March
News: Western implements additional measures to prevent spread of COVID-19
March 31, 2021
As the Middlesex-London region moves from orange to red in the face of rising case counts, and with variants of concern making up more than half of Ontario’s new COVID-19 cases, Western University is implementing additional precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
Feature: Trans PULSE Canada highlights diverse experiences of trans and non-binary Canadians
March 30, 2021
Trans PULSE Canada is the first research survey to collect all-ages data on trans and non-binary health across Canada. Spearheaded by Ayden Scheim, PhD, and Greta Bauer, PhD, from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the results of the survey are pinpointing the unique experiences of diverse groups within the trans and non-binary community, including Indigenous people, sex workers and immigrants and newcomers.
Feature: Creating culturally safe, accessible health care
March 29, 2021
Working with partners and communities with lived experience, medical students Claire Dong, Dilini Kekulawala and Brintha Sivajohan founded The BIPOC Women’s Health Network, a national, student-led organization focused on improving health care experiences and reducing disparities for BIPOC women.
Funding: Dr. Lakshman Gunaratnam awarded two Kidney Foundation grants
March 29, 2021
Dr. Gunaratnam's research projects, supported by the Kidney Foundation of Canada, will investigate acute kidney injury and determinants of recovery from the condition, as well as a potential therapeutic agent to improve outcomes of kidney transplantation.
Feature: Hockey FIT program reaches fans from coast to coast
March 29, 2021
Hockey FIT, a program that uses fan culture to encourage Canadian men to get fit, has expanded to 32 communities across the Canada. Despite the shuttering of hockey arenas across the country, men in cities from Chilliwack B.C. to Kingston, Ont. have accessed the 12-week program developed in the Department of Family Medicine at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
News: School to open Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
March 26, 2021
The new Office, including an Associate Dean, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and a Specialist, will direct and implement all matters related to equity, diversity, inclusion, bias, anti-racism and Indigenous initiatives at the School.
Resident Spotlight: Dr. Danielle Kelton, Emergency Medicine
March 25, 2021
Dr. Danielle Kelton, PGY4, Emergency Medicine, enjoys the variety of her chosen specialty and says that the residency program’s biggest strength is its supportive, collaborative and inclusive culture.
News: Safe Ride Home Program for residents
March 25, 2021
A new program is providing safe transportation home for resident doctors who are experiencing fatigue after long or difficult shifts. The Safe Ride Home Program is free and available 24/7 for residents.
Research News: Global study shows elective surgery patients should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines
March 25, 2021
A new global modelling study shows patients waiting for elective surgery should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines. An international team of researchers, including Janet Martin from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, estimates that global prioritization of vaccination for elective surgery patients could prevent close to 60,000 COVID-19-related deaths in one year.
Feature: Creating connections: Western’s complexity science research hub
March 24, 2021
The Complex Adaptive Systems lab is an interdisciplinary network encouraging cross-campus collaboration, including the work of Schulich Medicine & Dentistry researcher Sayra Cristancho.
Feature: Feeling the rain
March 24, 2021
Shreya Gandhi’s mother showed strength, recovery, and resilience as a brain tumour survivor, and now she serves as a point of inspiration for her own journey to become the citizen she aspires to be.
Feature: Taking action on wellness
March 23, 2021
A member of the Clinical Faculty Affairs team, Dr. Laura Foxcroft is putting her focus on wellbeing - a major undertaking in the midst of the pandemic.
Award: 2021 PARO award recipients announced
March 23, 2021
Dr. Karin Hahn received the Professional Association of Resident of Ontario’s Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award, Dr. Shane Freeman was awarded the Resident Teaching Award and Sarah Luciw received the Citizenship Award for Medical Students.
Commentary: Experts call for research transparency on human challenge studies for COVID-19
March 23, 2021
A week after the world’s first COVID-19 human challenge trial began in London, UK, in which volunteers are deliberately exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Dr. Charles Weijer, Professor and bioethicist at Western University, and Josh Morrison, Executive Director of 1Day Sooner are calling for the publication of the trial’s protocol.
Feature: Interprofessional Education Day puts focus on Indigenous health and medicine
March 18, 2021
Schulich Medicine & Dentistry students joined nearly 1,000 of their peers from across the education health care spectrum for a day of interprofessional teamwork, listening and learning.
Announcement: MD+ to offer graduate training opportunities for MD students
March 16, 2021
Schulich Medicine students can now pursue professional and graduate training while completing their Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. They will be able to explore space medicine, non-medical interests, public health or law, get hands-on research-intensive experience in the basic sciences, pursue work in Africa, or dig into the history of medicine to understand its impact on care today,
Feature: Powerful brain imaging creates new insights on neurological symptoms of COVID-19
March 16, 2021
A multidisciplinary team of scientists and clinicians is combining powerful brain imaging tools at Robarts Research Institute with expertise on brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and epilepsy to better understand COVID-19’s neurological symptoms.
Research News: A more plant-based diet may improve cardiovascular health: experts
March 15, 2021
Dr. David Spence has long promoted the role of a more plant-based diet in reducing risk of cardiovascular disease. While it is well known that egg yolks have a high content of cholesterol and meat contains both cholesterol and saturated fat, he points out that lesser-known culprits in eggs and red meat could be increasing the levels of toxic metabolites produced by the intestinal microbiome, that negatively impact cardiovascular health.
Feature: Looking for clues: Using artificial intelligence to uncover mental health, addiction issues
March 14, 2021
A new social media search tool, developed by Dan Lizotte, PhD and PhD candidate Brent Davis, could help public health experts reach more people struggling with substance abuse.
Feature: New software provides detailed picture of COVID-19 virus variants
March 11, 2021
Genomic surveillance programs around the world are collecting data on how the virus that causes COVID-19 is mutating and changing as it moves through the population. Globally, more than 300,000 unique genetic versions of the virus have been identified. Visually representing that in a way that is accessible and easy to understand is at the core of a software application called CoVizu developed by a team in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.
Celebrating Canadian Women Physicians Day
March 11, 2021
In 1875, Dr. Jennie Trout became the first woman in Canada to be licensed to practise medicine. 146 years later, we are celebrating the first-ever Canadian Women Physicians Day (March 11). Five physician leaders share their inspirations, personal experiences and hopes for the future of the profession.
Feature: London startup raises the bar on spinal implants
March 11, 2021
London-based startup A-Line Orthopaedics, co-founded by Dr. Parham Rasoulinejad, Professor, Orthopedic Surgery, has developed a new spinal implant that could revolutionize an invasive treatment for upper cervical spine fractures.
Feature: Pandemic provides real-time, case-based learning for MPH students
March 10, 2021
For this year’s Masters of Public Health cohort, the backdrop of the pandemic is presenting unique opportunities for learning and analysis.
Feature: Using your genes to detect arrhythmias
March 10, 2021
Julieta Lazarte, MD/PhD Candidate, was awarded a Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship to support her research on the underlying genetic causes of atrial fibrillation.
Funding: Six interdisciplinary teams receive Collaborative Research Seed Grant funding
March 09, 2021
The program provides seed funding for the formation and development of new interdisciplinary and collaborative research teams. Researchers will explore a range of health topics, from a potential new therapy to treat SARS-CoV2 infection to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
Learner Perspectives: Dr. Natasha Holder on mentorship in oral and maxillofacial surgery
March 08, 2021
Dr. Natasha Holder is a second-year resident in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. She believes mentorship is key in making change in the field and is mentoring female students in dentistry with an interest in surgery. “They can’t be us, if they can’t see us.”
Funding: CIHR Project Grant recipients announced
March 05, 2021
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) have announced the results of their October 2020 grants competition. Schulich Medicine & Dentistry research teams in the areas of primary care reform, breast cancer, COVID-19 and more received more than $7.4 million in grant funding.
Announcement: Dr. Mark Awuku appointed as Chair of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons subcommittee
March 04, 2021
Dr. Mark Awuku has been appointed as Chair of the Continuing Professional Development Accreditation Committee for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Feature: On the frontlines and in the headlines: Dr. Jessica Summerfield
March 04, 2021
Dr. Jessica Summerfield has had a remarkable year, balancing clinical commitments as a COVID-19 front-line physician and her advocacy role as the President of the Essex County Medical Society.
Feature: Student researchers win big at cancer research conference
March 04, 2021
Sarang Upneja,Vanessa Montemurri and Nathan Doupnik placed first, second and third at the Windsor Cancer Research Group’s Biennial Cancer Research Conference
Feature: A place to call their own
March 03, 2021
Dr. Paris Lai, PGY4, secured PARO funding to create a resident-designated space at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare to facilitate resident wellness and resiliency.
News: Medical device to manage blood loss approved by Health Canada
March 01, 2021
After a traumatic injury from an event such as a car crash or industrial accident, many patients die from blood loss before they ever enter the operating room. In order to improve survival, Asha Parekh, PhD, and Dr. Adam Power have used their ingenuity to develop a medical device that can keep blood flowing to the heart and the brain in a way that is fast, simple and safe.
