Vox Summer15 Aug 4 - Dalhousie University · The importance of research in and to the communities...

VoxMeDALS U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 5

THE VOICE OF DALHOUSIE MEDICAL ALUMNI

2015 DMAA Alumni Award recipientsAlumni making a difference | Convocation 2015 | and more!PLUS

Research is everything.

Phone: (902) 494.3502 Toll free: 1.888.866.6559 1-A1 Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building 5850 College Street, P.O. Box 15000, Halifax NS B3H 4R2

To explore the many ways of giving please contact:

Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation

Create a lasting Legacy. Remember medical research in your estate plan.

dmrf.ca mollyappeal.ca

Regi

ster

ed C

harit

y BN

#: 1

1922

931

8 RR

0001

alumni.medicine.dal.ca S U M M E R / FA L L 2 0 1 5 V O X M E D A L 3

VoxMeDALalumni.medicine.dal.ca WELCOME

4 DMAA president’s message

5 Dean’s message

6 DMNB update

NEWS & UPDATES7 DMAA board of directors welcomes new

members

8 Chesley Research Fund announces grant recipients

9 Making a commitment to innovations in global health

38 Upcoming alumni events and reunions

44 Class notes

45 In memoriam

COVER STORY30 DMAA Alumni Awards

ALUMNI MAKING A DIFFERENCE25 Dr. Rob Liwski leads the way to faster crossmatching for organ transplants

26 Healing the world: Dedication to global health takes Dr. Dominic Allain across the country and beyond

28 Searching for Waldo

FACULTY OF MEDICINE10 Infrastructure funding will put Dal on the map for rare disease research

11 Private donors enhance melanoma care in the Maritimes

12 Dalhousie zebrafish research test safer, less toxic cancer therapies

13 Dal researchers identify cell-changing gene that can cause cancer

14 Fatty liver disease: a silent epidemic

16 Dal leads international study looking at inflammation’s role in arthritis and heart failure

17 Investment in Canadian knowledge of aging renewed

18 How you deal with stress could be related to your genes

CONVOCATION 201520 Convocation 2015

22 Convocation awards & scholarships recipients

46 2015 honorary degree recipients

Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement #40601061

EDITORNicole Tanner

CONTRIBUTORSCory Burris, Evie Sabean Croucher, Allison Gerrard, Erinor Jacob-Levine, Melanie Jollymore, Boon Kek,

Alana Milner, and Nicole Tanner

DMAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVEDr. David Amirault (MD’76), President

Dr. John Steeves (MD’74), Vice-presidentDr. George Ferrier (MD’73), TreasurerDr. Dan Reid (MD’70), Past-president

Dr. J. Stuart Soeldner (MD’59), Honorary President

MEMBERS AT LARGEDr. Michael Banks (MD’70)Dr. Lori Connors (MD’05)Dr. Cindy Forbes (MD’85)

Dr. Katherine Glazebrook (MD’94)Dr. Samantha Gray (MD’07)

Dr. Margaret Leighton (MD’77)Dr. Merv Shaw (MD’65)

Dr. Colin Van Zoost (MD’09)Dr. Joanna Zed (MD’88)

EXECUTIVE EX-OFFICIODr. David Anderson (MD’83), Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Evie Sabean Croucher, Alumni Relations Of cerMichael MacGillivary (MD’18), DMSS President

Dr. Adam Harris (MD’12), Maritime Resident Doctors Representative

Please send news, story ideas, comments, and/or address changes to:

Dalhousie Medical Alumni AssociationDalhousie University

5850 College St. Rm. 1-C1PO Box 15000

Halifax, NS B3H 4R2

Tel: 902-494-8800 Fax: 902-422-1324email: [email protected]

alumni.medicine.dal.cafacebook.com/dalmedalumni

VoxMeDAL is published twice a year by Metro Guide Publishing

Publisher: Patty BaxterAdvertising Sales: Barb McConnell

Metro Guide Publishing2882 Gottingen Street

Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 3E2Tel: 902-420-9943 Fax: 902-429-9058

[email protected]

SUMMER/FALL 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS

27

18

ISSN 0830-5315 (Print)ISSN 2292-6348 (Online)

2015 DMAA Alumni Award recipients Drs. Meng Tan (MD’69),

Ivan Woolfrey (MD’65), Jim MacKillop (MD’81),

and Alexa Bagnell (MD’97).

4 V O X M E D A L S U M M M E R / FA L L 2 0 1 5 alumni.medicine.dal.ca

WELCOME DMAA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Congratulations to the class of 2015 and those finishing residency this year. Having had contact with a number of you over the last four years, I can attest to the fact that all of you have the knowledge and skills to be successful in your chosen fields. As difficult as it seemed during your training, you will look back on your medical school days as some of the best times of your life. We are proud to have you in the “Dal Med Family.” Remember to update Dalhousie whenever you move in the future so you won’t miss out on issues of VoxMeDAL and news about your class reunions. As the years go by, class reunions take on a meaningful role for you. I can confirm that they are a lot of fun, and it is great to renew old ties.

I had the privilege of attending the Convocation Gala on May 30. It was an honour to help present the Gold and Silver Ds to the students in the class of 2015 who have made significant contributions

Saying hello to all the new faces

to their class in terms of leadership and extracurricular activities. These honours are well-deserved. Congratulations once again.

I would like to welcome Dr. David Anderson (MD’83) as our new dean of medicine, as well as Dr. Jennifer Hall, the new associate dean of Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick. These two accomplished physicians bring years of experience with them that will lead our alma mater into the future and beyond.

I would also like to welcome Drs. Lori Connors (MD’05) and Colin Van Zoost (MD’09) to the DMAA board of directors. We look forward to their help and input in the future. Also joining the board as ex-officio members are Dr. Adam Harris (MD’12), our representative from Maritime Resident Doctors (formerly PARI-MP), and Michael MacGillivary (MD’18), DMSS president. Welcome aboard. I would also like to thank our retiring members Drs. Bill Mason

(MD’61) and Don Brown (MD’59) for their years of service and dedication to the DMAA board.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that the DMAA Awards Gala Dinner will take place on Friday, October 16 at Pier 21. The Gala is an opportunity to reconnect with classmates, raise money for deserving students, and recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our alumni.

This year’s award recipients are Dr. Meng Tan (MD’69), Alumnus of the Year; Dr. Ivan Woolfrey (MD’65), Honorary President; Dr. Jim MacKillop (MD’81), Family Physician of the Year; and Dr. Alexa Bagnell (MD’97), Young Alumna of the Year. To learn more about these exceptional alumni, read pages 30–38. Please join us at the DMAA Gala to celebrate the accomplishments of these four worthy physicians. We hope to see you there.

By Dr. David Amirault (MD’76)DMAA President


WELCOME DEAN’S MESSAGE

As I write my inaugural VoxMeDAL message as Dalhousie Medical School’s 13th dean, I reflect on our medical school’s rich tradition. A Dalhousie alumnus myself (class of ’83), I’m aware of the top-notch education our medical school has offered countless graduates over the years.

An integral part of Maritime Canada since 1868, Dalhousie Medical School continues to provide excellent training through our undergraduate and postgraduate programs. And our health research activities, often done in collaboration with our teaching hospitals, are internationally competitive and respected.

From an administrative perspective, there have been a lot of exciting developments. A new associate dean for undergraduate education (Dr. Evelyn Sutton [MD’84]) and a new associate dean for Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (Dr. Jennifer Hall) were recently appointed, ushering in a new era of leadership for our undergrad programs. And a little over a year ago, Dr. Darrell White (MD’91) became the medical school’s senior

associate dean. We’re fortunate to have such strong individuals assuming these leadership positions for Dalhousie.

Over the next while, we’ll be gearing up for our upcoming accreditation cycle. Our first visit from the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education—the accrediting bodies for North American medical schools—isn’t until early 2017. But as many of you would know, preparing faculty, staff, and students for the accreditation process takes time.

In 2018, we’ll be celebrating the medical school’s 150th anniversary. Already, we’re planning special events to commemorate this year. Stay tuned for further details.

I look forward to meeting many of you at our annual alumni dinner on October 16. I hope that you’ll take the opportunity to join us at Pier 21 and learn more about what’s happening in and around your alma mater.

Finally, on behalf of the entire Dalhousie Medical School community, I want to thank my predecessor, Dr. Thomas Marrie (MD’70),

for the fantastic job he did over his six-year tenure as dean. A proud Dal grad, Tom has been a superb physician, scientist, educator, mentor, and leader over his illustrious career. We’re all much better for his efforts and contributions.

Please don’t hesitate to contact our alumni office, or me, if you have questions or suggestions as we move forward.

Until next time.

Looking ahead: welcome from the new dean of medicine By Dr. David Anderson (MD’83)Dean, Faculty of Medicine


WELCOME DALHOUSIE MEDICINE NEW BRUNSWICK

The opportunities and challenges of a distributed medical education campus are a reality for me now. I have the privilege of taking on a leadership role at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick and continuing to build on the sound foundation constructed by Dr. John Steeves (MD’74). As Dr. Tom Marrie (MD’70) recently indicated, DMNB is a mature program now; no longer in its infancy, DMNB is a partner in the ongoing development of the Faculty of Medicine.

As the medical curriculum has developed to include such initiatives as the Research in Medicine (RIM) course, it is clear that scholarly inquiry and critical thinking have a solid foundation at DMNB. At the recent RIM Day, DMNB students competently described the research pursuits they had been part of with the careful guidance of basic scientists and clinical researchers from all over New Brunswick. These projects covered a wide range of subject areas, including a comparison of mortality rates post-trauma in two different centres with different trauma care organizational processes, current screening and diagnostic practices for Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Avoidable Emergency department utilization following elective thoracolumbar spine surgery, to name a few.

Medical student Monica Graves (MD’17) was one of the winners of the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation Best Poster Awards for her work on Health professionals’ perceived barriers and facilitators to collaborating

when communicating through the use of information and communication technologies. Throughout this process, students have demonstrated an increased understanding and appreciation for research, and a number have been inspired to continue with their work beyond what was required for completion of their course requirements.

This research scholarship has not been confined to the medical students. Graduate students at DMNB have also been recognized for their scholarly endeavours. Recently, Kenneth D’Souza from Dr. Petra Kienesberger’s lab was awarded the 2015 Dalhousie Killam Scholarship, the most coveted award given to a Dalhousie graduate student by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The $25,000 per year scholarship will enable him to further his research on the development of obesity-induced insulin resistance.

The DMNB cardiovascular researchers continue to be successful in grant award applications, including their recent awards of NSERC Research Tool Instrumentation Grant (worth $150,000) and the NBIF Research Technician Grant (worth $75,000). Some of the other funding received includes NBHRF operating bridge funding, two DMNB Grad Studentships, and the NBHRF-SPOR-MSSU Post-doc Fellowship Award (worth $100,000 for two years).

The importance of research in and to the communities we serve has been highlighted. Since January, our lab has welcomed a high

school class for a hands-on tour, two of our graduate students have participated in a middle school science fair, one of our graduate students organized the Saint John Science Rendezvous 2015, and a second middle school has invited us to participate in their career day. These initiatives open up the possibility of careers in research for the youth of New Brunswick.

I look forward to being a part of DMNB’s commitment to research and scholarly excellence throughout the educational continuum.

Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick update

By Dr. Jennifer Hall


DMAA updateI would like to welcome the MD class of 2015 and everyone who completed their residency at Dalhousie this year to the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association (DMAA). I hope that you’ll remain involved and connected with your alumni association as you head on to new adventures.

The office has been busy over the past few months as we assisted with convocation activities and reunion planning. I was able to attend the DMNB Launch Ceremony in Saint John, and it was a pleasure to be there for such a great event. The 2015 Faculty of Medicine Convocation Awards and Scholarships Ceremony was held in May, and I would like to thank all of the alumni, donors, faculty, and staff that were on hand to present the awards to such deserving students.

Planning efforts are in full swing for the DMAA Alumni Awards Gala in October. This year’s award recipients are an extremely accomplished and well-deserving group, and I strongly encourage all alumni to attend the gala and celebrate with us. It’s my first one, so I’d love to meet as many of you as possible. If the menu tastings are any indication, it’s going to be a great event!

In November, the DMAA office will be undergoing a renovation. Drop by in the New Year to see our new look, grab a coffee, and introduce yourself.

Don’t forget that the DMAA is always looking for stories of outstanding alumni. Do you know someone who deserves to be profiled in VoxMeDAL? Please send any suggestions to [email protected]. —Evie Sabean Croucher, Alumni Relations Officer

NEWS & UPDATES

DR. LORI CONNORS (MD’05), MEMBER AT LARGELori Connors is an allergist and clinical immunologist practising in

Halifax, N.S. She has a combined academic and community-based practice. Through her work as program director, Pediatric Clinical Immunology & Allergy; unit head, Skilled Clinician Year 1; and assistant clerkship director, Internal Medicine, Lori is heavily involved in medical education. She is also CPD chair and board member for the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Since receiving her MD from Dalhousie in 2005, she has completed residencies in internal medicine (Dalhousie’08), clinical immunology and allergy (McMaster’10), and a master’s in education (Acadia’15).

DR. COLIN VAN ZOOST (MD’09), MEMBER AT LARGEColin Van Zoost is a native of Falmouth, N.S. He completed his undergraduate

training in human kinetics at St. FX University and then went on to complete his medical degree and residency in internal medicine at Dalhousie. He predominately works as a general internist in Dartmouth and is also an assistant professor with the division of general internal medicine at Dalhousie. Dr. Van Zoost has a clinical interest in poverty and is the president and a founding member of Walk in Our Shoes, a free foot care clinic for people experiencing poverty.

DR. ADAM HARRIS (MD’12), MARITIME RESIDENT DOCTORS REPRESENTATIVEAdam Harris graduated from Dalhousie medical school in 2012 and

is currently a resident specializing in emergency medicine. Dr. Harris was active in many leadership positions while in medical school, including working as the DMSS vice president external, a representative on the Dalhousie Student Union, and a member of the Dalhousie University board of governors. Prior to his medical education, Adam completed a Bachelor of Science at St. Francis Xavier University, where he was president of the student union and a member of the university board of governors.

MICHAEL MACGILLIVARY (MD’18), DMSS PRESIDENTMichael MacGillivary is proud to join the DMAA board as president of DMSS for the 2015–2016 year.

Mike has completed a master’s degree in biology and worked as a marine biologist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for three years prior to pursuing a career in medicine. He is also an avid golfer and a Seinfeld enthusiast. In the role of DMSS president, Mike endeavours to work with various committees on the accreditation process, increase student engagement, and increase interaction between the student body and DMAA. Mike welcomes alumni to contact him directly with any career initiatives or other opportunities for students. You can reach him at [email protected].

DMAA board of directors welcomes new members


NEWS & UPDATES

Chesley Research Fund announces grant recipientsCreated by Dr. Arthur Chesley (MD’55), the Chesley Research Fund offers awards up to a maximum of $25,000 each for collaborative research projects of significant scientific merit. The Research Fund is sponsored by the Chesley Family Endowment and the Health Innovation Research Fund. This fund’s mandate is to increase collaborative research initiatives between Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick and Horizon Health Network, Saint John Area.

Each submission requires at least two principle applicants. One applicant should be based in Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick and the other should have a Horizon Health Network appointment.

The third group of recipients of the Chesley Research Fund grants was announced on May 25, 2015, by Mrs. Doris Chesley. Three research projects benefiting from this investment include:

• Dr. Petra Kienesberger and Dr. Ansar Hassan: The Effect of Obesity on Post-operative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery (prospective study)

• Dr. Michael K Howlett and Dr. JoAnn Talbot: Critical Dynamics Intervention Trial: Prospective Evaluation of a Coping Style Intervention to Reduce Work Burnout in Emergency Department Health Professionals

• Dr. Yagang Xie and Dr. Terrance Comeau: Whole-exome Sequencing of BCR-ABL-Negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms—Searching for the Novel Causative/Modifier Gene(s)

—Erinor Jacob-Levine

L to R: Dr. Yagang Xie, Dr. Michael Howlett, Mrs. Doris Chesley, and Dr. Petra Kienesberger.

Health Canada approves new psoriasis drugCosentyx, a new psoriasis injection and the first treatment of its kind, has been given the stamp of approval by Health Canada. The drug was discovered and tested by an international team of researchers led by Dalhousie Medical School’s Dr. Richard Langley (MD’90). “Using an antibody called secukinumab, we showed that for more than 80 per cent of patients, the secukinumab injection cleared up skin lesions,” says Dr. Langley. In one of the largest psoriasis studies ever reported, the antibody proved to be almost twice as effective as some other psoriasis treatments currently on the market and achieved unprecedented levels of clearing even in severe cases.

—Allison Gerrard

First Foundation Course in Occupational Medicine a successIn September 2014, Dalhousie introduced the Foundation Course in Occupational Medicine for the Maritime Provinces. Eleven physicians from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick completed the course in June. A collaboration with the University of Alberta’s Division of Preventive Medicine, the course provides community-based physicians with additional knowledge and skills to understand and manage work-related problems, such as return-to-work planning, work-related physical and mental health problems, communication with employers, and patient advocacy. Dr. Anil Adisesh, the JD Irving, Limited, Research Chair in Occupational Medicine at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, and Dr. Simona Parascan, a family physician with Horizon Health Network, are the course facilitators. The physicians who took part in the program were able to serve as a support network for one another in sharing their experiences managing workplace challenges in their practices.

The course is approved for 111 MainPro M1 credits and 15 hours MainPro C credits.

Recruitment for 2015/2016 is open. For more information, visit foundationcourse.ualberta.ca or contact [email protected].

—Boon Kek


NEWS & UPDATES

Making a commitment to innovations in global healthThe Global Health Office led new initiatives to advance the Faculty of Medicine’s commitment to community engagement and strengthen our social accountability mandate. Our programs reflect the depth of global health in our local environment as well as internationally. We renewed our partnership with International Medical University of Malaysia, and continued to work with the Saudi Arabia Cultural Bureau and State of Kuwait. We are part of a grant with the Global Health Research Initiative, led by Dr. John LeBlanc, to strengthen access to safe deliveries in rural Tanzania.

Our Dalhousie students continue to demonstrate their passion and commitment to understanding the determinants of health and social justice by completing the innovative Advocates in Global Health Certificate and participating in international electives in Tanzania, Malaysia, and Guyana with support from the MD class of 1972’s International Health Education Endowment. For the second year, a full class completed the Certificate in Health Systems, demonstrating the leadership in global health in our faculty and residents.

We started a pathway program to increase the number of African Nova Scotian students in medicine and the health professions. We held our first summer camp in 2014 and are currently planning the second camp for high school students from across the province.

We are planning for the new academic year. For more information, visit dal.ca/globalhealth or email [email protected].

—Global Health Office

1 0 V O X M E D A L S U M M M E R / FA L L 2 0 1 5 alumni.medicine.dal.ca

FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Infrastructure funding will put Dal on the map for rare disease researchBy Alana Milner

Technology is constantly changing and impacts our lives every day. In the case of technology for equipment used in rare disease research, the changes can be lifesaving.

“With today’s equipment we can diagnose genes that cause a rare disease within a week and with less cost,” explains Dr. Chris McMaster, the Carnegie and Rockefeller Professor and head of the Department of Pharmacology at Dalhousie Medical School. “Before, it used to take five to seven years to make a diagnosis.”

On May 29, 2015, the Honourable Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology) announced recipients of funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Innovation Fund. Dr. McMaster is a co-principal investigator of the Research Program for Rare Pediatric Diseases (RaPiD) who received funding as part of the announcement.

THE POWER OF A RESEARCH NETWORK“RaPiD brings together researchers from Dal, the University of Ottawa, Université of Montréal, and the University of British Columbia,” says Dr. McMaster. “Together we will use the CFI funding to put in place infrastructure at our respective institutions to develop novel diagnostic tools, and enhanced intervention and prevention strategies to change the way we care for

the health of infants, children, and youths affected by Rare Diseases (RDs).”

There are more than 7,000 RDs and approximately one in 50 children is affected by at least one of them. Many causes and treatment options for RDs are not known, making many of them life limiting.

“Together with the other institutions, we are putting Canada on the map as a world leader in this area of research and treatment,” says Dr. McMaster. “By coming together we can share our knowledge and gain from each other’s areas of expertise, helping discover ways to identify and cure RDs.”

BOOSTING RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT“Researchers at Dal have always been strong at discovering new genes, identifying drug targets, and developing the drugs to treat them,” explains Dr. McMaster. “The new infrastructure will move our research forward at a light-speed pace, whereas before we were limited.”

Those limitations did not slow Dal down in its discoveries and developments in the areas of genomics and RDs research. There have been a number of spinout companies from Dalhousie who are moving drugs to market, helping generate jobs. The new infrastructure will help others do the same and keep companies here in Nova Scotia.

“In addition to the research and economic benefits of this research, there are also the

Dr. Chris McMaster.

societal benefits of this infrastructure,” says Dr. McMaster. “We can now find the causes and cures for RDs with great accuracy, helping lengthen life expectancy.”

The new infrastructure will be located in the Life Sciences Centre and will be available to all Dal researchers through the CORES program.

In total, the RaPiD project received $2.6 million from CFI. More information can be found on CFI’s website, innovation.ca


FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Private donors enhance melanoma care in the Maritimes$1-million donation from Leslie and Allan Shaw

Melanoma diagnoses are on the rise across the nation. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, one in 59 men and one in 73 women could develop melanoma in their lifetime. It’s the most serious type of skin cancer.

“Nova Scotia has one of the highest rates of melanoma in the country,” says Dr. Richard Langley (MD’90), professor and director of research in Dalhousie Medical School’s Division of Dermatology. “This dangerous form of skin cancer is now the eighth most common cancer in Canada. Fortunately, if treated in the early stages of diagnosis, melanoma has a 90 per cent survival rate.”

INVESTING IN DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND RESEARCHLeslie Shaw, a Nova Scotian who spent summers in the sun as a lifeguard in her teens, has had seven melanomas removed over the past 15 years. The first time, she waited eight months to see a dermatologist, over two months to receive the results of her biopsy, and another month to see a surgeon.

In an effort to improve melanoma diagnosis and treatment in the province, Ms. Shaw and her husband, Allan, recently made a $1-million gift to the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation.

“We want our gift to make an immediate difference in the lives of people living in the Maritimes,” says Ms. Shaw. “Waiting weeks, or even months, for a melanoma diagnosis is stressful and ultimately life-threatening.”

A portion of the Shaws’ gift is designated for innovative diagnostic technology, while the rest will be endowed to fund a nurse, and eventually a postdoctoral fellowship in melanoma research.

“This endowment will keep talented researchers studying this devastating form of skin cancer at Dalhousie Medical School, indefinitely,” says Ms. Shaw.

BRINGING STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY TO HALIFAXThe initial stages of the project will involve the purchase of technology, including the Verisante Aura. Developed in British

Columbia, the machine uses a handheld scanner to shine a special light on the skin. The device measures subtle vibrations emitted by molecules in and around a mole or lesion. Cancerous growths produce very different vibrations than healthy tissues, which the Verisante Aura is programmed to automatically detect.

The Shaws’ gift will also buy two other pieces of equipment: the MelaFind and the FotoFinder. The MelaFind is an optical imaging and analysis device that will help dermatologists decide if a skin biopsy should be taken. The FotoFinder is a computerized mole mapping system that photographs the skin, detecting changes over time.

“We are so very pleased to be bringing this new equipment to Halifax, not only because it will save lives and a great deal of stress and worry for people, but also because it will put Dalhousie at the forefront of advancing the early diagnosis of melanoma,” says Mr. Shaw.

ENHANCING PATIENT CARE THROUGH RESEARCHIn addition to the equipment itself, the Shaws’ gift will fund a five-year clinical trial of the Verisante Aura, comparing its effectiveness to that of standard methods of examining the skin. Dr. Langley and Dr. Peter Hull, professor and head of the Division of Clinical Dermatology and Cutaneous

Science at Dalhousie Medical School, will lead the study.

“We want to know if the Verisante machine is capable of detecting early-stage melanoma as effectively as a human specialist can,” notes Dr. Langley, explaining that, while melanoma is 100 per cent curable if detected and removed before it has spread, survival rates drop sharply when this is not the case.

“If it is, we’ll see major improvements to patient care, because the machine does not require a dermatologist to interpret the results—this can be done by a trained technician. So, people will not face long waits to have suspicious moles examined, and there will be fewer removed for biopsy, freeing pathologists’ time to analyze the most concerning specimens.”

Thanks to the Shaws’ donation, the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness has agreed to house a high-risk melanoma clinic at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

“We can see already that the Shaws’ gift is transformational,” says Dr. Langley. “We suddenly have a clinic with state-of-the-art equipment and a dedicated team of industry experts. From this kind of base, we can attract more funding and trainees to build a melanoma research program that will make a major impact on the understanding and treatment of this very serious form of skin cancer.”

Leslie and Allan Shaw.

Pho

to: D

anny

Abr

iel


FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Dalhousie zebra sh research tests safer, less toxic cancer therapiesBy Cory Burris

For those with a mind for science, like Victoria Bentley (MD’18), a lab is the hotspot of discovery.

A Dalhousie student since 2012, Bentley—formerly a masters student in the Department of Pathology who’s now finishing the first year of her MD degree—is a co-author of two cancer studies that have bubbled up from Dalhousie Medical School’s Zebrafish Core Facility.

The two studies use a technique called xenotransplantation. Pioneered by Drs. Graham Dellaire and Jason Berman, associate professors in the Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, respectively, the technique was used to transplant human leukemia cells into zebrafish embryos, allowing Bentley to study their growth and test anti-cancer therapies.

A RARE FORM OF LEUKEMIAThe group’s research focuses on a specific type of leukemia (a cancer of the white blood cells) called T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (T-ALL).

Under normal conditions, blood stem cells in our body become one of two types of basic cells: red blood cells, and white blood cells, which help fight infection in the body. But when blood stem cells in the bone marrow grow and behave outside of their normal parameters, they develop into leukemia cells. These cells are the cause of the cancer the co-authors are studying.

According to the studies’ authors, there are about 300 cases of childhood acute

leukemia in Canada each year. Eighty per cent of those are acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). T-ALL specifically targets our body’s T-cells and accounts for approximately 15 per cent of ALL diagnoses.

“It’s a rare, high-risk subset of leukemia,” says Bentley.

TESTING THERAPIESThe first study, published in Haematologica, demonstrates for the first time that T-cell leukemia cells from a patient’s bone marrow biopsy can be successfully xenografted in zebrafish.

The process involves microinjecting fluorescently labelled patient tumour cells into the yolk sac of a 48-hour-old zebrafish embryo. As the zebrafish continues its natural growth, the T-ALL cells engraft and grow in the fish. This allows treatment response to be tested in the lab and provides information on the best therapy for a specific patient.

The therapies the group examined specifically target genetic mutations commonly found in T-ALL and inhibit hyper activation of growth signals and cell proliferation. An effective drug is identified when the xenografted cells in the zebrafish no longer divide, or ultimately die, compared to cells in fish without a drug treatment.

Eventually, the research could lead to better personalization of therapy for T-cell leukemia patients.

“Our zebrafish xenograft model allowed us to determine the susceptibility of a

patient’s T-ALL within three days,” says Dr. Dellaire. “If we were using this information to guide therapy, we could rapidly identify an effective drug and personalize a patient’s therapy, reducing side-effects and improving outcome.”

PROTECTING THE HEARTThe co-authors are also using a zebrafish model to test protectants for cardiotoxicity: the damaging effects of chemotherapy on the heart.

Published in Science Translational Medicine, the group’s second, high-impact study examined the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, a common treatment for leukemias and many adult cancers, including breast cancer.

Although widely used, children treated with doxorubicin for leukemia often suffer heart damage, predisposing them for heart failure decades after successful treatment. The drug can cause similar cardiac damage to adult patients, increasing the chance of post-therapy heart failure.

Dr. Berman, chair of the Zebrafish Core Facility and one of its main tenants, says his studies on chemoprotectants began through a collaboration with Dr. Randall Peterson at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical Centre.

“When zebrafish embryos are treated in water with doxorubicin, they develop abnormalities of the heart,” explains Dr. Berman. “Dr. Peterson identified a number of compounds that protected the zebrafish

Pho

tos:

Dal

hous

ie M

edic

al S

choo

l and

Nic

k P

earc

e First-year medical student Victoria Bentley (MD’18) is co-author on two new studies examining a rare, high-risk subset of leukemia.

alumni.medicine.dal.ca S U M M E R / FA L L 2 0 1 5 V O X M E D A L 1 3

FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Dal researchers identify cell-changing gene that can cause cancer

By Allison Gerrard

Dr. Jennifer Corcoran and her team have identi ed the gene in herpesvirus-8 that can cause virus-induced cancers.

There are eight known human herpes viruses, all capable of establishing life-long infection. The most recently discovered of these viruses, herpesvirus-8, is the cause of several AIDS-related cancers—including a form of skin cancer known as Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Herpesvirus-8 targets cells that line the surface of blood and lymphatic vessels. The virus reprograms these cells, giving them instructions to grow, form new vessels, and inflame surrounding tissues. These changes in the cells can lead to malignancies.

Dr. Jennifer Corcoran’s laboratory at Dalhousie Medical School has identified the gene in herpesvirus-8 that plays a key role in altering the healthy make-up of blood and lymph cells. It’s called Kaposin B.

“We’re looking at how viral genes, such as those found in herpesvirus-8, contribute to the development of cancer,” says Dr. Corcoran, assistant professor in the Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Surgery.

“We’ve found that inside the cell, Kaposin B targets a control switch that’s normally only activated when the cell senses a threat, and then quickly turned off when the threat is averted,” explains Dr. Corcoran. “Kaposin B appears to jam this switch in the ‘on’ position, causing dramatic and sustained changes in cell behaviour.”

HOPE FOR VIRUS-CAUSED CANCERSIt’s estimated that 15 to 20 per cent of cancers are caused by viruses. Dr. Corcoran’s discovery points to potential new treatments for these cancers; some may even be able to be prevented.

“The research is telling us that Kaposin B is a very unique kind of viral cancer-causing gene, very different than others we have studied before,” says Dr. Corcoran. “Understanding how this gene works has already revealed some opportunities for using drugs to reverse its effects. And if we target the Kaposin B protein—or use molecules that target and limit the changes Kaposin B causes to the blood and lymphatic system—we could potentially limit cancer development.”

Inflammation has long been associated with the growth of cancer. The Dalhousie research team is hoping its work on the Kaposin B study will lead to better understanding of that link, too.

“By looking at the function of Kaposin B, we are also learning new molecular details about the relationship between inflammation and cancer,” says Dr. Corcoran. “Our findings may ultimately have implications for the treatment of other cancers that have a strong inflammatory component.”

Dr. Corcoran’s study was recently published in PLoS Pathogens, the leading journal in the field of infectious pathologies, including virus-induced cancer.

heart when exposed to this drug. One of the most promising compounds was a drug called visnagin.”

The data from Dr. Peterson’s work was applied to Drs. Berman and Dellaire’s human leukemia zebrafish transplant research. When paired with visnagin, the doxorubicin treatment effectively killed the human leukemia cells xenografted in zebrafish but protected the zebrafish heart from doxorubicin-induced heart damage.

“It’s incredibly exciting to think that we could customize a patient’s treatment strategy with the hope of minimizing toxicities and improving outcomes,” says Bentley.

STUDENT-LED RESEARCH AT DALHOUSIE“I have a longstanding love for cancer research,” says Bentley. As the lead on the zebrafish studies, Bentley designed and performed experiments, analyzed data, wrote the papers, and presented the research at conferences.

“Being able to do clinically relevant research using a zebrafish xenotransplantation model is exciting, and this new model presents a number of opportunities. I was able to evaluate the sensitivity of T-ALL cell lines and patient samples from children, all in a clinically actionable timeframe.”

Bentley says she hopes the research will improve treatments for patients with leukemia and improve the safety of widely used therapies like doxorubicin. And while these studies focus on childhood leukemia, she says the research is an important step towards better, less harmful therapies for patients being treated for a wide range of cancers.

“This research provides a compelling rationale for the use of the zebrafish xenotransplantation model. This is impossible just using cell-based approaches, and is much faster than mouse models.”

As a medical student at Dalhousie, Bentley will be continuing with the studies through the school’s Research in Medicine (RIM) program.

“I’ll be back in the lab during the summer as part of the RIM program, using the zebrafish to look at novel therapeutics for T-ALL. I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity and am looking forward to a busy and rewarding summer.”


FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Fatty liver disease is exacting an enormous toll in Atlantic Canada, due to the region’s high rates of obesity. “It’s a triple whammy,” says Dr. Kevork Peltekian, hepatologist and head of Dalhousie’s Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy, “because often people with obesity also have diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease.”

According to Dr. Peltekian, 25 to 40 per cent of the region’s adult population has fatty liver to some degree, while about five per cent of adults have fatty livers that have progressed to the point of inflammation, known as steatohepatitis. These people face an extremely high risk of developing advanced liver disease, including fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure.

“Fatty liver has surpassed alcohol as the leading cause of liver disease,” says Dr. Peltekian, “but it’s still largely a silent epidemic, because there are usually no symptoms until the damage is beyond repair.”

A CHANCE DIAGNOSISIn the absence of symptoms, fatty liver is most often identified by chance, when people are having ultrasound or MRI investigations for another reason. Radiologist Dr. Sharon Clarke sees this every day.

“Some days, as many as a third of the ultrasound, CT, and MRI scans we do at the QEII Health Sciences Centre reveal some degree of excess fat in the liver,” says Dr. Clarke, an assistant professor in Dalhousie’s

Fatty liver disease: a silent epidemicBy Melanie Jollymore

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is now the most common form of liver disease in Canada and part of a larger liver-disease epidemic. According to the Canadian Liver Foundation, deaths from all forms of liver disease rose by an astounding 30 per cent in eight years prior to the 2013 release of its report, Liver Disease in Canada: A Crisis in the Making. Three Dalhousie clinician scientists—hepatologist Dr. Kevork Peltekian (PGM’93), radiologist Dr. Sharon Clarke (PGM’11), and transplant surgeon Dr. Ian Alwayn—are tackling the fatty liver epidemic.

Department of Radiology who completed her residency at Dal in 2011. “For most people, the condition can be reversed before permanent damage is done, but for others the liver is already inflamed and they’re at risk of potentially fatal liver disease.”

A liver biopsy is currently the only way to confirm steatohepatitis. But with such high numbers of people having fatty livers, to do biopsies on all of them would overwhelm the healthcare system. That’s why Dr. Clarke is working with Dalhousie Department of Radiology colleague Dr. Steven Beyea and his team at BIOTIC (Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre) to develop new MRI algorithms. These will reveal much more information about fatty livers than current MRI technologies can, offering a faster, less-expensive, and less-invasive alternative to biopsy. The new technologies are part of a $7.6 million technology-development project funded by ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund, the Nova Scotia Health Authority, and a corporate partner.

“The new algorithms will enable us to evaluate the stiffness of the liver, as well as to see how much and what kinds of fat are present, so we can more accurately predict if a person is at risk of serious liver disease, without a biopsy,” says Dr. Clarke. “These are the people who require the most urgent attention.”

Dr. Peltekian is delighted his colleagues are developing new non-invasive methods of identifying fatty liver disease. “We have an urgent need for better diagnostic tools,” he says. “The new MRI technologies will streamline access to care for people with

more serious cases, and will also allow us to monitor how the fat in their livers changes as they go through treatment.”

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TREATMENT APPROACHFortunately, liver cells can regenerate themselves, so fatty liver disease is reversible through lifestyle changes, if it has not progressed too far. Once the liver is heavily scarred, however, it is less likely to heal itself. Five to 10 per cent weight loss can halt or at least slow down the progression to fatal liver disease.

“People with fatty livers need to control their blood sugar and lose weight,” says Dr. Peltekian. “It is not always easy, as a physician, to talk to patients about their weight, but I do find it is not as difficult to talk to them about fat in the liver. People are often shocked to learn that their liver is at risk.”

Due to the large number of referrals for fatty liver, Dr. Peltekian directs patients to a new program, the Fatty Liver Forum, that he and his colleagues in hepatology, nursing, nutrition, and exercise science have developed to help patients reverse or manage their fatty liver disease. The Fatty Liver Forum is a three-hour group session led by the team of professionals, where patients gain in-depth information about the disease and how they can stop or reverse it.

“We believe the Fatty Liver Forum will achieve better results for patients, with far more efficient use of limited healthcare resources,” Dr. Peltekian says. “If patients have not met their weight-loss target after nine months, then we proceed to liver biopsy and work with them more intensively. Our goal is to prevent fatty liver disease from advancing to liver failure.”

THE DOUBLE-TROUBLE TRANSPLANT CHALLENGEIf a person’s fatty liver disease should progress to liver failure, the only treatment is liver transplant. Here fatty liver disease presents a double challenge—while demand for donor livers is rising with the increasing rates of fatty liver disease, the number of healthy donor livers is declining as more potential donors are also affected by fatty liver.

“More patients with end-stage liver failure are dying while waiting for a donor liver, because more and more of the livers that come available are too fatty to be viable for transplant,” says Dalhousie surgery professor Dr. Ian Alwayn, who is


FACULTY OF MEDICINE

also the QEII Foundation Endowed Chair in Transplantation Research and head of the Multi-Organ Transplant Program at the QEII. “Fatty livers don’t function well after transplant, so we often can’t use these organs.”

Dr. Alwayn and his research team are looking for ways to make more fatty livers more suitable for transplant. They’ve invented a new technology that allows them to infiltrate the liver with protective agents, so it can better withstand the ischemic re-perfusion injuries that take place during the transplant process. “If we can protect fatty livers from these injuries, we will be able to use a lot of organs that would otherwise not be suitable for transplant,” Dr. Alwayn says.

Dr. Alwayn is also exploring the possibility of de-fatting fatty livers prior to transplant, with Dalhousie lipid scientist Dr. Neale Ridgway. They’re co-supervising second-year medical student Melissa Wallace (MD’17) on a project to see if their experimental system for metabolizing fat in the donor liver prior to transplant can help the organ function well after transplant.

Pho

tos:

Nov

a S

cotia

Hea

lth A

utho

rity

Second-year medical student Melissa Wallace (MD’17) tests an experimental system to de-fat fatty livers.

Dr. Ian Alwayn, professor in the Department of Surgery and QEII Foundation Endowed Chair in Transplantation Research.

OUT OF THE SHADOWSWhile fatty liver disease is clearly an enormous and growing problem, it is not widely recognized or understood. This is partly because of the lack of early symptoms, but it also due to a lingering sense of shame.

“There is a stigma around liver disease, because it has so long been associated with alcohol abuse,” Dr. Peltekian says. “We need to shed light on the many causes of liver disease and help people understand how important it is to get to a healthy weight to reverse or avoid fatty liver disease. It’s not easy but it can be done!”

Beyond the efforts of health professionals and patients, the Canadian Liver Foundation is calling for a national liver-disease strategy, to address all forms of liver disease on many fronts. As it states in its Liver Disease in Canada report, if policymakers, care providers, and stakeholders fail to come together to launch such a strategy, “liver disease will continue to strike from the shadows taking lives and exacting a high toll on the nation’s healthcare systems.”

‘‘Universities are incredibly important. They are agents of social change and need to be supported. It’s up to us to do something, and there are so many ways to contribute. We have

a vision for how we want to make a difference.

Our bequest to Dal will see it fulfilled.”

The Legacy Effect Jock and Janet Murray

Thinking of including Dal Medical School in your

estate plan? We can help. Explore the possibilities

at dal.ca/plannedgiving or get in touch with

Ann Vessey at 902-494-6565 [email protected]

Visit dal.ca/murray to get the Murray’s story.Visit dal.ca/murray to get the Murrays’ story.


FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Dal leads international study looking at in ammation’s role in arthritis and heart failureBy Allison Gerrard

Dalhousie Medical School researchers are leading an international team of physicians and scientists that is investigating the role inflammation plays in rheumatoid arthritis and heart failure.

Inflammation is a natural process that normally helps fight infection and enables the body’s tissue to recover from injury. But some people experience dysfunctional inflammatory responses that can lead to chronic health conditions, such as arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

“Heart failure and rheumatoid arthritis both involve an initial inflammatory injury. There are many studies looking at what goes wrong in the healing process that follows; we’re trying to determine what goes right,” says Dr. Jean Marshall, professor and head of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Dalhousie Medical School. “Using this information, we’ll begin to examine ways to better treat and even prevent inflammation-related heart damage, arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases. This could involve the modified use of existing drugs or the development of new ones.”

The Dalhousie-led group will study two cohorts of patients: those recovering from

recent heart attacks and those living with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis. It’s known that inflammation resolves normally in a subset of these patients—either naturally or with early treatment. And in other patients, the inflammation doesn’t go away, causing further damage to their bodies.

“Part of this study will be to review the clinical characteristics of Nova Scotians who have suffered a heart attack in the past 20 years,” says Dr. Jean-Francois Légaré, associate professor and staff cardiac surgeon with the Department of Surgery at Dalhousie Medical School and Capital Health. “By doing this, we hope to better inform the collection of samples for the current study, and help doctors better identify the patients who are likely to heal after a heart attack and those who are likely to suffer complications, such as the development of heart failure.”

LOOKING FOR NEW THERAPIESThe goal of the study is to determine what the differences are between those people who suffer from ongoing inflammation and those who don’t. By looking at joint

The Dalhousie team leading the international in ammation study.

Pho

to: N

ick

Pea

rce

fluids and blood samples from these different patients, scientists will be able to see what’s going on inside their immune systems and how they’re responding to anti-inflammatory and immune modifying therapies. Researchers will also be looking at how other health conditions, a person’s sex, and habits such as smoking might influence the disease outcome. Combined, this information could be used to help doctors identify which patients would benefit from early treatment strategies.

“Despite many treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), these are not effective in all patients and are associated with side-effects in some cases,” says Dr. John Hanly, professor and staff rheumatologist with the Departments of Medicine and Pathology at Dalhousie Medical School and Capital Health. “More effective therapies of RA will improve the quality of life for patients with the disease and provide economic benefits through enhanced productivity and savings in health care delivery.”

The study is funded by a $2.3 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and $100,000 from The Arthritis Society. Additional funding has been provided by a number of partners including Dalhousie University, the Capital District Health Authority, and the IWK Health Centre.

“The Arthritis Society is excited to team with CIHR to facilitate research on inflammation in the body and how to treat the diseases it causes,” says Susan Tilley-Russell, executive director of The Arthritis Society’s Maritime Region. “In particular, we are pleased to be funding a portion of this research at Dalhousie University, and celebrate the role of local researchers in this effort to pursue life-altering insights in treating inflammatory conditions.”


FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Investment in Canadian knowledge of aging renewedBy Allison Gerrard

A hearing test is performed at Dalhousie’s CLSA site.

Pho

to: B

ruce

Bot

tom

ley

A major study that will provide in-depth understanding of aging has received a shot in the arm. The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) has been awarded a $41.6-million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to continue its work for the next five years.

The most comprehensive study of aging ever undertaken in Canada began in 2010. It’s led by researchers at Dalhousie, McMaster, and McGill universities. Dr. Susan Kirkland of Dalhousie Medical School’s Department of Community Health and Epidemiology is one of three principal investigators.

“This is a landmark study that will contribute to our understanding of the aging process,” says Dr. Kirkland. “It will provide information on the ways in which we can address health outcomes that matter to people—such as maintaining quality of life and independence—as well as contribute evidence that can be used to make improvements to the healthcare system to meet the needs of this growing population.”

STUDYING THE AGING PROCESSA total of 50,000 Canadians, including 4,500 Nova Scotians, are being followed over 20 years. The CLSA collects information on the changing biological, medical, psychological, social, environmental, and economic aspects of people’s lives as they get older.

Halifax-based CLSA participant Annette Leonard says that the CLSA has long-term benefits for Canadians as they age.

“I consider it my social responsibility to be part of this important study,” says Leonard. “In doing so, I know the data collected will benefit my grandchild and future generations.”

So far, hour-long telephone interviews have been completed with more than 21,000 individuals, aged 45 to 85, who were randomly selected from across Canada. An additional 26,000 people have taken part in extensive home-based interviews and have visited one of the 11 data collection sites to undergo a range of physical tests. Hearing, heart function, bone density, mobility, and many other measures related to overall

health are being collected by the CLSA team. The final participants required to reach the 50,000 mark are now being recruited.

The CLSA has operations in several Canadian cities. Dalhousie University hosts a data collection site and a computer-assisted telephone interviewing centre that interviews people across the country.

The National Coordinating Centre and the Biorepository and Bioanalysis Centre are based at McMaster University. The Statistical Analysis Centre is at McGill University, and the Genetics and Epigenetics Centre is located at the University of British Columbia.

A key feature of the CLSA is that its data is available to be used by researchers from many disciplines. Data from more than 21,000 participants who took part in telephone interviews are now available. Already, researchers have made requests for data to further research on topics such as caregiving, hearing loss, neurological

conditions, injuries, and the health of older veterans.

The CLSA was launched through $50 million in grants. Funders include CIHR, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, provinces, and universities—including the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust and Dalhousie University—as well as other partners.

To learn more about the CLSA, visit clsa-elcv.ca.


FACULTY OF MEDICINE

How you deal with stress could be related to your genesBy Alana Milner

Pho

to: B

ruce

Bot

tom

ley

Many people are no stranger to stress, but some are much better at handling it than others. The ability to handle stress, as well as health outcomes that can develop from exposure to stress, are often passed down through generations.

By looking at genes and their relation to maternal stress during pregnancy and maternal care after birth, Dr. Ian Weaver is hoping to learn more about why some individuals develop more stress-related health conditions and how those conditions can be prevented.

THE EFFECT ON FETAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENTIt’s not uncommon for mothers-to-be to feel stressed during pregnancy. However, severe maternal stress can increase the risk of a child developing a range of altered psychological and neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as learning and behavioural disorders (e.g., ADHD), anxiety and depression, and impaired cognitive development. These health outcomes are some of the most burdensome for individuals, families, and society due to their

long duration, disabling nature, and limited forms of treatment—and they significantly impact how one handles stress.

“Our bodies respond to stress using the glucocorticoid (GC) hormone, which is often used to treat a number of conditions in obstetrics and perinatal medicine,” explains Dr. Weaver, an assistant professor with the Faculties of Science and Medicine. “GCs also play an important role during fetal development, but the biology underlying their effect on genes and early brain development in the fetus is complex and we are only beginning to understand these processes.”

Dr. Weaver and his research team will examine and manipulate cells from mice that have been exposed to increased levels of GCs to see how they function at several stages of cell development, including in vitro, in vivo, and adulthood stages, explains Dr. Weaver.

Findings from this research will help determine how exposure to GCs affects psychological and neurodevelopmental outcomes, and how these outcomes can be treated.

STRESS DURING PREGNANCY AND MATERNAL CARE AFTER BIRTHExisting research has shown that some mothers who suffer from high levels of stress during pregnancy do not provide as much physical and emotional care to their child after birth. This low level of care often translates to the child’s ability to manage stress once older.

To further this research, the team in Dr. Weaver’s lab is studying mice to see how low levels of care (e.g., the amount of licking offspring receive from their mother after birth) impacts the offspring’s ability to handle stress.

“Research shows that mice who received low levels of licking after birth due to stress experienced by the mothers during pregnancy were less able to cope with stressful situations later in life,” explains Dr. Weaver, “while mice who received high levels of licking when young showed higher levels

Dr. Ian Weaver and a colleague.


BLUTEAUDEVENNEY

CASELEYPerspective Relationships Results

WEALTH MANAGEMENTGROUP

Custom Jewellery Design

Where Jewellery Becomes Art

Bishop’s Landing1477 Lower Water St. • Halifax • NS • www.frida.ca • 902-492-2947

The Piazza at

of GCs and were more likely to manage stress later in life.”

How one manages stress and health outcomes of stress can be passed down from generation to generation through gene mutations and the inheritance of other (epi-genetic) factors that act as switches to turn genes off and on.

“We will be looking at how gene mutations and epigenetic mechanisms allow stress genetics and behaviours to be passed down and how they could be reversed,” says Dr. Weaver. “There are a few possibilities to how this could be done, such as continuing our research of GCs, diets (more greens), and the level of care given by mothers directly after birth.”

SUPPORT FROM CANADA FOUNDATION FOR INNOVATION (CFI)Dr. Weaver is among eight researchers at Dal to receive a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) John R. Evans Leadership Fund award. This funding supports the infrastructure necessary for researchers like Dr. Weaver to explore and discover.

By translating the results from mice to humans, research findings from Dr. Weaver and his team could lead to effective therapies for chronic stress-related illnesses, resulting in a higher quality of life for Canadians.


CONVOCATION 2015

DMAA GOLD AND SILVER D AWARDS

The Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association is proud to continue the long-standing tradition of our Gold and Silver D Awards. Awarded since early in the medical school’s history, the Gold and Silver Ds are considered one of the highest honours upon graduation. Not only do they acknowledge the commitment shown by our medical students, but they also celebrate well-rounded scholarship. The Dalhousie Medical Students’ Society selects students who consistently demonstrate class spirit, leadership skills, and participation in the student society, sports, or other university endeavours. These new alumni have demonstrated leadership qualities that will serve Dalhousie Medical School well in the future.

Back row: Drs. Luke Richardson (Gold D), Peter Bettle (Silver D), Joe Sadek (Silver D), and Dustin Conrad (Silver D).Middle row: Drs. Rachel Doucette (Silver D) and Haley Augustine (Silver D).Front row: Drs. Bob Farmer (Gold D), Laura Stymiest (Gold D), Lindsay Cherpak (Silver D), Maggie Lovett (Silver D), Matt Walker (Silver D), and Jocelyn Stairs (Silver D).

CONGRATULATIONS, MD CLASS OF 2015! Welcome to the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association

DR. C.B. STEWART GOLD MEDAL IN MEDICINE

Recipient: Dr. Ryan DeCoste

The C.B. Stewart Gold Medal in Medicine is awarded annually upon graduation to the student achieving the highest standing in the regular medical course, provided that he or she has reached the high standing set by the faculty for that purpose. This year’s medal was awarded to Dr. Ryan DeCoste. In addition to this honour, Dr. DeCoste graduated with distinction and was the recipient of five other awards: The Dr. Robert C. Dickson Prize in Medicine, the Dr. Frank G. Mack Prize, the Dr. Clara Olding Prize, the John F. Black Prize, and the Dr. R.O. Jones Prize in Psychiatry. Dr. DeCoste began his residency training in anatomical pathology at Dalhousie in July.


CONVOCATION 2015

MD CLASS 1965 SILVER SHOVEL AWARD

Recipient: Dr. Stacy Ackroyd

The MD Class of 1965 Silver Shovel Award was established in 1965 to honour a medical school professor who has shown exemplary dedication, compassion, and true commitment to medical students. The Silver Shovel Award, carved by Dr. Merv Shaw (MD’65), was made out of maple grown on the farm of Dr. James Ross (MD’51). The caduceus is made from bird’s-eye maple and the pine cone is made from pine. The recipient of the award this year is Dr. Stacy Ackroyd.

L to R: Drs. Rachelle Blackman, Luke Richardson, Stacy Ackroyd, and Bob Farmer.

MD CLASS OF 1995 RESIDENT TEACHING AWARD

Recipient: Dr. Nick Sowers

The MD Class 1995 Resident Teaching Award recognizes a resident who exhibits dedication and excellence in the teaching of undergraduate medical students. This year’s award was presented to Dr. Nick Sowers.

L to R: Drs. Nick Sowers and Luke Richardson.

A TOAST TO THE CLASS OF 2015

Each year, an alumnus/a who graduated 50 years prior toasts the graduating class. This year, Dr. Merv Shaw (MD’65) raised his glass to the class of 2015 and welcomed them into the Dalhousie medical alumni family. We would like to send a sincere thank you to Dr. Shaw for sharing his wisdom and kind words with the class.

HONORARY CLASSMATE

Recipient: Dr. Frank McCarthy

Each year, the graduating class recognizes one person’s outstanding professionalism and service to their class and names him or her their honorary classmate. This year, the title was given to Dr. Frank McCarthy. Dr. Rachelle Blackman accepted the award in his honour.


CONVOCATION 2015 RECIPIENTS

Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine Convocation Awards and Scholarships

DR. C.B. STEWART UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN MEDICINE For the highest standing in the regular medical courseAwarded to: .............................. Ryan DeCoste Presented by: Dr. Moira Stewart, daughter of Dr. Chester B. Stewart, OC (MD’38)

GRADUATION WITH DISTINCTIONIain ArseneauRachelle BlackmanRyan BrennanLindsay CherpakRyan DeCosteKelli FlemmingScott I. MurrayLucas RichardsonEileen RoachVanessa SlayterJocelyn StairsWei Yun Wang

DR. LEO HOROWITZ PRIZE IN DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY For demonstration of the greatest interest and aptitude towards the study of radiologyAwarded to: ............................... Ryan BlagdonPresented by: Dr. James Clarke (MD’01), Department of Radiology

DR. EDWIN F. ROSS PRIZE IN PEDIATRIC SURGERY For demonstrating an aptitude and interest in pediatric surgical careAwarded to: .......................Alexandra ManningPresented by: Dr. Sally Ross, daughter of Dr. Edwin F. Ross

DR. ROBERT F. SCHARF AWARD IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE For outstanding combination of clinical ability, motivation, and professionalism in emergency medicineAwarded to: ......................... Lucas Richardson Presented by: Laurel Joudrey, daughter of Dr. Robert Scharf

THE EMERSON AMOS MOFFITT RESEARCH PRIZE For undergraduate research in anaesthesiaAwarded to: ........................ Jaclyn DesRochesPresented by: Dr. Romesh Shukla (PGM’78), Head, Department of Anesthesia

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT AWARD IN ANAESTHESIAFor outstanding capabilities in the eld of anesthesia throughout his or her medical programAwarded to: ............................ Matthew WalkerPresented by: Dr. Ben Schelew (MD’89), Department of Anesthesia

DR. I. M. SZULER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE INTERNAL MEDICINEAwarded to the fourth-year student who, during their MTU rotation, best demonstrates personal and academic ualities exempli ed by Dr. SzulerAwarded to: ............................... Jocelyn StairsPresented by: Dr. Katherine Radchuck (MD’15), daughter of Dr. Irene Szuler (PGM’79)

THE BARBARA L. BLAUVELT CARDIOLOGY PRIZE Awarded to a fourth-year student who has shown the greatest interest and degree of inclination towards the study of cardiologyAwarded to: ...............................Joanna SlusarPresented by: Dr. Catherine Kells (MD’84), Chief, Division of Cardiology

THE ALBERT A. SCHWARTZ PRIZE IN ORTHOPEDICS For demonstrating aptitude and excellence in orthopedicsAwarded to: ................................... Dan McNeilPresented by: Dr. David Kirkpatrick (MD’79), Head, Department of Surgery

DR. S. G. BURKE FULLERTON AWARDFor greatest promise and potential shown for family medicine in fourth yearAwarded to: ................................Ryan PawseyPresented by: Dr. Greg Archibald, Head, Department of Family Medicine

DR. LEONARD, KAY AND SIMON LEVINE SCHOLARSHIP For academic excellence and to the medical student who is pursuing studies in family medicineAwarded to:Jenna McNeil and Vanessa SlayterPresented by: Dr. Greg Archibald, Head, Department of Family Medicine

DR. J. W. MERRITT PRIZE For the highest standing in surgery in all four yearsAwarded to: .............................. Peter LeightonPresented by: Janice Flemming, daughter of Dr. John W. Merritt (MD’28)

DR. LAWRENCE MAX GREEN MEMORIAL AWARD For best combining compassion and clinical competence during the clerkship in obstetrics and gynecologyAwarded to: .............................. Peter LeightonPresented by: Dr. Jillian Coolen (MD’03), Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

DR. N. N. ISA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD For outstanding achievement during his/her core rotation in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Saint John Regional HospitalAwarded to: .................................. Adam ParksPresented by: Dr. Jillian Coolen (MD’03), Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

ANDREW JAMES COWIE MD, MEMORIAL MEDAL For the highest standing in obstetrics and gynecologyAwarded to: ...........................Lindsay CherpakPresented by: Dr. Jillian Coolen (MD’03), Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

DMRF DR. J. DONALD HATCHER AWARD FOR MEDICAL RESEARCHFor the most meritorious and signi cant research project during the undergraduate program, including summer electivesAwarded to: .................................. Adam ParksPresented by: Emma Hatcher Roberts, granddaughter of Dr. J. Donald Hatcher

DR. W. H. HATTIE PRIZE For highest standing in fourth-year medicineAwarded to: ...........................Lindsay CherpakPresented by: Dr. Simon Jackson (MD’90), Department of Medicine

DR. GRAHAM GWYN MEMORIAL PRIZE IN NEUROLOGY For demonstrating excellence in neurologyAwarded to: .............................Margaret LovettPresented by: Dr. Simon Jackson (MD’90), Department of Medicine

The convocation awards and scholarships have significant meaning to our graduates. Dalhousie medical students represent the future of Dalhousie Medical School, and we would like to thank alumni, alumni and donor families, and friends for their continued support.


DR. J. C. WICKWIRE AWARD For demonstrating highest competence in patient contact during the four-year programAwarded to: ............................... Jocelyn StairsPresented by: Dr. Simon Jackson (MD’90), Department of Medicine

KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA, DR. ALLAN COHEN MEMORIAL PRIZE IN NEPHROLOGYFor demonstrating the greatest aptitude in clinical nephrologyAwarded to: ...............................Rakesh GuptaPresented by: Dr. Simon Jackson (MD’90), Department of Medicine

DR. JOHN M. EMBIL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES For recognizing the commitment and enthusiasm of an undergraduate medical student in the eld of clinical infectious diseasesAwarded to: ............................ Brandyn ChasePresented by: Dr. Simon Jackson (MD’90), Department of Medicine

DR. JUAN A. EMBIL AWARD FOR RESEARCH IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES RESEARCH For completing the best research project in infectious diseases during all four years of studyAwarded to: ............................. Brandyn ChasePresented by: Dr. Simon Jackson (MD’90), Department of Medicine

DR. CARL PEARLMAN PRIZE IN UROLOGY For the greatest aptitude and interest in urologyAwarded to: .................................Chelsey KingPresented by: Dr. David Bell (MD’84), Head, Department of Urology

DR. ROBERT & MRS. DOROTHY FORSYTHE PRIZE For a strong aptitude and interest in mental health through clinical, research, or volunteer endeavoursAwarded to: ............................ Andrew DutcherPresented by: Dr. Pamela Forsythe (MD’78), daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Forsythe

DR. MABEL E. GOUDGE PRIZEFor outstanding achievement among female medical studentsAwarded to: ................................ Eileen RoachPresented by: Dr. John Steeves (MD’74), Interim Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education

SOCIETY FOR ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE AWARD For excellence in emergency medicineAwarded to: .................................James GouldPresented by: Dr. David Petrie (MD’89), Head, Department of Emergency Medicine

DMRF DR. RICHARD B. GOLDBLOOM AWARD IN PEDIATRICS For best combining medical knowledge, clinical skill, and sensitivity to the social and emotional needs of children and their familiesAwarded to: ..............................Laura StymiestPresented by: Dr. Richard Goldbloom, OC

JAMES WALKER WOOD AWARD IN MEDICINE Awarded to a student entering a family medicine residency program at Dalhousie with preference given to a student who has shown an interest in rural family medicineAwarded to: ...............................Ryan BrennanPresented by: Dr. Kate Wood, granddaughter of Dr. James Walker Wood

POULENC PRIZE IN PSYCHIATRY For the highest standing in psychiatryAwarded to: ...............................Ryan BrennanPresented by: Dr. Michael Teehan (PGM’84), Department of Psychiatry


DR. LOURDES I. EMBIL AWARD FOR CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH Awarded for clinical research in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, cardiovascular pharmacology, physiology, or other elds associated with clinical cardiologyAwarded to: ........................ Christopher GreenPresented by: Dr. Catherine Kells (MD’84), Chief, Division of Cardiology

HUNTER HUMANITIES AWARD For outstanding contributions in the area of medical humanities and demonstrating the humanistic qualities of caring and compassion in the care of patientsAwarded to: .............................Marisa WebsterPresented by: Dr. Mary Hunter (MD’57) and Dr. Wendy Stewart, Director, Medical Humanities

DR. RAM SINGARI BOODOOSINGH MEMORIAL PRIZE For demonstrating clinical skill and a sense of humour that most brings “art” to the practice of medicineAwarded to: ...............................Joseph SadekPresented by: Dr. Wendy Stewart, Director, Medical Humanities

MICHAEL BROTHERS PRIZE IN NEUROSCIENCE For demonstrating an aptitude in the area of neuroscienceAwarded to: .........................Jessica ZamboninPresented by: Tommy Brothers, son of Dr. Michael Brothers (MD’80)

DR. ROBERT C. DICKSON PRIZE IN MEDICINE For highest standing in all examinations in medicine in all four yearsAwarded to: .............................. Ryan DeCostePresented by: Dr. Simon Jackson (MD’90), Department of Medicine

DR. FRANK G. MACK PRIZE For showing excellence in the care of urological patientsAwarded to: .............................. Ryan DeCostePresented by: Dr. David Bell (MD’84), Head, Department of Urology

DR. CLARA OLDING PRIZE For the highest standing in the clinical years with character and previous scholarship being taken into considerationAwarded to: .............................. Ryan DeCostePresented by: Rebecca Hebb, great-granddaughter of Dr. Clara Olding (MD’1896)

DR. JOHN F. BLACK PRIZEFor the highest standing in surgeryAwarded to: .............................. Ryan DeCostePresented by: Dr. David Kirkpatrick (MD’79), Head, Department of Surgery

DR. R. O. JONES PRIZE IN PSYCHIATRYFor the highest standing in psychiatry during the entire medical programAwarded to: .............................. Ryan DeCostePresented by: Dr. Michael Teehan (PGM’84), Department of Psychiatry

Award-winning dining at Seasons by Atlantica, modern, well-appointed guestrooms, fl exible meeting space, and the vibrantcity of Halifax at your doorstep - just a few of the many reasons to

Meet & Stay Downtown Diff erent!

Call (902) 423-1161 or email [email protected]

A T L A N T I C A H O T E L H A L I F A X . C O M

Ask for Dalhousie Preferred Rates

CONVOCATION 2015 RECIPIENTS


“We examined every step of the process and asked, ‘does it really need to be done this way?’”

ALUMNI MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Halifax felt tiny and quaint to Dr. Liwski after the hustle and bustle of Warsaw and the sophistication of Rome. “We came to Canada by way of Italy,” he says, explaining that his family managed to escape communist Poland by obtaining passports for a vacation in Yugoslavia, then sneaking out from that country to a refugee camp in Italy. “It was hard to adjust to living in Clayton Park, at first,” he recalls with a laugh, “but by the time I was out of high school and going to Dal, I loved it.”

Dr. Liwski, now a professor in the Division of Hematopathology, feels the continuity of completing all of his training in one location has been highly beneficial to his career. “Perhaps because I was in one spot the whole time, I received a lot of guidance along the way from mentors who really understood my strengths and interests,” he says. “I was able to apply my previous experience to every new challenge, to build and solidify my knowledge and my connections.”

As an undergrad, Dr. Liwski worked in Dr. Tim Lee’s lab, where he became fascinated with transplant immunology and bench research. Instead of heading straight to medical school after his BSc, as he’d originally planned, he pursued a PhD with Dr. Lee. Over the years, he developed strong connections to clinician scientists specializing in transplant—including cardiac surgeon Dr. Greg Hirsch and nephrologist Dr. Ken West—who continue to be important colleagues today. It was Dr.

Dr. Rob Liwski (MD’03)—the “ultimate” alumnus —leads the way to faster crossmatching for organ transplantsBy Melanie Jollymore

Dr. Rob Liwski (MD’03) rst landed in Halifax from his homeland of Poland in 1988. He grew to like it so much that he stayed in Halifax to complete every step of the 16-year education it took to become a leading hematopathologist—including a BSc in microbiology and immunology, a PhD in transplant immunology, an MD, and a residency—at Dalhousie University.

Irene Sadek (PGM’97), head of the Division of Hematopathology, who encouraged him to pursue a residency in this field.

“It was the perfect fit, to apply my background in immunology and techniques like cytometry to the clinical analysis of blood,” Dr. Liwski says. “This integration of all my experiences is what’s made it possible for me to lead the development of new protocols for HLA crossmatch testing to confirm an organ’s suitability for transplant into the proposed recipient.”

As Dr. Liwski explains, there’s more to organ-recipient matching than blood type. The recipient must not be sensitized to human leukocyte antigens, or HLA, in the donor organ. “Some people are sensitized to just a few of these antigens, others are sensitized to a lot,” he says. “If a person receives an organ with antigens they react to, their immune system will attack the organ. We need to avoid this by matching organs to recipients with similar HLA profiles.”

Dr. Liwski and his team have cut the time

Pho

to: K

eith

Jol

lym

ore



it takes to confirm an organ match by an astonishing 70 per cent. While dramatically increasing the speed of the HLA crossmatch testing process, they’ve also made it more accurate, ensuring patients receive good matches, in record time. Other centres around the world are adopting the new HLA crossmatch protocol, dubbed HaliFAST by Dr. Liwski’s colleagues in Brazil. So far these include every centre in Canada, more than 40 in the U.S., and numerous centres in Australia, the U.K., Brazil, Poland, Germany, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.

Dr. Liwski and his team in the QEII’s HLA Typing Laboratory have developed three new protocols to streamline the HLA testing process, cutting a four- to five-hour process down to roughly 90 minutes. “The time savings is crucial,” he says, “because while we’re doing the tests, the donor organ is sitting on ice and the surgical team and potential recipient are waiting to hear if the organ’s a match.”

Preliminary organ-recipient matching is done by computer, but the final confirmation requires donor cells to be mixed with serum from a small group of candidate recipients. The test is a multi-step process that used to involve long incubation times and the painstaking pipetting and loading and unloading of individual test tubes in and out of centrifuges.

“We examined every step of the process and asked, ‘does it really need to be done this way?’” Dr. Liwski explains. “We began running experiments to see how we could shave minutes away without compromising the accuracy of our results.”

As they discovered, replacing test tubes and single channel pipettes with micro-titre plates and multi-channel pipettes cut a lot of time, as did reducing incubation times. The team also optimized the numbers of cells, amount of serum, and concentration of reagents used in the test. “In the end, we achieved massive time reductions coupled

with significant cost savings and, most importantly, improvements in accuracy,” he says. “So, now we can quickly and accurately confirm that the match is good, reducing the chances than an organ will be rejected and making it easier for centres across Canada to share organs with confidence.”

What he started with his 16 years of Dalhousie training seems to be turning into a Liwski family tradition. His two sons are pursuing studies at Dal—the youngest, Chris, in science and the eldest, Dan, in microbiology and immunology. “I’m truly grateful for the excellent education I received at Dal,” says Dr. Liwski, “so it pleases me immensely that my sons are following in my footsteps!”

Healing the world Dedication to global health takes Dr. Dominic Allain (MD’03) across the country and beyond

By Nicole Tanner

When he graduated from Dalhousie Medical School in 2003, Dr. Dominic Allain had two passions: pediatrics and global health. The former has led to a career in pediatric emergency medicine. Currently a full-time pediatric emergency medicine doctor at the IWK and an associate professor at Dalhousie Medical School, Dr. Allain was previously a pediatric emergency physician at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, Alta., and held an associate professor position in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. For the past few years, he has been involved with the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS), and is nishing his second term as president of the Paediatric Emergency Medicine Section of the CPS. His latter interest in global health has taken him all over the world, including the Philippines, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Ecuador.

“You go with the right frame of mind that you’re not going to change the world on these trips, but you’re going to

hopefully make a little bit of a difference.”


From a young age, Dr. Allain was interested in human rights and experiencing other cultures. During his undergraduate studies in Ottawa, he was involved with a few groups on campus that sparked his interest, and before he started medical school in 1999 he volunteered in Guatemala, a trip he says motivated him.

“I volunteered and learned Spanish,” he says. “I was able to help out with a few medical teams and translated, and I was able to see how things worked.” One experience led to another, and his interest in global health grew. While in medical school, he travelled to Latin America and Cuba, and he also became involved with the Nova Scotia Gambia Association. In his second year of medical school, he volunteered in the Gambia, an experience that had a significant impact on him.

“I won’t forget that experience,” he says. “I tell students and residents that it’s great to get this early experience, even if you aren’t a fully trained physician yet. If you have the right setting and a safe place, and a great preceptor or mentor there that can help guide you, you can experience a different culture and what it means to provide health care in that kind of setting. You go with the right frame of mind that you’re not going to change the world on these trips, but you’re going to hopefully make a little bit of a difference. You’ll learn what your limitations are and how to make the best of a potentially difficult situation.”

However, it isn’t always necessary to look internationally to help underserved communities. Around the same time as his trip to Gambia, Dr. Allain also had a chance to work in Eskasoni, N.S., a Mi’kmaq community in Cape Breton. “The community was doing well, but it had some challenges,” he says. “It was a rich experience. My work in the Gambia and Eskasoni led me to be involved in this field.”

When he was a pediatric resident in Edmonton, Dr. Allain took advantage of every opportunity to work internationally, even for just a few weeks or a month of elective time. One of the many places he volunteered was Haiti. The first time he was in Haiti was during a malnutrition crisis in 2008. “They have hurricanes and disasters on a regular basis,” he says. “The situation was very difficult as they had back-to-back hurricanes and farmers lost their crops. There were high rates of malnutrition—often higher than the stats show because kids from remote and isolated areas often aren’t counted.”

Dr. Allain and his team helped identify malnourished children and took them to hospitals. Many of these children were in very remote areas, and it sometimes took more than a day to reach the hospital. Once they reached the hospital, it would take weeks to see improvement. However, Dr. Allain counts this as one of his proudest moments in his career. “It was very fulfilling to see their improvement,” he says, “but it was difficult to see the malnutrition rates and the extreme poverty in the first place.”

Another life-changing experience also occurred in Haiti, this time after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Médecins du Monde (MdM) contacted Dr. Allain after the quake, and he went back to Haiti with a team of doctors and nurses. “The earthquake was quite traumatic. There were several thousand deaths,” he says. “It was traumatic physically and psychologically on the local population.” It was also a learning experience that, according to Dr. Allain, taught the importance of coordination, communication, and cooperation with the local population. “It’s important to be flexible as a medical team, and adapt to the local realities, especially in a disaster situation” he says. “Luckily, MdM

was well-known in the community and had strong links with local governments and non-governmental organizations.”

Dr. Allain and his team dealt with a large number of medical and surgical emergencies and performed around-the-clock orthopedic surgeries on victims of the earthquake. One area they focused on was Cité Soleil, one of the poorest and most violent areas of Port-au-Prince. Because of the dangers in the area, volunteers had to take precautions that they weren’t used to in their home countries. “There were a lot of kidnappings and gang activity in that area prior to the earthquake,” he says. “We had strict security guidelines. We couldn’t leave the hospital after the sun went down. But it was all part of the experience.”

Recently named president-elect of the CPS Global Child and Youth Section, Dr. Allain looks forward to becoming more involved with some of the global health projects available through local hospitals and at Dalhousie. In Edmonton, he was assistant director and later acting director of the Global Health Office at the University of Alberta, and he hopes to collaborate with the Global Health Office at Dalhousie.

“In Edmonton, I coordinated several projects, helped establish new partnerships in various countries, and helped prepare students and residents for international work,” he says. “I hope to get involved in some of that work here but at different levels over the next few years. There is a very big need in developing countries for a lot of things, from an education perspective, and there is a definite need in the cities, universities, and teaching hospitals to develop more training programs, like residencies. That is something I’d like to continue to be involved with.”

Dr. Allain in Haiti with young patients and their families during a malnutrition crisis that affected the southern part of the country.




“Where’s Waldo?” This was a question Dr. Andrew Howlett (MD’07) asked himself as he was finishing his residency in psychiatry at the University of Toronto. While working with children and their families, he began to notice the absence of fathers participating in their children’s mental health care. Upon further research, it was clear that there are many barriers that prevent fathers from participating, including the limited ways healthcare systems and professionals engage men. From here, Dr. Howlett began to inquire about the relationship between mental illness and fatherhood and how one affects the other. Studies have shown that

fathers who had mental illness during and after their partners’ pregnancies were at greater risk of having children with mental health problems all the way up to age seven. Studies have also shown that the period during and after pregnancy is one of the most vulnerable times for men to develop a mental illness, much like it is for women.

As Dr. Howlett transitioned from residency to practice, he looked for opportunities to advance the way we deliver care to fathers. In 2013 a Canadian Institute of Health Research Planning Grant was awarded to Dr. Howlett and his colleagues who hosted a research meeting on fathers’

mental health and established the Fathers’ Mental Health Network, a collaboration of researchers focused on this topic. Over the last two years, Dr. Howlett has initiated and collaborated on a number of research projects, including screening expectant fathers for depression and hazardous drinking, as well as a partnership with researchers at McGill and their development of an online intervention that aims to build mental health resiliency in at-risk fathers.

In 2014, Dr. Howlett established Canada’s first Fathers’ Mental Health Program at St. Joseph’s Health Centre, a community hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. This clinical service was designed exclusively for expecting, new, and experienced fathers with mental health problems. “It is a very new and exciting area in psychiatry. Many men I see are meeting with a psychiatrist for the first time, and the gender stereotype of ‘being strong and silent’ holds true and likely has delayed appropriate care,” says Dr. Howlett. Over the course of one year, Dr. Howlett has treated many patients, including those suffering from mood disorders, alcohol use disorders, anxiety disorders, and late pregnancy loss bereavement. “Not surprisingly, men suffer from one of the many conditions women may experience during this transitional period. I think they find relief in having specific mental-health treatment and support, especially with a focus on enhancing fatherhood.”

One important factor determining the mental health and wellness of a new family is the quality of the couple’s partnership to each other and their effectiveness as co-parents. “As a physician assessing patients during the perinatal period, it

Searching for WaldoWhile completing his residency, psychiatrist Dr. Andrew Howlett (MD’07) was inspired to develop the best mental health care for fathers who suffer from mental illness

“Many men I see are meeting with a psychiatrist for the first time, and the gender stereotype of ‘being strong and silent’ holds true and

likely has delayed appropriate care.”



is important to understand the patient’s relationship and discuss ways to improve it. Depression in mothers is also the biggest risk factor for depression in fathers; therefore, it is not uncommon to find situations with two depressed parents.”

Moving forward, Dr. Howlett will be looking for opportunities to develop services for the whole couple. He will be joining the Perinatal Mental Health Program at Mount Sinai Hospital in the summer 2015 to expand his services to two sites.

Dr. Howlett is passionate about this new field of study and what it can potentially offer to the long-term health of families. He recalls vividly the family in his clinic that made him wonder, “Where’s Waldo?” and his many failed attempts to engage this father during that particular rotation. “It seems as though it is always a patient encounter that has shifted my career in medicine,” says Dr. Howlett. During his emergency medicine rotation at Dalhousie, he met a patient who was feeling suicidal, and after a complicated, emotional, and therapeutic intervention the patient expressed gratitude and committed to ongoing psychiatric care. “I had never felt more nervous and yet more effective

as a health care provider up to that point. The decision to pursue psychiatry became natural after that.”

Dr. Howlett grew up in Lower Sackville, N.S., and currently lives in Toronto with his wife and son. He credits many Dalhousie professors for helping shape his career and teaching him the importance of professionalism, compassion, innovation, humility, advocacy, medical humanities, and those who inspired him to work with children and families. “The advancement in men’s mental health is going to require advocacy, education, and innovation. I have many to thank at Dalhousie for such inspiration and tools for success,” he says. Dr. Howlett hopes that the Fathers’ Mental Health initiative will be one of many new ways the healthcare system can further engage men.

To nd out more about the Fathers’ Mental Health Project, visit fathersmentalhealth.com or follow @dadmentalhealth on Twitter.

Old-world French charm in the heart of Halifax...

For quick lunches,

great brunches and evenings

that never end with

live weekend entertainment.

1333 South Park Street, Halifax • 423-8428 • www.lebistrohalifax.com


DMAA ALUMNI AWARDS

For more than four decades, Dr. Meng Tan (MD’69) has devoted himself with single-minded determination to improving the lives of people with diabetes, as a clinician, researcher, educator, and advocate. Pursuit of this goal has taken him to many countries, where his efforts have put lifesaving insulin into the hands of people who otherwise lacked access, established guidelines and education programs to support the effective management of diabetes, and helped introduce new ground-breaking drugs.

Dr. Tan had watched his mother coping with diabetes—testing for glucose in her urine to decide on her next insulin dose, while sterilizing her glass syringe in boiling water. Observing her daily struggle stimulated his desire to help people with diabetes, a disease that affects millions.

From his high school days, Dr. Tan knew he wanted to be a clinician-scientist to uncover new medical knowledge. “I was hoping for a scholarship and was fortunate to be offered a Colombo Plan scholarship to study medicine in Canada,” recalls Dr. Tan, who grew up in Malaysia.

Dr. Tan landed in Halifax in 1962 to begin his science degree at Dalhousie and graduated from the medical school cum

laude in 1969. After his internal medicine residency at Dal, he followed his mentor’s advice to become a research fellow at Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard University in Boston, Mass., after which he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in lipid disorders at the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of California in San Francisco. Upon returning to Dalhousie Medical School, he held a series of academic, administrative, and clinical appointments over 20 years, including head of the Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Even though he has lectured around the world, been involved in multinational clinical trials, published more than 180 peer-reviewed papers, chaired countless committees, and received many awards, when asked about his career’s highlights and achievements, Dr. Tan humbly says, “It was a true privilege to care for patients with diabetes when I was in Halifax, and to be involved in setting up the Diabetes Care Program of Nova Scotia in 1991 … I treasure that.”

Much as he loves looking after individual patients, Dr. Tan has always sought to transform the lives of people with diabetes by tackling the disease on a larger scale. The opportunity came in 1991 when, as chair of the Canadian Diabetes Advisory Board, he led the expert panel that developed Canada’s first clinical practice guidelines for the management of diabetes. He later helped Singapore colleagues set up their first clinical practice guidelines and implemented diabetes management programs in several other Asian countries. As consultant to Project HOPE, he was involved in assessing needs for diabetes care and setting up the China Diabetes Education Program, which has trained thousands of providers and patients over a decade.

Access to insulin is another cause close to Dr. Tan’s heart. “I was fortunate to be

chairman of the International Diabetes Foundation’s first Task Force on Insulin,” he says. “Insulin, essential for managing type 1 diabetes, is not accessible in many nations. We defined the magnitude of the problem and worked with governments, local diabetes associations, and insulin manufacturers to get insulin to those who needed it.”

From 1999 to 2007, Dr. Tan worked with Eli Lilly as a medical director and distinguished medical fellow, a role that saw him involved in worldwide clinical trials. At Lilly, Dr. Tan initiated the Dollar a Day campaign as a means for the company’s employees to contribute to the International Diabetes Foundation’s Life for a Child with Diabetes program. The campaign raised thousands of dollars for insulin and diabetes clinics in many countries, including India, Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

Closer to home and earlier in his career, Dr. Tan was founding editor of Canadian Diabetes, which kept Canadian family doctors informed about developments in diabetes for more than two decades. As president of the Canadian Diabetes Association, he worked with the association’s London and District Branch to create the Flame of Hope, which was lit by the Queen Mother on July 9, 1989. This will continue to burn outside the home of insulin co-discoverer Sir Frederick Banting until a cure for diabetes is found.

Even though he is now semi-retired and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, Dr. Tan continues to see patients with endocrinology fellows and is involved in National Institutes of Health-sponsored research at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He is also inaugural editor-in-chief of Clinical Diabetes & Endocrinology, a new peer-reviewed, open-access journal.

continued on page 32

Alumnus of the Year Dr. Meng Tan (MD’69)

“I learned during my student days at Dal … that it takes a team to change what is today to what it

should be tomorrow.”

Dr. Tan receiving a fellowship from the president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 2004.

Pho

to: S

teve

n P

arry

Don

ald

Cou

rtesy

of t

he U

nive

rsity

of M

ichi

gan

Help support Dalhousie

Medical School through the

Dalhousie Fund. Your support

is vital to the DMAA’s ability

to provide for important

initiatives like entrance

scholarships, convocation

awards, resident research

prizes, and support for

student projects.

Please support the Dalhousie Fund by making a gift online at giving.dal.ca or by calling 1-800-565-9969.

ALUMNI SUPPORT MAKES IT POSSIBLE


DMAA ALUMNI AWARDS

Dr. Ivan Woolfrey’s (MD’65) extraordinary 50-year medical career has taken him all the way from the tiny outport of Botwood to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and from Antarctica to Trout Lake in Canada’s Far North. Even his earliest introduction to medicine as a teenager, accompanying the new Irish doctor on house calls around his hometown of Lewisporte, N.L., was an adventure.

“This doctor would do house calls in an army Jeep,” recalls Dr. Woolfrey. “He had a toboggan strapped underneath, so if the snow was too deep, it could just slide along.” While Dr. Woolfrey mostly waited in the

Jeep while the doctor delivered babies and stitched up wounds, his time with the doctor inspired him to pursue medicine. At the age of 17, he boarded a ferry and headed to Nova Scotia, where he completed a science degree at Acadia University in 1960 and a medical degree at Dalhousie in 1965. But there was never any question in Dr. Woolfrey’s mind that he would return to Newfoundland. “I’m a real Newfie,” he says.

Dr. Woolfrey’s first posting was at a 20-bed “cottage hospital” in Botwood, a remote seaport on the north coast of central Newfoundland. “It was a pretty exciting time, with situations you’d never dream of in your

Honorary President Dr. Ivan Woolfrey (MD’65)

“My life and career as a doctor has been so exciting and fulfilling. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Throughout his career, Dr. Tan has held to the belief that more can be accomplished when people work in partnerships. “I learned during my student days at Dal, as president of the Dalhousie Medical Students’ Society, among other activities, that it takes a team to change what is today to what it should be tomorrow.” It also takes leaders, and Dr. Tan has proven to be an exemplary leader in every sense of the word, educating and inspiring others to take action, while working tirelessly himself, to effect transformational change.

—MJ

Project HOPE’s China Diabetes Education Program (1998).

Dr. Woolfrey enjoying the great outdoors. “I was never one who could be happy sitting at a desk,” he says.


DMAA ALUMNI AWARDS

Dr. Woolfrey and a nurse doing house calls in the Northwest Territories.

training,” says Dr. Woolfrey. He and the one or two nurses on staff had to make do with minimal equipment and a small selection of medicines. “We dealt with lost limbs, fractures, breech births, dental extractions, everything. People even brought their dogs and cats to us.”

One stormy night, when roads were impassable due to heavy snow, a man showed up with a horse and sleigh to fetch Dr. Woolfrey to his wife’s bedside to help her deliver her baby. On another night, parents arrived on a dog sled with their desperately ill child, who was burning with fever and smeared with goose grease. All Dr. Woolfrey could do was administer antibiotics and arrange for emergency transport, as the child was suffering from meningitis.

By 1970, it was time to move with his wife, Louise, and their two young sons, to a larger centre. Dr. Woolfrey spent the next 22 years on overdrive, working 18-hour days in a private group practice in Grand Falls. In those years, he saw about 40 patients a day, delivered six to eight babies a month, oversaw the care of as many as 10 patients in hospital at any given time, took regular emergency calls, and performed minor surgeries. “I started to see the signs of burnout in myself when I was in my early 50s,” Dr. Woolfrey says. “I met a ship’s doctor when my wife and I were on a cruise and it dawned on me, why not do the same?”

Sailing the seas as ship’s doctor for Norwegian Cruise Lines quenched Dr. Woolfrey’s thirst for adventure for 10 years. “It was like being a family doctor for a small community, but with new people coming in all the time,” he says. “We saw people for heart attacks and injuries, delivered the occasional baby, and encountered diseases that are rare in North America.” He was startled by a staff member’s complaint one day that he had lost his ear. As it turned out, the young man had dry (non-communicable) leprosy. Fortunately, Dr. Woolfrey was able to consult with a fellow Dalhousie medical alumnus who was practising infectious diseases medicine in B.C. about the proper treatment. By his 14th trip around Cape Horn, however, he was ready for a change.

Tipped off by a colleague of the urgent need for respite medical care in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., Dr. Woolfrey offered to fill in for a two-month locum. He fell in love with the North and went back every year for the next 10 years.

“The North draws you in,” he explains. “Flying over the Arctic, with the light shimmering on the snow and no trace of a human, is the most pristine, awe-inspiring

sight.” He spent many hours flying over these vast expanses, on his way to and from remote communities that had no other access to care. “There were 48 people in Trout Lake, and I’d see every one,” he recalls. “It’s quite a feeling… people really need you and they are so thankful for whatever help you can give them.”

Always an avid outdoorsman, Dr. Woolfrey even kept a trap line for rabbits on the outskirts of one northern community. “I’d get up early to check the line, and Louise would sit in the truck and blow the horn if the hospital called,” he chuckles. “I would take the rabbits to the local long-term care facility, where the staff would cook them up for the residents. The old folks loved their wild meat.”

Now that he’s retired, Dr. Woolfrey has more time for outdoor pursuits. He loves to hunt moose and rabbits and fish for salmon in Newfoundland’s great rivers. “I was never one who could be happy sitting at a desk,” he says. “My life and career as a doctor has been so exciting and fulfilling. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

—MJ

Dr. Woolfrey and his wife, Louise, in the Northwest Territories in 2013.

Providing full maid and carpet cleaning services to both residential and commercial clients.

Premiere Cleaning Solutions ensures a clean and healthy home or offi ce with pet and eco-friendly products. Upholstery cleaning is also available. With the latest self-contained truck mounted carpet cleaning system, you won’t believe your eyes.

Call now and feel the difference a truly clean home or offi ce can make.

136 Oakmount Drive, Bedford | 902.431.2506 | www.premierecleaning.ca

Mary Lynn Darlington and Paul Killorn, owner

DMAA ALUMNI AWARDS

For Dr. Jim MacKillop (MD’81), the joy and satisfaction of being a family doctor comes from getting to know his patients over the course of many years, not just as patients but also as friends, neighbours, and members of his community.

“When you’re a family physician in a small community, you get to know people over time and not just about their medical issues; you know about their lives, and in a way you become part of their families,” says Dr. MacKillop, who’s been practising medicine in Sydney, Cape Breton, since the early 1980s. “I find that knowing my patients like this enables me to provide them with more proactive, holistic care.”

On the flip side, Dr. MacKillop feels he is more than “just a doctor” to his patients. “They know me as a person; our kids grew up together,” he says. “In many cases, people I looked after when they were little children are having kids of their own and I’m looking after them now. These relationships that you build over time are what lead to the most satisfying moments.”

Although he has been a family physician for many years in a group practice in Sydney, Dr. MacKillop’s medical career has taken him down many unexpected paths. “When I finished my residency at Dalhousie in 1983, I thought I would be a full-time family doctor in a typical practice,” he recalls. “I never imagined I would be involved in education and administration like I’ve been.”

One of Dr. MacKillop’s earliest forays into administration happened almost by accident following his return to his hometown of Sydney in 1983. He could see right away that there was a need for more organized emergency services in the area and set to work with colleagues to develop a better system. “It took a decade,” recalls Dr. MacKillop, “but over time the service grew and evolved into a full-time, fully staffed emergency department at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.”

While launching his family practice and working in the emergency department might

have been enough to keep him busy, Dr. MacKillop couldn’t resist getting involved in sports medicine when the opportunity to work with the Moncton Alpines Hockey Club presented itself in 1983. “The team’s doctor was going away and asked me to fill in… but I ended up staying on to help,” says Dr. MacKillop, who grew up playing hockey and has always loved the game. “I enjoyed it so much, I went on to be team doctor for the Cape Breton Oilers and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, and only gave it up in 2010.”

Dr. MacKillop put his organizational skills to the test in 1987, as assistant VP of the Canada Games Medical Division. “I helped develop the medical teams that would be at the venues, and we set up a clinic at the University College of Cape Breton,” he explains. “During the games, the clinic was going 24/7; it was staffed all day and all night.”

The same year, Dr. MacKillop embarked on his longstanding career as a medical educator, joining Dalhousie Medical School’s faculty as a part-time lecturer. “I have an

Family Physician of the Year Dr. Jim MacKillop (MD’81)

“These relationships that you build over time are what lead to the most satisfying moments.”

education degree from Dalhousie and had considered teaching school before I decided on medicine,” he notes. “I’ve made good use of that background over the years.” Indeed, since joining the faculty, Dr. MacKillop has held an appointment in the Departments of Family or Emergency Medicine since 1987. From 1997 until September 2014, he was the Cape Breton site director for the family medicine residency training program.

Last year, when he stepped down, the residents took him by surprise by presenting him with the Jim MacKillop Preceptor of


Dr. MacKillop with residents Monica Chew, Lynn McMahon, and Jason Reynolds (MD’99).

continued on page 37

Made for the

2015 Jeep

Wrangler Unlimited

THE ALL NEW2015 Jeep Renegade2015 Jeep

Grand Cherokee$22,479

Starting from

$26,392Starting from


*Prices are starting from for each model and exclude freight, taxes and fees.


AdventurousStill “King of the Hill”

Off Road Capability,

On Road RefinementThe Most Awarded

SUV “Ever”

2015 Jeep CherokeeSport


DMAA ALUMNI AWARDS

It says something about the dedication, drive, and sheer talent of Dr. Alexa Bagnell (MD’97) that, less than two decades after graduating from Dalhousie Medical School, she finds herself heading the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at her alma mater and leading the clinical service in child and adolescent psychiatry at the IWK.

“I’ve been blessed with incredible mentors throughout my career,” says Dr. Bagnell. “I think I’ve been able to succeed in large part because I was guided onto the path that was right for me and given great advice and support along the way.”

Dr. Bagnell credits Dr. Sarah Shea (PGM’83), a professor in Dalhousie’s Department of Pediatrics, with her decision to pursue residency training in child and adolescent psychiatry. “She could see it in me before I could see it in myself,” muses Dr. Bagnell. “The kinds of questions I was asking told her I would be happiest in psychiatry, so she encouraged me to take an elective.”

Working with children, teens, and families during her elective experience solidified Dr. Bagnell’s commitment to psychiatry.

She knew she wanted to have that ongoing connection with patients that working in mental health provides. “It’s a privilege when someone shares their story with you,” she says. “After my elective, I knew I needed a deeper understanding of people’s stories and to be part of their lives.”

Other mentors who’ve profoundly influenced Dr. Bagnell’s life and career include Dr. Richard Goldbloom—who she says has been a constant source of support and guidance—and Dr. Patrick McGrath, who showed her how much she could contribute to research as a clinical collaborator.

“Even though I started out with a research focus, once I had three children I knew being a dedicated clinician scientist wouldn’t be my career path,” she says. “But I realized I could be a bridge between the scientists and the real-world issues.”

The real-world issues Dr. Bagnell deals with in the clinic and in the community involve teens’ mental health and especially their struggles with anxiety. Soon after joining the Department of Psychiatry in 2003, she set to work with colleagues to develop an anxiety

Young Alumna of the Year Dr. Alexa Bagnell (MD’97)

“Being a child psychiatrist is the best job in the world, and I truly believe that.”

treatment program into a clinical research program at the IWK that’s still gathering data on what interventions work best.

One of her proudest achievements is the creation of MyHealth Magazine, a teen-friendly online resource that fosters mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours in youth. “It’s crucial that we reach young people in the world where they live, in school and online,” Dr. Bagnell notes. “At the same time, MyHealth is collecting data that’s useful for schools and helping staff learn to recognize when young people need help.”

the Year Award, which will be presented every year in his honour to the preceptor residents feel most exemplifies excellence. “I was a bit overwhelmed with emotion,” says Dr. MacKillop. “It’s the kind of gesture that means a lot.”

Most recently, Dr. MacKillop has been advising the Cape Breton District Health Authority on how best to arrange primary care services, and served as VP of Medicine up to the district’s transition to the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

“We need to move away from the 19th century model of a physician sitting in an office waiting for people to show up with problems,” says Dr. MacKillop of health service delivery. “That worked when the biggest problems were acute injuries and illnesses, but now we have people with multiple, complex chronic problems that require a proactive, multi-disciplinary team approach. It will take a lot of time and effort to change the service model, but it will give us better health outcomes while

making better use of resources, by preventing complications and disabilities and reducing the need for costly heroic measures.”

Dr. MacKillop plans to stick around to help make that happen in Nova Scotia. “I won’t retire at 65,” he says. “I’m in good health, I love what I do, and I have no desire to stop.” He is tapering back a little bit, to have more time to spend with his wife, three grown children, and the grandchildren who are starting to arrive. “It’s pretty exciting. I’m looking forward to the next 10 years!”

—MJ


Is your class celebrating a reunion or holding an event soon? Contact the DMAA at [email protected] and we can help you get the word out!

DMAA Awards Gala Dinner October 16, 2015 Pier 21 Halifax, N.S. alumni.dal.ca/dmaagala Contact: DMAA at [email protected] or 902-494-8800

Class of 1945 – 70th Reunion October 16, 2015 Pier 21 Halifax, N.S. Contact: DMAA at [email protected] or 902-494-8800


UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS AND REUNIONS


Class of 1965 – 50th Reunion October 15-17, 2015 Halifax, N.S. Contact: Merv Shaw at [email protected]

Class of 1970 – 45th Reunion September 10-13, 2015 Delta Prince Edward Charlottetown, P.E.I. Contact: Dan Reid at [email protected]

Class of 1980 – 35th Reunion August 28-30, 2015 The Algonquin Resort St. Andrews by the Sea, N.B. Contact: Michael MacKenzie at [email protected]

Class of 1996 – 20th Reunion July 1-3, 2016 Halifax, N.S. Contact: Ratika Parkash at [email protected]

DMAA ALUMNI AWARDS

Dr. Bagnell has co-led the development of a suite of mental health education materials and speaks regularly in schools and communities about teen mental health issues and how to address them. One of her newest initiatives is a research project to develop and test an app youth can use to practice anxiety-soothing skills on their mobile devices, bringing evidence-based treatments into the youth world. She has also recently led the successful accreditation of Dalhousie’s first child and adolescent psychiatry residency program and is the current program director. In the midst of all this activity, she has written many insightful articles and book chapters for the benefit of her colleagues and up-and-coming child psychiatrists.

Even before she embarked on her medical training at Dal, Dr. Bagnell feels she was being subtly prepared for a career in psychiatry. After earning a BSc in biology from McGill, she went to Oxford University to pursue a master’s degree in philosophy and psychology. “It was in philosophy that I learned to think for myself and defend my own thinking,” she recalls. “It also taught me how to be more comfortable with unanswered questions… something you really need in psychiatry, as there is still so much we don’t know about the brain.”

Upon graduation from Dalhousie in 1997, Dr. Bagnell secured an extremely rare spot (there is one opening a year) in a special child and adolescent psychiatry program at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital. “I felt confident to get involved in research after that experience,” says Dr. Bagnell, “and I realized you don’t need to do everything well yourself, you just need a good team.”

Her team in the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry is second to none. “We have such a strong, collaborative, helpful group,” she says. “It’s a privilege to be in a leadership position with them.”

The offer to step into the role of interim division head came as surprise to Dr. Bagnell, but she has taken it in stride as she has every other opportunity and challenge in

“It’s crucial that we reach young people in the world where they live, in school and online.”

Dr. Bagnell is involved with Let’s Talk, Bell’s multi-year charitable program dedicated to mental health.

her life. “Being a child psychiatrist is the best job in the world, and I truly believe that,” she says. “This new role has really made me think about leadership and how to develop those qualities in myself and others, and to think from a systems perspective about the services we’re providing and how we can make them work better.”

—MJ


DMAA ALUMNI AWARDS

Friday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m.Pier 21 in Halifax, N.S.Celebrate the accomplishments of four outstanding alumni:

57th Annual Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association

Awards Gala Dinner

Buy your tickets online now at alumni.dal.ca/dmaagala or call 902-494-8800

Full name: _______________________________________________________ Class year: ___________ Guest name(s): ___________________________________________________Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Phone: ______________________________________ Email: __________________________________

❑ I do not give consent for the above to be updated as my preferred contact information

DMAA Alumni Awards Gala Dinner Friday, October 16, 2015, 6 p.m.

Tickets: $125 Number of tickets: ___________ x $125 Total amount: $ ___________________________

❑ My cheque for $ _________________ is enclosed (Please make cheques payable to the Dalhousie University)Please charge $ _______________ to my ❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ American Express Account number: ______________________________________________ Expiry date: _______________Name on card: (Please print): ______________________________________________________________Signature: _____________________________________________________________________________

MAIL OR FAX REGISTRATION FORM TO:Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association5850 College Street, Room 1-C1PO Box 15000Halifax, Nova Scotia • B3H 4R2Fax: 902-422-1324

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 211055 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS

Dr. Meng Tan (MD’69), Alumnus of the YearDr. Ivan Woolfrey (MD’65), Honorary PresidentDr. Jim MacKillop (MD’81), Family Physician of the YearDr. Alexa Bagnell (MD’97), Young Alumna of the Year

Keynote address from Dr. Thomas Marrie (MD’70)

Event proceeds benefit student projects and scholarships

AS A BOY, STEWART WILLIAMS spent much of his time building stone, foundations and retaining walls for underneath the barn sills on his family’s farm in East Preston. Back then, he got two pieces of advice that would shape his career. The first was from his grandfather. “What are you going to school for?” Williams recalls his grandfather, Samuel Williams II, asking.

“I am going to school to learn to read and write,” he replied.

“You’re going to school to learn how to use your head, so you don’t have to use your hands all the time,” he recalls his grandfather saying. “I was only a kid but that stuck with me all down the years.”

ADVERTISING

Photos: Bruce Jollimore

The second comment came from a boss, Reginald Smith at Fraser-Brace Maritimes Ltd., where Williams worked during his youth. That employer predicted Williams would be the “biggest contractor that would come out of East Preston.”

Williams trained with bricklayers in the area and got his first job when he was 22 when he built a brick chimney at a home at Sunset Acres Dartmouth that was undergoing extensive renovations.

Now 40 years after starting his own business, Williams and his team at Lincoln Construction Ltd. are known as the “Stonewall Specialists.” Their work is on exhibit around HRM and in the province. When he first started his company, he built the retaining walls in the newly developed Cole Harbour area. More work followed in Lower Sackville, Clayton Park and along the Waverley Road. Soon enough, word got out about his skill. “It snowballed from there, non-stop,” he says, adding he’s also done projects around the province, including in Truro and the Annapolis Valley.

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING

“One of the main highlights of my career was the wall contract for the City of Halifax that was built on Dunbrack in 1997 and is still standing,” Williams says. “ It will last another 40 years.”

“Much of my work stands out in Clayton Park, at Regatta Point in Purcell’s Cove and the South End of Halifax,” he says. “That professional stone work was done by my company. We are the best of the best. We take pride in our work. My motto is: get it right the first time.”

Besides stonework, Lincoln Construction Ltd. also works in landscaping, cement work, foundations, excavations, minor masonry repair, asphalt paving and septic systems and water drainage.

Today 65, Williams still remains a specialist in his field, with his stonework in demand in private residences and along public roads. He says his clients like the natural look of stone. Williams uses blue ironstone, granite, sandstone and limestone. The company also gets much of its stone from its own quarry in Preston.

After 40 years, Williams still loves working with stone. “It’s in my blood,” he says. “It’s a craftsmanship but it’s also a passion.”

Four generations of the Williams family have joined the family business. Williams has hired a civil engineer and is creating a board of directors to help when he retires at 75, “the Lord willing,” he adds.

But first he has other goals, including building a business producing and cutting hardwood, as well as creating a gated community of townhouses for low-income residents in his hometown of East Preston. These new ventures,

he says, will create employment, but also leave a legacy for his young grandchildren. “You better put some stakes in the ground for them now,” he advises.” I will leave a future for them. I am encouraging them as they go to daycare centre and kindergarten to stay in school, get a good education and study to become somebody. One day they will be able to take over the business.”

ADVERTISING

ABOVE: Stewart Williams, president.


1950sDr. G. Ross Langley (MD’57) received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University. The degree was awarded during Dalhousie Medicine’s 2015 convocation ceremony.

Dr. Warren Jacobs (MD’58) received the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Touch For Health Kinesiology Association of America for his work in teaching and promoting applied kinesiology for over 35 years in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Israel, the U.S.A., and Canada.

1960sDr. Ormille Aubrey Hayne (MD’67) received the Senior Membership Award at the 2015 Doctors Nova Scotia annual conference in recognition of his years of exemplary service to the clinical and educational practice of haematology.

Dr. Robert J. Williams (MD’69) was named Life Member 2014 Newfoundland and Labrador at the Memorial University Family Medicine Education Forum.

1970sDr. Carl W. Robbins (MD’70) was named Life Member 2014 Newfoundland and Labrador at the Memorial University Family Medicine Education Forum.

Dr. Allan Purdy (MD’74) received the CMA Honorary Membership Award at the 2015 Doctors Nova Scotia annual conference in recognition of his dedicated service to general and neurological medicine.

Dr. John Noseworthy (MD’75) received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University. The degree was awarded during Dalhousie Medicine’s 2015 convocation ceremony.

Dr. Robert Sers (MD’76) received the Rural Physician of the Year Award at the 2015 Doctors Nova Scotia annual conference for his dedication and outstanding contribution to the health of individuals, groups, and organizations in his home community of Antigonish.

Dr. Marshall Godwin (PGM’78) received an Award of Excellence from the Newfoundland

CLASS NOTES

College of Family Physicians in 2014. The award recognizes CFPC members who have made an outstanding contribution in a specific area including patient care, community service, college activities, teaching, research, or other elements of the academic discipline of family medicine.

1980sDr. Mary Lynch (MD’82) received the Dr. G.W. Archibald Gold-headed Cane Award. This award is presented each year to a physician faculty member who combines scholarly attainments, humanism, and professional skills, and serves as an effective role model for students in the medical humanities.

Dr. Evelyn Sutton (MD’84) is the associate dean of undergraduate medical education at Dalhousie Medical School.

Dr. David Milne (MD’89) is president of Doctors Nova Scotia. Dr. Milne was inaugurated during the association’s annual conference on June 6.

1990sDr. Peter Green (MD’95) received the Physician Health Promotion Award at the 2015 Doctors Nova Scotia annual conference for his passionate contribution to health promotion and legislation.

Dr. Mandat Maharaj (PGM’95) received the Distinguished Service Award at the 2015 Doctors Nova Scotia annual conference for his outstanding contribution to the medical profession and dedication to those in need of medical help.

Dr. Andrea Rideout (MD’96) is assistant dean of admissions at Dalhousie Medical School.

2000sDr. Ron George (MD’01), from the Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, received the Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health, which recognizes an outstanding humanitarian contribution to global health by a Dalhousie Medical School faculty member.

Dr. Colin Van Zoost (MD’09), president of Walk in Our Shoes foot clinic, accepted the Doctors Nova Scotia Strive Award on behalf of the clinic. The $10,000 award will help the

clinic provide free foot care and footwear to the homeless population of Halifax.

2010sDr. Leisha Hawker (MD’11) received the Dr. William Grigor Award at the 2015 Doctors Nova Scotia annual conference for her work as a family physician, advocating for and delivering quality care to her patients.

During her final year of medical school, Dr. Laura Stymiest (MD’15) received the Dr. Ron Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health. This award recognizes a medical, health professions, or dentistry student who has demonstrated leadership in global health and a commitment to improving the health of marginalized communities during their time at Dalhousie.

Do you have an award or update that you would like to share with your classmates? Let us know at [email protected].


Dr. Robert C. Shatford (MD’52) Passed away December 28, 2014

Dr. R. Roy Wills (MD’53) Passed away August 2, 2014

Dr. James Donald Carson (MD’55) Passed away May 2008

Dr. George R. Kerr (MD’55) Passed away July 10, 2015

Dr. Robert Palmer Parkin (MD’56) Passed away May 17, 2015

Dr. G. Ross Langley (MD’57) Passed away June 19, 2015

Dr. George Cobb (MD’58) Passed away March 20, 2015

Dr. Bo Epstein (MD’58) Passed away March 4, 2015

Dr. Mary Chisholm MacLaren (MD’58) Passed away May 3, 2015

Dr. Gordon MacGregor Murray (MD’44) Passed away Jan 17, 2015

Dr. William S. Maddin (MD’47) Passed away May 21, 2015

Dr. Angus Neary (MD’48) Passed away December 28, 2014

Dr. Alvin R. Mercer (MD’49) Passed away July 7, 2015

Dr. Gerald May (MD’50) Passed away June 7, 2015

Dr. Alvin E. C. MacRae (MD’51) Passed away June 15, 2015

Dr. James Purves (MD’51) Passed away June 14, 2015

Dr. Joseph J. Hazel (MD’52) Passed away November 27, 2014

Dr. Charles Henry Hines (MD’52) Passed away April 7, 2015

IN MEMORIAM

The DMAA acknowledges the passing of our prestigious alumni with sincere sympathy and gratitude for their contributions to medicine. If you know of anyone to note in this section, contact the DMAA by mail or email [email protected].

Dr. Joan Frances Cahill (MD’63) Passed away March 27, 2015

Dr. Brian C. Hennessey (MD’64) Passed away April 13, 2014

Dr. Martin Saltzman (MD’64) Passed away May 21, 2015

Dr. Hugh Miller MacSween (MD’66) Passed away April 19, 2015

Dr. Gordon MacKay Clifford (MD’70) Passed away April 22, 2015

Dr. John Bertram Jenkins (MD’72) Passed away March 6, 2014

Dr. Yolande “Betty” Helenese (MD’73) Passed away June 5, 2015

Dr. Saroj Ram Anand (PGM’74) Passed away November 20, 2014

Dr. David Salgado (MD’84) Passed away January 16, 2015


Dr. G. Ross Langley (MD’57)Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

Dr. G. Ross Langley (MD’57) was a clinician, cancer expert, teacher, administrator, and advisor to governments and institutions. He had travelled to every medical school in the country on behalf of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, working to improve specialty medical education. As a hematologist, Dr. Langley contributed extensively to the cancer field, caring for patients, authoring dozens of publications, and conducting research. His contributions to Dalhousie have immeasurably advanced the medical profession throughout the Atlantic Provinces and Canada.

Dr. Langley joined the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine as a professor in 1968 and went on to become chief of medicine at Camp Hill Hospital and head of the Departments of Medicine at Dalhousie University and the Victoria General Hospital. He helped create the Robert Pope Foundation and served as a director and advisor for 20 years. Dalhousie’s Department of Medicine has bestowed on him the Merit Award and Lifetime Achievement Awards in Medical Education and Research. In 2002, he was named DMAA Alumnus of the Year and was appointed emeritus professor of medicine. He was a recipient of both the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. Dr. Langley passed away on Friday, June 19, 2015, in Halifax, N.S.

May 2015 Honorary Degree RecipientsEach year at spring convocation, Dalhousie presents honorary Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) degrees to accomplished individuals. This year, 10 such individuals were honoured, including two Dalhousie medical alumni.

John H. Noseworthy, (MD’75) Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

Dr. John Noseworthy (MD’75) is a neurologist, researcher, international authority on multiple sclerosis, and holder of one of the most prestigious health care positions in the world. He has been president and chief executive officer of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, since 2009. During his time as CEO, Dr. Noseworthy and his team have confirmed Mayo Clinic’s standing as a trusted resource for patients and their families and extended Mayo’s mission to include new ways of reaching patients and sharing expertise. He remains a professor of neurology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Dr. Noseworthy has improved the lives of countless people through his multiple sclerosis research; is the author of more than 150 research papers, chapters, and editorials; has written several books; and served as editor-in-chief for Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. In 2005, Dr. Noseworthy received the DMAA Alumnus of the Year award and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Western University in 2012. He is also a health governor of the World Economic Forum.

DON’T MISS AN ISSUE

VoxMeDALS P R I N G 2 0 1 5

THE VOICE OF DALHOUSIE MEDICAL ALUMNI

Dalhousie announces

new dean of the Faculty of MedicineDr. David Anderson (MD’83) to

become medical school’s new dean

Turning off the powerDal scientist fi nds drug combination that

stops growth of breast cancer cells

Recapping as dean

Thomas Marrie refl ects on his time as dean

alumni.medicine.dal.ca S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 V O X M E D A L 3

VoxMeDALalumni.medicine.dal.ca

FEATURES6 Dalhousie Medicine

New Brunswick Update

34 Art in medicine

DMAA INITIATIVES 8 News & Updates

ALUMNI MAKING A DIFFERENCE25 Palliative care: Supporting patients

with life-limiting illnesses

26 A random passion

FACULTY OF MEDICINE10 Dalhousie announces new dean

11 Turning off the power

12 Stopping Alzheimer’s disease in its tracks

14 Dal-led research offers hope for psoriasis sufferers

15 Department of Psychiatry celebrates 65 years

BUSINESS OF MEDICINE16 Three big ideas to improve health care in Canada

16 Defending an essential yet fragile system

18 Making alliances: Dr. Saini and the Lown Institute

DEPARTMENTSGLOBAL HEALTH SPOTLIGHT21 Class of ’72: Endowment fund

22 Goodness to go: Empowering girls in India

24 A full cup: Class of ’72 raises funds for International

Health Education Endowment

WELCOME4 DMAA President’s Message

5 Dean’s Message

7 Voice of Alumni

20 Farewell message: Dr. Thomas Marrie

refl ects on his time as dean

UPDATES28 Gala 2014

30 Reunion Recaps

32 Alumni events and reunions

33 Class notes

33 In memoriam

Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement #40601061

EDITORNicole Tanner

CONTRIBUTORSCory Burris, Kelly Fenn (MD’16),

Allison Gerrard, Dr. Fran I. Hamilton (MD’89), Erinor Jacob, Melanie Jollymore, Boon Kek,

Dr. Pamela Mansfi eld (MD’03), Ryan McNutt, Suzanne Rent, Kate Rogers, and Nicole Tanner

DMAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVEDr. David Amirault (MD’76), President

Dr. John Steeves (MD’74), Vice-presidentDr. Michael Banks (MD’70), TreasurerDr. Dan Reid (MD’70), Past-president

Dr. J. Stuart Soeldner (MD’59), Honorary President

MEMBERS AT LARGEDr. Don Brown (MD’59)

Dr. George Ferrier (MD’73)Dr. Cindy Forbes (MD’85)

Dr. Katherine Glazebrook (MD’94)Dr. Samantha Gray (MD’07)

Dr. Margaret Leighton (MD’77)Dr. Bill Mason (MD’61)Dr. Merv Shaw (MD’65)Dr. Joanna Zed (MD’88)

EXECUTIVE EX-OFFICIOEvie Sabean Croucher, Alumni Relations Offi cer

Dr. Thomas Marrie (MD’70), Dean, Faculty of MedicineRussell Christie (MD’17), DMSS President

Dr. Aisling Porter (MD’10), PARI-MP

Please send news, story ideas, comments, and/or address changes to:

Dalhousie Medical Alumni AssociationDalhousie University

5850 College St. Rm. 1-C1PO Box 15000

Halifax, NS B3H 4R2

Tel: 902-494-8800 Fax: [email protected]

facebook.com/dalmedalumni

VoxMeDAL is published twice a year by Metro Guide Publishing

Publisher: Patty BaxterAdvertising Sales: Tara Joosse

Metro Guide Publishing2882 Gottingen Street

Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 3E2Tel: 902-420-9943 Fax: 902-429-9058

[email protected] Dalhousie announces new

dean of the Faculty of Medicine(Photo: Bruce Bottomley)

SPRING 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS

34

6

ISSN 0830-5315 (Print)

ISSN 2292-6348 (Online)

Current and back issues of VoxMeDALare available online at

MEDICINE.DAL.CA/VOXMEDAL

If you would like to receive VoxMeDAL online only,send an email to [email protected].

Medical AlumniAssociation

JOIN US FOR AN EXCLUSIVE

PHYSICIAN EVENTYou and a guest are invited to join

CMA and MD Financial Management for an afternoon at the CMA 2015 HALIFAX 148th Annual Meeting

REGISTER NOW! cma.ca/halifax

11:30 am – 12:15 pm: Financial Planning for Female Physicians Luncheon 12:15 pm – 2:00 pm: Exploring the Physician Role in a National Seniors Strategy 2:15 pm – 2:45 pm: NewCo* Interactive Member Panel 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Gen Y and You: What MD is Doing and What it Means

for All CMA Members

A wine and cheese reception will follow. Food, gifts, prizes and more!

Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 World Trade and Convention Centre, 1800 Argyle St., Halifax

*NewCo is a temporary name for the newest addition to the CMA’s family of companies.MD Financial Management provides financial products and services, the MD Family of Funds and investment counselling services through the MD Group of Companie s. For a detailed list of these companies, visit md.cma.ca.

Date post:	13-Sep-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	0 times
Download:	0 times

Vox Summer15 Aug 4 - Dalhousie University · The importance of research in and to the communities...

Documents