Highlights
Congratulations CIHR Project Grant Recipients!
Congratulations to the BC Children’s and BC Women’s investigators who were awarded funding through the highly competitive Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant Fall 2019 competition. Our research community received more than $8 million in new research and bridge grants.
Many of the investigators who were successful in this competition benefited from the expertise of Dr. Dawn McArthur, Director, Research & Technology Development. On behalf of BCCHR, we would also like to thank Ms. Rita Jekabsons, Senior Research Development Coordinator; Ms. Marissa Gibbard, Research Coordinator, Evidence to Innovation Theme; Dr. Robine Donken; and Dr. Beth Payne for their dedication and support. [MORE]
Farewell to Dr. Soren Gantt
Dr. Soren GanntInvestigator, BC Children’s Hospital
Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, BC Children’s Hospital
Director, Clinical Research, BC Children’s Hospital
** A message on behalf of Dr. Wyeth Wasserman, Vice-President Research, BC Children’s Hospital **
Dear research community,
With mixed emotions, I would like to announce that Dr. Soren Gantt is leaving Vancouver in July 2020 for a new position with CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre at the Université de Montréal.
In his many roles at BC Children’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia – Director of Clinical Research, Vaccine Evaluation Center Investigator, Head of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Associate Professor of Pediatrics – Soren has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to furthering and enabling clinical research. He successfully balanced his administrative responsibilities with the demands of patient care and a busy research program aimed at preventing the complications of cytomegalovirus.
I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Soren in his position as head of the Clinical Research Support Unit (CRSU) and have been impressed by his ongoing efforts to ensure clinical research at BC Children’s meets the highest standards in patient safety and quality assurance.Under his leadership, the CRSU has rolled out new specialized support services,such as the Answer Factory (https://hub.bcchr.ca/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=63614960) and the Clinical Research Support Team (https://hub.bcchr.ca/display/crsu/Research+Personnel+Resources), and reduced barriers to launching new clinical projects through initiatives such as the electronic Program Utilization Portal (ePUP: https://hub.bcchr.ca/display/NEWS/2019/06/05/CRSU+introduces+pilot+version+of+electronic+Program+Utilization+Portal+to+streamline+the+launch+of+new+clinical+studies) and the Clinical Trials Quality Assurance program (https://hub.bcchr.ca/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=63615427).
Soren has told me that the decision to leave BC Children’s and Vancouver was a difficult one and was made in order to be closer to family. Fortunately for us, research is a collaborative endeavor and we know that the deep relationships Soren has built in his time at BC Children’s will lead to new opportunities for national partnerships and new connections between our organizations.
We are tremendously grateful for Soren’s leadership and his efforts to expand and strengthen clinical research at BC Children’s. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
In the coming months, we will begin recruitment fora new director, Clinical Research, with the goal of ensuring a smooth transition and uninterrupted support for our research community.
Sincerely,
Wyeth
Congratulations Dr. Aven Poynter!
Dr. Aven Poynter is the winner of the 2019 Dr. Judith Hall Award.
Each year the BC Pediatric Society presents the Dr. Judith Hall Award, which recognizes excellence in research, policy development, community involvement and improving the status of or empowering pediatricians.
Here’s what Dr. Poynter’s nominator said about her:
Aven has done so much to empower the pediatricians of BC and involve all the pediatricians in the community, as well as at the hospital. She has been involved in policy development and encouraged all kinds of research. She has really done a remarkable job as the leader of BCPC.
Congratulations Dr. Poynter!
The Pharmacy Informer – Winter 2020 Edition
The Pharmacy Informer – Winter 2020 Edition of the Pharmacy Informer is hot off the press!
The Pharmacy Informer is a quarterly newsletter that contains important updates and highlights from the Children’s & Women’s Health Centre of BC, Department of Pharmacy.
Congratulations Dr. Ruth Grunau!
On Jan 31, 2020, the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health announced that Dr. Ruth Grunau ranks in the top 1.5% of researchers cited globally for her work in Developmental Neuroscience.
In 2019, Dr. Ruth Grunau received the Outstanding Pain Mentorship Award at the Canadian Pain Society’s Annual Scientific Meeting this week. The award recognizes her outstanding mentorship of young researchers studying pain.
To learn more about Dr. Grunau’s work, see: https://www.ninc.centreforbrainhealth.ca/grunau-ruth
BCIRPU Wins Physical Literacy Video Award from CIHR
BCIRPU’s video on physical literacy has received an award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Human Development, and Youth Health (IHDCYH) for the 2019 IHDCYH Talks Video Competition! (https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/51823.html)
The video was developed using an integrated knowledge translation approach with key stakeholders and end users including injury prevention researchers, practitioners, a physical literacy expert, and an athletic therapist. It is one of a series of four videos created for the Active & Safe Central (A&S) toolkit.
“We’re excited that CIHR has chosen to highlight our video on physical literacy for the 2019 Health Talks competition,” said Dr. Shelina Babul, Associate Director and Sports Injury Specialist for the BCIRPU. “We hope that this award helps to promote safe physical activity for people of all ages.”
A&S [LINK to website] is an online resource providing evidence-based injury prevention information for over 50 sports and recreational activities. The website details injury incidence, risk factors, and prevention tips customized to an individual’s role: participant/parent; coach/teacher; official/administrator; or health professional. A&S is supported by BC’s Physical Activity Strategy, which is co-led through a partnership between the BC Government and the BC Alliance for Healthy Living. Drs. Babul and Ian Pike were the Co-Principal Investigators. The website, activesafe.ca, launched in May 2018.
“This award really goes to all of our collaborators and advisors on the entire Active & Safe Central project,” said Dr. Ian Pike, Director of the BCIRPU. “Your knowledge and expertise played a critical role in the creation of this excellent resource. Thank you.”
We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the BC Children’s Hospital Digital Lab, who provided their creative expertise on the project. We would also like to recognize the contributions of the Active & Safe Central project team: Dr. Sarah Richmond, Dr. Amanda Black, the BCIRPU team, project advisors and collaborators, and the Canadian Injury Prevention Trainee Network.
Thank you to all of those who voted for our video during the knowledge translation component of the competition. We would also like to congratulate all of the winners of this year’s competition.
Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5r0CPP49zAg
Distributed Teaching Sites & Community-Based Clinical Faculty
IMAGE: Some of our community-based pediatric clinical faculty: Dr. Aven Poynter (Langley), Dr. Trent Smith (Kamloops), Dr. Nazmudin Bhanji (Vancouver) and Dr. Jeff Bishop (Victoria) recently recognized for teaching excellence at distributed sites.
BC is widely recognized for its distributed medical school. The expansion began in 2004 in partnership with the provincial government, academic partners and the health authorities. The Department of Pediatrics is highly appreciative of the great work done by pediatricians across the province as UBC undergraduate medical student teachers at the four campuses: the Vancouver-Fraser campus in Vancouver and the lower mainland; the Island Medical Program in Victoria, a partnership with the University of Victoria; the Northern Medical Program in Prince George based at the University of Northern British Columbia; and the Southern Medical Program at the UBC Okanagan campus in Kelowna. [MORE]
Congratulations to Drs. Vo, Thiessen, Meckler and Blair!
The relationship between community and hospital-based pediatricians and sub-specialists plays a significant role in the health outcomes of BC children and youth.
Each year, the BC Pediatric Society (BCPS), in co-operation with the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation (BCCHF), is pleased to present the Dr. Parminder Singh Award of Distinction to Dr. Jeffrey Blair to recognize the value of this interrelationship.
The BC Pediatric Society also presents the Dr. Judith Hall Award, which recognizes excellence in research, policy development, community involvement and improving the status of or empowering pediatricians. Dr. Aven Poynter was given this distinguished award in 2019.
Dr. Laura Sauvé, President presented 3 AAP Special Achievement awards:
Dr. Garth Meckler for his leadership of the emergency room through the new hospital design, move and through some challenging times.
Dr. Paul Thiessen for for lifetime achievement, for his mentorship of young physicians, excellent clinical care and advocacy at a national level.
and, Dr.Dzung Vo for his advocacy and work on mental health and adolescents.
Congratulations all!
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Awards
Congratulations to our valued faculty members for receiving new MSFHR funding!
The Convening & Collaborating (C2) Program and Reach awards are designed to foster collaboration between researchers and research users, support the co-development of research questions and the dissemination of research evidence.
Faculty of medicine C2 awardees and their projects are:
- Manish Sadarangani, department of pediatrics, Development Of A Comprehensive Vaccine Research Agenda For BC Through Multi-Faceted Collaboration
- Laura Sauve, department of pediatrics,‘Exploring Being Well Together’: Maternal & Infant Health Equity In The Context Of HIV
Faculty of medicine Reach awardees and their projects are:
- Julie Bettinger, department of pediatrics, “Vaccine Booster Talk” short film for frontline healthcare professionals
- Stuart Turvey, department of pediatrics,Asthma in the Age of Epigenetics & Microbiomics: Research, Clinical Practice & Policy
Dr. Judith G. Hall a co-editor and author of special volume of AJMG on Arthrogryposis
Dr. Judith G. Hall was a co-editor and author of 11 articles in a special volume of AJMG on Arthrogryposis.
See: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15524876/2019/181/3
FORMER CANADIAN RUGBY PLAYER JAMIE CUDMORE SPEAKS ABOUT HIS CONCUSSION LAW SUIT
Dr. Shelina Babul, Associate director and sports injury specialist for BC children hospital was able to confirm the risk.
“If you have a suspected concussion the first time, you’re now three times more likely to sustain a second concussion, potentially more severe in nature.”
Dr. Shelina Babul, Associate director and sports injury specialist for BC Children Hospital
Former team Canada rugby player Jamie Cudmore talked about a class action law suit he filed against his former team in the French Rugby League. The law suit is against the team doctors who are accused of allowing him to play and exposing him to potentially fatal second impact syndrome. The incident occurred in 2015 where Cudmore suffered a concussion and was told to go back onto the field. [more]
Dr. Laura Sly appointed Associate Dean, Academic, at Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Laura Sly hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba where she did her undergraduate degree before pursuing graduate and postdoctoral work in Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. Laura teaches in the Experimental Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology graduate programs. Her research focusses on the contribution of macrophages to inflammation with a special interest in reducing inflammation in immune-mediated diseases, like inflammatory bowel disease. She joined G+PS in 2019 to focus on University-wide policies pertinent to graduate students and postdocs. [MORE]
Congratulations to Kim Marty | 2019 recipient of the UBC President’s Staff Award for Creativity and Innovation
Since joining the Vaccine Evaluation Centre (VEC) as a work study student over 20 years ago, Kimberley Marty has become one of Canada’s most highly-regarded and most skilled data specialists, while building the VEC into a well-recognized international leader for data handling of vaccine trials.
As the VEC Senior Data Manager, she coordinates data management and has developed initiatives such as the STaR database and customizations of the Dacima platform, which allow national and international research groups to benefit and increase the efficiency of running multi-centre clinical trials.
A prime example of Kim’s impact relates to the influenza pandemic of 2009. One trial required exceptionally rapid evaluation of a new influenza vaccine. The processes and procedures that Kim and her team developed during that time are still the core part of the ‘pandemic preparedness plan’ for the Canadian Immunization Research Network – allowing researchers at UBC to lead national and international research studies in the event of a future pandemic.
Kim’s expertise has a global impact too: she leads data management outreach with research groups in South Africa, Europe, and Australia.
Dr. Manish Sadarangani
Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital
Director, Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC Children’s Hospital
Sauder Family Chair in Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of British Columbia
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Defining Rare Disorders: A Profile of Dr. Judith Hall | The Scientist Magazine
At a 1978 genetics conference in Montana, Philip Pallister, then the clinical director of the Boulder River School and Hospital, asked medical geneticist Judith Hall and a group of other researchers a rather startling question: Should we dig up a decomposing baby?
“This story is ghoulish,” Hall tells The Scientist.
The baby had been born with extra fingers, had issues with its anal opening, and hadn’t survived more than a few hours after birth. The child’s father didn’t even know that his baby had died when the medical team asked him if they could perform an autopsy on the child. “He tore up the form and went to grieve with his wife,” Hall recalls. Three months later, the couple asked for the results of the autopsy, but without permission, the medical team hadn’t done one, and the baby had been buried. [MORE]
Congratulations to Dr. Niranjan “Tex” Kissoon!
Dr. Kissoon is the recipient of the 2020 Drs. Vidyasagar and Nagamani Dharmapuri Award presented by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) for exemplary and pioneering achievements in the care of critically ill and injured infants and children.
The Society of Critical Care Medicine is pleased to present this distinction during the combined American College of Critical Care Medicine Convocation/Society of Critical Care Medicine Awards Presentation. The presentation will be held on Monday, February 17, 2020 from 6:00 p.m., to 7:00 p.m.
Congratulations Dr. Kissoon!
World Sleep 2019 conference in Vancouver, Sept 20-25
World Sleep Society (founded by World Association of Sleep Medicine and World Sleep Federation) has collaborated with the Canadian Sleep Society to host World Sleep 2019. The venue selected for the congress on sleep medicine from September 20-25, 2019 is the Vancouver Convention Centre.
World Sleep 2019 offers a worldwide forum inviting sleep professionals to advance current medical and scientific thinking, discover ways to improve sleep health and encourage the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders. For the first time World Sleep also offers Sleep Expo a free event open to the public: http://sleepexpo.org/
“The study of sleep impacts nearly every facet of health,” said Dr. Clete Kushida, President of World Sleep Society. “Our organization gathers the best and brightest minds in the field of sleep to teach, learn and network with other specialists from around the world. It is an exciting collaboration of science.”
Dr. Kimberly Cote, President of the Canadian Sleep Society, says of the joint congress, “The Canadian Sleep Society is pleased to co-host World Sleep 2019 to further support sleep research and education. A coastal city in the Province of British Columbia, Vancouver is a place of diverse landscape and culture – the perfect site to host World Sleep.”
The World Sleep 2019 congress will provide participants from around the world with unmatched opportunities to exchange scientific ideas and experiences in sleep medicine. www.worldsleepcongress.com.
New leadership in the Department of Pediatrics effective Sept 1 2019
**On behalf of Dr. Allison A. Eddy, MD, FRCP(C), Head, UBC Department of Pediatrics, BC Children’s Hospital**
Delighted that each of them has agreed to take on new responsibilities and they are already having an impact!
Congratulations to Dr. Edmond Chan!
Congratulations to Dr. Edmond Chan, 2019 Robyn Allen Leadership Award. The Robyn Allen Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has made a unique contribution to the lives of Canadians with food allergy through their efforts in education, advocacy, community building, leadership, or fundraising.
Dr. Edmond Chan is a certified practicing pediatric allergist, UBC Clinical Associate Professor, and Head of the Division of Allergy & Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics at BC Children’s Hospital where he sees patients. He created the UBC Pediatric Clinical Immunology and Allergy fellowship training program and was its first program director. [more]
Graduate Program in Women’s and Children’s Health Research (Fall 2022)
The Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynecology are collaborating on the development of an umbrella program for graduate student training in Women’s and Children’s Health Research with streams in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (RDS), Pediatric Health and Disease, and Women’s Health.
Although still in the discovery phase we would like to see this program be ready for admissions in 2022, pending approval from the Faculty of Medicine and UBC Senate.
To learn more about this exciting new program, please visit here.
Happy retirement to Dr. Jeffrey Simons
On May 14, 2019, Dr. Jeffrey Simons career was recognized at the UBC Retirement Celebration at Academic Gowns Event.
Dr. Simons played an important role in increasing connections between UBC and BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) that allowed him to build UBC pediatric infrastructure in the north and improve the care of the children in that region.
After 18 years as Head of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario critical care team, Dr. Simons moved to Prince Rupert, BC to serve as: 1) Chief of Staff (2000-2003), 2) Consultant Pediatrician (2000-2014), and 3) Locum Consultant Pediatrician (2014-2015) at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital. He held concurrent roles with Northern Health, specifically the Northwest Health Services Delivery Area (NW HSDA) as; 1) Medical Director (2002-2005) and 2) Head, Department of Pediatrics (2006-2014). Dr. Simons was a Clinical Associate Professor with the University of British Columbia (UBC), Department of Pediatrics (2002-2018).
Happy retirement and thank you for your contributions Dr. Simons!
Mandate
To foster discovery through progressive research while advancing knowledge to the highest standards of health education, scholarship and innovation. We transform pediatric health by strengthening and sustaining our partnerships with key stakeholders through promoting ‘best health’ prevention and clinical excellence while ensuring high quality pediatric health care for the Province.
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