is more likely to be rejected after a transplant. This knowledge would allow physicians to pre-treat such patients more aggressively with immunosuppressive drugs. FOCUS ON: HEART + LUNG

A “blockbuster” intervention for a multi-ethnic mosaic

The setting: The dining room of a Punjabi family home, somewhere in B.C. The characters: A half-dozen middle-aged and senior Punjabi men and women, catching up with one another. The action: One of the older men begins coughing and becomes short of breath. Someone fetches him some water and a friend starts rubbing his back.

Friend 1: “Should I give him my medication? I brought one from India.” Friend 2: “No, listen, your medication is just for yourself, and everybody is different.” Friend 1: “Give this medication to him, he will be OK. It works very well for my asthma.” Friend 3: “These medications will do nothing. I spent 30 years in the army and I found herbal medication made from ginger and honey is very helpful in this condition, and one teaspoon will alleviate all the symptoms.”

The scene, one of several videos produced by UBC and Vancouver Dr. FitzGerald and Senior Health Evaluation Scientist Coastal Health, may not make for riveting entertainment. Iraj Poureslami set about creating new material through But Mark FitzGerald, a Professor in the Department of Medicine “community based participatory research” – interviewing focus and the videos’ “executive producer” of sorts, wasn’t looking to groups of various ethnic groups to discover what should be win accolades at Cannes or Sundance. He was hoping to adapt communicated, and how best to do so. They learned, for instance, education about asthma self-management – what he calls that Chinese people are more likely to quit smoking if they believe a “blockbuster drug” – to a multi-ethnic community. it’s harming a loved one, and that Punjabis are often inclined to Compared with other chronic ailments, asthma can usually be hide their asthma because it’s associated with tuberculosis, controlled through proper behaviour and medication adherence. which carries a stigma in that culture. But getting people to use their medications, use them properly, Armed with those insights, they created brochures and videos in engage in healthy behaviours and avoid irritants is not as simple Punjabi and Cantonese. In addition to the typical “doctor explains as it sounds. all” type of videos, they produced “community videos,” often Patients are typically given two different types of medication. starring participants from the focus groups acting out scenarios Inhaled corticosteroids maintain asthma control on a day-to-day that convey lessons about asthma management. basis but also prevent “lung attacks.” A second puffer provides Among the messages conveyed: symptom relief by relaxing airway muscles; ideally, well-controlled >> The risks of sharing inhalers, relying on alternative therapies, asthma patients should not have to use this medication regularly. smoking, and certain types of home furnishings. Unfortunately, the more effective controller medication is more >> The importance of taking preventive medication, even in the expensive than the symptom reliever. Patients, even if they are absence of symptoms. willing to pay for and use the controller, don’t always grasp its importance and can over-rely on the reliever. >> Taking an active role in one’s health – not just accepting illness as one’s destiny. In addition, patients often don’t quite understand how to coordinate breathing in from the inhaler. >> De-stigmatizing asthma, so that patients won’t hesitate to use medication in front of others, and won’t needlessly expose “It’s a huge problem,” says Dr. FitzGerald, the themselves to irritants (like smoke-filled rooms). Head of the Division of Respiratory Medicine and Co-Director of the Institute for Heart and Dr. FitzGerald and Dr. Poureslami, in a randomized controlled trial Lung Health. funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, found that Punjabi and Chinese asthma patients who watched the videos Simply translating existing material into other significantly improved their knowledge of asthma and inhaler languages isn’t enough, Dr. FitzGerald says. skills, and were more inclined to adhere to medications. The messages also must take into account the attitudes and perspectives of the audience, which are “We’re not wasting their time with medical mumbo-jumbo,” sometimes quite different from those of the medical Dr. FitzGerald says. “We need to speak in the patients’ own professionals who create the material. languages – not just linguistically, but culturally.” UBC MEDICINE 9 re s earc h

Seeking a cure for “chemo brain”

Scenery Slater went to pick up her mail in the lobby of her West Vancouver apartment building one day, but when she got back into the elevator, she forgot what floor she lived on.

She would try to turn off lamps in her home with a wall switch, only to realize that she had to use the lamp switch. She would make Yorkshire pudding for herself and her father, determined to halve the recipe, and wind up doubling it instead. At first, Slater didn’t think any of this had anything to do with her chemotherapy for breast cancer. Then she heard about “chemo brain” – a decline in cognitive function experienced while receiving a powerful cocktail of anti-cancer drugs. “You don’t hear about chemo brain before starting treatment,” says Slater, 49, who is on leave from her job as an officer with the Canada Border Services Agency. “You get all this information about the drugs you’ll be taking and the possible side effects, and no one mentions that. But when I talk to people who have had chemotherapy, I’ve only come across one who hasn’t experienced some sort of cognitive interruption to some degree or another.” L – R: Kristin Campbell guides Scenery Slater through an exercise regimen. Photo credit: Martin Dee Now a UBC researcher is trying to determine if there might be a simple remedy – exercise. Can exercise counteract the Kristin Campbell, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, is seeking breast cancer patients for a cognitive side-effects of first-of-its-kind experiment: one group of randomly chosen women engage in a cardiovascular workout four times per cancer treatment? week for six months, while another group of women maintain their usual lifestyle. “The survivors kept telling us, ‘This is a real problem. It’s not just depression,” Dr. Ahles says. “It can affect the ability to return to At the beginning and at the end of their participation, the work or to school, quality of life, and activities of daily living.” women take tests of working memory, learning and problem- solving. While they perform simple tasks, they also have their Some people improve after months or a year, Dr. Ahles says. brain function assessed using functional magnetic resonance Others never fully regain their cognitive abilities. imaging and electroencephalograms. The study is receiving Slater, who completed her chemotherapy in the fall of 2010, support from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is still grappling with what she perceives to be diminished BC/Yukon chapter. mental acuity. Although she doesn’t know how she fared on A growing body of research, some of it by Dr. Campbell’s colleague Dr. Campbell’s tests, she is confronted almost daily by a situation in Physical Therapy, Assistant Professor Teresa Liu-Ambrose, or question that temporarily stumps her. Before cancer and her has demonstrated that exercise can improve cognitive function treatment, she could plow through a novel on a day off; now she in older adults. has trouble concentrating on anything longer than a paragraph. “Exercise and cognition is an emerging field,” Dr. Campbell says. But the study led her to discover other benefits of exercise. “There’s a consensus that there’s something there. But why, and She is more energetic and sleeping better. Long after her what type of exercise is most important, hasn’t been answered.” participation ended, she continues to work out on the treadmill in her apartment building, three times a week. The chemo brain phenomenon gained attention in the 1990s as a result of advocacy by cancer survivors, says Tim Ahles, Anyone interested in participating in the study should contact a behavioural psychologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering research coordinator Tiffany Moore at [email protected] or Cancer Center in New York. 604.827.1914. More information on the study can be found at http://cepl.rehab.med.ubc.ca & breakthroughs robust predictors of and associative memory, all improved executive functions showed that such exercise and theBrain Research Centre, for HipHealthandMobility investigator withtheCentre Dr. Liu-Ambrose, aprincipal for independentliving. making –that are necessary problem-solving anddecision- – such asself-regulation, to improve executive functions resistance andaerobic training to compare theefficacy of both first randomized controlled trial Internal Medicine, itwas the Published intheArchives of and Cognitive Neuroscience. in Physical Activity, Mobility, and CanadaResearch Chair of PhysicalDepartment Therapy, an Assistant Professor inthe led by Vancouver Coastal Health, the Faculty of Medicineand finding by researchers at That was thewidely-reported through resistance training Reversing | cognitive decline 01 investigations research 10 UBC MEDICINE Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Liu-Ambrose, Teresa older women. decline in cognitive – might reverse variant thereof – orsome Pumping iron

12 monthsof once-or which demonstrated that Archives of Internal Medicine, Study, alsopublishedin research team’s Brain Power This work builds onthesame effect for aerobic exercise.) demonstrated apositive healthy older adultshave did not. (Previous studies of engaged inaerobic training the variouscriteria, those significant improvements in training group exhibited MRI. While theresistance was assessedusing functional tests, andtheirbrain plasticity measured withaseriesof cognitive abilitieswere Over sixmonths, their exercises (acontrol group). stretching andrelaxation exercise), orbalance, outdoor walking (aerobic sessions: resistance training, conducted intwice-weekly of three typesof exercise, cognitive to impairment one women withprobable mild of Iowa, assignedsenior Medicine andtheUniversity the Divisionof Geriatric of Psychology,the Department included researchers from The study team, which toimpairment dementia. conversion from mild cognitive

The labof four Canadians. disease affecting nearly onein breakthrough treatment for a cells, paving theway for a diabetes inmiceusingstem with stem cells 02 |Beating back diabetes New Investigator scholar. Research Scholar andaCIHR Smith Foundation for Health says Dr. Liu-Ambrose, aMichael accessible andcost-effective,” dementia asitisuniversally as aprevention strategy for “Exercise isasattractive health care resources. benefits, including less use of 75-years-old andled to lasting in healthy women aged 65- to functional brain plasticity executive functions and strength training improved twice-weekly progressive BetaLogics, adivisionof from theNew Jersey-based Sciences, andscientists of CellularandPhysiological Professor intheDepartment Timothy Kieffer, Timothy reversed successfully havepartner his industry scientist and of Medicine A Faculty

a availability of donors. is severely limited by the be effective, that treatment human donors have shown to healthy pancreatic cellsfrom experimental transplants of young children. Although disease, which often strikes for thetype1form of this the most common treatment Regular injections of insulinare producing pancreatic cells. markings ofinsulin- normal several monthshadallthe removed from themiceafter of sugar. Transplanted cells when beingfed large quantities healthy blood sugarlevels even the micewere able to maintain and three to four monthslater, mice were weaned off insulin, cell transplant, thediabetic glucose levels. After thestem rise orfall basedonblood insulin levels to automatically “feedback loop” that enables Crucially, they re-created the Diabetes.in thejournal Their findings were published already afflicted withdiabetes. production inmicethat are successfully restore insulin stem celltransplants can the first to show that human Development, LLC, were Janssen Research & “We are very excited by to occur at a younger age these findings, but additional than other strokes, and re s earc h research is needed before are particularly frequent in this approach can be tested Hispanics. They usually cause clinically in humans,” says mild disability but are the Dr. Kieffer, a member of UBC’s leading cause of cognitive Life Sciences Institute. “The impairment and dementia. studies were performed in The study involved 3,020 diabetic mice that lacked a patients from 82 sites in North properly functioning immune America, Latin America, and system that would otherwise Spain who were followed for have rejected the cells. We now several years. The results, need to identify a suitable way published in the New England of protecting the cells from Journal of Medicine, found immune attack, so that the that dual antiplatelet therapy transplant can ultimately be did not significantly reduce performed in the absence of the risk of recurrent stroke, any immunosuppression.” and significantly increased the risk of bleeding and death, 03 | Combination of blood compared to people who were 03 thinning drugs shown taking aspirin alone or aspirin to be ineffective as combined with a placebo. 04 | Predicting the risks of A team led by Kirk Schultz, stroke preventer childhood cancer treatments a Professor in the Department The trial, which was ended A UBC and Vancouver of Pediatrics and Director of prematurely because of the The development of effective Coastal Health neurologist Childhood Cancer and Blood possible harm and lack of therapies for childhood cancer has found that a tantalizing Research of BC Children’s efficacy, was monitored by is one of oncology’s true combination therapy of aspirin Hospital and the Child & an independent data and success stories in the past and clopidogrel won’t live up Family Research Institute, safety committee selected few decades. Although the to its promise in preventing has received $4.3 million from by the U.S. National Institute numbers are small compared recurrence of a common type the Canadian government of Neurological Disorders, to adult cancer, 82 per cent of of stroke – and might even and six leading cancer which funded the study. of these children now survive organizations to explore pose serious risks. their disease. “It’s a finding that supports how biomarkers can identify Oscar Benavente, a Professor the hypothesis that the role But the treatments have children and adolescents who of Neurology and research of platelets and thrombosis consequences – the children are at risk of adverse effects director of VCH’s Stroke – the formation of clots in often develop multiple, serious, of cancer treatments. and Cerebrovascular blood vessels – may not be and sometimes fatal, health Health Program, sought The research, to be conducted the same in different types of effects, sometimes many years to determine if the at eight pediatric centres strokes,” said Dr. Benavente, a later, as a result of their cancer combination of clopidogrel across Canada and 20 others member of the Brain Research treatments. The long-term (known commercially as Plavix) in the U.S., could lead to Centre of UBC and the VCH damage includes hearing loss, and aspirin would be more preemptive and timely Research Institute. “The kidney failure, blood clotting effective at preventing therapies to minimize or results of our research support problems, and a specific lacunar strokes, which result eliminate the adverse effects. the current guidelines for form of tissue rejection called from the narrowing of small secondary stroke prevention: chronic graft-versus-host blood vessels. the use of either aspirin or disease after hematopoietic Dr. Benavente is leading a clopidogrel, or the approved transplantation. $66-million international combination therapy of aspirin study funded by the U.S. and dipyridamole [known National Institutes for Health commercially as Persantine].” Kirk Schultz seeking to reduce recurrence 04 Additional results are of lacunar strokes – also expected later this year, known as small subcortical which will help determine strokes – and to minimize the optimal combination of the consequences. blood pressure control and Such strokes usually strike anti-clotting therapy. a person repeatedly, tend BEGINNINGS n ew s

A boon for BC babies – and their moms

The University of British Columbia’s Midwifery Education of health care options,” says Elaine Carty, Interim Director of Program – bolstered by increased funding from the province the Midwifery Education Program. “I know educators like to use of British Columbia – will double in size over the next five years. the word ‘investment’ when discussing funding for educational programs, but this example truly lives up to that name – Starting this fall, first-year spaces in the Midwifery Program 90 per cent of our graduates are still actively caring for will grow from 10 to 20. Once the expansion is complete, the pregnant women and delivering babies.” number of students in the four-year bachelor’s degree program will total 80. The Midwifery Program was created 10 years ago, a few years after the province recognized midwives as primary care professionals Midwives assist women with low-risk deliveries in hospitals, and began regulating the profession. The program, part of the clinics and homes, and provide pre-natal and post-partum care. Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Family Practice, is one of The Ministry of Advanced Education worked with UBC and the only four midwife training programs in Canada. Ministry of Health to determine the number of midwife graduates that are needed to help meet the need for “The Faculty of Medicine is grateful that the province has greater access to such services. expanded funding for our midwifery program,” says Gavin Stuart, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and UBC’s Vice Provost Health. UBC will receive $1.9 million in one-time funding, and an “Not only will it grow the ranks of this much-needed profession, increase of $833,920 in ongoing operating funding for the but the hiring of additional faculty will augment midwifery’s phased expansion. potential to contribute through research to the health of “This enhanced funding, by allowing us to educate more our population.” students, will enable mothers and their families in British Midwifery students in the program take foundational courses in Columbia to have better access to pre-natal care and the basic sciences, counseling, lactation support, pharmacology childbirth services, and provide them with a wider range and research methods. In addition, they spend approximately 15 months working alongside registered midwives and three months with physicians and other health professional instructors. All are required to attend a minimum of 60 births during their program, with most attending at least 100. The program is highly competitive – in the most recent year, 161 people applied for the 15 slots. That cohort includes students with academic backgrounds in social work, law, women’s health care research and many of the sciences. “I would like to say that having twice as many slots will make the task of selecting new classes easier,” Carty says. “But the applicant pool is just too good and too deep, and getting better and deeper L – R: Midwifery instructor Patrice Latka leads students Danika all the time. Thanks to this funding, we’ll be able to harness more Surm and Meghan Price in a clinical skills lab. Photo credit: Rob Shaer of that ambition.” UBC MEDICINE 13 n ew s

ENDINGS

A new opportunity to learn from others’ last days

A once empty plot of land on UBC’s Vancouver campus will soon welcome people from all backgrounds, faiths and income levels.” become a haven for those in their last days of life – and a place Hospice staff, in conjunction with the Faculty of Medicine, for faculty, medical residents and health professions students will use the most up-to-date evidence from current research to learn more about palliative care. to provide best practices in palliative care. New insights from The land, across from the UBC Botanical Garden and Thunderbird research conducted at the hospice will be disseminated to health Stadium, will become home to the St. John Hospice, which will care providers around the province, helping to improve the quality provide end-of-life care for 14 patients at a time – and will be of many British Columbians’ final days. the only free-standing academic hospice in Canada. This hospice also will help teach future health professionals Ground was broken in May for the $4.5-million, two-storey wood about the special treatment and needs of those in palliative care. frame building, which is expected to be finished in the fall of 2013. While participation in research is optional for hospice residents, In addition to fully-furnished bedrooms with en suites, it will most are eager to do what they can to improve palliative care provide communal living and dining space, a family room, a garden for others in the future. courtyard and a quiet room for residents and their families. “The St. John Hospice will provide a valuable venue for the Three rooms have been set aside for research, in addition to a education and training of health professionals in palliative and room for teaching, equipped with videoconferencing equipment. end-of-life care, which is rightly assuming a greater place in our curriculum,” says Gavin Stuart, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine The Order of St. John Palliative Care Foundation raised and UBC’s Vice Provost Health. “It will also provide significant new approximately $4.5 million for the project, including $3.5 million opportunities for research by our faculty members, from multiple in private donations from individuals and $1 million from the disciplines and departments at UBC, who are eager to enhance Province of British Columbia. our knowledge of pain and symptom management, psychosocial UBC provided the land for the hospice and supported the and spiritual care, determinants of quality of life, and grief and planning process, with two people – Stephen Owen, the former bereavement therapies.” Vice President for External, Legal and Community Relations, and Professor David Hardwick, the Special Advisor to the Dean for Space Planning and Utilization – playing key roles in moving the project forward. Vancouver Coastal Health will provide annual funding for operations and will manage the facility. “The foundation is delighted to see the project underway so that we can meet the demand and serve those in need of palliative care,” says John Norton, chair of the Order of St. John Palliative Care Foundation, which promotes, advocates for and provides A rendering of the St. John Hospice, now under construction on UBC’s Vancouver campus. hospice palliative care throughout B.C. “St. John Hospice will enhancing excellence new arrivals to the faculty of medicine

Goal To promote the integration of anatomy within the Goal To improve the health of residents who live in rural communities. different years of the medical undergraduate curriculum, with great emphasis on interprofessional settings. Geoffrey Noel Robin Roots AGE: 31 Position: Instructor, Department of AGE: 42 Position: Instructor, Cellular & Physiological Sciences (teaching Department of Physical Therapy first- and second-year MD students)

Education: Licence in Cell Biology Did you know? I am passionate Education: Bachelor’s degree Distinctions: Arthritis Health and Physiology, Université Paris by what is inside me but also by in environmental studies, Trent Professions Association’s Carolyn VI Pierre et Marie Curie; master’s what is above me. My undergrad University; bachelor of health sciences Thomas Award; Physiotherapy degree in Neurosciences, Université minor was astrophysics, and every degree in physical therapy, McMaster Association of B.C.’s Scientific Poster Lyon I Claude Bernard; magistère in time I am outside the city, my eyes University; master’s degree in Competition Award; UBC College Biology-Biochemistry, Ecole Normale wander in the darkness to spot stars rehabilitation sciences, UBC. of Health Disciplines Celebrating Supérieure Paris-Ulm; Ph.D. in and planets. On my annual visits to Interprofessional Research poster Anatomy and Cell Biology, UBC. Paris, my hometown, I always make Previous position: Physiotherapist, competition 2nd place; UBC time for a stop at my favourite place Northern Health Authority. Rehabilitation Medicine Alumni Previous position: Lecturer, – the planetarium of Palais de la Jane Hudson Scholarship; Canadian Department of Anatomy and Cell Decouverte. If you give me a Arthritis Network Research Trainee Biology, and Associate Member of madeleine with that, I will be Award; Physiotherapy Foundation Centre for Medical Education and transported back to the early of Canada Dominion of Canada Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University. mornings I spent as a teenager, General Insurance Scholarship. gazing at the fading stars. Distinctions: Dr. Laura G. Jasch Did you know? In 2008, I competed Memorial Prize, UBC; Edward in the Yukon River Quest, a 750-km Squires Memorial Scholarship, canoe race, and finished 11th UBC; University Graduate Fellowship, overall in a time of 47 hours 23 UBC; Honour Award-Studentship, minutes! Crazy, fun, exhausting, Ministère de l’Education Nationale and beautiful all rolled into one! de l’Enseignement Supérieure et de la Recherche (France).

“Through lifelong learning, I am constantly renewing my “Working as a physiotherapist in a number of rural community passion for the human body and increasing my understanding hospitals in British Columbia, I came to appreciate first-hand of it. Either on my own or during great discussions with the complexity of rural health and the need to address the colleagues, I’m always challenging my own ideas with new recruitment and retention of rehabilitation professionals in rural knowledge and integrating my expertise in anatomy with B.C. The expansion of physiotherapy training to northern and rural new and upcoming imaging and surgical techniques. This in B.C. through UBC’s partnerships with the University of Northern turn helps me to develop new teaching strategies, and to British Columbia and Northern Health presents an exciting share my amazement for anatomy. Being an eternal learner opportunity to influence practice education for physiotherapy is also a great way for me to stay connected to my students. students, support the continuing education of practicing It helps me understand how students learn within the ever- physiotherapists, and ultimately to improve health services evolving society, and enables me to use new and popular in rural communities through recruitment, retention and the technologies to help students more efficiently grasp the linking of education to practice. In my current role as Coordinator complex organization of the human body. Anatomy is the of Clinical Education, Northern and Rural Cohort, I have the oldest form of science and art. From interprofessional opportunity to contribute to the development of curriculum that case-based learning to hands-on activities, I want to focuses on rural health issues and innovative programming to share our oldest heritage and reinforce anatomy as expand placement capacity in rural communities.” the cornerstone of every health care profession.” UBC MEDICINE newly 15 published

Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sports Medicine, 4th edition Authors: Karim Khan, Professor, Department of Family Practice; Peter Brukner, Associate Professor in Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne. Goal To improve treatments for patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Publisher: McGraw-Hill

This new edition has over 200 new images and 13 new chapters, including “Integrating evidence into clinical Daniel Renouf practice,” “Principles of activity promotion,” and “Medical emergencies in sport,” and access to online video instruction. AGE: 34 Position: Assistant Professor, It has 40 per cent new material over and above the award- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine winning previous editions and its international reputation is based on the clinical relevance and practical tips for students and practitioners. It contains contributions from 13 UBC faculty members and UBC creative media artist Vicky Earle, Education: Bachelor’s degree Distinctions: American Society who has again added key visual elements. (honors) in molecular genetics, of Clinical Oncology Merit Award; and MD with special training in Novarits Oncology Young Canadian This edition was one of only five finalists research, University of Alberta; Investigator Award; Canadian in the 2012 British Medical Association internal medicine and medical Association of Medical Oncology Book of the Year Awards. oncology residencies at UBC and 1st place abstract (2008 and 2009); BC Cancer Agency; fellowship G.B. John Mancini Award for research in early drug development and achievement during residency. gastrointestinal oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital and University of Did you know? During marathons, Technology Enabled Knowledge Toronto; master’s of public health, I’ve stationed family members at Translation for eHealth Harvard School of Public Health. strategic points along the course with my nutritional supplement Editors and contributing authors: Kendall Previous position: Medical of choice – Oh Henry bars. Ho, Professor, Department of Emergency oncologist, B.C. Cancer Agency. Medicine and Director, eHealth Strategy Office; Sandra Jarvis-Selinger, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery and Assistant Dean, Faculty Development; Helen Novak-Lauscher, Assistant Director, Research, eHealth Strategy Office; Jennifer Cordeiro, Senior Researcher, eHealth Strategy Office; Richard Scott, Associate Professor, University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine. Publisher: Springer “Most of the patients I see are diagnosed with cancer at an advanced stage, and to make matters worse, gastrointestinal cancers are often Technology-enabled knowledge translation (TEKT) is opening resistant to many of the traditional drugs available today. These diseases up numerous arenas for improving access to care, upgrading are complex, difficult to treat, and many patients don’t survive the first quality of care, advancing health education and reducing health year after diagnosis. We will collect our patients’ treatment and tumour inequities. This book surveys the major TEKT projects and their samples to build a wealth of information. I intend to use this data, and potential contributions, in areas such as bioinformatics, youth collaborate with the B.C. Cancer Agency’s vast expertise in genome e-mentoring and electronic communities of practice. It updates sciences, to better understand, detect and treat gastrointestinal cancer technological concepts in training, record-keeping and quality more effectively. Through an improved understanding of the genetic control; provides extended examples of virtual collaboration; changes of these cancers, along with the development of new targeted explores TEKS as a means of improving drugs, we aim to develop improved treatment strategies and increase health outcomes in disadvantaged survival for patients with these cancers.” populations; demonstrates applications of social media in qualitative research; reports on TEKT projects in Mexico, China and Brazil; and applies TEKT at the policy level. Under theleadership of funds from theprovince, ishelpingto close that gap. of PhysicalThe Department Therapy, withinitialdevelopment those educated inCanada. But IEPs have asignificantly lower pass rate onboth exams than competency examination before beingallowed to practice inB.C. proper credentials, must undergo anational written andclinical Internationally-educated physiotherapists (IEPs), ifthey have the attract immigrants from abroad. But B.C. doeshave another resource to draw on–itsabilityto field accelerate, that shortage won’t abate anytime soon. to thePhysiotherapy Association of B.C. Andasretirements inthe At any onetime, theprovince has100to 200openings, according ofa shortage physiotherapists. the past five years, BritishColumbiacontinues to grapple with Despite thedoublingof UBC’s Physical Therapy enrolment over new physiotherapists now working inB.C. passing. Inall, theprogram canclaimcredit for helping71 94 have completed thepractical program, with84percent the written program, with66percentpassingtheexam, and Since theprogram beganin2008, 79students have completed they might needto brush up.” identifies theirpossible weaknesses, andpointsoutwhere an objective structured clinicalexamination before. This program Dr. Greig says. “There are somepeople whohave never taken challenged by thetypeof exam process Canadahasinplace,” qualifications and adequate preparation, butwhomay be the exam process –physiotherapists whohave theacademic “This program was really developed to assist people through first, written stage of the exam before even moving to Canada. available online, enablingwould-be immigrants to prepare for the clinical exam preparation program. Much of theprogram is preparation program, andat least 20students ayear for the At least 32IEPs are accepted each year into thewritten exam discussions andworkshops oncampus. and interactive, multimedia patient cases”“virtual within-class Canada. Itcombinesonlinedocuments(includingpractice exams) an exam preparation program, perhapstheonly oneof itskindin the Master’s of Physical Therapy Program, UBChasrolled out 16 make Helping education UBC MEDICINE the Alison Greig, Greig, Alison immigrant grade Associate Headof

physiotherapists ‘I candothis. I’ve donethisbefore.’ ” patient andsomeoneinteractinga virtual withthem, Irealized, a textbook, itallseemedalittle overwhelming. Butwhenyou see because Ihadn’t seenpatients for along time. Just reading outof cases,The virtual shesaid, “helped bringalot of thingstogether, the reams of facts containedinherpile of thick textbooks. certification. Withoutit, she would have hadno guidance beyond she could brush uponherknowledge andskillsre-gain her profession to raise four children, enrolled intheIEP program so physiotherapist inHamilton for 15years before exiting the Therapy of B.C.’s continualcompetency assessmentprocess. to maintaintheirlicensure through theCollege of Physical for thefirst time, orCanadianphysiotherapists whoneedhelp Canada, whether they are students preparing to take theexams The program alsohasappeal for physiotherapists trained in written program, and$1,750 for theclinicalprogram. cost-recovery model, paying withparticipants $1,250 for the of Jobs, Tourism andSkills Training, andhassincemoved to a The program’s development was supported by theMinistry Sao Paulo, Brazil thisyear. instructors duringarecent clinicalskillslab. Facing page: Internationally educated physiotherapists andtheir Uittenbosch Helen would think,” says “With theonlinecases, Icould seehow aCanadianphysiotherapist to thenext step. that assesstheirclinicalreasoning skills, before moving on documents andlisten to audio, students are asked questions several fall-related fractures. Asthey view photographs and a 65-year-old woman withmultiple sclerosis whohassuffered man recuperating from anterior cruciate ligamentsurgery, and through clinically authentic scenarios, includinga32-year-old expected of aphysiotherapist inCanada. They are walked technology to helpIEPs understand theclinical management The program’s patientthepower casesharness 23virtual of Paula Portnoi, Paula of Abbotsford, whoworked asa whomoved to Vancouver from Photo credit :on E Drhardt

education 17

BC MEDICINE UBC UBC MEDICINE 18 n ew s

Forging closer ties with the world’s biggest health care system

The Faculty of Medicine now has 24 agreements with international institutions in 11 countries, but the country that looms largest among all – accounting for half of those partnerships – is China.

The Faculty’s emphasis on China reflects that country’s prominence in UBC’s international strategic plan, which calls for increasing the intensity of connections with top Chinese universities and increasing the number of China Scholarship Council students – considered to be the country’s most promising graduate and post-doctoral students – at UBC. But beyond that institutional imperative, academic medicine in China provides numerous opportunities to enhance the Faculty’s activities, and the Faculty has an array of expertise that is proving useful to China’s researchers and health system managers. “The world is changing – research is international,” says Weihong Song, a Professor of Psychiatry and Special Advisor to the UBC President on China. “You need to seek out what you don’t have, because disease is disease – irrespective of borders, political systems or cultures.” The activity has gained intensity in recent years, with Gavin Stuart, Dean of the Faculty and Vice Provost Health, signing three agreements during a single trip in March, including comprehensive agreements at Fudan University and Peking University Health Sciences Centre, covering research, education and student exchange. n ew s

Left: Geoff Cundiff, Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, signs a memorandum of understanding in February 2012 with the Women’s Hospital School of Medicine of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. Right: Associate Professor Maureen O’Donnell (kneeling) helping to assess a child with cerebral palsy at Guangzhou Women’s and Children’s Medical Centre in 2011.

On that trip, Dr. Stuart and others also visited the World Health on the link between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease, Organization Collaborating Centre for Health Education and in the search for early diagnostic markers and novel targets Health Promotion in Shanghai, to nurture the Faculty’s ongoing for dementia drugs. efforts with that organization in the areas of health promotion, >> A training program for clinical staff in the diagnosis and public education and e-health, and the Shanghai Pudong New treatment of children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy in Area Health Bureau, which the Faculty will assist with short- Guangzhou, with the aim of bringing greater clinical expertise term training of primary care and public health professionals. to the city’s non-specialized hospitals. Led by Dr. Larson, The agreements typically encompass exchanges of students, Clinical Associate Professor Mary Connolly and Associate post-doctoral fellows and faculty members; exchanges of Professor Maureen O’Donnell, the program – funded by the scholarly information, including research papers, indices Fu Tak Iam Foundation and an anonymous donor – brings and books; and joint meetings and reciprocal invitations to Guangzhou health professionals to BC Children’s Hospital, scholarly and technical meetings at each other’s institutions. and has sent teams of Canadian and international trainers Usually the agreements are high-level, and lead to more to Guangzhou Women’s and Children’s Medical Centre. specific agreements in particular fields. Related goals include improving Guangzhou’s information The Faculty’s projects in or with China include: systems for better follow-up of such patients, and developing ways for more affordably providing specialized equipment. >> A massive birth cohort study targeting 100,000 pregnant >> A public, bi-national forum in Guangzhou in March that women and their newborns in Guangzhou. UBC researchers, explored diabetes prevention and management through led by Charles Larson, a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, the lenses of Western and Eastern medicine. The Canadian are helping to manage and design the Guangzhou-funded delegation included Kendall Ho, a Professor in the Department investigation, which will test specific hypotheses about the of Emergency Medicine and Director of the Faculty of Medicine’s interplay of genetics and environment in causing several eHealth Strategy Office, andKwang Yang, a Clinical Assistant serious diseases. The large sample size will enable the study Professor in the Department of Family Practice and founder and to make firm conclusions about relatively uncommon president of the Canadian Health Awareness Society. The event, diseases or infrequent exposures. sponsored by Health Canada through its International Health >> A collaborative research endeavor in reproductive medicine Grants program, drew 150 people. with Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. Peter Leung, a Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, has been working with Hefeng Huang, president of Women’s Hospital School of Medicine of Zhejiang University, in biomedical research and has provided co-supervision of graduate students and residents in reproductive endocrinology for several years. Robert Liston, during his term as Head of the department, participated in an academic exchange visit, facilitated exchange visits among faculty members and encouraged further shared research initiatives. Geoff Cundiff, the current Department Head, has advanced this collaboration to include clinical education exchanges for students and faculty members. >> The Canada-China Joint Centre for Translational Medical Research in Child Development and Alzheimer’s Disease, led by Dr. Song and Chongqing Medical University, which boasts a 2,000-bed children’s hospital. The centre provides a L – R: Bob Armstrong, former Head of the Department of Pediatrics, Clinical platform for faculty and student exchange, collaborations on Professor Charles Larson and Zhibin Li, a neurologist at Guangzhou Women’s medical education and resident training, joint graduate student and Children’s Medical Centre, discuss the roll-out of training programs in non- training, and joint research projects, including one that focuses specialized, regional hospitals of Guangzhou city and Guangdong province. at 604.827.0569. To urologic support sciences, please contact Sarah Roth community receives the very best care for urological disorders.” biotechnology sector, andmost importantly, ensures our of Urologic Sciences. “It fuels ourresearch, builds B.C.’s vibrant Assistant Professors I neededit.” back to theresearch enterprise that was there for mewhen urology care, andwanted to show myappreciation by giving “I personally benefitted from BritishColumbia’s high-quality to make sure we meet theneedsof ourcustomers,” Ko says. “Our company isfirmly committed to research anddevelopment three key areas: robotic research, bladder cancerandstones. His company donated $1 millionto theFaculty of Medicinefor activities asaworthy cause. difficult for him to identify thedepartment’s research natural healthproducts company to philanthropy, itwasn’t So whenhedecidedto direct someof theprofits from his UBC’s of Urologic Department Sciences. also cometo appreciate, asapatient, theexpertiseof Inc., knows thevalueof research anddevelopment. Hehas Larry Goldenberg, Larry “External funding iscriticalto oursuccess,” says urologic disease, particularlyrecurrent kidney stone disease. Dr. Lange isexploring therole of bacteria incausing andtreating expression andsignallingpathways inbladder cancer, while kidney surgery. Inthelaboratory, Dr. Black isinvestigating gene the clinic, isdeveloping novel robotic technologies to improve will benefit from thisboost in funding. Dr. Nguan, working in are amongtheclinicalandresearch scientists whosework Ko, Jason 20 in An L –R: Peter Black. philanthropy UBC MEDICINE urologic R president of Richmond-based Viva Pharmaceutical &D enthusiast invests Photo courtesy Professor andHeadof theDepartment Chris Nguan, Peter Black Peter Nguan, Chris science of VCH Research Institute and Dirk Lange Lange Dirk , MehdiMoradi. Photo credit: B rian Kladko at 604.827.0569. To urologic support sciences, please contact Sarah Roth same –improving thequalityof life for menwiththisdisease.” cancer are constantly evolving, butmygoal remains the Harvard University. “The technologies Iapply to prostate surgery,” says Dr. Moradi, whowas lured back to UBCfrom plan before they decideto proceed withinvasive, life-changing signatures of prostate cancersothey have apatient-specific “My goal isfor surgeons to seetheradiological andgenetic the prostate gland. with thefield of view surgeons seeduring robotic surgery of The goal isto integrate thesediagnostic andprognostic maps and grading of prostate tumours. maps” from magnetic resonance imagingfor better detection on creating article published ajournal cancer “probability atSince starting UBCinMay 2012, Dr. Moradi hasalready analysis to allow for more targeted prostate cancertreatment. that combinesmagnetic resonance, ultrasound andgenetic Vancouver Prostate Centre, Dr. Moradi isworking onamethod Teaming upwithscientistsandthe inthetwo departments these kindsof collaborations would remain beyond ourreach.” for from partnershipswithinUBCandsupport thecommunity, Development at the Vancouver Prostate Centre. “If itweren’t ofHead ofUrologic theDepartment Sciences andDirector of and for B.C. men,” says “This donation isawin-win-winsituation –for thetwo faculties using thedonation toof Urologic theDepartment Sciences. by of Electrical theDepartment andComputer Engineering Mehdi Moradi, Mehdi to jointly recruit apromising biomedicalengineeringscientist. B.C. menhave enabled two seemingly disparate of UBC parts By poolingtheirgenerosity donation, into a $300,000 atrioof cancer t echnology collaboration Collaboration aspecialist inimagingtechnologies, was hired Larry Goldenberg, Larry in begets Professor and prostate

philanthropy 21

BC MEDICINE UBC Karim Damji in 1985, during one of his during one of Damji in 1985, Karim as a medical student efforts volunteer Leone. in Sierra the Branch will enable funding of The infusion a family a family : Eleanor Reimer, a Clinical Professor in the Department of a Clinical Professor Reimer, Eleanor : g of Support of g Outpourin Robert H. Taylor. on surgical focused courses postgraduate new two develop to response, disaster disability and humanitarian global for care teaching partnerships with Ethiopian surgical sustainable explore to residents surgical for scholarships and offer institutions, in Ethiopia research clinical rigorous academically conduct Hodes. with Dr. training Hodes will enrich “Our deepened partnership with Dr. says. Taylor Dr. our residents,” opportunities for and research health leaders global tomorrow’s will prepare we “Together, the for care surgical life-changing delivering continue to the world.” in Ethiopia and around poor and marginalized Ralph Laura contact please support health, global To at 778.994.8941. Of the event’s proceeds, $180,000 was directed to the Branch, to directed was $180,000 proceeds, Of the event’s Professor Clinical Associate and director, its founder by led an Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of the Division of the Division of of and Director Clinical Professor an Assistant and impacting contributing to are “These students Health. Global communities empowering while health, in global UBC engages how their health outcomes.” affect issues that address to Hillary Quinn, medicine resident who medicine resident India in both rural to traveled years her second and fourth UBC, at medical school of will award the travel says to students more encourage health. in global involved get “I spent time in India before going and by medical school, stay to able I was back, “I needed to this spring. who graduated Quinn, Dr. says inspired,” change.” and apparent bring about clear my skills could see how contact please Health, in Global Award Travel support the To at 778.994.8941. Ralph Laura L – R and Dagmar Therapeutics, Pharmacology and Anesthesiology, International for the Branch of and trainee a resident Moulton, surgery. for child a Ugandan prepare Surgery, on areth Ees G credit: Photo An

Videsh Kapoor, volunteered in a clinic in volunteered g t commitmen elong lif of seeds n Summo ploits Ex ’s Karim Damji in the Faculty residents medical more tends to some of the most deformed, sick and and sick deformed, the most some of to tends Nanci Segal, and r for the for er at Physician A Gary Rick Hodes destitute people on the planet. Over the course of more than more of the course Over on the planet. people destitute suffering people treated he has in Ethiopia, living of 20 years the of scoliosis and tuberculosis cancer, heart disease, from lives. and better longer them live helping thousands of spine, philanthropists Vancouver of initiative the to thanks Now, of Medicine’s Branch for International Surgery will be able to to will be able Surgery International for Branch Medicine’s of commitment. global Hodes’ Dr. emulate the Segals in Ethiopia, work witnessing his extraordinary After a gala fundraiser Hope,” Back Bring to Evening “An organized honour in April. Hodes’ in Dr. held introduce to wanted we the more Rick, know to got we “The more and wider support new and engage others, to his inspiring story a local believe “We Gary Segal says. work,” his life-saving for Medicine will of with the UBC Faculty academic connection and knowledge new introducing by contributions, his multiply surgery.” international of the practice to physicians new the ophthalmologist Leone, Sierra of a poor mountain village the Class of is leading volunteer international and frequent health global first Medicine’s of the Faculty establish 1987 to award. travel than more donated have and friends his classmates Damji, Dr. which Health, in Global Award Travel $49,000 the endow to medical students fourth-year of costs travel will help cover participating health electives. in global time was it I thought our 25th anniversary, “When it came up to “Students need financial support Damji says. Dr. back,” give to and opportunities. health encounters global of themselves avail to sharing, of citizenship, global of all about the ethic it’s me, For generation. the next and passing it on to caring and learning, part who I am as an Ismaili muslim.” of It’s deal a great who dedicate students will recognize “The award conducting health projects, global organizing time to their own of populations and vulnerable low-resource for advocating research, says costs,” project-related for and fund-raising Twenty-five years after years Twenty-five W Foundation hasfunded achair held by Professor A long-time supporter of theBrain Research Center, the BC & Yukon, andStroke of theHeart Foundation. says Neurology Professor at UBCwillexpand our capacityinprevention andrecovery,” “The Foundation’s renewed commitment to stroke research and training juniorinvestigators. hub for designing, conducting andanalyzing clinicaltrials, approaches to rehabilitation. The unitwillcreate acoordinated clinician-scientists onthewarningsignsof stroke andinnovative The clinicwillbuild onthework already beingdoneby UBC specializes inacute stroke. at 604.822.8079. To stroke support research, please contact Fatima Hassam more people andfamilies from itsdevastating effects.” Coastal Health. “Approaching stroke from all angles willprotect of theStroke andCerebrovascular HealthProgram of Vancouver a professorship held by who focuses onthefundamental mechanisms of stroke, and can use,” says research into prevention strategies that people andclinicians “The stroke clinicaltrialsunitwillquickly good turn ideasfrom on the Vancouver campus. Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, now underconstruction trials unitfor stroke prevention andrecovery intheDjavad donate to theFaculty $500,000 of Medicineto create aclinical That basictruth spurred andStroke theHeart Foundation to it from happening at all. people from thesuffering anddeclinethat follow isto prevent the damage of stroke isalready done. The best way to protect the brain rupture, neurons dyingwithinminutes. start By then, When blood flow to the brain isinterrupted orblood vessels in Oscar Benavente from strategie s gets a boost Testing of strok e philanthropy a long-time Diego Marchese, Diego Photo credit: M artin Dee Philip Teal, Philip Oscar Benavente, Benavente, Oscar Chief Executive Officer, aClinicalProfessor who

p Research Director artner Yu Tian Wang, Wang, Tian Yu

rise Bayer Inc Disorders Collaboratory Bayer Inc.; John Wu, Clinical Professor, of Pediatrics. Department Business Relations Manager, Bayer Inc.; Jan North, Scientific Affairs Liaison, Grant, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Bayer Inc.; Sarah Mink, ofin theDivision HematologyandDirector, Centre for Blood Research; Doug Shiera Stuart, Manager, Affairs, Government Bayer Inc.; Ed Conway, Professor L –R: Shannon Jackson, ClinicalAssistant Professor, of Division Hematology; at 604.218.0275. To blood support research, please contact Stephanie Huehn to treat people withhemophiliaandother bleeding disorders.” willyieldsupport tremendous improvements inourability Medicine’s Executive Associate Dean, Research. “Bayer Inc.’s or family,” says things most children take for granted –like playing withfriends limitations onachild’s abilityto takeinthe everyday part “Bleeding disorders such ashemophiliacanmeansignificant section onUBC’s Vancouver campus. St. Paul’s HospitalandaCentre for Blood Research (CBR) section basedat BCChildren’s Hospital, anadultsection at UBC Bleeding Disorders Collaboratory, comprisedof apediatric The $750,000 commitmentwillenable thecreation of the and clinicalscientists. foster greater sharingof hematology knowledge amongbasic Medicine to expand research into bleeding disorders andto Bayer Inc. isproviding financialsupport to the Faculty of and clinicalscientists,” says and foster more intensive networking amongbasicscientists pediatric andadultcare, expand research at clinicalsites, “The UBCBleeding Disorders Collaboratory willhelpintegrate Vancouver-wide thememeetings andinternational seminars. expanded slots for graduate students andpost-graduate fellows, patients. The CBRsection willfund summerstudentships, care, andapilot program to care for agingbleeding disorder physiotherapy, novel useof technology to individualize patient infants. The adultsection willfocus onresearch into orthopaedic patients to adultcare, andimproving vascularaccessfor inherited bleeding disorders, thetransition of older pediatric The pediatric section plansto investigate such areas asrare Disorders Collaboratory.” in mind, we’re especially proud to theUBCBleeding support abilities to lead active, healthy lives. Withpatients of allages Affairs, Bayer Inc. “Long-term effects canrestrict adultpatients’ to the Doug Grant, Doug . commitmen g ives UBC Bleeding Senior Vice President, Corporate Howard Feldman, Howard theFaculty of UBC MEDICINE 23

A need expressed, p hil a nth rop y and heard

When it came time to expose their students to the latest L – R: Students Allison Mackey and Moko Chen, using a video otoscope. technology, the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences used to improvise – borrowing equipment from speech clinics around Vancouver or sending students out to the clinics for practice.

Now, they will have that sensory and imaging equipment Ultrasound, video imaging and acoustic analysis tools help clients – in their own, on-campus laboratory. visualize their progress, which is particularly important for people The Rotary Hearing Foundation of the Rotary Club of Vancouver who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who are unable to hear changes has donated $132,700 to the School to purchase state-of-the-art in their own speech. Ultrasound, for example, shows patients an equipment used by speech language pathologists to diagnose image of their own tongue position, and of the tongue position they and treat speech and voice disorders. Located in the Clinical are trying to emulate, to help them produce the desired sound. Speech Technology Teaching Laboratory, which will be named in “The hard-of-hearing benefit greatly from innovative speech honour of the foundation, the equipment can be easily accessed therapy techniques,” says Jack Zaleski, President of the Rotary by students for practice, projects and research. Hearing Foundation. “Our investment in BC’s future speech language “Frequent, in-depth practice with the profession’s advanced pathologists will go a long way toward helping people who would equipment is essential,” says Valter Ciocca, Professor and otherwise face difficulty expressing themselves all their lives.” Director of the School. “Students need every opportunity to hone To support the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, their skills as they prepare to effectively care for their patients.” please contact Stephanie Huehn at 604.218.0275.

A family raised on giving Part of the community,

The VanderHoek family of Langley took a day off work and planning for school in September to present cheques totalling $32,013 the future to the Faculty of Medicine for diabetes research.

The gift was the product of a family fund-raising project inspired by its youngest member, 10-year-old Paige, who suffers from Type 1 diabetes. “Diabetes affects our whole family,” Bryan, the father, says. “It’s Paige’s disease, but we all live with it and help her manage it.” A resident of Kelowna for 20 years, Lillian Halberg has donated Each member of the family pitched in with the fund-raising. $50,000 to the Faculty of Medicine to create a new bursary for Bryan and his wife, Christie, organized three golf tournaments students in any year of the Southern Medical Program. with the help of their children, Tyler, 18, Joel, 16, Lucas, 14 and The need for her community to attract and retain new doctors Paige. Some of the proceeds sponsored Tyler to undertake two inspired her to help local students in the newest site of the fund-raising cycling trips across B.C. – Cyclebetes and CYCLE4: distributed MD undergraduate program. Knowing that many What Matters. students incur substantial debt while in medical school, “I went for it to help my sister,” Tyler says. she wanted to help ease the burden. The children made up for the day off school with a different type of The Lillian Halberg Southern Medical Program Bursary will science class. They toured the diabetes research laboratory in the support two $5,000 bursaries for five years. Life Sciences Institute with post-doctoral fellow Jennifer Bruin, The second, 32-member class of the Southern Medical Program a member of the research team led by Professor Timothy Kieffer. started classes in September. (See article on Dr. Kieffer’s recent discovery on p. 10.) To support the Southern Medical Program, please contact “I like what we’re doing together,” says Paige, who was diagnosed Adrienne Skinner at 250.807.9924. at age 5. “It makes me happy.” To support diabetes research, please contact Leanne Denis at 604.803.7633. & Laboratory Medicine YWCA of Metro Vancouver. of Distinction Awards from the and astudent –received Women Medicine –afaculty member Two members of theFaculty of Institutes of HealthResearch. councils, includingtheCanadian three research granting administered by Canada’s through acompetitive process studies, andare selected to theirgraduate support annually for upto three years Vanier scholars receive $50,000 Experimental Medicine Yicheng Xie, Yicheng Rozmus, Jacob Experimental Medicine Poormasjedimeibod, Mali Pon, Julia Mercer, Gareth Experimental Medicine Knapp, David Chudyk, Anna the Government of Canada: Graduate Scholarships from have received Vanier Canada the UBCFaculty of Medicine Seven doctoral students in 24 Research initiative (OvCaRe). creating theB.C. OvarianCancer ovarian cancer, and for herrole in category for herwork battling Research andInnovation recognized intheScience, NEWS UBC MEDICINE MD/PhD Dianne Miller, Miller, Dianne Gynaecology, was of Obstetrics and in theDepartment Associate Professor Neuroscience

MD/PhD Pathology an university reading “buddies.”university students withhigh-school or struggling readers andmath Buddies Network, which pairs and co-founded theLearning Canuck PlaceChildren’s Hospice, research assistant andat volunteers asanoncology Canadian medicalstudents, exchange for opportunities more than120international Distinction,” hasorganized Peter von Dadelszen, von Peter Learning competition. to First Nations, Métis andInuit Initiative: InspiringApproaches education intheChangemakers top entryfor post-secondary Family Foundation Award asthe received the J.W. McConnell Aboriginal eMentoring BC and Latin America. South Asia, Asia-Oceania in 11countriesAfrica, world. The project isunfolding condition inthedeveloping preventing andtreating the new strategies for monitoring, Foundation to test abattery of from theBillandMelindaGates he hasreceived $7million and treating pre-eclampsia, A world authority ondiagnosing Health Research. Canadian Institutes of Translation Award from the received the2012Knowledge of Obstetrics andGynaecology, Professor intheDepartment Woman of year’s ”Young 2013) andthis student (Classof Alison Lee, Lee, Alison a an MD

institutions across B.C. science students in with post-secondary health youth ingrades 7through 12 eMentoring connects Aboriginal eHealth Strategy Office, Associate Director of the Scientific Excellence. the GenomeBCAward for Misfolding Diseases, received Neurodegeneration andProtein of theUBC James HoggResearch Medicine, theformer Director Life SciencesBritishColumbia: members received awards from Two Faculty of Medicine to humancancer. relating hiswork inyeast division, withthegoal of of chromosomes duringcell required for proper transmission genetics of proteins that are Dr. Hieter studies themolecular Academy andSciences. of Arts Making a mark: Achievements & of Surgery and in theDepartment Assistant Professor by Led Research Chairin and aCanada Division of Neurology Professor inthe Cashman, Neil Jarvis-Selinger, Philip Hieter, Hieter, Philip to theAmerican has beenelected Medical Genetics, of Department Professor inthe Laboratory Pathology & of Department Professor inthe McManus, Bruce Sandra a

to treat bacterial infections. of novel antibiotics andvaccines this information to guide design pathogenicity. Hergoal isto use resistance andbacterial that play key roles inantibiotic of membrane protein assemblies molecular details andfunction Dr. Strynadka studies the Institute. the Howard HughesMedical Research Scholar award from received aSeniorInternational to publichealth. for significantcontributions James M. Robinson Award Control, received the2011 at B.C. Centre for Disease and aPhysician Epidemiologist Population andPublic Health Professor intheSchool of in B.C. in contribution to publichealth George Elliot Award for lifetime programs, received the2011 of theSchool’s MScandPhD Leadership Award. received the2012Milton Wong Organ Failure (PROOF Centre), of Excellence for Prevention of Director of theNCECECR Centre for +LungHealth, Heart and Co-Director of theInstitute Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital, Danuta Skowronski, Danuta A wards Molecular Biology, Biochemistry & of Department Professor inthe Strynadka, Natalie and theDirector and Public Health School of Population Professor inthe Sheps, Sam Clinical 2012 Faculty of Medicine Awards:

Bill and Marilyn Webber UBC Killam Teaching Prizes: Lifetime Achievement Award: Karen Bartlett, Professor in the Max Cynader, Professor School of Population & Public Health in the Department of Dr. Speert’s research focuses Gary Brayer, Professor in the Department Ophthalmology & Visual on the innate immune system of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Shafik Dharamsi, an Assistant Sciences and Director and the control of inflammation of the Brain Research Steven Jones, Professor Professor in the Department of in health and disease. Centre and the Djavad in the Department of Family Practice, has received Max Cynader Mowafaghian Centre Medical Genetics Dr. Friedman’s research has the Peter Wall Institute for for Brain Health Sue Murphy, Senior led to seminal advances Advanced Studies Visiting Awards for Excellence in Instructor in the Mentoring Early Career Faculty: Department of in improving the diagnosis Sue Murphy Scholar Abroad Award. Physical Therapy of neurofibromatosis by Aslam Anis, Professor in Dr. Dharamsi will work with the School of Population Applegarth Staff Service Award: enumerating the complex and Public Health and medical faculty at Nepal’s Cheryl Niamath, Administrative and variable spectrum of Director of the Centre Manager at iCORD Patan Academy of Health its clinical features. for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences Joanne Wouterse, BMLSc Program Sciences, which focuses on Aslam Anis Assistant in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine the health of socioeconomically George A. Mackie, Professor in vulnerable citizens in rural Six faculty members were the Department of Biochemistry DISTINGUISHED & Molecular Biology areas who have little or no elected Fellows by the Canadian ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS: Mieke Koehoorn, Associate Professor access to care. Academy of Health Sciences in the School of Population and Excellence in Education: this year: Public Health Jehannine Austin, Clinical Faculty Award for Career Assistant Professor Jan Friedman, in the Department Three faculty members have Excellence in Clinical Teaching: Professor in the of Psychiatry received Awards of Excellence Louis Wadsworth, Clinical Professor Department of Emeritus in the Department of Pathology Kevin Eva, Associate in Medical Practice from the & Laboratory Medicine Professor in the Medical Genetics Kevin Eva College of Physicians and Department of Medicine and Acting Associate Clinical Faculty Award for Excellence Surgeons of British Columbia: in Clinical Teaching: Excellence in Basic Science Research: Dean, Research, Children & Edmond Chan, Clinical Assistant Michael Kobor, Associate Professor in Clive P. Duncan, Professor in Family Research Institute Professor in the Department of Pediatrics the Department of Medical Genetics the Department of Orthopaedics Richard Harrigan, Associate Professor William Honer, Professor Joseph Lam, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Department of Medicine Gary Jackson, Clinical Instructor and Head of the Department Andrew Travlos, Clinical Associate Excellence in Clinical or in the Department of Obstetrics of Psychiatry and Director of Professor in the Department Applied Research: and Gynaecology the Institute of Mental Health of Medicine John Mark Ansermino, Associate Clinical Faculty Award for Excellence Professor in the Department of Dianne Miller, Associate Andrei Krassioukov, Professor in Community Practice Teaching: Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Professor in the Department in the Division of Rehabilitation Warwick Evans, Clinical Instructor in the of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Medicine Department of Surgery, Northern Medical Stuart Peacock, Associate Professor Program in the School of Population and Public Health Christian Naus, Professor Michael Kenyon, Clinical Instructor in the in the Department of Cellular Department of Medicine, Island Medical Award for Service to the University Two members of Program and Community: & Physiological Sciences and the Child & Family William MacEwan, Clinical Associate Kendall Ho, Associate Professor in the Director of the Life Sciences Department of Emergency Medicine and Research Institute – Professor in the Department of Institute Psychiatry, Vancouver Fraser Medical Director of the eHealth Strategy Office David Speert, Program Mieke Koehoorn, Associate Professor a Professor in the Weihong Song, Professor in Andrew McLaren, Clinical Instructor in in the School of Population and Department of the Department of Psychiatry the Department of Family Practice, Public Health Island Medical Program Award for Overall Excellence: Pediatrics, and Jan Friedman, Eric Yoshida, Professor a Professor in the Department Distinguished Service Michael Brauer, Professor in the School and Head of the Division of to CME-CPD Award: of Population and Public Health of Medical Genetics – have Gastroenterology at UBC and G.B. John Mancini, Professor Janice Eng, Professor in the Department received the Distinguished Vancouver General Hospital in the Department of Medicine of Physical Therapy Medical Research Lecturer Innovation in CME-CPD Award: Award for Outstanding Contributions Awards from the Faculty Rivian Weinerman, Clinical Associate by a Senior Faculty Member: of Medicine. Professor in the Department of Pieter Cullis, Professor in the Psychiatry Department of Biochemistry Marco Marra, Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics Clive Duncan, Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics UBC MEDICINE 26 ti o n ed u ca

L – R: Aboriginal MD students Todd Alec, Nathan Teegee and Lara Deroches. Photo credit: Don Erhardt At 10-year mark, Faculty’s Aboriginal outreach shows its strength

A decade ago, the Faculty of Medicine had just two Aboriginal The dividends of such an investment are not hard to see. students in its MD undergraduate program. When the newest crop More aboriginal students in health professions programs will of first-year students matriculated in August, there were 30. likely translate into more health professionals working in, or closely with, Aboriginal communities. Already, there are examples that give That growth didn’t just happen on its own. It was the result of reason for hope, such as Jennifer Parker, a Cree Metis member of a sustained effort that succeeded beyond the expectations of the Northern Medical Program’s first class, who is now caring for its creators. several Aboriginal patients as a family practitioner in Fort St. John. Through a set of programs that cultivated interest in medical careers among First Nations students and walked them through the process of becoming medical students, the Faculty is well “We want to give back on its way toward hitting the goal of graduating 50 Aboriginal students by 2014 – six years ahead of its own schedule. to our community.” Right now, the total is 35. Todd Alec Last year’s contingent of a dozen Aboriginal MD graduates was not only a high-water mark for the Faculty, but the highest Aboriginal first-year MD student number of graduates among Canada’s 16 medical schools. The Faculty’s success in Aboriginal admissions was celebrated And there are more to follow. Nathan Teegee, of the Takla Lake this fall with a traditional celebration feast at the UBC Longhouse, First Nation, and Todd Alec, of the Nak’azdli First Nation, may have an event that included Coast Salish dancers, Metis musicians and just begun their medical education, but both of them – friends from a salmon feast. their days at Prince George Secondary School – are fairly certain But instead of declaring “mission accomplished,” the Faculty of they will return to the region where they were raised. Medicine and UBC are now looking for ways to raise the bar higher. “There is a real need for Aboriginal doctors in those communities, A university-wide working group is exploring strategies to because they need people who understand the culture,” Alec says. support more developments in this area, including increasing “We want to give back to our community.” representation of Aboriginal students in other health professional Although they were determined to go to medical school since programs, supporting training of all UBC health professional their high school days, the Faculty’s outreach program, they say, students in working effectively and respectfully with Aboriginal ensured that they didn’t lose interest – or hope. peoples, and focusing research on issues of importance to “It just solidified what we wanted to do,” Teegee says, “and Aboriginal communities. clarified what we had to do to get here.” The effort is led by Martin Schechter, Professor and former Director of the School of Population and Public Health; Kamal Rungta, a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Senior Advisor to the Executive Associate Dean, Education; and Linc Kesler, an Associate Professor in the First Nations Studies Program and Senior Advisor to the UBC President on Aboriginal Affairs. FALl 2012: medical ALUMNI NEWS

President’s Report 28 Awards, Achievements & Activities 34 Wallace Wilson Leadership Awards 29-30 Event Highlights 35-36 Honorary Medical Alumnus Awards 31-33 MUS & MSAC Report 37 Silver Anniversary Award 33 Congratulations to New Graduates 38-39

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MEDICAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD 2012-2013 RE-ESTABLISHING OUR CONNECTIONS President President’s Report Jack Burak, MD ‘76 President-Elect Bob Cheyne, MD ‘77 Past-President balanced within ourselves During the next two years, Marshall Dahl, MD ‘86 and committed to our patients my challenge is to engage Treasurer Harvey Lui, MD ‘86 and medical practice. As a students, faculty and Island Medical Representative consequence, we lose track community alumni in the Ian Courtice, MD ‘84 of our greater community of broader medical community Northern Medical Representative Donald MacRitchie, MD ‘70 life, including our connection which is filled with the ripeness Southern Medical Representative with our medical school of knowledge, experience, Tom Kinahan, MD ‘84 Michael Golbey, MD ‘80 classmates, teachers, mentors camaraderie, and the willingness Newsletter Editor and our medical school. In and eagerness to share and give Beverley Tamboline, MD ‘60 Admissions Selection Committee short, we become isolated and back to our students and the Jim Cupples, MD ‘81 disconnected from our roots. medical school. The distributive Admissions Policy Committee UBC medical school sites David W. Jones, MD ‘70 It is an honour to serve With time, the chance to require similar medical Directors as your Medical Alumni reflect and look back on our Bruce Fleming, MD ‘78 student and alumni centres. Ron Warneboldt, MD ‘75 Association President for professional careers, and the Nick Carr, MD ‘83 the next two years. I would The Medical Alumni Mark Schonfeld, MD ‘72 sense of maturity that naturally Association will continue to Advisors like to thank Dr. Marshall comes with age, some of us Arun Garg, MD ‘77 Dahl, Past President, and play a very important role in David Hardwick, MD ‘57 have rediscovered the joy of the Board and staff for their assisting with reestablishing Charles Slonecker, DDS, PhD (Hon.) connecting with our UBC Ex-Officio Members support and mentorship. our medical community Dean, Faculty of Medicine medical school again. We’ve of inclusiveness and Dr. Gavin Stuart (Hon.) As I reflect on my first message become re-engaged with Faculty Representative encouragement. Whether we Barbara Fitzgerald, MD ’85 to my Alumni colleagues it is medical students, residents, are completing our training, MUS Representative with gratitude that I connect colleagues in practice and the Elisa Kharrazi, MD ‘15 starting our medical careers, to my own roots with the University. We’ve reconnected Alumni Relations Director or already long established Anne Campbell-Stone UBC Faculty of Medicine from to the larger community which alumni, let’s become engaged Alumni Relations Officer which I graduated 36 years shaped our medical careers and Kira Peterson and committed to giving back ago. Like most, if not all of us, we have rekindled the joy of OBJECTIVES to our wonderful medical To support the Faculty of Medicine and its the challenges of completing becoming mentors and giving programs directly and through advocacy school and to those who medical school, applying for a back to our noble profession. with the public and government; have followed us! The cost of To ensure open communication among residency position, completing I marvel at how our medical membership is small but the alumni and between the alumni and the our national examinations students and residents utilize Faculty of Medicine; rewards and enrichment of our and starting a medical practice our Medical Student and To encourage and support medical students collective medical community and residents and their activities; consumed our energy and time. Alumni Centre (MSAC) at are enormous. Let’s reconnect To organize and foster academic and social Our family journey, complete West 12th and Heather Street activities for the alumni. with juggling schedules for to our roots! The Medical Alumni News is published – for study, videoconferencing semi-annually and this edition was our loved ones, raising our with classmates in other parts Best wishes, produced by the UBC Faculty of Medicine. We welcome your suggestions, ideas and children and assisting with and of B.C., exercising in the Jack Burak, MD ’76 opinions. Please send comments, articles supporting them in their school gym, socializing over pizza and letters to: and extracurricular activities with friends, participating in President Beverley Tamboline, MD ’ 60 Alumni Affairs Faculty of Medicine occupied what little remaining an endless array of organized Medical Alumni Association 2750 Heather Street time we had. Vancouver, BC V5Z 3M2 events or just simply hanging Ph: 604 875 4111 ext. 67741 We become fully engaged and out. This is their community Fax: 604 875 5778 [email protected] absorbed with our individual and it is also ours, as alumni. striving to be happy, creative, MSAC serves as a venue for all of us. ALUMNI NEWS | uBC MEDICINE 2 9

L – R: L. Collins, MD ’68; M. Schonfeld, MD ’72 PHOTO CREDIT: VARUN SARAN PHOTOGRAPHY

WALLACE WILSON LEADERSHIP AWARD MARK SCHONFELD, MD ’72

UBC, solving issues between I found him to be a It is wonderful to be the sections, and has been able here today, surrounded to work with the government man who is a father, by colleagues and friends, at times when others were a gentleman, a scholar, some of whom I have known much less kind with their for 20, 30, or 40 years. But feelings and attitudes. and very importantly, most importantly, I am happy A personal memory for a very fine physician.” to be here today to present a me was when I sat on the Wallace Wilson Leadership UBC Admissions Selection Award to my good friend, Committee and a prospective Dr. Mark Schonfeld. student came forward with Dr. Schonfeld and I worked recommendations from Dr. together as general practitioners Mark Schonfeld and Dr. John and then as members of the Anderson. I recall arguing hard BCMA board. I found him at a committee meeting for to be a man who is a father, that student because I thought a gentleman, a scholar, and that he must be very special to very importantly, a very fine be supported by two leading physician. His patients still physicians in British Columbia. recall a depth of knowledge Dr. Schonfeld has shown that and understanding that he L – R: M. Schonfeld, MD’72; D. Jones, MD70 he will act, speak and care for PHOTO CREDIT: VARUN SARAN PHOTOGRAPHY exhibited on a daily basis. physicians who are having As a leader, he has been problems and I know that there involved in virtually everything are members of the BCMA associated with medicine in the who are very grateful for his last 20 to 30 years, whether it is actions on their behalf. economics, the solution to the Larry Collins, MD ’68, the presenter of Relative Value Guide, or areas Presented by Dr. Schonfeld’s award, passed away on July 24, that are not widely known. He Larry Collins, MD ’68 2012. He was a caring physician and mentor has been definitive and helpful to all those who knew him. The MAA extends in sorting out the relationships their condolences to his family and colleagues. between clinical faculty and UBC MEDICINE | ALUMNI NEWS 30

L – R: D. Hardwick, MD ’57; P. Ballem, MD ’78 PHOTO CREDIT: NANCY THOMPSON

WALLACE WILSON LEADERSHIP AWARD PENNY BALLEM, MD ’78

Transfusion Service in B.C., After serving the longest term Unfortunately she cannot It was a great pleasure to followed by the Director of the as Deputy Minister of Health be here this afternoon to nominate Penny Ballem for Women’s Health Services, and in the country, Penny took a accept this award, but we a Wallace Wilson Leadership then finally the Vice-President break and focused on being were lucky to have her accept Award and I am happy to of Children’s and Women’s an advisor to health-policy it earlier this month and have the honour of presenting Hospital and Health Centre. makers and practicing academic recorded her acceptance. this to her today. Throughout her career she did hematology. Penny is now the Congratulations Penny. an amazing job in handling the City Manager of the City Penny is a graduate of the complexities of these positions. of Vancouver. Presented by UBC MD Class of ’78. David Hardwick, MD ’57 She was extremely bright and Penny then took on the role very hard working throughout of Deputy Minister of Health medical school and following for the Ministry of Health of graduation completed a British Columbia. While there, fellowship in internal medicine many of her colleagues had clinical hematology. Her career the opportunity to continue began with the position of to work closely with her and to Deputy Medical Director for see that she dealt with matters the Canadian Red Cross, Blood very openly and directly.

P. Ballem, MD ’78 as she gives her pre-recorded acceptance speech. PHOTO CREDIT: VARUN SARAN PHOTOGRAPHY ALUMNI NEWS | uBC MEDICINE 3 1

(Left photo) L – R: Dr. D. Snadden (Hon.); D. MacRitchie, MD ’70 (Right photo) L – R: I. Courtice, MD ’84; Dr. O. Casiro (Hon.); M. Dahl, MD ’86 PHOTO CREDIT: VARUN SARAN PHOTOGRAPHY

HONORARY MEDICAL HONORARY MEDICAL ALUMNUS AWARD ALUMNUS AWARD DR. DAVID SNADDEN DR. OSCAR CASIRO

David and Moira, his wife, To achieve the expansion of To put David Snadden in arrived in Prince George and Dr. Oscar Casiro, Regional the UBC Medical Programs perspective, I want to tell you two weeks later mounted their Associate Dean, Vancouver to distributed sites, insightful a short story about David, yellow tandem bicycle and Island, UBC Faculty of leaders with clarity of purpose which will tell you why we cycled the 400 mountainous Medicine is responsible who understood the concepts love him. kilometers to Tumbler Ridge. for strategic leadership and requirements of a fully Their trek was simple, very functional distributed program In June 2000, twelve years ago, of undergraduate and clever, understated, a bit off were needed. Without Dr. the citizens of Prince George postgraduate medical the wall, and hugely successful. Casiro’s incredible leadership held a rally, attended by 7000, programs on Vancouver of the Island Medical Program regarding the deteriorating state David began his medical Island. and Dr. Snadden’s leadership of of medical care in northern B.C. training at the University of In addition, Dr. Casiro is Head the Northern Medical Program, The focus was on the decreasing Dundee in Scotland; he then of the Division of Medical this could not have been number of physicians. The did a family practice residency Sciences at the University of accomplished. We extend our mandate from that meeting was in Inverness, a community Victoria, which was established deep appreciation to them. “train them in the north to stay comparable in size and character to support medical education in the north.” That coincided to Prince George. He then programs on Vancouver Island The award presented today to with UBC’s recognition that the worked for a little over a decade and promote scholarship and Oscar Casiro recognizes the Lower Mainland could not train as a rural family practitioner innovation in medical research pivotal role that he has played in enough doctors each year to in northern Scotland. In 1991 at the university. the success of the disseminated meet the needs of the province, he went to the University of medical educational program. Dr. Casiro obtained his so the concept of distributed Western Ontario where he This is evidenced by the number MD from the University of sites was established. earned a master’s degree in of graduates who have made Buenos Aires, Argentina, and family medicine, and then a commitments to return to David was the first physician completed training in Pediatrics doctorate from the University clinical practice on Vancouver hired to start up the program and Neonatology at the of Dundee in 1998. Island, particularly in areas in Prince George, arriving in University of Manitoba. Before outside of Greater Victoria. 2003. Just prior to that, a Outside of medicine, David and his appointment to UBC in trust fund had been set up for Moira are active mountaineers, 2004, Dr. Casiro was Professor Presented by the north with a goal to raise back-country cross-country ski of Pediatrics and Associate Ian Courtice, MD ’84 $6 million to offset some of specialists, wilderness canoeists, Dean, Undergraduate Medical the expenses that students in and cyclists. I salute David and Education at the University the northern program would thank him for all the leadership of Manitoba. incur. Nineteen northern he has given our community He has held leadership positions communities pledged to this; and the north over the past at local and national levels in the first community to meet decade. the field of medical education, its pledge was Tumbler Ridge. including a term as President of Presented by the Medical Council of Canada Donald MacRitchie, MD ’70 (MCC), 2009-10, and Chair of the MCC Assessment Review Task Force. UBC MEDICINE | ALUMNI NEWS 32

HONORARY MEDICAL ALUMNUS AWARD DR. LARRY GOLDENBERG

As a clinician-scientist he Association, the Western by the funds he has raised It is an honour and privilege co-founded the Canadian Section of the American over the past 15 years. Uro-Oncology Group which Urologic Association and many to join those who have Currently he has his sights set today is a global leader in other professional organizations. honoured Larry Goldenberg on the Men’s Health Initiative clinical trials research. As a He has received many awards and I welcome him as a UBC across BC and Canada. Honorary Medical Alumnus. scientist he has helped develop including the Order of hormone therapy approaches British Columbia, 2006, the Larry, we are very proud to have Larry graduated from the that have become standards American Urologic Association’s attracted you from Toronto and University of Toronto in 1978 of care worldwide. He also Distinguished Service Award, are fortunate to have you now as and one year later came to B.C. has authored more than the B.C. Innovations Council’s an Honorary Medical Alumnus. to begin a urology residency. 200 peer-reviewed papers. Champion of the year, 2008, In 1984 he went to St. Paul’s the Order of Canada, 2009 Presented by Hospital as a Clinical Assistant As an administrator he has and the Queen Elizabeth II Martin Gleave, MD ’84 Professor and in 1993 went to chaired the Division - now Diamond Jubilee Award, 2012. VGH where he co-founded Department - of Urologic the Vancouver Prostate Centre. Sciences for over 10 years. Larry not only has great hands He is currently Professor and He has served as President as a urologist, but has a very Head of the UBC Department of the Canadian Urologic golden finger as evidenced of Urologic Sciences. Larry has many skills and wears many hats, all of them very well. He is accomplished at many things: clinician, educator, scientist and administrator. He is an internationally acclaimed urologic surgeon, who has focused on prostate cancer treatment and research. One passion is patient education and he is very proud of the book on prostate cancer he published for the layperson.

L – R: M. Gleave, MD ’84, Dr. L. Goldenberg (Hon.), and M. Dahl, MD ’86 PHOTO CREDIT: VARUN SARAN PHOTOGRAPHY ALUMNI NEWS | uBC MEDICINE Dr. G. Meneilly (Hon.) after 3 3 he accepts his Honorary Medical Alumnus Award. PHOTO CREDIT: VARUN SARAN PHOTOGRAPHY

HONORARY MEDICAL SILVER ANNIVERSARY ALUMNUS AWARD AWARD DR. GRAYDON MENEILLY WENDY YEOMANS, MD ’87

Association for Professors Thousands of patients and Grady Meneilly has been of Medicine. It is my pleasure to present families have benefitted from her ability to generate trust the Eric Hamber Professor At UBC, Grady is still very Wendy Yeomans, MD ’87 and safety at a vulnerable time and Chairman of the UBC active in clinical teaching on with the UBC Medical in their lives. Her unique Department of Medicine a weekly basis. He became a Alumni Association’s combination of clinical acumen, since 2002. full Professor in 1998 and was Silver Anniversary Award to recognize her compassion, insight, humour His roots in British Columbia Division Head of Geriatric accomplishments as a and basic human goodness go back to 1978 when he began Medicine between 1997 and bedside physician, a gifted epitomize the dual pillars of his rotating internship at Royal 2002. He then became the teacher, mentor and a the art and science of medicine. Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. He Department Head of Medicine respected leader and advocate She has applied these same earned his medical degree from at UBC. This is a huge role, for palliative care in BC. qualities as a teacher and the University of Saskatchewan evidenced by the fact that the mentor, educating medical and did his residency training Department of Medicine is For over 20 years Wendy has trainees and presenting in internal medicine at the larger than some faculties been the Medical Lead of the frequently at CME University of Toronto, followed at UBC. Palliative Care Program at conferences for specialists by fellowships and faculty Vancouver General Hospital. Grady has held several major and Family Physicians. appointments in Boston at leadership roles at Vancouver She has earned the respect of Harvard Medical School and its her colleagues and staff for her General Hospital and recently Presented by affiliated teaching hospitals. collaborative style, intelligence, was appointed Physician Hilary Vallance, MD ’87 straight-forwardness, kindness, He launched his academic in Chief. He is a great role and vision. career at UBC in 1988. model for students and faculty. Grady’s clinical and research He is one of the few academic specialty lies in geriatrics clinicians who is a triple threat, with focused expertise in a combination of excellence carbohydrate metabolism in clinical medicine, teaching, and diabetes in the elderly. and research. He has been a great mentor to many He has published over 100 faculty members. papers and has given many advanced research and We are pleased to present practical clinical presentations this award from our Medical on diabetes in the elderly Alumni Association. throughout North America. He has served in numerous Presented by leadership capacities, including Marshall Dahl, MD ’86 the American College of L – R: W. Yeomans, MD ’87 and H. Vallance, MD ’87 at the Vancouver Yacht Club Physicians, Canadian Diabetes where the Class of 1987 held their 25th anniversary reunion on September 15, Association, and Canadian 2012. PHOTO CREDIT: MARISA MOODY UBC MEDICINE | ALUMNI NEWS 34

AWARDS, ACHIEVEMENTS & ACTIVITIES

The College of Physicians and In February 2012, Suregons of B.C. 2012 Awards Dr. Joanna Bates (Hon.) of Excellence in Medical received the AFMC President’s Practice were presented to Award for Exemplary National Dr. Clive Duncan (Hon.), Leadership in Academic Gary Jackson, MD ’79, Medicine. Gordon McFadden, MD ’69, Dianne Miller, MD ’80 and At the Faculty of Medicine Dr. Lorna Sent (Hon.). Awards Reception to recognize These presentations were Faculty of Medicine awards made at the annual President’s recipients, May 29, 2012, Dinner on May 30. Randy Gascoyne, MD ’82 received a UBC Killam Research The BCMA Annual Awards Prize. William MacEwan, Ceremony was held June 9, MD ’82 and Andrew McLaren, 2012, and among those MD ’00 were recipients of honoured were Vera Frinton, a Clinical Faculty Award for MD ’69, who was one of Excellence in Community three recipients of the BCMA Practice Teaching. Kendall Silver Medal of Service. Ho, MD ’86 received a This award, established in Distinguished Achievement 1986, is the Association’s Award for service to the highest honour. Mark university and community Schonfeld, MD ’72 received and Dr. Clive Duncan (Hon.) the Dr. David M. Bachop received a Distinguished Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement Award for Medical Service and Jim Lane, outstanding contributions MD ’73 was the recipient of by a senior faculty member. the Dr. Cam Coady Award. CMA Honorary Membership was awarded to John Campbell, MD ’70 and Wally Unger, MD ’69. Top: J. Lane, MD’73; V. Frinton, MD’69 Middle (L – R): M. Schonfeld, MD’72; D. Miller, MD’80 Bottom (L – R): Dr. C. Duncan (Hon.); Dr. L. Sent (Hon.) ALUMNI NEWS | uBC MEDICINE 3 5

(Left) L – R: J. Edworthy, MD ’77; Dr. D. Read; J. Lane, MD ’73; G. Wong, MD ’92 (Right) L – R: C. Kinahan, MD ’85; P. Kinahan, MD ’85; Dr. R. MacGillivray; T. Brimner

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Thank you to the UBC It is hoped that a full field of Medical Alumni & Friends UBC Medical Alumni 144 alumni and friends register Golf Tournament Sponsors & Friends Golf Tournament for next year’s tournament Presenting Partner June 26, 2012 in June. Registration will open in early spring, so invite The UBC Medical Alumni & > Scotiabank your colleagues early as the Friends Golf Tournament was tournament will fill up quickly! Gold Sponsors the most successful tournament Ron > BCMA to date, in no small measure Special thanks to due to the generosity of the Warneboldt, MD ’75, Bob > MD Management sponsors and number of Cheyne, MD ’77, David Jones, > Clinical Sleep Solutions golfers who attended. MD ’70, Jim Lane, MD ’73, Patty Scrase from Scotiabank, > KNV Chartered Accountants The tournament was held at Anne Campbell-Stone, and the University Golf Course on Silver Sponsors Kira Peterson for organizing June 26, 2012. The weather L – R: Dr. C. Carpenter; G. Romalis, MD’62 this year’s tournament. PHOTO CREDIT: ANNE McCULLOCH > MedRay was perfect, the course was in > Harper Grey LLP tip-top shape and the players > Sport Med/Paris Orthotics came in droves! A total of 112 participants took part in the > BC Biomedical Laboratories tournament’s first shot-gun start > Kintec which allowed all of the teams to start and finish their round Bronze Sponsors of golf together. To top it off, > Guidelines and Protocols over $16,000 was raised for the Advisory Committee (GPAC) Medical Alumni Association > Don Docksteader Motors which will support student programs. > UBC Alumni Association The afternoon was spent L – R: S. Madill, MD ’59; Dr. C. Slonecker (Hon.); KNV Gold Sponsor Staff; > Bulmer Investment Group B. Gordon, MD ’59; G. Morrison, MD ’62 connecting with friends, > ZLC Financial Group colleagues, former classmates, > MNP LLP and teachers. Between holes, Prize Winners > Pollock Clinics golfers had the opportunity to catch up with one another > Mardon Insurance and engage in some friendly Low Gross Score: Chuck Slonecker Prize: > Madaisky & Co. competition banter. The day Dr. John MacCarthy Bob Cheyne, MD ’77, Richard Sztramko, MD ’10 > London Drugs went by quickly and was Mens’ Low Net Score: and Paul Zakus, MD ’10 followed by a delicious dinner Dr. Elliott Phillips > Schmunk Gatt Smith Winning Senior in the clubhouse before the Brad Fritz Prize > Cedarlane Labs (net score from a grad prizes were awarded. (best score over 9 holes): class earlier than 1972): > Morrey Auto Group Ron DeMarchi, MD ’81 Doug Blackman, MD ’69 > False Creek Healthcare Centre UBC MEDICINE | ALUMNI NEWS 36

L – R: B. Mackie, MD’76; L. Warren, MD’68; A. MacPherson, MD’97; M. Vu, MD’01; eVENT HIGHLIGHTS residents and alumni socializing at “Residents in a New Residence” event in Calgary.

attended the Hooding Add in a move across the If you are interested in 2012 Hooding & Graduation Ceremony on May 22, 2012 as country and the whole process hosting a “Residents in a New May 22-23, 2012 representatives from the Medical can become a little daunting. Residence” event in your city Alumni Association. After some next summer to welcome The tradition of giving a To ease the minds of the newest inspiring words from Dr. Burak, the MD 2013s who will be ‘doctor’s shingle’ to UBC alumni, the Faculty of Medicine the three alumni presented the starting their residencies there, Medicine graduates started in Alumni Relations unit planned shingles to graduating students contact [email protected] 1954 with the first graduating “Residents in a New Residence,” as each walked across the stage. or 604.875.4111 x 67741. class. This was started by the a welcome event in Toronto Dr. Dodek was thrilled to give students and still exists today. (July 11, 2012) and Calgary his grandson, Joshua Wenner, In 1954, the 3rd year students (July 23, 2012). Toronto’s event Student Orientation 2012 MD ’12 his shingle, a moment organized the shingles and gave was hosted by Ivor Fleming, August 27, 2012 he will remember forever. MD ’85 and Lenora Fleming them to the 4th year students at The class of 2016 was The hooding ceremony was while Calgary’s event was hosted the Medical Ball in the spring. welcomed by four alumni Jackson Wu, MD ’93 That practice went on for many followed by the graduation by and speakers, Andrew MacPherson, years but over time the shape ceremony on May 23. Viviana Chang, MD ’98. MD ’97, Bill Mackie, MD ’76, and design changed. This event brought together Mark Vu, MD ’01, and Now the Medical Alumni Residents in a New Residence new residents and alumni Linda Warren, MD ’68, Association produces the July 11, 2012 – Toronto, ON currently living in these areas. at the Student Orientation shingles for each graduating July 23, 2012 – Calgary, AB It was an evening filled with in late August. great conversation, delicious class as a gift to each student, The Faculty of Medicine This remarkable panel of food, and refreshing beverages welcoming each one as an Alumni Relations team has doctors gave insight into the (on some great patios, too!). alumnus and a member of made it a goal to engage new wide range of areas of practice It was a pleasure to have many the MAA. residents as they venture out as in medicine, focusing on of Medicine’s established alumni important goals rather than This year Jack Burak, MD ’76, young alumni in communities there to meet and greet the personal competition, making Marshall Dahl, MD ’86 and across Canada. Becoming a newest alumni, and let them in the transition to “thinking like Morton Dodek, MD ’54 resident is often exciting, but on the hidden gems of the city. a doctor” and the joys and can bring along some stress. privilege of working in medicine.

Class Reunions > Upcoming Events >

Class of 2002 Class of 1987 Victoria Medical UBC Medical Alumni September 8-9, 2012 September 14-16, 2012 Society Dinner Association AGM Vancouver, B.C. Vancouver, B.C. January 19, 2012 Date TBD Organizer: Dr. Tanya Orton Organizers: Dr. Leith Dewar Victoria, B.C. UBC Medical Alumni & Dr. Allan Holmes Class of 1957 Vernon Hockey Friends Golf Tournament Dr. Trevor Newton September 14, 2012 Tournament June 2013 & Dr. Kathy Bell Vancouver, B.C. March 1-2, 2013 University Golf Course Organizers: Dr. Ian Turnbull Class of 1960 Spring Gala & Please go to Dr. David Hardwick October 12-14, 2012 Alumni Reception http://alumni.med.ubc.ca/ Vancouver Island, B.C. Date TBD events/ for updated calendar Organizer: Lynn Ledgerwood event information. For more information on class reunions, please contact the UBC Faculty of Medicine Alumni Affairs Office at [email protected] or 604.875.4111 x 62031. ALUMNI NEWS | uBC MEDICINE 3 7

MUS REPORT MSAC REPORT

for policies that are beneficial and kickboxing clubs, The Medical Undergraduate to students and our future MD’12s Donate to weekly yoga classes and the Society (MUS) kick-started patients. In February 2012, Renovate MSAC MedFit group. the year by welcoming the UBC representatives, along Graduating students of the Many groups rehearse at MSAC class of 2016! This year’s with colleagues from other Class of 2012 initiated a for the yearly Spring Gala and cohort is comprised of 288 Canadian medical schools, voluntary collection and the medical student talent show aspiring future physicians, participated in a National voted to donate a class gift to held at the Chan Centre, with commencing medical studies Lobby Day with the federal MSAC. They asked that the proceeds donated to a charity. at one of four distributed government. The group met MSAC Videoconference Room Thanks to the generosity of sites across the province. with Members of Parliament (formerly the Health Sciences MD12s, rehearsing medical and advocated for support of As the student governing Bookstore) be renovated students will be free to sing programs aimed at attracting body, representing all students to better accommodate the loudly and dance wildly medical school applicants enrolled in the UBC MD dancers, martial artists, fitness without disturbing more serious from rural backgrounds. program, the MUS is constantly groups, and other performers meetings in the three meeting expanding and improving in The MUS also acts as the liaison who rehearse at MSAC. rooms on the upper floor order to serve the growing between students and external of MSAC. Over the summer, old carpeting needs of our student body. organizations such as the was removed and a new smooth MSAC continues to evolve and We currently support over Canadian Federation of Medical surface was installed, improving improve to meet the needs of 90 student clubs and specialty Students (CFMS). Over the the room’s appearance and our medical students. interest groups, allowing past year, we have striven to turning it into a multi-use students to further explore strengthen our relationship space. MSAC is now ready Nancy Thompson, MSAC Services their medical and extra- with our colleagues from for the Bhangra and Hip Hop & Events Coordinator curricular interests. medical schools across Canada dance clubs, the Carotid Chop by demonstrating a stronger In response to student requests, presence at national gatherings. MUS recently incorporated With assistance from our vast the Wellness Initiative Network network of established alumni, (WIN) under the MUS Internal we hope to further develop portfolio. The primary objective this relationship by submitting of WIN is to promote a healthy a bid to host the 2013 CFMS and balanced life throughout Annual General Meeting in medical school and beyond British Columbia. by focusing on topics such as nutrition, fitness, stress Lastly, on behalf of more than management and community 1,000 UBC medical students, development. Further the MUS would like to thank information about WIN our network of alumni, UBC and other MUS initiatives faculty and staff in addition can be found on our newly to supportive community launched website: members, for enhancing our http://ubcmedstudents.com/ educational experience. Aside from providing internal (Top photo): Medical students practicing a Bhangra dance routine in the MSAC Elisa Kharazi, MUS President courtyard on a cool day in March. PHOTO CREDIT: ISABEL CHEN, MD ’15 services to UBC medical [email protected] (Bottom photo): Medical students in performance at the Chan Centre. students, the MUS advocates PHOTO CREDIT: CHARLES WALSH, MD ’15 UBC MEDICINE | ALUMNI NEWS 38

Faculty and Platform Party for the Class of 2012 Hooding Ceremony.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2012

Please join us in welcoming our newest graduates as they pursue their residency programs. On behalf of the UBC Medical Alumni Association, we are proud to welcome you as alumni and colleagues.

Simon Rose Laura Chng Stephanie Cairns Karen Giang Jesse Janssen Ryan Lieph Shahana Nathwani University of Alberta University of Belleville - Quinte Calgary Abbotsford Prince Edward Island Abbotsford Anatomical British Columbia Queen’s University University of Calgary University of Dalhousie University University of Pathology Alexander Suen British Columbia British Columbia and General University of Wayne Choi Ka Wai Amar Gill Kelly Little Toronto McGill University (Angela) Chan Surrey Amber Jarvie Vancouver - St.Paul’s Tyler Ngai Pathology Calgary University of Vancouver Fraser University of Calgary Tonia Timperley Camila Guan Launny Faulkner University of Calgary British Columbia University of British Columbia University of Calgary University of University of British Columbia University of Calgary British Columbia British Columbia Jack Chang Mary Glen Iris Liu Emma Noble Stratford-Tavistock Chilliwack Simon Jones Abbotsford Calgary Joel Krueger Wesley Jang University of Calgary University of University of Calgary University of University of Calgary University of Western Ontario British Columbia University of Calgary British Columbia Lawrence Lee Dermatology British Columbia Amy Olver Rajinder Cheema Sabrina Naila Karim Cindy Lou Kingston - 1000 University of Diana Diao Jaspreet Khangura British Columbia Edmonton Gustafson-Vickers Greater Toronto Area Brampton Islands University of University of Alberta University of Alberta Surrey University of McMaster University Queen’s University British Columbia University of Toronto Steven Skitch Jessica Cheung Katrina Low Vida Omidvar Elaine Dupuis McMaster University British Columbia Anesthesiology Vancouver - St.Paul’s Megan Kennedy Medicine Hat Rural London University of Calgary University of Omeed Hadisfar Okanagan Rural University of Calgary University of Michael Chuang British Columbia Greater Toronto Area University of Western Ontario University of Family University of British Columbia Rita Lung British Columbia Ka Yee Carrie Ching Toronto Victoria Alexandra Otto Diagnostic Medicine Vancouver Fraser Ashlee King University of Victoria Dallas Duncan Radiology Nassir Adhami University of Tasha Haiduk Medicine Hat Rural British Columbia University of University of James Gardner Montreal British Columbia Lethbridge Rural University of Calgary British Columbia Toronto University of Calgary Vivian Ma Queen’s University McGill University Spencer Cleave Jennifer Kondra Montreal Loni Patterson Reza Faraji Grayson Hall Salman Ali Victoria Christine Henderson Victoria McGill University Surrey University of University of Victoria University of University of British Columbia Queen’s University Surrey Janet Ma University of British Columbia University of British Columbia British Columbia Blake Jamieson British Columbia Calgary Hardave Gill British Columbia Genevieve Cordonier Leo Lai University of Calgary Matthew Petzold University of University of Ashley Bakker Victoria Jacalynne Abbotsford Rural Okanagan Saskatchewan British Columbia Magnus Macnab Nanaimo University of Hernandez-Lee University of University of Michael Kozoriz British Columbia Sydney British Columbia Calgary British Columbia Tanya Griffiths University of University of Dalhousie University University of Calgary Queen’s University British Columbia Tina Lai British Columbia Michael Dumont Hillary Quinn Calgary Karissa Hetland Vancouver Fraser Michael Marino Rural Okanagan Ryan Heinrichs Anne-Marie Baribeau Nima Razaghi University of Calgary University of Ottawa University of Edmonton University of University of Rural Okanagan Kashani British Columbia University of Alberta British Columbia Manitoba University of University of Scott Eliason Leanne Hewitson British Columbia Saskatoon Saint John Peter Laratta Crystal Marko Navpaul (Navi) Kelvin Kwan Toronto University of Dalhousie University Edmonton London Rattan University of Ottawa Jeffrey Beaudry Kathryn Roston Saskatchewan University of Alberta University of Prince George Rural Queen’s University Megan Hill Andy Po-Cheng Lo University of Western Ontario University of Lauren Feldhoff Prince George Rural Monica Lau University of Calgary British Columbia Ruth-Ann Beaudry Stephanie Matchett British Columbia Queen’s University Rural University of Calgary Anne-Marie Madden Samantha Memorial University British Columbia University of Calgary Saint John’s Renee Sebastian University of Saravana-Bawan Mattias Berg Dalhousie University Barrie-Newmarket Florina Feng Shannon Hill Mark Lawson British Columbia University of Alberta Vancouver Fraser University of Vancouver Fraser Vancouver Fraser Calgary Troy McLeod University of Prince Albert Rural Toronto Cyrus McEachern Elena Scali British Columbia University of University of University of Calgary McGill University University of British Columbia British Columbia University of Amy Jean Bryan Lee British Columbia Leah Boldt Saskatchewan Singleton-Polster Steven Moore Mark Fenrich Karina Ho Edmonton Lethbridge Rural Jan McPhee Rural University of Anthony Stregger University of Calgary Medicine Hat Rural Edmonton University of Alberta Memorial University British Columbia Queen’s University University of Calgary University of Alberta Lethbridge Rural Karen Lee Rupinder Brar University of Calgary Serena Siow Farrukh Munshey David Tso George Francis Maralyn Hope Greater Toronto Area Vancouver - St.Paul’s Kathryn Morrison Calgary University of University of Nanaimo Vancouver Fraser University of University of Vancouver Fraser University of Calgary Saskatchewan British Columbia British Columbia University of University of Toronto British Columbia British Columbia University of Alysalim Somani Lindsey Lerch Nicole Quigley Dayna Briemon British Columbia Nanaimo University of Marcia Fukunaga Gabriel Hung Victoria Victoria - Aboriginal Omid Najafi Larijani University of Western Ontario Emergency Nanaimo Calgary University of University of Greater Toronto Area British Columbia Medicine British Columbia University of University of Calgary British Columbia Alison Read British Columbia University of Lindsay Stokvis David Leung University of Brianne Bentzon Ami Brosseau Lauchlan Jankola Toronto Vancouver Fraser British Columbia University of Victoria - Aboriginal Annie Gallie Queen’s University Greater Toronto Area University of British Columbia University of Calgary University of British Columbia Peter Rose University of Calgary Toronto University of British Columbia British Columbia ALUMNI NEWS | uBC MEDICINE 39

Left: Personalized ‘doctor shingle’ – a gift from the Medical Alumni Association. Right: C. Cunningham, MD ’12; S. Lidstone, MD ’12; M. Lawson, MD ’12; P. Chen, MD ’12; W. Jang, MD ’12; W. Choi, MD ’12; and T. Chaworth-Musters, MD ’12 celebrate after the Hooding Ceremony.

Colleen Sweeney Gurp Johal Suzana Gilmour Julia Pritchard Melanie Phillips Jane Ryan Sydney University of University of University of Calgary University of Calgary Vancouver Island Dalhousie University British Columbia British Columbia Ophthalmology Psychiatry University of Emilie Stevens Michelle Sherwood British Columbia Nicola Tam Mohammadali Claire Harris University of Brennan Eadie University of Suze Berkhout Vancouver - St.Paul’s Khorasani University of British Columbia University of British Columbia University of Rahul Soma University of University of British Columbia British Columbia Toronto University of British Columbia British Columbia Moninder Vaid Shazeen Suleman British Columbia Shi Yuan Jiang University of Calgary Robert Machuk University of Magdalena Nicole Thong Sepehr Khorasani University of University of Alberta Toronto Casagrande Devina Wadhwa Vancouver Fraser University of British Columbia Tony Wan Fraser - Greater University of University of Stephanie Wise Laura Swaney Vancouver University of British Columbia University of Toronto British Columbia Erin Kennah British Columbia Dalhousie University University of Cecily Morgan-Jonker University of Calgary British Columbia British Columbia Caroline Walker Joshua Wenner Andrea Tam Sarah Truscott University of Christopher Chapman University of Victoria British Columbia Tejinder Khalsa University of Ottawa Northern Ontario Irene Chan Toronto University of Calgary University of Alberta School of Medicine Fraser - Greater University of Hoi Lun (Alan) Yau Jed Scharf Vancouver Benedict Wong British Columbia Ritu Kumar Jennifer Tam University of Alberta University of University of University of University of British Columbia University of Emanuela Tura Orthopedic British Columbia Toronto Nanaimo Gavin Tansley British Columbia Toronto Dalhousie University Surgery Sonia Detillieux Sai Ming Simon Woo University of Evelyn Kwok Justin Yuen Vancouver Island Fraser - Greater British Columbia Miranda Witheford University of Alberta Neurology Geoffrey Jarvie University of University of University of Vancouver David Urquhart Queen’s University Saskatchewan Godfrey Lam Carlie Duke British Columbia British Columbia University of Belleville - Quinte University of Alberta University of Alberta British Columbia Queen’s University Chad Johnson Raymond Julius Elizabeth Woodward Morgan Lam Christopher Fox University of Elefante Elizabeth Watson Internal Physical University of University of British Columbia Fraser - Greater University of Chilliwack Medicine British Columbia British Columbia Medicine and Vancouver Toronto University of Scott Apperley Sabrina Kolker Rehabilitation University of British Columbia Tamryn Law Sarah Lidstone University of British Columbia University of Aaron Chan University of University of Toronto Alex Weinberg British Columbia Toronto Toronto University of Anastasia (Asia) Radiation Barrie-Newmarket Tavish Barnes Jacqueline Ngai British Columbia Ensom Oncology University of Lauren Lee Mary Metrie University of Fraser - Greater University of Calgary Cameron Toronto University of Queen’s University British Columbia Vancouver Sarah Baker Jamie Benham British Columbia Cunningham University of University of Alberta Elizabeth Willms Nikkie Randhawa University of Calgary University of British Columbia Prince Albert Rural Stephanie Lee University of British Columbia Benjamin Maas University of Joshua Budlovsky University of British Columbia Otolaryngology Brynn Fredricksen University of Toronto Ranita Manocha British Columbia Saskatchewan University of Egidio Spinelli Fraser - Greater British Columbia Brent Chang University of Vancouver Julie Wilson Gibong Lee University of Alberta University of Western Ontario University of Alberta University of Greater Toronto Area Tracy Cannon British Columbia British Columbia University of University of Britteny Turko Urology Wendy Lin University of Alberta Toronto British Columbia University of Obstetrics and Craig Haddon David Harriman University of Catherine Wong Tessa Chaworth- British Columbia Gynecology Pediatrics University of British Columbia British Columbia Thunder Bay Musters Hardeep Mahal Northern Ontario University of Elisabeth Draht Allison Bunney Plastic Surgery Nolan Hop Wo University of University of Calgary University of Ottawa Jeffrey McKay School of Medicine British Columbia British Columbia Arezoo Astanehe University of Dalhousie University Sawyer Huget-Penner Ciara Chamberlain University of Calgary Western Ontario Tomonori Yokogawa Carson Chin Greg Marcotte Hilary Nelson Sudbury University of University of University of Calgary Shelly Mark University of British Columbia Morgan Evans University of Northern Ontario British Columbia British Columbia Alysha Dedhar University of Vancouver Island British Columbia School of Medicine University of Matthew Cooper Brent Jim University of British Columbia Kari-Jean McKenzie University of Calgary British Columbia British Columbia Christopher Wu University of University of Colin McInnes McMaster University British Columbia British Columbia Deirdre O’Connor Sabrina Eliason University of Sarah Mark General Surgery University of David Youssef Meghan Drew- University of University of Manitoba Anish Mitra British Columbia Saskatchewan British Columbia University of James Choi McKinstry University of British Columbia University of University of Calgary British Columbia Ari Sanders Meghan Gilley Dawn Roccamatisi Western Ontario Saskatoon Caley Flynn University of Calgary University of Ashkan Parsa British Columbia University of Navjit Dharampal Queen’s University University of Pamela Verma Saskatchewan University of Calgary Brandon Galm British Columbia University of Irvin Janjua Toronto University of Gilgamesh Eamer University of Alberta Persia Pourshahnazari University of Alberta British Columbia Shannon Galway University of Bonnie Woolnough Stephanie Hiebert University of British Columbia University of Alberta Dalhousie University British Columbia A PROVINCE-WIDE ENTERPRISE

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