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University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine 2013 - 14 Annual Report
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FACULTY OF MEDICINE
2013—2014
Annual Report
FACULTY OF MEDICINE
University of Calgary
3330 Hospital Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 4N1
Canada
medicine.ucalgary.ca
@UCalgaryMed
facebook.com/ucalgarymedicine
youtube.com/ucalgarymedicine
403.210.6577
— 1 2013 — 2014 Annual Report
OUR MISSION
Contents 2 — Message from the Dean
3 — Research
15 — Education
23 — Connecting with the Community
27 — Statement of Endowment
28 — Faculty Updates
Creating the future of health
An innovative medical school commited to excellence and leadership in education, research and service to society.
OUR VISION
2 — Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
public awareness during annual events
like Diabetes Day; opened their labs,
classrooms and minds to young people;
were recognized with prestigious
Orders of Canada and Rhodes
Scholarships, and even performed
live televised surgery to teach high
school students about anatomy.
Our donors, supporters, government
and industry partners, patients and
members of the public make up our
broader community. These relationships
are productive and challenging;
emotional and inspiring, and over
the past year have helped to expand
our capacity for innovative and
progressive research, patient care
and scholarship alike.
Of course it’s the combination
of both communities that helped
us graduate double the number of
family doctors since 2008 last year,
and underpin our efforts to be a
national leader in brain and mental
health, inflammation and cardiac
disease research.
As we put the polish on our new
strategic plan after another tremendous
That vision not only includes big
ideas for our education and training
programs, and big plans for our
research enterprise, but it explores
new ways to embrace exciting
opportunities to connect with
the community.
After last year’s Alberta floods,
I’m sure many of us have a new
appreciation for just what makes
a community.
Our students, trainees, faculty
members and staff are the cornerstone
of our internal community – but
they’re certainly not a sedentary
bunch. Each year they travel, teach,
host, collaborate, discover, volunteer,
organize, learn, treat and make an
impact by connecting with one
another and people around the world.
Last year, they were keynote
speakers at public science cafes and
lectures; hosted a heart health booth
at the Calgary Marathon; provided
patient care throughout the city, the
province and globally; helped raise
“ We are very fortunate as
a Faculty to partner with
an active and engaged
Dean’s Advisory Board. ”
year, I’d like to acknowledge a
particularly important community
relationship you may not be aware of.
We are very fortunate as a Faculty
to partner with an active and engaged
Dean’s Advisory Board.
Drawn from our broad and diverse
community, membership consists of a
collection of dedicated and experienced
local leaders. The board serves as an
advocate for our programs and as a
strategic advisor to ensure that the
Faculty of Medicine at the University
of Calgary is meeting the needs of
our community. This crucial perspective
contributes to helping us realize the
Faculty’s potential and achieve at the
very highest standards.
I hope you enjoy this retrospective
snapshot of the 2013/14 academic
year here at the Faculty of Medicine.
Thank you for being a part of
our incredible community and for
embracing us as part of yours.
Sincerely,
Jon Meddings, MD
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
Message from the DeanAs part of the continued evolution of the Faculty of Medicine, we have spent the last year working to define our new strategic vision.
Jon Meddings, MD
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
— 3
2013 — 2014 Annual Report
YEAR IN REVIEW
Research
Eyes High The University of Calgary’s Eyes High strategic vision to become one of Canada’s top five research
universities by 2016 means we need to focus on key research themes including brain and mental health,
and infections, inflammation and chronic diseases in the changing environment.
RESEARCH
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary4 —
Benefits of heart procedures may extend to people with kidney disease
People with kidney disease who
have a heart attack are 40 per cent
less likely to receive life-saving heart
procedures such as angioplasty or
bypass surgery because of fears the
procedure could worsen their kidney
disease. But a University of Calgary
research study led by the Libin
Institute and Institute for Public Health
published in July 2013 suggests that
the benefits may outweigh the risks.
A team of researchers including
cardiologists and nephrologists were
able to use unique data sources,
including the APPROACH (Alberta
Provincial Project for Outcome
Assessment in Coronary Heart
disease) and AKDN (Alberta Kidney
Disease Network) databases, to do
a large observational study of more
than 10,000 people to evaluate the
risks and benefits of heart procedures
in patients who had measures
of kidney function.
The results showed that the
benefits of angioplasty and bypass
surgery following a heart attack,
including improved survival, may
extend to people with kidney disease.
While the procedures were associated
with a modest increase in the risk
that kidney function could get worse,
there was no increase in the risk of
requiring dialysis or progressing
to kidney failure.
This knowledge will help patients
with kidney disease and their doctors
decide on the best treatment options
following a heart attack.
Approximately one in 10 Canadians
have kidney disease, which is among
the strongest risk factors for heart
disease. Heart disease remains a
number one killer in Canada. It is
estimated over 400,000 adults in
Alberta have kidney disease, and as
many as 28,000 of them will suffer
a heart attack over the next 10 years.
Dr. Matthew James is supported by
Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions.
From left to right: XXXXXLeft: Stephen Robbins, PhDBelow: Dr. Matthew James (left) with William Backs
Cancer scientist appointed to direct national research initiative Stephen Robbins, PhD, cancer
researcher and former director of the
university’s Southern Alberta Cancer
Research Institute, was appointed
scientific director of the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research Institute
of Cancer Research (CIHR-ICR).
Robbins is responsible for the
promotion of innovative research
across the cancer care continuum,
from prevention to treatment
to survivorship.
“ Approximately one
in 10 Canadians have
kidney disease.”
RESEARCH
2013 — 2014 Annual Report — 5
Boosting the immune system to treat brain cancer Researchers at the University
of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute
have made a discovery that could
lead to better treatment for patients
suffering from brain cancer.
The research team, led by Canada
Research Chair in Neuroimmunology
V. Wee Yong, PhD, and research
associate Susobhan Sarkar, PhD, and
including scientists from the Southern
Alberta Cancer Research Institute,
looked at human brain tumour samples
and discovered that specialized immune
cells in brain tumour patients are
compromised. The researchers took
this discovery and, in an animal
model, identified a drug that is able
to re-activate those immune cells and
reduce brain tumour growth, increasing
the lifespan of mice two to three times.
The team is hopeful the discovery
will lead to clinical trials and ultimately
to a new standard of care for brain
tumour patients.
Funding was provided by Alberta
Innovates – Health Solutions/Alberta
Cancer Foundation.
Heart research study is refining the use of life-saving technology Sudden death from heart rhythm
abnormalities is still far too common.
Calgary-based research aimed at
saving the lives of more cardiac
patients has expanded to include
three additional Alberta sites, as well
as other locations in Canada and
internationally.
The study, led by the Libin
Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta,
aims to enhance the guidelines used
to determine who should receive an
implantable cardioverter defibrillator,
or ICD.
Roughly the size of a small cellular
phone, an ICD is a device implanted
under the skin that monitors heart
rhythm and automatically corrects
life-threatening heart rhythm
abnormalities.
With the expansion, there are
now 19 recruiting sites in Canada,
11 in the U.S. and one in Europe.
Plans are in place to expand the sites
further, with the overall goal being to
include 1,400 patients from 150 sites
worldwide over the next three years.
Dr. Derek Exner is supported by Alberta Innovates
– Health Solutions.
Left: V. Wee Yong, PhD, (left) and Susobhan Sarkar, PhD
Below: Gordon Skimore with Dr. Derek Exner (right)
Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
Throughout 2014 Libin is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Over the last decade, the integration of the University of Calgary’s cardiovascular research enterprise with the region’s care delivery mechanisms has contributed to Calgary having the highest 30-day post-heart attack survival rate in the country.
libin.ucalgary.ca
RESEARCH
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary6 —
Grand Challenges Canada funds innovative global health projects The Grand Challenges Canada Stars
in Global Health program supports
breakthrough and affordable
innovations that could transform
the way disease is treated in the
developing world. Several projects
within the Faculty of Medicine
received funding in 2013:
Heat shock drugs for malaria:
reversing resistance
Malaria is a tropical infection
caused by the bite of an infected
mosquito. The infection kills about
655,000 people annually. Malaria
is not contagious and only those
visiting or living in affected regions
are at risk. Drug resistance to the
best antimalarials is a major obstacle
to eradicating this disease and
new ideas on drugs are needed.
Dr. Dylan Pillai, a member of the
Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases,
and his research team, will use their
funding to try to reverse the
resistance to once-effective drugs
like chloroquine.
Above: Dr. Dylan PillaiAbove Right: Karl Riabowol, PhD
Alpaca Antibodies
for HIV Neutralization
The United Nations AIDS task
force reports that 34 million people
are infected with HIV; 24 million of
that number live in sub-Saharan Africa
where treatment is both challenging
and limited.
Karl Riabowol, PhD, a member of
both the Alberta Children’s Hospital
Research Institute and the Southern
Alberta Cancer Research Institute,
along with his research team, are
leading a project using alpacas to
produce neutralizing antibodies
against antigenic regions of HIV
recently identified in rare cases of
natural resistance. Alpacas are ideally
suited because of their properties of
simplicity, specificity, size and stability.
Digital African Health Library
Access to medical libraries or
internet services is often limited
for primary care providers in
developing countries. The cost
and bandwidth problems of
computer and web-based solutions
make access to relevant information
a distant promise in most rural
African health facilities.
Led by Dr. Rodney Crutcher,
a member of the Institute for
Public Health, and Dr. Bruce
Dahlman, the Digital African
Health Library is an integrated,
smartphone-based, point-of-care
support resource that provides
evidence-based, locally relevant
health information.
W21C Innovation Academy brings western Canadian innovators to global stage In November 2013 the University
of Calgary’s Ward of the 21st Century
(W21C) hosted the inaugural W21C
Innovation Academy. The event was
part of an international collaboration
with Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
the University of Geneva, Switzerland,
and the University of Pretoria in South
Africa to seek out the best health-care
innovations with the potential to
stimulate significant change to health-
care and health systems delivery.
Participants from across Alberta
and British Columbia took part in the
business pitch style competition, which
was judged by experts in marketing,
academia, business, finance, innovation
and commercialization.
SnapDx, a Calgary-based mobile
health startup from Startup Calgary’s
co-founder and chairman, Hisham
Al-Shurafa, and University of Calgary
resident physicians Drs. Rahul Mehta
and Aravind Ganesh, took first prize.
SnapDx provides interactive, visual
mobile applications that help patients
and practitioners to quickly access
medical knowledge.
Second prize went to Calgary
based Orpyx Medical Technologies
led by CEO and president, Dr. Breanne
Everett, also a UCalgary resident
physician. Orpyx has developed
sensor-based technologies and
sensory substitution systems to
monitor foot pressure and provide
feedback to diabetic patients.
RESEARCH
2013 — 2014 Annual Report — 7
University names research champion: Paul Kubes The University of Calgary has
appointed a new champion in
the fight against life-threatening
infections and chronic diseases.
Paul Kubes, PhD, director of
the Snyder Institute for Chronic
Diseases and Canada Research
Chair in Leukocyte Recruitment in
Inflammatory Disease, will spearhead
a cross-faculty research initiative to
discover new methods to understand,
treat and prevent these major illnesses.
Through his new role as leader
of the Infections, Inflammation and
Chronic Diseases in a Changing
Environment research theme, Kubes
will help take the world-class research
already underway at the University
of Calgary to the next level.
One of Kubes’ main goals as
research theme lead is to bring
together experts from a variety
of fields—including microbiologists,
ecologists and immunologists—
to see how collaboration across
the scientific spectrum will yield
new insights into how these
illnesses originate and evolve.
Cancer researchers test their homes for radon
Over 40 cancer researchers and
physicians signed up to test their
houses for radon gas in January
to bring awareness to the cancer-
causing agent that could be lurking
in the homes of Canadians.
Although smoking remains
the primary cause of lung cancer,
between 1,000 and 4,000 new
Canadian lung cancer cases each
year are thought to be due to radon,
a naturally occurring colourless
and odourless radioactive gas.
Aaron Goodarzi, PhD, the newly
appointed Canada Research Chair
in Genome Damage and Instability
Disease and also a member of the
Southern Alberta Cancer Research
Institute, is exploring several initiatives
to help understand and eradicate
radon-induced cancer in Alberta,
and brainstormed the idea to
have Calgary cancer doctors and
researchers test their homes for
radon gas levels.
Because long-term exposure kits
provide the most accurate readings,
the testing took about a month.
High radon gas levels in the home
can be corrected through mitigation.
Far Left: Aaron Goodarzi, PhDLeft: Radon test kit
Below: Paul Kubes, PhD
“ Between 1,000 and
4,000 new Canadian lung
cancer cases each year
are thought to be due
to radon.”
Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases
Last year, the Snyder Institute partnered with TELUS Spark to host a free educational panel as part of World Sepsis Day. Stop Sepsis Save Lives! An Evening of Science invited members of the public to join front line ICU doctors and researchers to learn more about the disease.
snyder.ucalgary.ca
RESEARCH
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary8 —
“A generation ago it was the people
who worked on farms who would be
the healthiest. But now, with increased
mechanization and poorer diets,
they’re among the unhealthiest,” says
Dr. Norman Campbell, co-author of
the study. “Although treatment and
control of hypertension in Canada has
improved over the last decade, at least
one in five Canadians has high blood
pressure. Globally, almost one in three
has hypertension and it’s the leading
cause of disability worldwide.”
The study was published May 2013
in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
Dr. Hude Quan is supported by Alberta Innovates
– Health Solutions.
Above: Dr. Hude Quan (left)
and Dr. Norman Campbell
Landmark research study tracked 3.5 million Canadians with high blood pressure Anyone who lives with untreated
high blood pressure faces increased
risks from heart attack, heart failure
and stroke. But after tracking millions
of participants from across the
country for up to 12 years, researchers
at the Libin Institute have pinpointed
the specific segments of the population
at the greatest risk of developing
those health outcomes: men,
the elderly and people living in
low-income or rural areas.
The study used the health records
of participants from across six provinces
in order to provide an accurate portrait
of Canadians with hypertension.
Researchers believe the findings will
enable them to determine in the future
whether prevention and treatment
approaches are having an impact.
Study shows meditation, yoga helpful for breast cancer patients Meditation and gentle yoga have
been proven to be more effective
than group therapy in helping breast
cancer survivors cope with the stress
and anxiety that often follows
treatment, according to a study from
cancer researchers in Alberta and
British Columbia. The largest trial
of its kind, the study followed
271 breast cancer survivors from
both provinces.
Findings show that participants
who used mindfulness-based therapy,
which includes meditation and yoga,
were more likely than group therapy
participants to develop positive coping
strategies, such as acceptance, and
less likely to use unhelpful strategies,
such as worry and avoidance.
Linda Carlson, PhD, the study’s lead
author, is supported by Alberta Innovates
– Health Solutions
“ At least one in five
Canadians has high
blood pressure.”
RESEARCH
2013 — 2014 Annual Report — 9
Researchers discover how heart arrhythmia occurs
The underlying mechanism of
calcium-triggered heart arrhythmias
has been a mystery for decades.
Arrhythmias cause the heart to
beat irregularly, resulting in symptoms
such as dizziness and fainting, or
in severe cases, sudden arrhythmic
death. While many factors contribute
to the development of arrhythmias,
scientists know that a common
mechanism of cardiac arrhythmias
is calcium overload in the heart.
Researchers at the Libin Institute
have discovered the fundamental
biology of calcium waves in relation
to heart arrhythmias. The findings,
published in the Jan. 19, 2014 edition
of Nature Medicine, outline the
discovery of this fundamental
physiological process that researchers
hope will one day help design
molecularly tailored medications
that correct the pathophysiology.
S.R. Wayne Chen, PhD, is supported
by Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions.
New Campus Alberta Innovation Program Chair in Healthy Brain Aging: Bruce Pike
Bruce Pike, PhD, was recruited
to the University of Calgary’s
Hotchkiss Brain Institute as part
of the Campus Alberta Innovation
Program. Pike’s primary research
focus is applying quantitative
methods to medical imaging.
Pike’s pioneering contributions to
quantitative functional MRI have
implications for studying normal
brain development, as well as for
diagnosis and evaluating treatments
for conditions such as stroke, multiple
sclerosis, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s
disease, vascular dementia and
Parkinson’s disease.
Enhancing healthy brain aging
is a priority under the Brain and
Mental Health strategic research
theme, which is one of six research
themes guiding the University of
Calgary towards its Eyes High goals.
More than 200 researchers from nine
faculties across campus are working
together within this theme to find
innovative strategies for improved
brain and mental health.
Below: S.R. Wayne Chen, PhD
Left: Bruce Pike, PhD
Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI)
As part of Brain Awareness Week, HBI hosted its annual Brain Bee for aspiring neuroscientists in the spring. Open to students in Grades 9 through 12, the event is a live quiz competition that tests participants’ knowledge of the brain and neuroscience.
hbi.ucalgary.ca
RESEARCH
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary10 —
New Canadian guidelines for fibromyalgia
In May 2013, physicians from
the McGill University Health Centre
(MUHC) and the University of Calgary
published a review article in the
Canadian Medical Association Journal
to help family doctors diagnose and
treat fibromyalgia. The article
represents the first time researchers
have published Canadian guidelines
to help manage the condition.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition
that affects the central nervous system
causing pain throughout the body.
It affects mostly women and is often
accompanied by fatigue, depression
and sleep problems. The multiple
symptom nature of the condition
means it can persist for years without
a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Fibromyalgia is usually diagnosed
by rheumatologists, but due to the
high prevalence of the disease many
patients are not able to seek advice
from a specialist. Therefore, the 2012
Canadian Fibromyalgia Guidelines
recommend that primary care
physicians are best positioned to
take on this role. In the review, the
authors, who include Dr. John Pereira,
a physician at the Calgary Chronic
Pain Centre, provide evidence-based
tools for primary care physicians to
make the diagnosis and manage the
condition long-term.
Concussion research at university gets federal government funding boost
In November, Canadian Minister
of Health Rona Ambrose announced
funding for new national research on
concussions, with a focus on improving
the prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of these injuries in
children and youth.
The announcement means funding
for 19 new research projects across
the country—including a major
project at the University of Calgary
on sport-related concussion in
youth hockey.
Three projects at the University
of Calgary, led by researchers Carolyn
Emery, PhD, Dr. Karen Barlow and
Dr. Garnette Sutherland, received
a total of almost $2.5 million.
Above: Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose and former NHL player Jamie Macoun at funding announcement
Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Dr. Michael Hill and Dr. Brent Mitchell
were among the 54 Fellows inducted
into the Canadian Academy of Health
Sciences (CAHS) in 2013.
The CAHS recognizes individuals
of great accomplishment and
achievement in the academic health
sciences in Canada.
Far Left: Dr. John Pereira (right) Left: Dr. Michael Hill (left)
and Dr. Brent Mitchell
RESEARCH
2013 — 2014 Annual Report — 11
$5.5-million gift expands university’s genetic research capabilities
The University of Calgary has
purchased three next-generation
genome sequencers, thanks to a
$5.5-million community gift from the
Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.
This technology will allow researchers
at the university and Alberta Children’s
Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI)
to identify new genes that contribute
to the development of diseases
and to move genomic testing into
mainstream clinical care.
To run a genome test, the
DNA is extracted from a blood
sample, sequenced on the machine
and the results are analyzed
by a bioinformatician.
“Genetic disorders can affect
anyone—it’s a roll of the dice. Millions
of Canadians live with these disorders,”
says Dr. Francois Bernier, head of the
Department of Medical Genetics.
“We have hundreds of unique cases
in Alberta where patients are suffering
from genetic diseases that we don’t
know much about; we can’t name it,
we don’t know how to treat it, and
we don’t know how it’s inherited.”
Bernier and his colleagues will use
a combination of the genome
sequencers and complex computer
analysis to conduct their research.
Paying it forward in support of dementia research Supporting dementia research at the
University of Calgary was an acutely
personal matter to Louise Berlin and
Donald Burns. Burns’ grandfather
and Berlin’s father battled the
degenerative brain disorder. Diagnosed
with the condition himself in 2007,
Burns wanted to contribute something
to those studying its causes and
potential therapies.
Before Burns passed away in
October, a $1-million gift from the
philanthropists to the University
of Calgary in support of dementia
research was made to offer hope
to future generations, creating an
opportunity for the Hotchkiss Brain
Institute (HBI) at the Faculty of
Medicine to train postdoctoral
fellows, graduate students and
undergraduate summer students,
as well as inject critical funds into
dementia studies in a space called
the Healthy Brain Aging Laboratories.
“We’ve been fighting this disease
for a long while,” said Berlin. “Donald
wanted to support research, and
while it’s too late for him, this may
help others.”
The Healthy Brain Aging Laboratories
will feature chairs and professorships
from multiple fields such as psychiatry,
neurology, radiology and MRI research,
all collaborating to improve the lives
of those dealing with brain disorders.
Investing in the University of
Calgary was also important to Berlin,
an alumna, and Burns, because of their
strong connection to the institution.
All three of their daughters attended,
as well as two sons-in-law and a
grandson. Great work in the field is
already underway and the gift will
facilitate even more strides at a crucial
time with an aging population at risk.
“With the progress made in the
last 15 years identifying genes that
increase the risk of dementia,
vaccines that prevent Alzheimer’s
in mice and biomarkers for the early
detection of Alzheimer’s disease in
humans, I’m optimistic we can make
real strides toward prevention in the
next five years,” said Keith Sharkey,
PhD, deputy director of the HBI.
Left: Dr. Francois Bernier with eight-year-old Hannah Richardson
“ Genetic disorders can
affect anyone—it’s a roll
of the dice.”
RESEARCH
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary12 —
Faculty member supports sleep research program
Many philanthropists who give
to the University of Calgary choose
causes that are very personal. As a
faculty member as well as a donor,
Dr. Jeffrey Mellor feels fortunate to
have the opportunity to support others
working to further the Faculty of
Medicine’s impact on the community.
“I have had a good career in the
Department of Medicine and the
Respiratory Division, which has been
challenging and stimulating but never
boring. Now I am reaching the end of
my career and have been looking to
do something a little different,” says
Dr. Mellor, who has donated generously
to the Foothills Medical Centre’s (FMC)
Sleep Research Program. “I approached
Dr. Pat Hanly with the idea of providing
support for research activities in the
area of sleep medicine. He picked up
the idea, made a plan and, as they
say, the rest is history.”
Sleep disorders play a significant
role in a broad range of health issues
such as stroke and congestive heart
failure. Dr. Hanly is also exploring the
potential risk factor sleep apnea
carries for chronic kidney disease.
The sleep disorder research program
is evaluating the impact of sleep
apnea on major health-care outcomes
and looking to create new and
innovative ways to diagnose and
treat the disorder.
With support from Dr. Mellor, the
capacity for advancement is growing.
“This fund has provided FMC Sleep
Centre with the opportunity to grow
academically in ways that would
otherwise not have been possible,”
says Dr. Hanly. “In particular, the
support it has provided students and
new faculty has been invaluable.”
Royal Society of Canada
Walter Herzog, PhD, and Dr. Peter
Stys have been named Fellows of the
Royal Society of Canada, the highest
honour achievable by scholars, artists
and scientists in Canada. The focus
of Stys’ work is on the nerve fiber
connections within the brain and
spinal cord. Herzog’s research is
focused on the neuro-biomechanics
of the musculoskeletal system, and
his primary impact has been in the
area of the molecular mechanisms
of muscle contraction.
Above: Walter Herzog, PhD (left), Dr. Peter Stys
Paying people to be kidney donors could be cost-effective
There’s a shortage of kidneys
available to those in need of a
transplant, and donation rates from
both living and deceased donors
have remained relatively unchanged
over the last decade.
According to a study published
October 2013, a strategy where living
kidney donors are paid $10,000, with
the assumption that this would increase
the number of transplants performed
by five per cent or more, would be less
costly and more effective than the
current organ donation system.
There is considerable debate around
the use of financial incentives in living
kidney donation regarding legal,
ethical, and moral issues. By estimating
the likely costs and consequences of
paying donors, experts can determine
whether a strategy of paying donors
is worth pursuing with the goal of
clarifying these remaining issues.
The study was co-authored by the
University of Calgary’s Lianne Barnieh,
PhD, and Dr. Braden Manns, a member
of both the Institute for Public Health
and the Libin Cardiovascular Institute.
Lianne Barnieh, PhD, and Dr. Braden Manns are
supported by Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine
“ Sleep disorders play a
significant role in a broad
range of health issues such
as stroke and congestive
heart failure.”
RESEARCH
2013 — 2014 Annual Report — 13
Lung Cancer Translational Research Initiative
Mavis Clark lost her husband—
a non-smoker—to lung cancer at age
57. She and Bev Longstaff also watched
as the disease later took their mutual
friend Peggy Valentine.
It’s the cancer that kills the most
Canadians; and while smokers have a
higher risk of developing the disease,
more than 15 percent of those
who battle lung cancer have never
smoked a day in their lives. It’s also a
percentage that continues to grow.
“Bev and I made a commitment
prior to Peggy’s death that we would
make something happen,” Clark says
of their dedication to changing
the landscape of lung cancer
in the community.
Together with Peggy’s husband
Peter Valentine and Faculty of Medicine
clinician researchers Dr. Don Morris
and Dr. Gwyn Bebb, they’ve helped
turn their vision of improving patient
outcomes into a reality with the Lung
Cancer Translational Research Initiative
at the University of Calgary.
The initiative is striving to become
a leading voice in lung cancer research
by following a roadmap similar to
the highly successful Calgary Stroke
Program. Using a large team from
various backgrounds and expertise—
basic scientists, researchers,
epidemiologists and clinician scientists
—the Lung Cancer Translational
Research Initiative is on its way to
making the same kind of impact.
Focusing on prevention, treatment,
and even policy, the many involved in
the initiative have accomplished a great
deal in a relatively short period of time,
but feel they’ve barely scratched
the surface of what is possible.
“We need to be looking at
prevention strategies,” says Morris.
“There are 15 percent of patients that
have never smoked or are remote
smokers. What’s the biology behind it?”
Faculty of Medicine Clinical Research Unit open for business Originally established in 2007 at the
university’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute,
the now faculty-wide Clinical Research
Unit (CRU) officially opened its doors
in summer 2013.
Capable of supporting data
management for a large variety of
health research endeavours, the CRU
aims to streamline clinical research
within the Faculty of Medicine and
is already providing research support
services to over 400 clinical researchers.
With a focus largely on data
management, statistical and
methodological support and big
data and analytics, the CRU is a
custodian for a variety of large
and complex data resources,
from highly confidential patient
information to generic anonymized
health information.
In addition to facilitating data
access and analytics, the CRU supports
researchers by providing sophisticated
data management platforms. These
include customized web-based tools
for complex data needs, and iDataFax
which is a U.S. Food and Drug
Administration and Health Canada
approved tool for managing the
critical data collected in phase 3
clinical trials—the last phase before
new therapies are approved.
Bev Longstaff (left)and Mavis Clark
Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute (SACRI)
Researchers at SACRI are leading the Cancer BRIDGES survivorship team, helping those living with and beyond cancer province-wide.
sacri.ucalgary.ca
RESEARCH
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary14 —
Federal Government
Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) $ 23 ,295 ,67 1
Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) 5,343,056
Canada Research Chair 3 ,635,011
Other Federal Government 1 ,697,638
Total Amount 33,971,376
Provincial, Regional or Municipal Governments
Alberta Innovates $ 32,384,773
Alberta Advanced Education 1 , 270,2 1 1
Alberta Health & Wellness 5 ,067,813
Alberta Health Services (includes Cancer Board) 7,219,563
Other Alberta Provincial Government 4,941 ,825
Other Canadian Provincial Governments 2,314,499
Total Amount 53,198,684
Other Canadian Sources
Business $ 13 ,532,013
National Not-for-Profit Organizations 9,797,217
Provincial Not-for-Profit Organizations 20,307,785
Universities and Hospitals 997,785
Endowments, Local Not-for-Profit and Internal Sources 18 ,294,314
Total Amount 62,929,114
Foreign Sources (Public and Private)
U.S.A. Sources $ 6,691 ,814
Other Foreign Sources 1 ,785,939
Total Amount 8,477,753
TOTAL $ 158,576,927
Research Revenue (unaudited)
by Sources of Revenue for Fiscal Year ending March 31, 2014
— 152013 — 2014 Annual Report
YEAR IN REVIEW
Education
Hellbender – Class of 2014 Cow – Class of 2015 Narwhal – Class of 2016
Medicine menagerie:Animals on campus The University of Calgary’s Faculty of Medicine began formally naming its MD classes after animals
in 1975 when a professor became frustrated with his class and called them “a bunch of turkeys”.
The name stuck and so did the tradition, with each medical class naming the class behind them.
16 —
EDUCATION
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
Hotchkiss Brain Institute REALISE project Not all neuroscience trainees are
destined for a career in academia.
Some original thinking on the part
of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI),
with the support of dedicated donors
Bill and Toshimi Sembo and the
Calgary business community, has led
to the creation of a unique program
that is preparing trainees to apply
their brain and mental health skills
across the broader community.
The concept of the HBI’s Research,
Education And Leadership In neuro-
SciencE (REALISE) program is that
trainees must not only become highly
knowledgeable neuroscientists, they
must also acquire the skills necessary
to bring their knowledge of the brain
out of the lab and clinic into the
health policy, education, non-profit
and private sector arenas.
“Our groundbreaking program
is providing talented and engaged
trainees with the skills and knowledge
necessary to succeed as leaders
in the brain health workforce,” says
Cam Teskey, PhD, education director
for the HBI.
Tailored to the individual needs
of each trainee, REALISE offers three
areas—Modules (classes), Mentorship
and Internships—preparing trainees
with hands-on opportunities in six
defined competencies: neuroscience
knowledge, technical skills, teaching
skills, knowledge translation,
professional skills and career
opportunities. With the help of
community champions, REALISE is
also engaging the Calgary community
in order to properly train individuals
for successful academic and
non-academic careers.
Volunteers in the community
provide one-on-one mentoring.
Internships take place with
private sector companies, as well
as government and non-government
organizations, ultimately increasing
the number of highly qualified
individuals able to promote healthy
brain function and aging while
becoming future leaders in
Calgary and beyond.
Faculty of Medicine Alumnus of Distinction Award for Collaboration Dr. Roxanne Goldade, MD ’90,
a Panda, was recognized as the
2013 Alumna of Distinction for
Collaboration. Goldade has been
practicing community paediatrics
in Calgary since 1995. Her practice
focuses on developmental,
behavioural, psychiatric and social
paediatrics. She is also the physician
lead for P-KIC (Pediatrics for
Kids in Care) and the new Social
Paediatrics Unit.
Each year, Faculty of Medicine
Alumni Affairs presents the Alumnus
of Distinction Award to a graduate
who demonstrates excellence
in a variety of personal and/or
professional capacities. The 2013
award was dedicated to collaboration,
in recognition of an outstanding
commitment to collaboration
in the pursuit of excellence in
health outcomes.
Above: Dr. Roxanne Goldade
Nicholas Weilinger is a trainee in the REALISE program
“ Our groundbreaking
program is providing
talented and engaged
trainees with the skills and
knowledge necessary to
succeed as leaders.”
— 17
EDUCATION
2013 — 2014 Annual Report
KidSIM Pediatric Simulation Program The new, larger KidSIM Pediatric
Simulation Program officially opened
in January and now boasts a 4,000
square foot simulation centre.
The program delivers high quality
interprofessional pediatric simulation
education to over 3,500 learners per
year—from undergraduate students
to practicing health-care professionals,
both at the Alberta Children’s Hospital
site, as well as via mobile education
to the broader Calgary community, and
regional and rural southern Alberta
and southeastern British Columbia.
The program is led by Dr. Vince Grant.
Learners interact with high-fidelity
mannequins in a teaching space
that mimics various clinical settings.
The goal is for learners to work as
individuals and in teams to learn more
about the assessment and management
of cases while experiencing the
pressure and stressors that go
along with them.
Through on-going support
from the Department of Paediatrics
and the Alberta Children’s Hospital
Foundation, the program now boasts
more than 80 trained simulation
education facilitators, 10 high-fidelity
mannequins spanning infancy to
adolescence and five simulation
laboratories.
University of Calgary claims two 2013 Rhodes Scholars The Rhodes Scholarship is widely
considered the world’s most prestigious
scholarship. The 2013 round of
awards honoured 83 international
recipients, with the University of
Calgary’s Yan Yu and Dr. Aravind
Ganesh among the 11 Canadians
named as Rhodes Scholars.
The scholars will travel to Oxford
this fall where Yu, a medical student,
will study for an MBA and a master’s
degree in public policy, and Ganesh,
a resident physician, will pursue a
clinical research fellowship in stroke
and dementia through the Nuffield
Department of Clinical Neurosciences.
Dr. Aravind Ganesh (left) and Yan Yu
Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI)
Junior high school students regularly combine their passion for art and science by creating artwork capturing ACHRI’s research themes. The students behind the best pieces are awarded an institute lab tour and the artwork is featured in ACHRI’s magazine.
research4kids.ucalgary.ca
18 —
EDUCATION
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
Graduate students initiate provincial conference on health When graduate student leaders in
the Department of Community Health
Sciences started thinking back to
what was missing from their own new
student orientation experience, the
answer had a lot to do with making
connections.
The group put their heads together
and brainstormed an opportunity
for new graduate students to meet,
network with faculty members, plan
their research paths and see how
those paths might fit together to
solve real world problems. After
forming a core organizing committee
with students from the universities
of Alberta and Lethbridge, the result
was the research-focused Campus
Alberta Student Conference on
Health (CASCH), which took place
Sept. 6 and 7 at The Banff Centre.
CASCH was designed to engage
graduate students from across the
province in an interdisciplinary
discussion about current trends and
future directions in health promotion,
care, research and practice in Alberta.
It was 100 per cent student run, the
students raised all of the supporting
funds, and the event welcomed
students in specializations as varied
as veterinary medicine, cardiovascular
sciences, kinesiology, nursing,
biostatistics and the undergraduate
Bachelor of Health Sciences program.
Above: Campus Alberta Student Conference on Health (CASCH) group
University producing more family doctors Almost half of all University of
Calgary medical graduates in 2014
will start their careers in family
medicine, more than doubling the
number of family doctors produced
by the Faculty of Medicine in 2008.
This trend towards family medicine
reflects the Faculty of Medicine’s focus
over the last four years to increase
the number of family doctors locally.
Each year, medical students in their
final year of study apply for residencies
through the Canadian Resident
Matching Service (CaRMS) program.
When medical students across
the country were matched to their
residency programs at the beginning
of the year, 45.4 per cent of University
of Calgary students were matched
to family medicine in the first round.
That number is up from 38.8 per cent
in 2013 and has more than doubled
since 2008.
Dr. David Keegan and University of Calgary medical
student JoAnna Fay
“ CASCH was designed to
engage graduate students
from across the province
in an interdisciplinary
discussion about current
trends and future
directions in health
promotion, care, research
and practice in Alberta.”
— 19
EDUCATION
2013 — 2014 Annual Report
There’s a first time for every experience
When it comes to health care,
that first time should happen in
a risk-free environment.
The initial phase of the state-of-
the-art Advanced Technical Skills
Simulation Laboratory (ATSSL) is
now complete. Jointly operated by
the Alberta Health Services eSIM
Provincial Simulation Program
and the Faculty of Medicine (and
additionally funded by the Calgary
Health Trust), ATSSL is designed to
allow students, residents and health
care professionals to train to the
point of expertise before ever
setting hands on an actual patient.
Southern Alberta’s medical
community officially gained access
to the new surgical and procedural
simulation lab this spring.
Phase one of the ATSSL project
goes beyond simulating a surgical
procedure, it allows students and
trainees to work in a simulated
environment, honing their surgical
skills yes, but also training to be
part of a life-saving team.
Capable of accommodating
training on demand in disciplines as
varied as orthopaedics to cardiology,
the new lab is a truly transformative
teaching and learning environment.
Jeffrey Martin Memorial Award As the Faculty of Medicine’s MD
Class of 2006, the Fulmars, prepares
to celebrate their 10-year reunion,
they remember the premature
deaths of three classmates: Jeffrey
Martin, Dr. Cameron Raffard and
Dr. Michelle Tan.
After Jeffrey Martin’s climbing
accident on Mount Athabasca in 2004,
his family and friends established the
Jeffrey Martin Memorial Award. Now,
10 years later, a Fulmars movement to
honour these three fallen classmates
has been set in motion in the hopes
of adding $25,000 to the bursary.
“Our class has been forced to
deal with more than our fair share
of tragedy,” says class representative
Dr. James Huffman. “Making a
donation to Jeff’s bursary is a way
to ensure that his legacy lives on in
an award that exemplifies many of
his outstanding attributes. Donations
to this endowment may be made
in memory Jeff, Cam or Michelle.
We were a close class and this would
honour all three Fulmars. Cam and
Michelle felt the loss of Jeff and this
would be a tribute to them as well.”
Jeffrey is remembered by his friends
and family as an avid outdoorsman
who lived life to its fullest. Up to three
second-year medical students are
annually selected to receive $5,000
based on their enthusiasm, high
personal goals and life balance—
characteristics embodied by the
medical student himself.
Every $25,000 added to the
endowment translates to another
$1,000 that can be awarded annually,
in perpetuity, either as an increase
to the current award or for
an additional recipient.
Left: Dr. Jacques Bourchard, Co-Director of the ATSSLBelow: Jeffrey Martin
“ Making a donation to
Jeff’s bursary is a way
to ensure that his legacy
lives on.”
20 —
EDUCATION
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
Virtual human? There’s an app for that Medical students and the rest
of the world can now touch, move
and even ‘dissect’ the human body
on an Apple iPad, iPhone or iPod
touch, thanks to University of
Calgary scientists.
Computer scientists and medical
experts have developed interactive
computer software that enables
users to learn about anatomy by
manipulating onscreen a virtual 3D
human with more than 3,000
searchable body parts.
“This is the first app for mobile
devices that does ‘dissection.’ You
can pick a plane and ‘cut’ the body
part you’ve selected in a particular
way, rotate it and zoom in for more
detail,” says Christian Jacob, PhD,
professor of computer science in
the Faculty of Science and professor
of biochemistry and molecular
biology in the Faculty of Medicine.
The technology was created by a
spinoff company from the University
of Calgary’s LINDSAY Virtual Human
Project and the app is available free
to all university students and faculty.
First Leader in Health Sciences scholars selected The Leader in Health Sciences
Scholarship in the Bachelor of Health
Sciences program supports future
physician scientists—medical doctors
committed to advancing research.
In the first year, the scholarship
received 148 applicants. Twelve were
chosen to take part in an interview
process and two recipients were
selected. The first Leaders in Health
Sciences scholars will begin their
studies in September 2014.
From iGem standout to startup venture
An interdisciplinary group of
University of Calgary students that
developed a sensor to monitor toxins
in oil sands tailings ponds won a
fourth consecutive entrepreneurship
contest in March 2014.
FREDsense Technologies—a young
startup that focuses on designing
portable devices that can detect
toxins in water samples extremely
quickly—added another award to
its collection by winning the national
finals of the annual Nicol Entrepreneurial
Award in Ottawa.
The students’ winning streak
started with the iGEM (International
Genetically Engineered Machine)
contest where undergraduate teams
from all over the world design and
build biological systems and operate
them in living cells. The sensor
advanced to the finals in 2012 and
FREDsense’s business plan won
the entrepreneurial division in 2013.
Left: LINDSAY Virtual Human app Above: Heather Jamniczky, PhD, and Christian Jacob, PhD, demonstrate the new app for the LINDSAY Virtual Human project
“ This is the first app
for mobile devices that
does ‘dissection.’”
— 21
EDUCATION
2013 — 2014 Annual Report
Humanities in Health Care Symposium
Medicine is easily associated with
science: chemistry, biology, physiology;
but many medical professionals say
that the liberal arts and humanities
also have a vital role in medicine and
medical education. Now in its second
year, the annual Humanities in Health
Care Symposium is two days of
presentations, panels and theatre
on topics that intersect the arts
and health care.
“The idea is if medical students
and physicians are exposed to the
liberal arts, they may be able to better
understand the experience of illness
rather than just the experience
of disease,” says Dr. Ian Mitchell,
co-chair of the symposium and
a member of the Alberta Children’s
Hospital Research Institute and
the Institute for Public Health.
Cabin Fever 2014
Cabin Fever is an annual event
hosted by Distributed Learning and
Rural Initiatives. This workshop
weekend is designed to engage the
medical community of rural Alberta
in faculty development to enhance
physician teaching skills through
topics such as the practical uses of
mobile technology in medicine, new
preceptor tips and tricks, physician
advocacy and the art of teaching.
Attendees represent a variety
of specialties and come from all of
the major regional centres in Alberta,
including Grande Prairie, Red Deer,
Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and
18 smaller towns. This year’s event
featured a special presentation
by two resident physicians on their
experience in High River during
last year’s flood.
Students simulate WHO for weekend of debate on thefuture of water The inaugural Calgary World
Health Organization Simulation
(CalWHO) took place in November
at Foothills Campus. Modelled after
the MonWHO conference in Montreal,
participants represented a country in
a WHO debate on the future of water,
framed around environmental health.
The event was designed to bring
post-secondary students together to
collaborate, immerse themselves in a
weekend of mock policymaking and
develop potential solutions to critical
global health issues, with an aim to
encourage a community of future
health-care leaders in western Canada. Institute for Public Health (IPH)
This spring, IPH partnered with the Faculty of Environmental Design, City of Calgary and Urban Alliance for MakeCalgary: Healthy an event dedicated to establishing strategies to sustain and improve human and environmental well-being in Calgary to ultimately create a healthier and more productive city.
iph.ucalgary.ca
CalWHO secretariat
22 —
EDUCATION
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
FACULTY OF MEDICINE ALUMNI (AS OF 2013)
MD (3388)
BHSc (412)
BCR (284)
PhD (731)
MSc (1160)
TOTAL 5975
Alumni featured in this report are:
Matthew James (PhD ’11), Rodney Crutcher (MD ’77), Brent Mitchell (MD ’75),
Lianne Barnieh (PhD ’10), Roxanne Goldade (MD ’90), Vince Grant (MD ’96),
James Huffman (MD ’06), Jim Kellner (MD ’84)
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY 2013/14 RESIDENCY POSITIONS BY PROGRAM
Other (176)
Paediatrics (10)
Internal Medicine (22)
Family Medicine (67)
For a complete list of Faculty of Medicine residency programs,
visit: medicine.ucalgary.ca/pgme/programs
— 23
2013 — 2014 Annual Report
YEAR IN REVIEW
Connectingwith the Community
24 —
CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
High school students watch live knee surgeries Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Jason
Werle doesn’t always operate
surrounded by cameras and
microphones, but it’s becoming
a more regular occurrence. Since
teaming up with Alberta Health
Services and TELUS Spark last
fall, he has broadcast one knee
replacement surgery a month to
audiences of 150 high school students.
Direct from the Operating Room
is the first program of its kind in
western Canada. The program
offered by TELUS Spark provides
insight into what occurs in the
operating room during surgery.
Werle, a clinical associate professor
in the Department of Surgery and
a member of the McCaig Institute
for Bone and Joint Health, wears a
microphone while a camera focuses
on the surgery site allowing students
to watch his every move in high
definition on a 24-foot screen at the
science centre. He and his surgical
team even answer their questions
in a live, interactive format.
The program is designed to expose
students to careers in medicine,
nursing and biomedical engineering
while teaching them about anatomy.
Med students make great fundraisers As part of a larger initiative
by the Canadian Federation of
Medical Students, University of
Calgary medical students once
again hosted and took part in an
annual head shave. With the help
of over 50 community sponsors,
and 20 students and one faculty
member who actually did the deed,
the students raised $24,500 for
the Kids Cancer Care Foundation
of Alberta.
Medical students from the Global
and Public Health Interest Group
hosted the fifth annual Rich Man Poor
Man Dinner and Silent Auction last
fall, raising more than $16,500 for
global health initiatives and local
charities, including: L’Arche Calgary,
the university’s chapter of Helping
Babies Breathe Laos and the university’s
Student-Run Clinic located at Inn
from the Cold and the Alex bus.
Each year the event raises
awareness about issues of global and
local poverty through a unique dining
experience. One person from each
table is randomly selected to receive
a three-course “rich man” meal; the
remaining seven people at the table
receive a modest vegetarian “poor
man” dinner. The concept was
created to reflect how approximately
90 per cent of the world’s population
does not have access to stable
and nutritious food sources.
Above: Medical students shave their heads to raise money for the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta
Students watch live surgery at TELUS Spark
“ Direct from the Operating
Room is the first program
of its kind in western
Canada.”
— 25
CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
2013 — 2014 Annual Report
Aboriginal Health Program welcomes Morley Community School In November, a group of junior
high school students were treated to
a behind-the-scenes look inside the
Faculty of Medicine’s MD program.
With instruction provided by
medical student volunteers, about
30 Grade 8 and 9 students from
Morley Community School checked
each other’s reflexes in the physical
exam station, learned about medical
imaging, practiced intubation, met
Harvey—a cardiac patient simulator
mannequin—and learned hands-on
about anatomy and pathology over
the course of the visit.
The group was invited to Foothills
Campus as part of the Aboriginal
Health Program’s Mini Medical School
initiative. The Aboriginal Health
Program was established in 2008
to support the Faculty of Medicine’s
objectives to enhance Aboriginal
student recruitment, admissions
and retention, as well as faculty and
curriculum development in the area
of Aboriginal health.
Medical residents join PARAdime campaign to support the homeless Alberta medical residents took part
in a health care outside the hospital
activity in February when they
organized the fifth annual PARAdime
campaign. Medical residents, doctors
who have graduated from medical
school and are now completing
between two and five years of
on-the-job training, filled backpacks
with clothing and toiletries for
local shelters.
Medical residents from across
Alberta participated in the campaign,
some partnering with local groups such
as Edmonton’s Youth Empowerment
and Support Services, Red Deer’s
Safe Harbour Society, the Rotary Club
in Grande Prairie, Wood’s Homes in
Lethbridge, and the Salvation Army
in Medicine Hat.
Graduate students host stem cell symposium
University of Calgary graduate
students teamed up with StemCellTalks,
a national outreach group affiliated
with the organization Let’s Talk
Science, to give high school students
the opportunity to see and learn
first-hand how stem cells play an
integral role in medical research.
The symposium consisted of a
series of discussions led by University
of Calgary researchers on topics
including the basic biology of stem
cells, retinal stem cells, bioengineering
with stem cells and how they’re
currently being used, as well as
ethical concerns.
“Seeing what’s going on in research
is very different from what you learn
in a textbook,” says Brad Day, an
event volunteer and PhD student
in the Department of Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology. “It never hurts
to expose students to the idea of
research at an early age and to show
them that you don’t have to be a
doctor to contribute to medicine.”
The visiting students were shown how to intubate by medical student Kevin Lanni
McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health
Each year the McCaig Institute hosts the Wood Forum on Hip Osteoarthritis, an inclusive opportunity to hear from experts in the field on improvements to health-care access and to ask questions concerning personal hip and knee health.
mccaiginstitute.com
26 —
CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
New University of Calgary Rural Medicine Recognition Awards Early this year, Distributed
Learning and Rural Initiatives created
an awards portfolio to recognize
outstanding physician preceptors
and peer mentors who dedicate
themselves to the practice of rural
medicine. These awards allow
colleagues, community members, staff
and administrators to acknowledge
their contributions from a unique
perspective. The five award categories
speak to the breadth and depth of
rural medicine at the University of
Calgary. The first round of nominations
are due in November and December
of this year.
• Early Educator Award
• Dr. Hal Irvine Community
Focus Award
• Dr. Ian Bennett Meritorious
Service Award
• Interprofessional Education Award
• Dr. Spencer R. McLean Peer-to-Peer
Teaching Award
Find out more about these awards at
ucalgary.ca/ruralmedicine/awards
Order of Canada recipients celebrated Academic excellence, medical
breakthroughs, artistic vision and
community support within the
University of Calgary and beyond
were acknowledged with one of
Canada’s top honours last year.
Dr. Ewan Affleck was recognized
with the Order of Canada for his
commitment to improving health-
care services in northern communities.
Dr. Morton Doran was awarded the
Order of Canada for his efforts to
raise awareness of Tourette syndrome,
particularly as a surgeon living with
the condition, and for his commitment
to medical education.
Joan C. Snyder, whose support
of the University of Calgary helped
establish several medical research
programs in the Faculty of Medicine,
as well as the Calvin, Phoebe and
Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic
Diseases, was recognized with the
Order of Canada for her contributions
as a generous philanthropist who has
supported sport, education, social
services, the arts and health care
in Alberta.
Dean’s Advisory Board The Dean’s Advisory Board
provides invaluable strategic direction
to strengthen the Faculty’s connection
with our community.
“I believe so strongly in the critical
role the Faculty of Medicine at the
University of Calgary plays in the
delivery of cutting-edge healthcare
to Calgarians and residents of
southern Alberta. This academic
institution is the pipeline feeding the
health-care system with highly trained
researchers, clinician scientists, and
bedside physicians, equipped with
knowledge of the latest discoveries,
complex determinants of disease,
novel treatments, and state-of-the-art
models of health-care delivery.
On behalf of the Dean’s Advisory
Board, I ask you, the community,
for your help in support of this vital
institution creating the future of
health,” Gail O’Brien, Chair, Dean’s
Advisory Board.
Dean’s Advisory Board Members
Ms. Gail O’Brien (Chair)
Mr. William Sembo (Vice-Chair)
Mr. John Dielwart
Dr. Chen Fong
Mr. Al Monaco
Mr. Matt Brister
Mr. Keith MacPhail
Mr. Bob Sartor
Dr. Kabir Jivraj
Ms. Brenda Mackie
Mr. Shawn Abbott
Ms. Maureen Cormier Jackson
Dr. Ewan Affleck (left)and Dr. Morton Doran
— 272013 — 2014 Annual Report
2012/2013 2013/2014 2013/2014
Closing Balance Transfers Additions Closing Balance
Funding Sources (1) Donor Contributions $ 81 ,343 ,421 $ (48 ,77 1) $ 2,805,663 $ 84,100,313
Province of Alberta Matching Grants 20,767,980 300 — 20,768,280
Capitalized Income 26,904,448 (2,302) 5 ,044,118 31 ,946,264
Market Value Adjustment 14 ,940,346 (8,303) 16,514,478 31 ,446,522
Total Endowment Value $ 143,956,195 $ (59,076) $ 24,364,259 $ 168,261,378
Total Faculty of Medicine $ 4,255,700 $ 4,744,700
Expenditure Allocations (2)
Investment InformationFaculty of Medicine endowments are invested in the university's long-term investment pool. Each endowment has units in the pool.
Number of units held by 1 ,296,893 1 ,364,500
the Faculty of Medicine
Market Value of units at March 31 $ 111 .00 $ 123.31
Market Value of Faculty of Medicine $ 143,956,195 $ 168,261,378 at March 31
Add: Market Value for endowment 3 ,847,790 4,247,611
not part of pool (3)
Total Market Value of Faculty $ 147,803,985 $ 172,508,989
of Medicine at March 31
Notes:
1. A total of 133 endowments in the pool for 2013/14 and 132 endowments for 2012/13.
2. 4.0% allocation rate on a four year rolling market average
3. The Buchanan Portfolio is not part of the University’s unitized investment pool
Statement of Endowment Valuation (unaudited)
as of March 31, 2014
28 — Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary
Faculty of Medicine Departments Department of Anaesthesia
Department of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology
Department of Cardiac Sciences
Department of Cell Biology and
Anatomy
Department of Clinical Neurosciences
Department of Community
Health Sciences
Department of Critical Care Medicine
Department of Emergency Medicine
Department of Family Medicine
Department of Medicine
Department of Medical Genetics
Department of Microbiology,
Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Department of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology
Department of Oncology
Department of Paediatrics
Department of Pathology
and Laboratory Medicine
Department of Physiology and
Pharmacology
Department of Psychiatry
Department of Radiology
Department of Surgery
Faculty Updates Dr. Beverly Adams appointed
Zone Clinical Department Head
and Head, Department of Psychiatry
– effective July 1, 2013
Dr. Janet de Groot re-appointed
Associate Dean, Equity
and Professionalism – effective
August 1, 2013
Ebba Kurz, PhD, appointed
Associate Dean, Undergraduate
Health and Science Education, and
Director, O’Brien Centre for the
Bachelor of Health Sciences
program – effective August 1, 2013
John Reynolds, PhD, Associate
Dean (Basic Research) appointed
Associate Vice-President (Research)
– effective August 15, 2013
Paul Schnetkamp, PhD, appointed
Associate Dean (Research Infrastructure)
– effective August 15, 2013
Ray Turner, PhD, appointed Associate
Dean (Research Grants) – effective
August 15, 2013
Tara Beattie, PhD, appointed Associate
Dean, Graduate Science Education
– effective September 1, 2013
Dr. Jim Kellner re-appointed
Zone Clinical Department Head
and Head, Department of Paediatrics
– effective September 1, 2013
Dr. Charles Leduc appointed
Head, Department of Family Medicine
– effective October 1, 2013
Dr. Gregory Cairncross appointed
Scientific Director of SACRI
– effective October 1, 2013
Dr. Christopher Mody appointed Head,
Department of Microbiology,
Immunology and Infectious Diseases
– effective November 1, 2013
Dr. Chip Doig appointed
Zone Clinical Department Head
and Head, Department of
Critical Care Medicine
– effective November 1, 2013
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