Momentum - 2018

I N T H E FA C U LT Y O F M E D I C I N E & D E N T I S T R Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L B E R TA ISSUE NO. 2

2018

B IG DATA, B IG OPPORTU NITIES How UAlberta health scientists are fulfilling the promise of big data to revolutionize everything from prevention to diagnosis to treatment

TOP NEWSMAKERS

PORTRAITS OF DIABETES

MOMENTUM DRIVERS OF THE YEAR

Propelling health research and education in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry University of Alberta

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents 2 Dean’s message

FEATURES

3 Top news POPUL AR HEADLINES

Big data opens door to big possibilities in health care

6 Education SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY UNDERGRADUATE UPDATES

9 Global health

For UAlberta scientists Lawrence

11 Research

Richer, Padma Kaul and Rhonda Rosychuk, the future is now.

NEW DIRECTIONS DISCOVERIES: NOTEWORTHY FINDINGS

14 Cover story

27 Innovation 32 Learners as leaders 35 Generosity CL ASS GIVING VISIONARIES

38 Alumni AWARDS TRAILBL AZER

41 Expert commentary 42 Throwback 19 Momentum drivers of 2018

28 Portraits of diabetes

MOMENTUM

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PORTRAITS OF DIABETES

UAB.CA/MOMENTUM

ROSS NEITZ SHELBY SOKE L AURA VEGA KIRSTEN BAUER, ’05 BA, ’17 MA TARWINDER RAIS CHERYL DESL AURIER LESLEY YOUNG, ’94 BA AMY SAMSON TAYLOR L AMBERT

CREATIVE DIRECTOR MJ FELL

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING SALENA KITTERINGHAM, ’00 BA NATASIA DESIGNS NATASIA MARTIN, ’13 BDES L AUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY WRITER / COPY EDITOR / PROOFREADER SASHA ROEDER MAH, ’91 BA

PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD SIEMENS THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE SITUATED ON TREATY 6 TRADITIONAL L ANDS OF FIRST NATIONS AND MÉTIS PEOPLE.

MOMENTUM DIGITAL / PHOTOGRAPHER MELISSA FABRIZIO, ’15 BA UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

1

DEAN’S MESSAGE

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA’S

It is our mandate to ensure that

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry

social accountability, patient-centred

continues to be propelled by

methods and a relentless search

unprecedented momentum, moving

for excellence remain as the pillars

at a strong and swift pace towards

that support every enterprise on

sustaining excellence.

which we embark.

Our faculty is taking a central role in the transformational development of Alberta’s health innovation ecosystem.

We are proudly moving into new spaces that foster health entrepreneurship and scientific discovery for life-saving, tangible solutions. Working in tandem with strategic partners in research, education and care, we have advanced great lengths to serve communities with a higher understanding of their needs and precision approaches to diagnosis, prevention and treatment.

“Our research institutes stand out as invaluable cores of interdisciplinary work, bringing in fresh faces and talented minds ready to build on the legacy of the giants that went before us.”

We grow by weaving powerful connections that expand our reach.

This is a wonderful time to be a part

We solidify relationships with our

of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.

growing community of alumni—

A promising path awaits as we continue

ambassadors of our values and

to learn, mentor, collaborate and unveil

mission—and with our learners as we

new possibilities thanks to our most

envision the next steps for our faculty.

precious asset—our people.

Our research institutes stand out as invaluable cores of interdisciplinary

I hope you join us in this rewarding

work, bringing in fresh faces and

and fascinating journey.

talented minds ready to build on the legacy of the giants that went before us.

We move forward together in collaboration and with curiosity, to redefine the face of Canadian and global health.

2

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

RICHARD N. FEDORAK MD, FRCPC, FRCP (LONDON), FRCP (EDINBURGH), FRSC DEAN, FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

TOP NEWS

‘Poop pills’ as good as colonoscopy to treat C. difficile STOOL CAPSULES COULD BE THE MAGIC PILL FOR TREATMENT OF THE DANGEROUS INFECTION ORIGINAL STORY

PHOTO BY

CBC, NOVEMBER 2017

L AUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

Dina Kao’s study shows capsules were 96-per-cent effective in treating C. difficile.

WHEN IT COMES to treating Clostridium

that while both methods resulted

microbiota transplant,” Kao said,

difficile (C. diff) with a fecal

in a 96-per-cent success rate in

noting that using the capsules instead

microbiota transplant—yes, human

treating C. diff, the capsules have

of colonoscopy could save the health

poop—swallowing a frozen capsule

many advantages: They are non-

system at least $1,000 per patient.

appears to have far less of an “ick

invasive, less expensive and can be

“From a health-care perspective,

factor” and works as well as delivering

administered in a doctor’s office

I think it becomes a no-brainer,”

the therapy via colonoscopy,

without the patient being sedated.

said Kao. “Why would we be delivering

University of Alberta researchers say.

a transplant by any other route?”

Kao believes administering fecal

C. diff is a potentially fatal infection of

microbiota transplant using

“FROM A HEALTH-CARE

the gut marked by severe diarrhea and

capsules—a delivery mode in which

abdominal pain. Outbreaks in hospitals

fecal matter from donors is refined,

PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT

and long-term care facilities are

then frozen—could help broaden

notoriously challenging to eradicate.

the use of fecal transplants for

The research was funded by Alberta

treating C. diff.

Health Services and the University

A study led by U of A associate

BECOMES A NO-BRAINER.”

Hospital Foundation and published

professor and gastroenterologist Dina

“This will transform the way people

in the Journal of the American

Kao (’94 BSc, ’99 MD, ’08 MSc) found

think about how we deliver fecal

Medical Association.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

3

TOP NEWS

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

Docs should think twice before prescribing marijuana ORIGINAL STORY

CTV NEWS, FEBRUARY 2018

A NEW MEDICAL guideline published

caught up,” said project leader Mike

in the medical journal Canadian Family

Allan, director of evidence-based

Physician says there is limited evidence

medicine in the U of A’s Department

to support the reported benefits of

of Family Medicine.

medical marijuana for many conditions.

Most home bloodpressure monitor readings are inaccurate

It adds that any benefit could be

The guideline was created by a

balanced or even outweighed by the

committee of 10 doctors, allied health

potential harm.

professionals and a patient, after U of A researchers performed an in-

“While enthusiasm for medical

depth review of clinical trials. It was peer

marijuana is very strong among some

reviewed by 40 others, including doctors,

people, good quality research has not

pharmacists, nurses and patients.

ORIGINAL STORY

IN A STUDY published in the American

Journal of Hypertension, researchers from the U of A have found that

Meet the newsmakers

up to 70 per cent of readings from home blood-pressure monitors are “unacceptably inaccurate.”

Funded by the University Hospital Foundation, Jennifer Ringrose (’98 MSc), co-author Rajdeep Padwal and their team tested dozens of in-home blood-pressure monitors.

“High blood pressure is the Number 1 cause of death and disability in the world,” said Ringrose. “We need to make sure that home blood-pressure

JENNIFER RINGROSE ’98 MSc – Women and Children’s Health Research Institute RAJDEEP PADWAL Mazankowski Heart Institute, Department of Medicine Division of General Internal Medicine

MIKE ALLAN Director – PEER (Patients, Experience, Evidence, Research) Director – Evidence Based Medicine, Department of Family Medicine

readings are accurate.”

4

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

PETER LIGHT Dr. Charles A. Allard Chair – Diabetes Research Director – Alberta Diabetes Institute, Department of Pharmacology

ANITA KOZYRSKYJ Professor – Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Respirology, Pulmonary and Asthma

ARTWORK BY: NATASIA DESIGNS EDITED BY SASHA ROEDER MAH

CTV NEWS, FEBRUARY 2018

ISSUE NO. 2

TOP NEWS

2018

Whoa! Sunlight could actually shrink your fat cells ORIGINAL STORY

READER’S DIGEST, JANUARY 2018

WINTER ALWAYS SEEMS to bring on

get any light. What’s more, the lipid

weight gain, even if we resist Christmas

droplets in the light-treated cells

baking and stick to our workout

were also smaller than the ones in

routines. A study in Scientific Reports,

the placebo group.

led by U of A pharmacology professor and director of the Alberta Diabetes

While more studies are needed and

Institute Peter Light, may show why.

the researchers haven’t pinned down why light affects fat storage, the study

Funding partners Canadian Institutes for Health Research University Hospital Foundation

Light and his team put some fat cells

authors believe blue light might tell

under lamps giving off blue light

your body how to store fat. During the

(the shortest visible light to come

winter, when daylight is short, your

from the sun) for four hours and

body is programmed to store fat;

Alberta Diabetes Foundation

kept other samples in the dark.

with more sunlight in the summer,

American Diabetes Association

After two weeks, the fat-cell groups

your body burns it off again.

showed remarkable differences.

Alberta Innovates Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Edmonton Civic Employees Charitable Assistance Fund Firefighters Burn Trust Fund

The researchers hope the findings could The blue light-treated fat cells had

lead to weight-loss innovations, but

fewer lipid droplets—organelles that

warn not to try shedding pounds just by

store fat—than the cells that didn’t

spending extra time in the sun.

Dr. Rod Eidem Diabetes Research Fund Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

C-section in overweight moms increases risk of obesity in kids through changes in babies’ gut bacteria ORIGINAL STORY

OVERWEIGHT MOTHERS ARE more likely

different gut bacteria from those in

NEW YORK TIMES, FEBRUARY 2018

to have overweight babies and the gut

babies born to normal-weight women

bacteria the babies inherit may in part be

and are more than five times as likely to

to blame, according to a study led by U of

be overweight.

A professor of pediatrics Anita Kozyrskyj.

There is no single probiotic that can Published in JAMA Pediatrics and

undo changes in gut bacteria of infants

funded by AllerGen, Alberta Innovates

after a C-section, says Kozyrskyj, and

and the Canadian Institutes of Health

“if a C-section is unavoidable, there

Research, the study reports that

is no easy answer.” But typically,

overweight mothers are more likely to

she adds, “breastfeeding is effective

have a caesarean section. Babies born

in helping to prevent infants from

by C-section to those mothers have

becoming overweight.”

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

5

PORTRAITS EDUCATION OF DIABETES

MD students Alexander Wong (left) and Emily Fong (right) are helping post-secondary students Taelina Andreychuk (centre) and Ryan Scheltus (not pictured) prepare for the Medical College Admission Test.

AUTHOR

SHELBY SOKE

PHOTO BY

L AUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

Free student-led MCAT course supports aspiring MDs UALBERTA MEDICAL STUDENTS LAUNCHED A NEW INITIATIVE TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN HEALTH PROFESSIONS BY REDUCING OBSTACLES IN THE MEDICAL-SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS THE MD ADMISSIONS Initiative for

favoured those coming from higher

Indigenous descent. Early feedback

Diversity & Equity (MD AIDE) will

socioeconomic backgrounds,” said

from Indigenous participants suggests

make it easier for post-secondary

Emily Fong, another MD student

that the small class size, one-on-one

students from low-income and

and co-lead of MD AIDE.

engagement and feedback between

Indigenous backgrounds to prepare for

students and MD AIDE leads—together

the infamously difficult Medical College

Wong and Fong created the initiative

with class time that works with their

Admission Test (MCAT).

to help make medical education more

schedules—have made this experience

socially accountable and produce future

meaningful for them. Many participants

“Registering for the MCAT exam itself

physicians who will best serve the

said they planned to take the MCAT in

costs a few hundred dollars, and that

needs of the population.

late summer 2018.

purchasing online practice questions

“We talk about providing culturally

The MD AIDE program is medical

or enrolling in tutoring, which can cost

safe care, especially with Indigenous

student-run in partnership with the

thousands of dollars,” said Alexander

communities, and one of the best

U of A’s Undergraduate Medical

Wong, an MD student and co-lead of

ways we can do this is to have care

Education Office, the Office of Equity,

the initiative.

providers that come from Indigenous

Diversity and Inclusion and the

backgrounds,” said Wong.

Indigenous Health Initiatives Office

doesn’t include the cost of books,

“One of the most concerning issues

within the Division of Community

with regard to medical education is

MD AIDE was offered for the first time

Engagement, and in collaboration with

when only those who can afford it

from May to July 2018, with more than

Communities United, an initiative

can access it. Our system has always

30 per cent of the inaugural class of

under EndPoverty Edmonton.

6

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

ISSUE NO. 2

EDUCATION

2018

Hearing Indigenous communities, walking together INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND UALBERTA HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BEGIN DIALOGUE TOWARDS A SHARED VISION OF INDIGENOUS HEALTH Top (from left) Tibetha Kemble, Elder AUTHOR

PHOTO BY

Marilyn Buffalo, Jill Konkin and Barry Lavalle

L AURA VEGA

MELISSA FABRIZIO

Bottom left: Elder Rick Lightning Bottom right: Tibetha Kemble

IN FEBRUARY 2018, First Nation Elders,

community members and UAlberta health professionals came together to initiate a dialogue towards a shared vision for the future of Indigenous health.

“An important aspect of the gathering was having a high proportion of community partners guide and shape our shared future direction,” said Tibetha Kemble, director of Indigenous Health in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry’s Division of Community Engagement.“It’s working with Indigenous communities to determine where we’re going to go together,” added Jill Konkin, associate dean, Division of Community Engagement.

A federal report released in 2018 indicates that despite new funding to support improved health outcomes, Indigenous peoples now have a 15-yearshorter life expectancy than nonIndigenous peoples—nearly two times the gap reported 20 years ago. For Elder Rick Lightning, from Maskwacîs, it was important for non-Indigenous people to learn about the misconceptions of how communities are funded to address their health problems.

“We’re given $50,000 to work with suicide. It costs $10,000 to bury one child. We’re already looking at 14 people who committed suicide since December 2017 and we’re supposed to try to fight the suicide epidemic in our communities,” said Lightning.

He praised Indigenous university students as survivors beating the odds of suicide, alcoholism and more. “Like when turtles are born and race to the ocean with predators around, those students are like the few turtles that made it through.”

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

7

EDUCATION

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

Undergraduate updates

Radiation Therapy

Medical Laboratory Sciences

PROGRAM MILESTONE

Dental Hygiene PROGRAM MILESTONE

ELEVEN STUDENTS GRADUATED in

PROGRAM MILESTONE

THE DENTAL HYGIENE degree-

June 2018 with a 100-per-cent pass

THE PROGRAM WAS first

only program’s first cohort of

rate for the Canadian Association

established in 1958, making 2018

students have completed their

of Medical Radiation Technologists

its diamond anniversary.

first year.

UPDATES

UPDATES

A stakeholder-driven curriculum

Dental hygiene students

certification examination.

UPDATES

redesign, to be implemented

are delving deeper into the

For the first time, senior-

in 2020, has focused on the

determinants of health from a

year students are actively

essential employability skills and

broad range of personal, social,

participating on the clinical floor

professionalism required for the

economic and environmental

at Tom Baker Cancer Centre in

next generation of technologists.

factors that determine individual

Calgary. Thank you to the clinical

The senior year of the degree

and population health.

staff at Tom Baker for being so

will contribute to the precision

welcoming and supportive of

health movement by integrating

An online module enhances

our students.

research, management and

students’ understanding of

emerging technologies.

Indigenous peoples and includes

The Radiation Therapy Student

8

a variety of active learning

Association continues to grow

Student leaders have initiated

strategies, from small-group

in its capacity, offering valuable

a series of Student Wellness

discussions and narrated

Lunch ‘n Learn sessions where

Nights, with learners from

presentations, readings, podcasts

students can work on developing

all years of the MLS program

and videos, to reflective learning

their professional identities.

invited to take part in a range

whereby the students describe

of activities such as paint night,

their feelings about the content

The program recently recruited

financial wellness talks, a session

presented. Topics include

internationally acclaimed

on nutrition and a puppy playdate

treaties, colonization, residential

radiation therapy faculty

organized in collaboration with

schools, Indian hospitals, oral

member, Amanda Bolderston.

Sundance Animal Rescue.

health and health disparities.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

PHOTOS BY: L AUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY, MELISSA FABRIZIO

national competency-based

ISSUE NO. 2

GLOBAL HEALTH

2018

Could there be a ‘social vaccine’ for malaria?

UALBERTA RESEARCHERS FOUND THE HIGHER A MOTHER’S EDUCATION LEVEL, THE LOWER THE CHANCE OF HER CHILD BEING INFECTED WITH MALARIA AUTHOR

PHOTO BY

A U of A study led by Michael Hawkes, Women

ROSS NEITZ

MELISSA FABRIZIO

and Children’s Health Research Institute member, reveals the deep impact of maternal education on childhood malaria.

Pediatric diagnostic tool wins Grand Challenges Canada competition A NEW DEVICE developed by

Israel Amirav and Michael Hawkes of the Department of Pediatrics won $100,000 from Grand Challenges Canada for its potential to save the lives of children in the developing world.

Called a multimometer, the simple-to-use pointof-care device is used like an oral thermometer but simultaneously measures a child’s key vital signs— respiratory rate, temperature, oxygen saturation and heart rate—making pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions more accurately

“MATERNAL EDUCATION HAS as

Hawkes says it doesn’t take a lot of

and efficiently identifiable.

profound an effect on childhood

education to teach a mom how to take

malaria as hundreds of millions of dollars

simple precautions such as using a bed

It was one of only 20 ideas

spent on the leading biomedical vaccine,”

net and seeking care when a child has

from across Canada that won

said Michael Hawkes, assistant professor

a fever. While maternal education isn’t

Grand Challenges prizes,

in the Department of Pediatrics,

a magic bullet by itself, he says it is

awarded by Global Affairs

who worked with a UAlberta team of

part of the solution, which will include

Canada and other partners.

researchers and the Democratic Republic

increased efforts by policymakers to

of Congo (DRC) to examine the issue.

educate girls and women in malaria hotspots around the world.

The World Health Organization is currently rolling out in countries across

This study was published in the journal

Africa a new vaccine that has an efficacy

Pathogens and Global Health and funded

of about 30 per cent, but children

through the Association for Health

whose mothers are educated beyond

Innovation in Africa and the Stollery

the primary level have a 53-per-cent

Children’s Hospital Foundation,

reduction in their malaria rates.

through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

9

GLOBAL HEALTH

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

Climbing the ranks 1

2

U OF A IS RANKED AS THE

40

th

MOST INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD FOR 2018

U OF A IS RATED IN THE WORLD IN TRANSPLANTATION

6th

UAlberta brings new cardiology techniques to China AUTHOR

L AURA VEGA

IN NOVEMBER 2017, the Fourth

“It is fast, cheap, widely available,

Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang

portable and non-invasive, with no

University Medical School

radiation or risk of kidney damage

performed its first contrast stress

from dye,” said Choy, who has been

echocardiograms in Zhejiang, with the

performing stress echocardiography

guidance of the U of A’s Jonathan Choy

in Canada for 10 years.

(’92 MD), cardiologist and associate 3 THE U OF A’S FACULTY OF

MEDICINE & DENTISTRY IS

dean, clinical faculty.

In addition to making an impact on heart-disease diagnostics in

While ultrasound contrast is

China, U of A faculty, clinicians and

commonly used in China to monitor

administrative leaders are shaping

or diagnose liver tumours, Choy says

leading health centres in the areas of

stress echocardiograms had not been

surgery, psychiatry, neurology, family

previously performed in Zhejiang

medicine and more through sustained

1. Times Higher Education

due to lack of expertise. Now the

partnership programs with several

2. Center for World University Rankings

procedure could vastly improve

medical education institutions in East

diagnostic opportunities and health

Africa, South America, the Caribbean,

outcomes for patients there.

Nepal and Australia, among others.

RANKED AMONG THE TOP

100

MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD

3. Times Higher Education, QS World University Rankings

STOP Glaucoma program empowers African communities AUTHOR

SHELBY SOKE

GLAUCOMA, A TREATABLE but

Alexandra Hospital Foundation that

irreversible disease, is stealing vision

the first fellows were funded a decade

at high rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

ago. A Grand Challenges Canada grant

Karim Damji, the Royal Alexandra

also enabled the team to pilot a tele-

Hospital Foundation Research Chair in

glaucoma model to improve detection

Ophthalmology, recognized something

in Ethiopia and Kenya.

had to be done and created a program

STOP Glaucoma program partners EDMONTON Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation Alberta Health Services

to train the first generation of glaucoma

“I was in Ethiopia recently and after 10

subspecialists in sub-Saharan Africa.

years of investment there, my mentees

ETHIOPIA Addis Ababa University

STOP Glaucoma training takes about

have now become my mentors,” said

Jimma University

18 months for fellows to complete, with

Damji, chief of ophthalmology at the

rotations in Edmonton and the fellows’

Eye Institute of Alberta and chair of the

Gondar University in Ethiopia

home country. It was through the Royal

Department of Ophthalmology.

10

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

KENYA Aga Khan University University of Nairobi TANZANIA Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

RESEARCH ISSUE NO. 2

NEW DIRECTIONS

2018

$5-million gift positions UAlberta as leader in child and adolescent mental health research CASA-FUNDED RESEARCH CHAIR IN DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AIMS TO IMPROVE FRONT-LINE STRATEGIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS ISSUES AUTHOR

PHOTOS BY

ROSS NEITZ

HABIT MARKETING AGENCY

CASA, A CHILD, adolescent and family mental-health

organization, has committed $5 million over the next 10 years for the University of Alberta’s Department of

At top: CASA and the U of A's Department of

Psychiatry to develop the CASA Research Chair in Child

Psychiatry announced the creation of the CASA

and Adolescent Mental Health.

Research Chair in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

The new chair will help drive community-focused research

At bottom: Xin-Min Li, Department of Psychiatry chair

and apply evidence-based findings to front-line care with an aim of improving the lives of children, youth and families with mental-health and addictions issues. A key aim will be to

“We need to support children and their families in their

collaborate with children, youth and their parents to gain new

earlier years through their challenges and struggles so they

insights and solutions.

can have healthy and productive lives,” said Milne.

“There are all kinds of gaps in the area of youth mental health,” said Denise Milne, CEO of CASA and CASA Foundation. “We see a variety of children struggling with mental-health challenges ranging from eating and sleeping disorders, to attention deficit disorder, to depression and anxiety, suicidal ideation and

“We need to support children and their families in their earlier years... so they can have healthy and productive lives.”

serious attempts.”

“I’m very excited about this gift. It will be transformative,” According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada,

said Xin-Min Li, chair of the U of A’s Department of

an estimated 1.2 million children and youth in Canada are

Psychiatry. “Together with CASA, we’ll establish a leading

affected by mental illness, yet less than 20 per cent will

education, training and research centre in Canada for youth

receive appropriate treatment.

mental health.”

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

11

RESEARCH PORTRAITS OF DIABETES DISCOVERIES

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

UAlberta medical team engineers cartilage for nose reconstructions

Experimental therapy could boost stroke recovery

AUTHOR AUTHOR

ROSS NEITZ

ROSS NEITZ

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS OF surgery

Khalid Ansari, Martin Osswald and

LEAD AUTHOR ANNA Wiersma

Adetola Adesida used a clinically

of the Neuroscience and

approved collagen biomaterial as a

Mental Health Institute

scaffold to grow new cartilage for

and associate professor of

patients who need nasal reconstruction

psychiatry Ian Winship injected

after skin cancer.

chondroitinase ABC into the spinal cords of rats after they

The researchers hope to begin clinical

suffered stroke and found they

trials in the near future to prove the

Surgery professor

could enhance recovery by

efficacy of the cartilage in the operating

Adetola Adesida and

inducing amplified rewiring of

his team engineered

room. Engineered cartilage—superior

cartilage that can

in many ways to that harvested at sites such as a patient’s ribs or ear—could

circuits connecting the brain

be used for nasal

to the spinal cord. When they

reconstruction.

combined this spinal therapy

potentially supply unlimited quantities

with rehabilitative training,

for surgeons and result in custom-made

on a patient’s nose. This research was

reconstructions for patients. In 2015,

funded by Alberta Cancer Foundation,

recovery was further amplified.

there were more than three million

Mickleborough Interfacial Bioscience

“This approach is still a long

cases of skin cancer in North America

Research Program and the Canadian

way from the clinic,” stressed

alone and about one-third of cases occur

Institutes of Health Research.

Winship, “but this gives us real evidence that there are things we

Biomarker discovery could herald more effective cancer treatments

can do for people with permanent disability after stroke.” This research was funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Alberta Innovates.

AUTHOR

A UALBERTA RESEARCH project found

Ali led the collaboration between

the protein RYBP prevents DNA repair

Michael Hendzel’s lab from the

in cancer cells—including breast

departments of oncology and cell

cancer— and could make chemo or

biology and Leo Spyracopoulos’ lab

radiation therapy more effective.

from the Department of Biochemistry; both are members of the Cancer

“Cancer cells that resist therapy are

Research Institute of Northern Alberta.

able to repair themselves despite the

This research was funded by the Alberta

DNA damage. By preventing them from

Cancer Foundation, Alberta Innovates,

repairing, we could more effectively

the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy

treat cancer,” explained post-doctoral

Fund and the Canadian Institutes of

fellow Mohammad Ali.

Health Research.

12

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

Anna Wiersma and Ian Winship found that combining spinal injection with rehabilitation therapy could help people recovering from a stroke.

PHOTOS BY: MELISSA FABRIZIO

SHELBY SOKE

ISSUE NO. 2

PORTRAITS RESEARCH OFDISCOVERIES DIABETES

2018

Surprise finding could lead to new MS research

Biochemistry professor David Brindley (centre) with two members of his team, Xiaoyun Tang (left) and Guanmin Meng

AUTHOR

ROSS NEITZ

Blocking cancer cells’ escape route from radiotherapy

WHILE EXAMINING HUMAN brain

disease. Symptoms vary widely but

tissues, researchers from the

often include cognitive impairment,

University of Alberta and McGill

dizziness, tremors and fatigue,

University unexpectedly found that

caused by T-cells that, after becoming

the tissues from people who had MS—

activated, find their way into the

AUTHOR

compared with those without MS—

brain and attack the protective myelin

ROSS NEITZ

contained an extremely high level

covering of neurons in the brain and

of a protein named calnexin.

spinal cord, causing inflammation and

SCIENTISTS AT THE Cancer

damage to the central nervous system.

Research Institute of Northern

The researchers then tested the

Alberta discovered that

susceptibility of mice lacking calnexin

“It turns out that calnexin is somehow

irradiating breast fat produces

to the mouse model of human

involved in controlling the function of

an inflammatory response that

MS (experimental autoimmune

the blood-brain barrier,” said Marek

counteracts the effectiveness

encephalomyelitis) and were

Michalak, a distinguished professor

of radiotherapy.

astonished to find that the mice lacking

of biochemistry at the U of A. “When

the protein were completely resistant

there is too much calnexin, this wall

“After removal of breast

to the disease.

gives angry T-cells access to the brain,

tumours (lumpectomy), the

where they destroy myelin.”

breast is exposed to 16 daily

Canada has one of the highest rates

doses of radiotherapy. Each

of MS in the world, with an estimated

The study was funded by the Canadian

dose stimulates breast fat to

one in 340 Canadians living with the

Institutes of Health Research.

release autotaxin, an enzyme that initiates wound-healing,”

Marek Michalak led the team that discovered high levels of calnexin in brain

said David Brindley, professor

tissue from people with MS.

of biochemistry. “This response protects residual cancer cells from being killed and leads to scarring (fibrosis) in the breast.”

Funded by Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute and Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Brindley’s team is now seeking to counteract these adverse effects. They are working with an experimental autotaxin inhibitor with the hope that it can improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy and decrease the adverse effects of scarring.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

13

PORTRAITS OF DIABETES COVER STORY

14

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

ISSUE NO. 2

COVER STORY

2018

Health care is on the cusp of a revolution thanks to advances in technology that can analyze huge volumes of complex data.

Lawrence Richer, associate dean of clinical research at the University

AUTHOR

PHOTOS BY

ROSS NEITZ

L AUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

THE AVERAGE CANADIAN lives in a world

winning formula that helps tech giants

filled with digital connections. Activity

such as Amazon and Google quickly

trackers monitor our steps and heart

gain insights into their customers.

of Alberta’s Faculty of

rate. Smartphones track our browsing

Medicine & Dentistry

history to bring us personalized ads

Now health innovators are taking

from retailers. Even home appliances

the lessons learned in commerce

are going “smart,” with many

and applying them to health care.

transferring information online.

“There is a complete revolution in Information is the new currency. Huge

health care on the way, and I don’t

volumes of complex data—often called

think many would disagree with that,”

big data—are collected by companies

said Lawrence Richer, associate

and governments for a better

dean of clinical research at the

understanding of the needs and wants

University of Alberta’s Faculty

of the people they serve. It has been a

of Medicine & Dentistry.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

15

COVER STORY

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

Richer is one of several researchers at

Rosychuk is a statistician whose

is in the early stages of a project

the U of A dipping their toes into the

research focuses on using

using big data to examine whether

deep waters of big data, seeking new

administrative health-data sets to

there are predictive signals that

solutions to difficult problems. His

look at emergency department visits

indicate risk of adverse perinatal

work uses data to look for signals that

in Alberta. She currently analyzes

or neonatal outcomes.

would help emergency departments

hundreds of thousands of records, but

predict cases of stroke in children.

hopes to link them to documentation of

According to Kaul, researchers in

patient hospitalizations and physician

Alberta are in a unique position

claims, which would grow the scope of

nationally and even globally to benefit

her work to millions of records.

from big data. With a single payer

“I was able to accurately predict those who presented with a headache and weak arm who were most likely to have something like a stroke.”

(public health care) and a single care She’s hopeful the additional

provider (Alberta Health Services),

information will bring important

the province’s health-care system

insights into how to direct patients

allows researchers to link data—

to the most appropriate health-

records of hospitalizations, outpatient

care service, but admits there is

clinic visits, physician visits, drug

no certainty about how useful

prescriptions—in a way that no other

big data will be.

province can.

“I was able to accurately predict those

“It has untapped potential as a driver

“My study is looking at records from

who presented with a headache and

of change in health, but I think that

2005 to 2015. During that time,

weak arm who were most likely to have

potential has not been realized yet,”

300,000 women gave birth to about

something like a stroke,” he said. “(Big

said Rosychuk.

500,000 babies,” said Kaul. “By the time you add up all the lab tests and their

data) won’t replace care providers or physicians, but it certainly can augment our ability to make better choices,

THE FUTURE IS NOW

pharmaceutical data, we’re looking at about 70 million records. And then

provide better care and stop doing

No one quite knows what will come of

another 70 million records from when

things that aren’t of value.”

the use of big data in health care, but

they saw their physicians. So you put

the promise is tantalizing.

all that data together and that’s like—

WHAT IS BIG DATA? Big data is information that is huge and complex. It is messy. It is constant.

Thanks to technological advances, corporations have made huge strides in their ability to quickly use that information, but its application in health care is still in its infancy.

boom! That’s big data!”

“It has untapped potential as a driver of change in health, but I think that potential has not been realized yet.”

Analyzing this data through traditional methods would pose a major challenge.

But with the aid of machine learning, individual pieces of data can be scrutinized and classified at a level of detail not possible by humans.

Soon, health researchers in Alberta

Those who are working in the field see

“Will it open up stuff that we haven’t

will have access to more information

change coming very quickly.

realized before? I don’t know. Ask me

than ever before, when the province

in a year’s time. Or even ask me in

implements a clinical information

“Big data has been on the horizon for

three months’ time,” said Padma Kaul,

system called Connect Care. This

quite a while, at least 15 years. But

a professor of medicine with the U of

electronic tool will provide one central

I think it’s gained more popularity

A’s Division of Cardiology.

access point to patient information.

Rosychuk, a professor with the U of A’s

Kaul, an epidemiologist who does

“That will be unprecedented, really,

Department of Pediatrics.

population-based health research,

in most of the world to have that kind

in the last five years,” said Rhonda

16

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

ISSUE NO. 2

COVER STORY

2018

of data available at the population

much for somebody with access to all

“What if you had a sexually transmitted

level,” said Richer. He warns,

of this data to know quite a bit about

disease? Anything that maybe you want

though, the collection of data

you,” said Rosychuk. “I don’t think

to have more privacy about, if there

comes with risks.

people are aware of how being a small

are a lot of other people who aren’t so

part of data in a bigger picture can

private about it who end up visiting

“If EquiFax can be hacked, so can the

actually (allow someone with access

particular sites, inferences can be

health-care system.”

to) make inferences about you or draw

drawn about you.”

conclusions about you that you maybe

BIG DATA, BIG RISK The amount of information being collected on every person is growing by leaps and bounds.

As it does, the sensitivity of that

don’t want.”

Even more concerning is the possibility of patient information being

“If EquiFax can be hacked, so can the health-care system.”

information increases.

misappropriated and misused on a grand scale.

“If I break into a doctor’s office, I can get a thousand charts,” said Richer. “If I

As an example, she points to the

break into a data warehouse now, I get

“People may think that as an

practice of visiting a particular website

millions. So that’s the scale difference.

individual, you are not actually

associated with a disease. Rosychuk

That’s our biggest threat: doing this

contributing all that much to this

said there can be a probabilistic

poorly. We could shut the whole thing

bigger data pile. But you may not

argument made that if you go to the

down. One big mess-up and the public

actually have to contribute very

site, you likely have the disease.

could say ‘stop everything.’ And they would be right in saying so.”

WITH RISK COMES REWARD While the potential risks are great, the rewards of big data could be even greater.

“If you were to mix health data with education data, how could we better understand the health outcomes of children? If you were to mix health data with justice data, how could we better understand treatments in areas like mental health, for example?” said Richer. “We are at the cusp of that in Alberta and really working hard with engaged stakeholders who hold the data, wanting to see this happen.”

To get there, according to Richer, the major barrier that needs to be scaled isn’t computation power or the Rhonda Rosychuk, professor with the U of A’s

availability of data. It’s the availability of

Department of Pediatrics

people who know how to work with it.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

17

COVER STORY

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

“We need to triple the number of people who know how to do this and can do it well.”

Rosychuk agrees, but believes progress needs to happen on many fronts.

“We need some more automated systems and then we need people who are smart and clever who can figure out alternative ways to identify patterns because they are looking at things in maybe a different way than a computer would.”

The ultimate goal is that lessons learned from information analytics will complement decisions made in the clinic.

“…We need people who are smart and clever who can figure out alternative ways to identify patterns because they are looking at things in maybe a different way than a computer would.”

Padma Kaul, professor of medicine with the U of A’s Division of Cardiology

“Precision health is all about big

“It allows the team to assess the

data,” she said. As for Richer, he sees

baby and make care decisions

a future—not far distant—in which

based on those subtle changes that

big data and computer learning save

maybe weren’t apparent just by

lives by alerting health-care providers

watching the screen,” said Richer.

at the point of care to potential issues

“It’s this predictive ability that I

in real time.

think is the real holy grail of using big data. That, to me, is the most

“I think the promise with big data is that

He points to a system that has been

if you have evidence, you can solve any

tested in neonatal intensive care units

problem,” added Rosychuk. “This would

in which computers monitor different

be a way to find evidence cheaper, more

signals to predict which infants have

easily and on a more representative

sepsis before the bedside provider

group of people, as opposed to doing a

realizes there is a concern.

small cohort or case control study that takes a lot of resources.”

While the information involved in big data is massive in scope, Kaul sees the impact as personal, affecting individuals by taking into account each one’s unique circumstances.

18

valid application.”

“Bring on the revolution.”

There are big dreams for big data

“The promise with big data is that if you have evidence, you can solve any problem.”

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

and the limits are still unknown.

As the world continues to digitize and consolidate information, its applications are only going to grow.

For health-care researchers at the U of A, a new day is coming. Bring on the revolution.

MOMENTUM DRIVERS

GO TO UAB.CA/DRIVERS TO READ THE FULL PROFILES

A diverse group advancing health sciences From revolutionizing medical science with nanotechnology to spearheading community-engaged research to better address the needs of the communities we serve, from making bionic breakthroughs with artificial intelligence to advocating for graduate student mental health and wellness: here are the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry’s Momentum Drivers of the year.

It is a diverse group of disruptors, connectors, healers and inventors, all working to advance health sciences education, research and patient care.

MOMENTUM DRIVERS 3

5

7

4

1

6 2

1

LISA PURDY ’93 BScMLS, ’97 MSc Enhancing and expanding resources and supports for graduate students in the Learner Advocacy and Wellness office

2

MICHELLE GRAHAM Lead author of international study finding aspirin can help prevent heart attacks in non-cardiac surgery patients who previously had a coronary stent

3

ROBERT BURRELL Leading UAlberta team using nanotechnology to develop a handheld device that differentiates between viral and bacterial infections in minutes

4

5

MINN YOON ’98 BSc, ’01 BCom Dentistry professor collaborating with artists and patients to raise awareness of often-hidden experiences of head and neck cancer patients ARYA SHARMA Making headlines worldwide as a medical expert on evidence-based prevention and management of obesity

6

7

JACQUELINE HEBERT Part of international team making bionic breakthroughs to create sense of movement in prostheses VINCENT AGYAPONG Psychiatrist tending to emotional aftermath of Fort McMurray fire.

Advocating to expand mental-health services in a city that needs them more than ever

MOMENTUM DRIVERS 11

8

13 9

10 12 14

8

JOHN MACKEY ’90 MD Director of Clinical Research Unit at the Cross Cancer Institute, where UAlberta’s academic physicians are leading pivotal trials to benefit cancer patients worldwide

9

KATHRYN DONG ER physician helping change the culture of acute care to better address substance-use disorders

10

LYNORA SAXINGER UAlberta infectious-disease expert putting the lie to Lyme disease “alternative facts,” addressing vaccination misinformation and reducing unnecessary antibiotic use

11

MICHAEL OVERDUIN Leading international consortia using superconducting magnets at NANUC to find protein signals that mark the difference between cancer and noncancer cells

12

LOUANNE KEENAN ’75 Dip(DentHyg), ’81 BA, ’95 MEd, ’02 PhD UAlberta Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award winner for her commitment to social accountability in communityengaged health-care research

13

PATRICK PILARSKI ’09 PhD University of Alberta researcher revolutionizing AI in medical science.

Leader on the DeepMind Alberta team fostering Canadian artificial intelligence excellence

14

VERNA YIU ’84 BMedSc, ’86 MD President and CEO of Alberta Health Services. Harnessing the power of storytelling to transform culture

MOMENTUM DRIVERS

GO TO UAB.CA/DRIVERS TO READ THE FULL PROFILES

Samina Ali

Samina Ali’s research team is investigating how a robot named MEDi can improve a child’s

PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, PROFESSOR

experience in the emergency department.

SAMINA ALI IS ON A MISSION

DEPLOYING TOOLS RANGING from

need more accurate and robust

TO FIND THE BEST WAYS TO

distraction by blowing bubbles

data so that they can responsibly

to a new high-tech robot at the

prescribe pain medications

Stollery Children’s Hospital, Ali is

in children.”

TREAT KIDS’ PAIN.

also leading a national NO OUCH clinical research trial that will

The NO OUCH trial is part of the

answer big questions about how to

SPOR–Innovation in Pediatric Clinical

safely treat kids who arrive at the

Trials initiative, funded by the

emergency department with pain

Canadian Institute of Health Research

due to a sprain or broken bone.

and supported by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation

“No child should be in pain if they

through the Women and Children’s

don’t have to be,” said Ali. “Doctors

Health Research Institute.

MOMENTUM DRIVERS

Michiko Maruyama

One of Maruyama’s favourite creations is her

CARDIAC SURGERY, RESIDENT | INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, GRADUATE CANDIDATE

enter the field of surgery.

COMBINING HER EDUCATION

FENTANYL-RELATED DEATHS ARE

Association, in conjunction with the

IN SURGERY AND

hardly a game, but Maruyama joined

Canadian Medical Association and with

forces with Cheryl Mack (Pediatrics),

support from the Edmonton Community

Ferrante Gragasin and Vivian Ip

Foundation. Download it for free at

(Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine),

DoctorsAgainstTragedies.com.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, MICHIKO MARUYAMA’S DREAM IS TO BE A CLINICIAN-ARTIST.

painting, Susie the Surgeon—based on Rosie the Riveter—which she created to inspire women to

adapting the biting tone of Cards

“I WOULD HAVE A STUDIO

Against Humanity to create a game

Maruyama also designs toys—such

WHERE I CAN DEVELOP

to inform youth about opioids and

as 3-D models of hearts, a doll that

ultimately save lives.

helps teach children about heart

MEDICAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND GAMES.”

defects and origami paper models The Doctors Against Tragedies card

like her sternotomy teddy bear—

game was made possible through

to help young patients prepare for

a grant from the Alberta Medical

cardiac surgery.

MOMENTUM DRIVERS

Vijay Daniels

Vijay Daniels (centre with patient

MEDICINE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR | DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL ASSESSMENT, MD PROGRAM

assessment for the MD program.

and students) is director of clinical

FAVOURITE INSTRUCTOR

THE 2018 RECIPIENT of the

skills course, leading to

VIJAY DANIELS FOSTERS

Clinical Teaching Award from the

him receiving the U of A’s

Association of Faculties of Medicine

Rutherford Award for excellence

of Canada, Daniels is the first U

in undergraduate teaching.

PERSONALIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCES AT THE BEDSIDE, WHERE HIS

of A faculty member to receive this national honour, given to one

“It’s about the tactile sensory

FLEXIBLE, HANDS-ON

exemplary teacher chosen from all

experience, like when the learner

APPROACH RESPECTS THE

of Canada’s medical schools.

hears a heart murmur they would not

INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF BOTH STUDENTS AND PATIENTS.

have heard without a bit of coaching…

A mentor for students, residents and

These micro-epiphanies continue to

faculty, Daniels has spearheaded a

excite me,” said Daniels.

four-year longitudinal physical exam

MOMENTUM DRIVERS

Paul Armstrong has won the Prix Galien Canada

Paul Armstrong

Research Award and been awarded the U of A’s University Cup.

CLINICIAN SCIENTIST | CARDIOLOGIST, MEDICINE | DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR

CARDIOLOGY PIONEER PAUL

THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT of the

of the U of A’s Faculty of Medicine

ARMSTRONG WAS NAMED

Canadian Academy of Health

& Dentistry. “He led a major study

Sciences, Armstrong was also

on the use of clot-busting drugs in

recognized for his leadership in

ambulances for early intervention

Canadian health care.

in acute cardiac diseases. This

OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF CANADA IN 2018 FOR HIS TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH IN ACUTE CARDIAC CARE.

was an important step in the “He played a major role in

evolution of treating heart patients

developing the Canadian VIGOUR

and is now being explored for

centre (Virtual Coordinating

stroke patients.”

Centre for Global Collaborative Cardiovascular Research),” said Lorne Tyrrell, a fellow officer of the Order of Canada and former dean

MOMENTUM DRIVERS

GO TO UAB.CA/DRIVERS TO READ THE FULL PROFILES

Haili Wang

Haili Wang and David Chang, CEO of Metabolomics Technologies Inc., are improving cancer detection

’03 MD ’11 MSC | SURGERY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | VICE-PRESIDENT AND CHIEF SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR METABOLOMIC TECHNOLOGIES INC.

and prevention with the commercialization of a

THE SCIENCE WANG PURSUED

METABOLOMICS TECHNOLOGIES

Foundation with the Outstanding

A DECADE AGO AS A U OF A

INC. (MTI)—founded by Wang and

Leadership in Alberta Technology

Richard Fedorak (now dean of the

Award, the team is now examining

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry)—

whether they can develop similar tests

developed a product called PolypDX,

for the early detection of prostate and

a non-invasive, easy-to-collect urine

breast cancer.

GRADUATE STUDENT SET THE STAGE FOR AN INNOVATIVE DIAGNOSTIC TEST, AN AWARDWINNING SPINOFF COMPANY

test, to more accurately detect

AND A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR

precancerous polyps.

BUSINESS DEAL.

metabolomic urine test for colorectal cancer.

“Our work is ultimately coming to real use in the world. It’s not just an

With the help of TEC Edmonton, MTI signed a licensing agreement in 2016 with Atlantic Diagnostic Laboratories.

Recognized in 2017 by the ASTech

experiment anymore,” said Wang.

INNOVATION

TEC EDMONTON NAMED WORLD’S THIRD-BEST INCUBATOR LINKED TO A UNIVERSITY

UAlberta Health Accelerator revs up in TEC Centre Labs AUTHOR

PHOTO BY

ROSS NEITZ

L AUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

ALBERTA-MADE HEALTH INNOVATIONS

programming for faculty members

now have a new stimulating space

to identify and advance early-stage

in which to seed and grow, thanks to

commercial opportunities, plus a

the opening of the $2.3-million TEC

student stream to train the next

Centre Labs.

generation of entrepreneurs.

Located in downtown Edmonton’s

“I think our researchers and trainees

Entreprise Square, with nearly 8,000

are going to love being downtown

square feet of wet lab and collaboration

in this vibrant collision space to

space for health technology companies

connect with other like-minded

and entrepreneurs, TEC Edmonton’s

people,” said Deborah James,

TEC Centre Labs will be home

executive director of innovation for

to two accelerator programs. The

the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.

Merck Invention Accelerator will

“It’s a piece to a bigger picture of

focus on advancing emerging health

instilling a culture of innovation

technologies to save and improve lives

within the faculty.”

globally and the University of Alberta

Deborah James with Chris Lumb, CEO, TEC Edmonton, at the TEC Centre Labs

TEC Centre Labs funding partners TEC Centre Labs were made possible by the Government of Canada’s investment through Western Economic Diversification Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and support from the University of Alberta, Government of Alberta, Edmonton Economic Development and the University Hospital Foundation.

TEC Edmonton, a joint venture of the Edmonton Economic Development

Health Accelerator will be driven by the

“IT’S A PIECE TO A

Corporation and the University of

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.

BIGGER PICTURE OF

Alberta, has been named the world’s

The UAlberta Health Accelerator will support and inspire healthsciences innovators with a stream of

INSTILLING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION WITHIN THE FACULTY.” UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

third-best accelerator linked to a university according to UBI Global, a Swedish firm ranking and benchmarking global business incubators.

27

PORTRAITS OF DIABETES

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

Richard Siemens and James Shapiro RICHARD SIEMENS (LEFT) Type 1 diabetes, diagnosed 1959. Pancreas and kidney transplant recipient Portraits of Diabetes photographer winning Gold 2018 Circle of Excellence award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education JAMES SHAPIRO (RIGHT) Director, U of A’s Clinical Islet Transplant Program Canada Research Chair in Transplantation Surgery and Regenerative Medicine Diabetes Canada’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Leader of the original Edmonton Protocol team. Now investigating the use of stem cells instead of islet cells during the transplantation procedure

28

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

ISSUE NO. 2

PORTRAITS OF DIABETES

2018

The Alberta Diabetes Institute marked its 10th anniversary by unveiling a series of portraits of people living with diabetes.

SEE THE AWARD-WINNING PHOTOS AT UAB.CA/POD

AUTHORS

PHOTOS BY

MJ FELL AND SALENA KITTERINGHAM

RICHARD SIEMENS

THE POIGNANT BLACK-AND-WHITE

and support from Alberta Diabetes

Portraits of Diabetes by U of A

Foundation, Alberta Diabetes

photographer Richard Siemens now

Institute and Faculty of Medicine

line the halls of the Li Ka Shing Centre

& Dentistry.

for Health Research Innovation.

“INSULIN, PUMPS, PILLS, By putting diverse faces to the disease, Portraits of Diabetes offers a glimpse into the highs and the lows of life with diabetes. With one million Albertans

TRANSPLANTS––THEY’RE ALL AMAZING GIFTS OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY THAT HELP

living with diabetes or prediabetes,

US LIVE, AND HOPEFULLY

the images speak to the importance

BRING US CLOSER TO THE

of ongoing support for diabetes

DISCOVERY OF A CURE.”

research. The photography project was made possible through collaboration UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

—RICHARD SIEMENS

29

PORTRAITS OF DIABETES

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

DECADE OF DIABETES RESEARCH PROGRESS TRACES BACK A CENTURY “There’s always been a rich history

Ray Rajotte, founding director of

of diabetes research in Edmonton

the Alberta Diabetes Institute and

at the University of Alberta, dating

professor emeritus of surgery and

all the way back to the early 1920s

medicine, laid the crucial groundwork

and the work of James Collip, a local

for the Edmonton Protocol, now the

biochemist who purified insulin,” said

gold standard for islet transplantation.

1

ROSE YEUNG Assistant professor, Endocrinology and Metabolism Integrating diabetes care delivery with patient empowerment and education KAILAN SIEGEL Type 1 diabetes, diagnosed 2006

Peter Light, director of the Alberta Diabetes Institute.

Rose Yeung and Kailan Siegel

Today, under one roof, more than 65 principal investigators from diverse

The city’s name was officially put on the

fields study the complexity of diabetes.

world’s diabetes research map in 2000,

While their research projects are

with the development of the Edmonton

diverse, all Alberta Diabetes Institute

Protocol, an internationally recognized

members share the same goal: to

procedure that implants insulin-

improve the lives of people with

producing islet cells into the liver of

diabetes and to find a cure.

2

Peter Light and Siyapreet Brar PETER LIGHT Director, Alberta Diabetes Institute Dr. Charles A. Allard Chair in Diabetes Research Genetically engineering islet cells and immune cells to improve islet transplantation outcomes

a person with Type 1 diabetes, often allowing for insulin independence.

SIYAPREET BRAR Type 1 diabetes, diagnosed 2016

3

Peter Senior and Bob Teskey PETER SENIOR (LEFT) Medical director, Clinical Islet Transplant Program Pursuing novel therapies for preventing kidney-function loss in diabetes patients BOB TESKEY (RIGHT) Type 1 diabetes, diagnosed 1961 One of seven patients in the original Edmonton Protocol clinical trial

Arun Patel and Patrick MacDonald ARUN PATEL Type 2 diabetes, diagnosed 1991 PATRICK MACDONALD Director, Alberta Diabetes Institute’s IsletCore Diabetes Canada’s Young Scientist Award recipient Unravelling the cellular biology that underpins the function of pancreatic islets

30

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

4

Jessica Yue and Kira Heck JESSICA YUE Assistant professor, Physiology Investigating how the brain regulates fat and sugar metabolism KIRA HECK Type 2 diabetes, diagnosed 2014

PORTRAITS OF DIABETES

1

2

3

4

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

31

LEARNERS AS LEADERS

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

Meet three learners who are leading lights in their fields

Iain Sander

Mackenzie Coatham

Danielle Clark

UALBERTA’S FIRST PHD IN OB/GYN

HYGIENE AWARD WINNER

at Queen’s University, Sander

RECRUITED THROUGH THE

DANIELLE CLARK, RDH, BSc DH, is

co-designed a device for swimmers

graduate program in Maternal

the first Canadian student to win

with disabilities. But it was

and Child Health (MatCH),

the American Dental Education

coaching Special Olympians that

Mackenzie Coatham is an

Association (ADEA) Crest

ignited his interest in medicine.

award-winning endometrial

Oral-B Scholarship for Dental

cancer researcher and the first

Hygiene Students Pursuing

As a 2018 Rhodes Scholar at Oxford

PhD student in obstetrics

Academic Careers Award.

University, Sander will study

and gynecology at University

orthopedic biomechanics and

of Alberta.

MD STUDENT AND RHODES SCHOLAR

MSC STUDENT AND DENTAL

AS AN ENGINEERING undergrad

dental hygiene at the U of A

seeking root causes of mobility-

Coatham is passionate about

School of Dentistry’s Oral

related disorders. After his two-year

the importance of basic science

Health Clinic and is a clinical

sojourn, he will finish medical school

research in advancing women’s

instructor within the division of

at the University of Alberta and

health. Her biochemistry

periodontology. Her research,

hopes to specialize in physiatry.

background makes her a valuable

focused on the role of loricrin

asset in Cancer Research Institute

(a protein) in aggressive

“WHEN PEOPLE SAY,

of Northern Alberta (CRINA)

periodontal disease, has her

‘WHAT DO YOU WANT TO

co-director Lynne Postovit’s lab

publishing in leading peer-

and she volunteers monthly to help

reviewed journals, attending

curate the CRINA e-newsletter.

conferences and lecturing

DO 10 YEARS FROM NOW?’ I SAY, ‘I’LL STILL BE IN SCHOOL.’ “

32

Currently, she is practising

around the world.

“As scientists, I think it is important for us to be accountable

“More work needs to be done

“When people say, ‘What do you

to society and disseminate our

in terms of knowledge

want to do 10 years from now?’ I

findings to our fellow researchers

translation in order to see

say, ‘I’ll still be in school.’ But that’s

so that the entire field can keep

high-risk populations get the

OK. I love it.”

progressing,” said Coatham.

care they need.”

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

PHOTOS BY: JEANETTE SESAY AND MELISSA FABRIZIO

examine the musculoskeletal system,

ISSUE NO. 2

LEARNERS AS LEADERS

2018

COMING TO TERMS WITH A SERIOUS ILLNESS HAS MADE HER A MORE EMPATHETIC DOCTOR, SAYS MICHELLE HUIE

Why vulnerability may be the best medicine AUTHOR

ORIGINAL STORY

PHOTO BY

EDITED BY

LESLEY YOUNG

FOLIO

MELISSA FABRIZIO

SASHA ROEDER MAH

Through accepting and treating her depression, Michelle Huie discovered the kind of doctor she wanted to be.

CALGARIAN MICHELLE HUIE started

At first, Huie—who was voted

She insisted she was fine. Huie told

first-year medical school at the

class representative by her peers—

herself that concentrating in class

University of Alberta like every other

appeared outgoing and energetic.

wouldn’t always feel like running in

student: enthusiastically. She knew

But by mid-year, those who knew her

water. That sleeping and eating would

that acceptance into the competitive

well, such as her boyfriend, were very

once again be pleasurable activities.

program is a milestone in and of itself.

concerned about her.

That she wouldn’t be standing on

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

33

LEARNERS AS LEADERS

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

the street corner, weighed down by

not only accept her illness, but also

“I remember thinking, ‘OK, I’m back.’ I

her heavy backpack, thinking absent-

slowly begin the process of managing

saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel.”

mindedly, “I could just step out in front

its symptoms. She also took actions to

of this bus...”

help her recovery, including exploring

She entered clerkship, which moved

aspects of herself beyond university

her out of the classroom and into

“I was very sick,” she admitted. “I tried

life. She joined intramural volleyball

direct interactions with patients. That

to mask it. Nobody else seemed to be

and became a mentor to a 12-year-old

was when she felt the transformative

struggling. And with medical students,

girl in the Boys and Girls Club. “It was

powers of her personal experience

you are with a cluster of people who

very healing,” she said. “I think she

combine with her education, and what

strive to overcome obstacles and push

inadvertently mentored me as much

kind of doctor she would become.

past things. Everyone is a rock star, so I

as I mentored her.”

felt like I couldn’t show I was struggling.”

“A lady came in teary eyed, confused as to Huie also got involved with a camp

why she never wanted to leave the house.

"EVERYONE IS A ROCK STAR,

that mentored underprivileged high

I asked my preceptor if I could have a few

SO I FELT LIKE I COULDN’T

school students and exposed them

minutes to sit down with her and hash it

to medical school. “I didn’t realize

out. In that moment, I realized how my

it at the time, but I was choosing

own personal experience changed how I

Huie’s depression affected her marks.

activities that really interested me,

reacted to the situation.”

When she received the devastating

and they were all leading me towards

news that if she wanted to be a doctor,

my specialty—pediatrics. I discovered

She added, “Being sick is humbling.

she would have to redo her first year—

how important youth and advocacy

It makes you realize how it impacts

an allowance the faculty makes in rare

work was to me.”

people’s lives. Because doctors see

SHOW I WAS STRUGGLING."

cases—she realized she needed help.

Huie decided to get counselling from the Office of Learner Advocacy & Wellness (LAW) in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. LAW was established

illness every day, it’s so important

"THE COMBINATION OF SOME

for them to remember every illness

COMMON PERSONALITY

is unique to every patient. Patients

TRAITS AND A DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT CAN INCREASE

seven years ago to provide support

THE RISK FOR MENTAL

and advocacy to undergraduate and

HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR

postgraduate learners within the faculty.

SOME LEARNERS.”

“In 2016, we had just over 3,000 visits

often wait weeks or months to see a doctor, and their encounter impacts their care as much as the procedure or medication. A doctor’s empathy and compassion in itself is healing.”

For outstanding compassion in care

from undergraduate and postgraduate

A few weeks before Huie returned

during her clerkship, Huie was

learners, and about 20 per cent of those

to first-year orientation for what she

awarded the Dr. Tom Ranieri & Dr. Alf

visits were counselling appointments,”

jokingly dubs “Year 1.5,” she told a

Conradi Excellence in Compassionate

said Jaleh Shahin, LAW’s psychologist.

few friends about her illness.

Care Scholarship.

“Medicine is a demanding program,”

“It was surprising how many students

Today, Huie, ’17 MD, is working through

said Shahin, “and learners generally

said, ‘It could have been me.’ In the end,

her pediatrics residency at the U of A and

share a high drive to succeed and are

I couldn’t have felt more supported.”

she’s managing her health by clarifying

very ambitious. The combination of

her identity outside of school, eating and

some common personality traits and a

By the end of a year that involved

exercising well, learning to say no and,

demanding environment can increase

studying hard, counselling sessions

perhaps most importantly, opening up

the risk for mental health challenges

and sharing her story in what would

to others and sharing her experiences, as

for some learners.”

prove to be the very empowering first

often as she’s comfortable.

student-led Monologues in Mental Huie ended up going for counselling all

Health coffeehouse, Huie was feeling

Said Huie, “No one should ever have to

spring and summer, which helped her

more like herself.

go through an illness feeling alone.”

34

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

GENEROSITY ISSUE NO. 2

CLASS GIVING

2018

A boost to student mental wellness, fuelled by MD Class of ’92 AUTHOR

PHOTO BY

EDITED BY

L AURA VEGA

MELISSA FABRIZIO

SASHA ROEDER MAH

ALUMNI CAME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH BY ESTABLISHING AN AWARD FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS

THE IDEA WAS born in 2017, when the MD Class of 1992

were preparing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their graduation. A very close group, the graduates felt strongly the absence of those who wouldn’t be at the reunion, especially a classmate who took his own life shortly after they graduated.

To honour his memory, Dilini Vethanayagam, ’92 MD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine,

Dilini Vethanayagam, ’92 MD, associate

spearheaded a project to collect donations from her

professor of medicine

graduating class and create an award for new U of A medical students who become involved with

mental health services available, but people currently look for

mental-health initiatives.

them only when they are struggling a lot. People now think of taking time out of their day to exercise; it is important that

“There are wonderful mental health services available, but people currently look for them only when they are struggling a lot.”

people remember that being well is working out physically a few times a week, and also taking care of each other mentally a few times a week or every day.”

Equally important, adds Jonathan Choy, ’92 MD, clinical professor of cardiology and associate dean of clinical faculty, is breaking the stigma that surrounds mental health issues for

The class raised enough funds to set up an endowment for

health professionals and learners.

an award—to be presented for the first time during the 2018-2019 academic year—for eligible first- and second-year

“If you told people you have cancer or heart disease and

medical students.

you’re going to get treatment, people wouldn’t think about it twice,” said (Jonathan) Choy. “But if you’re a physician

The new award is a step in the right direction for this

and said, ‘I’m suffering from depression, anxiety or paranoia’

pressing area of patient care, says Alberto Choy, ’92 MD,

people would question if you can do your job. This view on

U of A Department of Psychiatry. “There are wonderful

mental health has to change.”

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

35

GENEROSITY VISIONARIES

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

PASSION FOR EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND $1-MILLION GIFT TO THE SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY

Alumni Q & A: Tom Stevenson

Patricia and Tom Stevenson enjoy a walk on the U of A campus, where they first met as

AUTHOR

PHOTO BY

TARWINDER RAI

L AUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

students more than 45 years ago.

TOM STEVENSON, ’73 DDS, spent

Recently, he and his wife Patricia

establishes the Dr. Tom Stevenson

35 years working as an oral

made a $1-million gift to the School of

and Mrs. Patricia Stevenson Student

maxillofacial surgeon. Today,

Dentistry, with $300,000 supporting the

Support and Wellbeing Endowment,

he is the associate chair of student

Boyle McCauley Dental Clinic, enabling

which will provide support for

affairs in the School of Dentistry

dental students to work with inner-

undergraduate students in Dentistry

at his alma mater.

city patients. The remaining $700,000

and Dental Hygiene.

36

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

GENEROSITY ISSUE NO. 2

VISIONARIES

2018

WHERE HAS YOUR CAREER TAKEN YOU SINCE GRADUATION?

My wife Pat and I recognize that we

there is more to learn, they will be

haven’t been successful in anything

graded and judged on social media,

without the help of other people in the

and the expectations of our patients

background. We feel fortunate in the

is higher.

After graduating, I practised general

opportunities we’ve had in Edmonton

dentistry for two years. In 1975, I

and Alberta, and that we can give back.

went to Chicago to start a residency

Also, over the past decade the School

program in oral and maxillofacial

of Dentistry has come a long way. We

surgery at the University of Illinois

recognized that, with our support,

Medical Center and Cook County

we can help keep this momentum

Hospital. I then moved back to

going. With our gift we are able to do

Edmonton after completion and

something that will have a positive

started my own practice, South

effect on both our students and the

Dentistry is not just about teeth; it

Edmonton Oral Surgery, in 1980.

patients that we serve.

is about the patients that we treat. I

I joined the School of Dentistry in 1981 as a part-time instructor. After retiring from my practice, I became a full-time clinical professor.

HOW DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN DENTISTRY?

have found that one of the greatest

WH AT ADVI C E WOU L D YOU LIKE TO S H AR E WITH NE W D ENT I ST RY STUDENTS?

students to be better than me. I tell our students dentistry is hard work. People think it is easy, but it isn’t. My father

yearbook. I chose dentistry because

always told me, “Don’t watch the cash

I remember thinking it was something

register, watch your patients.”

I did with my hands, involved

my pre-dent years in university I had a huge passion for dentistry and I was so pleased when I was accepted.

I always had an interest in medicine and I found a great mix between medicine and dentistry as an oral maxillofacial surgeon.

can be a humbling experience when you hear about some of the problems and challenges your patients experience in their lives.

full time, I had one goal: I wanted my

since junior high—just check my

bit of a creative background. During

rewards is talking to my patients. It

When I decided to come back to teach

I had a passion for anything medical

creativity and independence. I have a

“Dentistry is not just about teeth; it is about the patients that we treat.”

“With our gift we are able to do something that will have a positive effect on both our students and the patients that we serve.”

Boyle McCauley dental clinic expansion underway Thanks to ongoing donor support, low-income patients and families get access to care and U of A dentistry students get hands-on experience through a community partnership.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM DENTAL SCHOOL?

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO GIVE?

Dentistry is not a job; it’s a career.

I come from a humble background. My

demanding and you can expect to

dad was a carpenter and my mother a

put in long hours and work hard.

It’s meeting my wife here at the

registered nurse. He always wanted the

Also, learning doesn’t end with

U of A. She was a dental hygiene

education that I had but didn’t have

graduation. Professional practice,

student and it was the start of a

the opportunity. I was the first one in

while rewarding, is also lifelong

romance that has lasted more than

my family to go to university. It shaped

learning. I feel that my students have

46 years and a partnership that has

what we do as far as supporting things.

it harder than my generation in that

made our gift possible.

Dental school is challenging and

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

37

ALUMNI AWARDS

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry’s 2018 Alumni Award recipients AUTHOR

PHOTOS BY

KIRSTEN BAUER

JOHN UL AN AND RYAN WHITEFIELD

​Marcia Boyd

Charles Lee

’69 DDS, 2018 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

’90 BSC(SPEC), ’93 MSC, ’96 PHD, 2018 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

Lindsay Linden Crowshoe '93 BMEDSC, ’95 MD, ALUMNI HONOUR AWARD

UAlberta professor emerita and former dean of the

President of the Human

Founding director of the Elbow

Faculty of Dentistry at

Genome Organization

River Healing Lodge and

University of British

(HUGO) and director of

director of the undergraduate

Columbia. National and

the Jackson Laboratory for

Aboriginal Health Program at

international steward to

Genomic Medicine at Harvard

Cumming School of Medicine

the field of dentistry and

Medical School. Key player

at the University of Calgary.

dental education. Agent of

in the discovery of structural

Advancing Indigenous health by

many ‘firsts’ in organized

variation in the human

developing culturally informed

dentistry. Holds countless

genome, opening the door for

health practices with Indigenous

awards, honorary degrees

new genetic tests and paving

communities, creating guidelines

and membership in the

the way for modern genomics

and policies for practitioners and

Order of Canada

transforming medical education

Ronald Moore ’80 BSC,

Brenda Walker ’71 DENTAL

Scientific director of the Surgery Strategic Clinical Network within Alberta Health Services and Mr. Lube Foundation Chair in Uro-Oncology.

Improving care for urological cancers and renal transplantations

Chief administrative officer of the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta.

Lobbyist, advocate and driving force for advances and self-regulation in the field of dental hygiene

Barbara Romanowski

Lisa Hartling ’90 BSCPT,

Clinical professor of infectious diseases and public health advocate. Key player in establishing HIV Edmonton, Edmonton’s Sexually Transmitted Infection clinic and the development of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine

Developed—with Shannon Scott, ’06 Phd, Nursing— TREKK (Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids), a knowledge mobilization initiative to digitally pool as-it-happens medical knowledge to improve emergency care for children

’86 MD, ’91 PHD, ALUMNI HONOUR AWARD

'71 BSC(MED), ’73 MD, ALUMNI HONOUR AWARD

38

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

HYGIENE, ALUMNI HONOUR AWARD

’10 PHD, ALUMNI INNOVATION AWARD

ALUMNI ISSUE NO. 2

TRAILBLAZER

2018

Yachiyo Yoneyama ’43 DDS

Harry E. Bulyea, the first director of the U of A’s School of Dentistry, painted a portrait of Yachiyo Yoneyama.

AUTHOR

TAYLOR L AMBERT

THE FIRST WOMAN TO GRADUATE FROM UALBERTA’S SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY ATTENDED WHEN THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FORCEFULLY REMOVED AND INTERNED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JAPANESE-CANADIANS

HERE IS AN excerpt from Taylor Lambert’s book Roots:

Extracted Tales from a century of Dentistry at the University of Alberta, pointing out Yoneyama in the 1943 dentistry graduating class picture: ...the thick, long black curls of Yachiyo Yoneyama, tied back yet seemingly uncontainable, distinguish her among the close-

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

39

ALUMNI TRAILBLAZER

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

cropped haircuts of the white men

Yachiyo left no letters or journals recording her school

who fill the rest of the frame. When

experiences, but it is fair to say that this was a difficult time

Yoneyama began studying dentistry

to be Japanese-Canadian and one of the darkest moments

at the U of A, she was not the first

in Canada’s history. She graduated from the dentistry

woman—Fern Rideout had studied for a

program in 1943, then moved to Lamont, Alberta, to serve

few years around 1920 before dropping

as the dental health officer in a rural clinic before she took

out—but she would be the first woman

a Guggenheim Fellowship in New York, and eventually

to graduate. Born in Vancouver to Japanese parents who

settled in Toronto where she practised pediatric dentistry for

had emigrated to Canada shortly after marrying in 1914,

decades. She died in 2013 at 96, after a long career and rich

Yoneyama was not only the sole woman in her graduating

family life. Her achievement and distinction would often be

class, but also the only visible minority. She and (Dr. Harry

held up in later, more-progressive decades as an important

E.) Bulyea (first director of the School) became friends,

milestone in the history of the dental school. But the

bonding over their mutual artistic passions: he painted a

juxtaposing context of the concurrent injustice to her family

flattering portrait of her, and she drew a pencil sketch of him.

has always been omitted, and thus not widely known.

Yoneyama’s older sister, Misao, was also at the U of A studying medicine, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Less than three months later, the forced removal and internment of tens of thousands of Japanese-Canadians began.

Their parents, their younger sister, Mitsue, and their younger brother, Yutaka, were forced to leave their farm.

“This was a difficult time to be Japanese-Canadian and one of the darkest moments in Canada’s history.”

Yutaka Yoneyama recalls that time: Taylor Lambert is an Alberta journalist and author. His other

By May, the licence plates from our car were removed;

books include Darwin’s Moving, Rising: Stories of the 2013

cameras, explosives and firearms were confiscated; and

Alberta Flood, and Leaving Moose Jaw.

we were placed under curfew. Mom and Dad, especially Dad, were devastated by the evacuation order since their income would be minimal. Misao and Yachiyo still had another year to complete before graduation. Somehow Dad and Mom managed….

“I suddenly realized that I was considered one of ‘them’ and not one of ‘us.’”

(At a community meeting,) discussions centred around what had to be done in the event of an attack… the lights were turned down, and I was escorted out of the meeting. I was shocked and devastated. I suddenly realized that I was considered one of ‘them’ and not one of ‘us.’

The family, already separated from two daughters, was further split up: Mitsue was sent to a relocation camp near

Roots: Extracted Tales from a century of

Hope, while Yutaka and his parents ended up working on

Dentistry at the University of Alberta is now

a farm south of Edmonton, exploited by the landowners as prisoners of war. After two months of labour, they were paid a mere $30.

40

available in trade paperback for purchase online, at the U of A Bookstore and Audrey’s Books in Edmonton. All proceeds go to support Dentistry for Life fundraising campaign.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

ISSUE NO. 2

EXPERT COMMENTARY

2018

Oral cancer screening should be mandated for dental profession AUTHOR

ORIGINAL STORY

ARTWORK BY

PHOTO BY

LESLEY YOUNG

FOLIO

NATASIA DESIGNS

MELISSA FABRIZIO

A QUICK HEAD-AND-NECK EXAMINATION BY YOUR DENTIST OR DENTAL HYGIENIST CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE BY IDENTIFYING EARLY ORAL CANCERS

From left, Alexandra Sheppard and Seema Ganatra

“ORAL CANCER SCREENING should

the dentist should refer the patient to

practices, partners and vaccinations.

be taking place on patients as part

an oral pathologist or oral surgeon for

“We teach dental hygiene students

of regular dental visits,” said Seema

further evaluation and treatment.

how to conduct screenings for atypical

Ganatra, an oral pathologist at the

and abnormal findings which might

University of Alberta. “Unfortunately,

“Our scope of practice includes

be oral cancer,” said Sheppard,

it’s not clear how often this is being

conducting a head-and-neck exam along

adding that dental hygienists often

done by dentists and dental hygienists.”

the muscle groups and lymph nodes

see patients on a three- to 12-month

under the chin and around the neck, and

interval and the lying-down position of

Ganatra explained a soft-tissue

an intra-oral assessment of the tongue,

the patient with the use of lights and

examination of the head and neck

particularly the lateral borders and

loupes helps with visibility. Individuals

area—an effective way to spot

undersurface, and a visual assessment

with atypical oral findings can then be

precancers or cancerous growths,

of the oropharynx,” said Alexandra

referred to dental specialists including

either visually in the mouth or

Sheppard, assistant director of dental

oral pathologists, oral surgeons and

physically under the skin in the neck

hygiene clinical education at the U of A.

their physician.

dentists and dental hygienists within as

A screening also entails questions

“That’s why it’s a good idea to ask for

little as two minutes. If a lesion or lump

about alcohol and tobacco use, as

a screening at your next dental visit if

is found, and persists after two weeks,

well as asking patients about sexual

it’s not offered,” Sheppard added.

and throat area—can be conducted by

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

41

THROWBACK

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

Five summer student researchers who went on to do great things AUTHOR

ARTWORK BY

EDITED BY

AMY SAMSON

NATASIA DESIGNS

SASHA ROEDER MAH

THE LARGEST IN CANADA, THE UALBERTA FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY’S SUMMER STUDENT RESEARCH PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1969. HERE ARE FIVE SUMMER-STUDENT RESEARCHERS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCE

Funding partners Since the 1980s, the program has been supported by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Alberta Innovates, alumni donors, the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and many others .

Dennis Modry, ’73 MD A SUMMER OF WORK WITH

animal models. After training in surgery

ANIMAL MODELS LED TO THE

in Montreal, Modry accepted a position

FIRST HEART AND HEART-LUNG COMBINED TRANSPLANTS IN WESTERN CANADA

at Stanford, where he was chief of the transplant division before returning to the U of A in the 1980s to pilot a heart-lung transplant program. During that time, Modry performed the first

DENNIS MODRY, WHO graduated from

heart transplant and the first heart-lung

the U of A’s school of medicine in 1973,

combined transplant in Western Canada.

spent the summer after his first year

The University of Alberta Hospital’s heart

working in the Surgical-Medical Research

and lung transplant program is now one

Institute doing heart-lung transplants in

of the nation’s busiest.

Barbara Romanowski, ’73 MD PASSION FOR COMMUNITY

1973, followed by specialized training

HEALTH MADE FORMER

in infectious diseases. From 1979 until

SUMMER STUDENT A LEADER IN SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE RESEARCH

1998, she was director of Alberta’s sexually transmitted diseases (STD) program and was involved with Edmonton’s AIDS Network, now HIV Edmonton. She has also been

IN 1970, BARBARA Romanowski

involved in humanpapillomavirus

presented at the summer student

(HPV) clinical trials for more than a

research day on a project with

decade and has published extensively

what was then the Department of

on STDs. She is currently a clinical

Community Medicine. Romanowski

professor in the division of infectious

completed her MD at the U of A in

diseases at the U of A.

42

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

ISSUE NO. 2

THROWBACK

2018

Sir John Bell, ’75 BMedSc, ’03 DSc (Hon) FORMER HONOURS STUDENT IN

A Rhodes Scholar, he attended Oxford

MEDICAL SCIENCE KNIGHTED

and Stanford universities and is currently

FOR HIS PIONEERING WORK IN THE CLINICAL APPLICATION OF GENETICS

the Regius professor of medicine at Oxford, where he founded the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics.

Bell was made a Knight Bachelor in

BEFORE GRADUATING­FROM the U of

2008 and, in 2015, a Knight of the

A in 1975 with a bachelor’s in medical

Grand Cross of the Order of the

science (honours), Sir John Bell—

British Empire. In 2009, he won the

together with Raymond Yee—won first

Henry G. Friesen International Prize

place at summer student research day.

in Health Research.

Janet McElhaney, ’86 MD A RESEARCH LEADER IN

medicine, followed by a fellowship in

INFLUENZA AMONG AGING

geriatric medicine.

POPULATIONS

McElhaney is a leader in influenza

JANET MCELHANEY, WHO presented

research, particularly in aging

at the 1983 summer research day,

populations. She sits on a number of

completed an MD at the U of A in

boards and committees, including, as

1986, winning the Harry Weinlos Prize

of 2016, the federal Institute Advisory

in Medicine, awarded to a student

Board for Indigenous Peoples’ Health.

who demonstrates humanitarianism

She currently works with the Health

and an excellent academic record.

Sciences North Research Institute in

She went on to a residency in internal

Sudbury, Ontario.

Lewis E. Kay, ’83 BSc

University in 1988, followed by postdoctoral studies at the National

FOUR YEARS OF SUMMER-

Institutes of Health. He is a senior

SCHOOL BIOCHEMISTRY LAB

scientist in molecular medicine at the

WORK EVENTUALLY LED TO 2017 CANADA GAIRDNER INTERNATIONAL AWARD

Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and a Canada Research Chair in Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics.

In 2017, Kay was named Canada

LEWIS KAY WAS a summer student

Gairdner International Award Laureate

researching nuclear magnetic resonance

for “the development of modern

(NMR) throughout his undergraduate

NMR spectroscopy for studies of

degree and graduated with a bachelor

biomolecular structure dynamics and

of science in biochemistry in 1983.

function, including applications to

He obtained his doctor of philosophy

molecular machines and rare

in molecular biophysics from Yale

protein conformations.”

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

43

THROWBACK

MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

POLIO TEAM Much like wartime did, the epidemic brings together patients, doctors, nurses, community members, and later

IRON LUNG

respiratory, physical and

A negative pressure ventilator, known colloquially as an

occupational therapists.

IRON LUNG, works by decreasing pressure within the

During the 1953 epidemic,

closed chamber to induce inhalation, then repressuriz-

doctors, nurses; and orderlies

ing to allow the patient to passively exhale. Today,

frequently work extra hours

positive pressure ventilation—forcing air into the

and sometimes double shifts

lungs, then allowing the body to exhale naturally before

without payment or time-off.

repeating—has almost entirely superseded negative.

1953 EPIDEMIC Canada experiences its worst polio epidemic on record. An estimated 11,000 people in

44

1956 NEW POLIO WING AT UAH

Canada are left paralyzed by

The majority of polio patients are transferred to the

polio between 1949 and 1954.

University of Alberta Hospital (UAH) from the Royal

The disease peaks in 1953 with

Alexandra Hospital. The provincial government

nearly 9,000 cases and 500

commits to constructing a rehabilitation wing, which

deaths.

opens in 1956.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

ISSUE NO. 2

THROWBACK

2018

1968 FIRST ICU OPENS The first Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the UAH

GARNER KING

opens. The ICU is a direct legacy of the 1953 polio epidemic and the resulting care at the Royal

Garner King initiates the

Alexandra Hospital and University of Alberta Hospital.

implementation of the first Intensive Care Unit at the University of Alberta Hospital in collaboration with Brian Sproule.

Together, they develop an ICU advisory committee and

1967 NEW TRAINING PROGRAM

facilitate the opening of a six-bed ICU on the former polio ward.

Sproule helps develop the first Canadian respiratory technology course at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). He later serves as head of the program for approximately 30 years.

1973 NEW HOME Remaining polio patients and staff move from the UAH to the Aberhart Centre.

1959–1960 BRIAN SPROULE Brian Sproule joins the University Hospital staff in

1980s DIGITAL INNOVATION

1959. In 1960, he becomes the

Don Scott, polio survivor and the first head of the

first director of the clinical

Department of Computing Science at the U of A,

pulmonary division and

offers computer programming training to a small

establishes a pulmonary

group of interested polio patients. The patients later

functions laboratory around

set up Prodata services, the first customized

the same time as another polio

computer programming company in Edmonton. IBM

epidemic in Alberta.

eventually takes over the company.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

45

OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT

2J2.00 Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre 8440 - 112 Street Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2R7 UALBERTA.CA/MEDICINE E advadmin@ualberta.ca P 780-492-6621

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry – University of Alberta @UAlberta_FoMD @UAlberta_FoMD