2020

  • Closed for the Holidays

    December 23, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Office will be closed for the holiday break from December 23 to January 4 at 8:30 am. We wish you a happy holidays and a wonderful new year!

  • Award: Trainee wins top oral presentation from Clinician Investigator Trainee Association

    December 21, 2020
    Kara Ruicci, MD/PhD, Class of 2022, received the Top Oral Presentation Award at the Clinician Investigator Trainee Association 2020 general meeting.

  • Dr. M.E. Kirk Teaching Award and Staff Awards of Excellence 2020

    December 17, 2020
    Congratulations to the recipient of the Dr. M.E. Kirk Teaching Award, Dr. Rob Hammond, and the recipients of the 2020 London Pathology Associates (LPA) Staff Awards of Excellence, Cheryl Campbell and Stephanie Abel.

  • GISAID Recognition for Dr. Poon and Members of his Bioinformatics Lab

    December 14, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Art Poon and members of his bioinformatics lab, who have developed a new "real time" analysis and visualization system for SARS-CoV-2 genomes. This month, their web application CoVizu was officially recognized by the GISAID Initiative.

  • 2020 Lawson Impact Award

    December 03, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Bekim Sadikovic, recipient of a 2020 Lawson Impact Award. Dr. Sadikovic received the Dr. Joseph Gilbert Research Contribution Award for his publication, "Diagnostic Utility of Genome-wide DNA Methylation Testing in Genetically Unsolved Individuals with Suspected Hereditary Conditions" in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

  • Spotlight on One Health

    November 27, 2020
    November was an exciting month for One Health. Our spotlight article features a summary on how we marked One Health Day on November 3rd and highlights presentations of student research close to home and across the globe.

  • 2020 Paterson Lecture

    November 27, 2020
    Our 2020 Paterson Lecture was held on Thursday, November 19. Although this year posed unique challenges related to SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and limitations on in-person participation, the essence of our high-profile marquee event was maintained. Our invited guest, Dr. Gregg Semenza, is a Professor of Pediatrics, Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Biological Chemistry, Medicine, and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

  • 2020 Joint Medical Advisory Committee Award

    November 26, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Michael Payne, co-recipient of the 2020 Joint Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) Award for demonstrating qualities of leadership and for providing outstanding contributions to the success of initiatives aligning with the strategic directions of both LHSC and St. Joseph’s. Dr. Payne shares this award with Dr. Michael Silverman.

  • Wellness at Western resumes - with a twist

    November 23, 2020
    PaLM staff find creative ways to stay well and connected during the pandemic.

  • Congratulations to Dr. Rebekah Jacques

    November 16, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Rebekah Jacques who has been appointed to the Tri-agencies’ Research Reference Group for the Appropriate Review of Indigenous Research.

  • Virtual Fall Preview Day

    November 13, 2020
    Join us for Virtual Fall Preview Day on Sunday, November 15, 2020. Learn about Western’s undergraduate programs including the Bachelor of Medical Sciences Program!

  • Feature: Chasing their dream

    November 12, 2020
    Curious, passionate and driven, Drs. Natasha Holder and Ji Hyun Han are embracing their six-year journey to become Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons as they complete their surgical residency and MSc and MD degrees.

  • Jenna Fortunato completes her MSc Thesis

    November 04, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Jenna Fortunato who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • Sock Drive

    October 30, 2020
    We are planning a Pre-Christmas Charity Sock-Drive for 519 Pursuit, which is a non-profit organization. They will accept socks for men, women, and children.

  • Halloween Costume Contest

    October 30, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine encouraged faculty and staff to dress up in costumes this Halloween. There were prizes for the top costume in each category. 

  • Welcome Dr. Fatimah AlMutawa

    October 29, 2020
    Welcome Dr. Fatimah AlMutawa, MBBS, FRCPC, who joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in October 2020 as a Medical Microbiologist.

  • Anti-racism advisors: Paving the way for change

    October 27, 2020
    As special advisors on anti-racism, Nicole Kaniki and Bertha Garcia are laying the foundation for an interim advisory council on equity, diversity and inclusion at Western.

  • Welcome Dr. Laila Schenkel

    October 23, 2020
    Welcome Laila Schenkel, PhD, who joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as a Molecular Geneticist in the Division of Molecular Diagnostics.

  • The Eyes of Future Generations

    October 19, 2020
    Climate change is already impacting health and patient care across Canada. Faculty members and learners are advocating for more sustainable practices, curriculum changes and interdisciplinary solutions to address the issue.

  • The Ontario Epilepsy Genetic Testing Program

    October 09, 2020
    Effective October 1, 2020, PaLM Molecular Diagnostics will become the central lab for the Ontario Epilepsy Genetic Testing Program (OEGTP). The introduction of the Ontario Epilepsy Genetics Testing Program allows for full patriation of genetic testing for epilepsy at London Health Sciences Centre.

  • 'Western, you guys are amazing': Premier praises university's COVID-19 labs

    October 05, 2020
    Western University’s labs may soon be processing COVID-19 tests as part of a partnership with the province as the second local wave of the pandemic drives demand to unprecedented levels.

  • Rebecca Dang completes her MSc Thesis

    September 28, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Rebecca Dang who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • CIHR Project Grants

    September 25, 2020
    Congratulations to all of the successful recipients of CIHR Project Grants (Spring Competition 2020) including those in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

  • Nima Nalin completes her MSc Thesis

    September 23, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Nima Nalin who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • Hind Amzil completes her MSc Thesis

    September 17, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Hind Amzil who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • John Palmer completes his MSc Thesis

    September 15, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to John Palmer, who has completed his MSc in Pathology.

  • Canadian Blood Services Intramural Research Grant Program

    September 11, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Ziad Solh and a team of Ontario researchers who received an Intramural Research Grant from Canadian Blood Services for their project “Revisiting the universal donor: Does exposure to O blood products affect patient outcomes?”

  • Connor Chato completes his MSc Thesis

    September 10, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Connor Chato, who has completed his MSc in Pathology.

  • Christine Caron completes her MSc Thesis

    September 04, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Christine Caron who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • CIHR National Poster Presentation

    August 24, 2020
    Congratulations to Saumik Biswas, PhD for winning an Award of Excellence (Silver Category) at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research National Research Poster presentation on August 25, 2020.

  • Dr. Solh: Testing the Benefit of Antibodies from People Recovered from COVID-19

    August 24, 2020
    Dr. Ziad Solh, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lawson Associate Scientist, and Hematologist and Transfusion Medicine Specialist at London Health Sciences Centre, is the local PI in a national clinical trial to test if COVID-19 convalescent plasma could be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with the virus.

  • London, Ont., Hospital-Based Lab Marks Coronavirus Testing Capacity Milestone

    August 24, 2020
    The London-based Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PaLM) team, which serves southwestern Ontario and beyond, has gone from processing 50 coronavirus tests per day in mid-March to more than 3,000 per day in August, with plans to further expand testing capacity, according to the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).

  • Saumik Biswas completes his PhD Thesis

    August 11, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Saumik Biswas, who has completed his PhD in Pathology.

  • Nicole Kaniki and Bertha Garcia named special advisors on anti-racism

    August 06, 2020
    Dr. Nicole Kaniki and Dr. Bertha Garcia will help Western lay the foundation for a sustained strategy to combat racism on campus.

  • Lawson Scientist and Her Lab Recognized with Canadian Research Awards of Excellence

    July 30, 2020
    Dr. Cindy Hutnik and her team were honored to recently receive a number of national research awards from the Canadian Ophthalmological Society and the Canadian Glaucoma Society.

  • Farzad Asadi Jomnani completes his PhD Thesis

    July 21, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Farzad Asadi Jomnani, who has completed his PhD in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

  • Retirement: Dr. Candace Gibson

    July 10, 2020
    We extend our congratulations and best wishes to Dr. Candace Gibson on her retirement from Western University, effective July 1, 2020, after 38 years of dedicated service.

  • Welcome Dr. Matthew Cecchini

    July 04, 2020
    Dr. Matthew Cecchini MD, PhD, FRCPC, joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in July 2020 as an Anatomical Pathologist. Dr. Cecchini’s clinical interests include pulmonary, head and neck and molecular pathology.

  • Retirement: Dr. Norman B. Smith

    June 26, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Norman B. Smith on his retirement on June 30th after 37 years of service working in the Toxicology & Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) section of Clinical Biochemistry.

  • Undergraduate Student Awards

    June 26, 2020
    Congratulations to all of our top undergraduate students who won awards this year.

  • 2020 Annual Resident Award of Excellence

    June 23, 2020
    Congratulations to Chris Tran on being awarded the 2020 Annual Resident Award of Excellence!

  • PaLM Senior Leadership Sponsors Pizza Lunch/Dinner in Appreciation of all PaLM staff

    June 22, 2020
    On June 12, 2020, PaLM staff were treated to a pizza lunch and dinner across all sites in appreciation for their continued dedication and commitment to caring for our patients.

  • Passion for the past leads grad to future

    June 18, 2020
    PaLM and One Health student Sanghun (Justin) Kim was busy digging up the past, he was looking forward to the future. Pursing both a bachelor’s degree in Medical Sciences and a major in Classical Studies, Kim has an appreciation for how the two naturally intersect.

  • Signs and Printing

    June 15, 2020
    Do you need signage for your department? Here are a few posters that could be customized and printed for your department.

  • Dr. Bertha Garcia has been extended as Acting Vice Dean & Director, Dentistry

    May 27, 2020
    Dr. Bertha Garcia has been extended as Acting Vice Dean & Director, Dentistry, effective until May 31, 2021. She is recognized as an exceptional educator and academic leader. Congratulations!

  • Exciting News In One Health

    May 26, 2020
    We are proud to share that Mabel Yuan, a Master's student in One Health at PaLM has recently been awarded the Canadian Institute of Health Research Frederick Banting and Charles Best Graduate Scholarship Master's Award (CGS-M) for her continued work in maternal health.

  • COVID-19 Research Grant Success

    May 24, 2020
    Congratulations to the following faculty members Dr. Lloy Wylie, Dr. Michael Knauer and Dr. Tianqing Peng for their success in recent COVID-related research competitions.

  • Testing for COVID-19

    May 19, 2020
    In mid-March it became clear that COVID-19 testing was going to be needed at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). LHSC’s Microbiology Lab was ready to rise to the challenge of implementing a new test and everything that came with it, including new equipment, new processes, new team members and long hours. The lab is now providing support to all of South Western Ontario.

  • Seana Hill completes her MSc Thesis

    May 12, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Seana Hill who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • Marvin S. Smout Resident Travel Award

    May 08, 2020
    Congratulations to Jonathan Keow an Anatomical Pathology Resident who won the annual Marvin S. Smout Resident Travel Award.

  • 2020 Departmental Graduate Award Recipients

    May 06, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine would like to take a moment and recognize our wonderful learners and researchers. The Education and Awards Committees of PaLM received applications from very talented and productive researchers for our 2020 Departmental Research Awards. Please join us in congratulating the 2020 award recipients.

  • Srinitya Gannavarapu completes her MSc Thesis

    April 27, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Srinitya Gannavarapu who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • 2020 Awards of Excellence Recipients

    April 17, 2020
    The 2020 Awards of Excellence recipients were announced and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine can be very proud.

  • COVID-19 and Western's PaLM Office

    March 19, 2020
    In alignment with Western’s response to COVID-19, effective Friday, March 20, 2020, the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine administrative team will begin working off-campus in a virtual mode.

  • Adnan Qamar completes his MSc Thesis

    March 17, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Adnan Qamar, who has completed his MSc in Pathology.

  • WPA Histology Workshop 2020

    March 13, 2020
    The WPA held an open histology workshop in March to serve as a refresher on basic histology for undergraduate and graduate students. This workshop covered the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and the GI tract.

  • LHSC recognized as a Choosing Wisely Canada Hospital

    March 13, 2020
    LHSC has received a Level 3 designation by Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC). This is the highest designation awarded by CWC to a hospital in recognition of implementing 10 CWC recommendations and an organization-wide commitment to reducing overuse.

  • 2020 3MT Western Finalist: Janice Gomes

    March 09, 2020
    Congratulations to Janice Gomes, PhD Candidate in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, for placing Top 20 in Western’s 3MT Competition.

  • EpiSign

    March 04, 2020
    EpiSign: Congratulations to the research team led by Dr. Bekim Sadikovic at Lawson Health Research Institute for being awarded $4.8 million to measure the clinical impact of a new molecular genomics test for diagnosing genetic neurodevelopmental conditions.

  • Stowell-Orbison Award

    March 03, 2020
    Congratulations to resident Dr. Jonathan Keow from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, who won the Stowell-Orbison Award for his poster on p16 senescent foci in interstitial lung disease at the USCAP 109th annual meeting held in Los Angeles, California from February 29 to March 5, 2020.

  • Zhong Seminar: Dr. Michael Laposata

    February 28, 2020
    On February 13, 2020, Dr. Michael Laposata, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, delivered an outstanding Zhong seminar entitled "Medical Errors: A Major Cause of Death Across the World."

  • Welcome Dr. Cecilia Dong

    February 27, 2020
    Welcome to Dr. Cecilia Dong who is joining the department as a new cross-appointed faculty member from Dentistry effective March 1, 2020.

  • Welcome Dr. Trevor Thang

    February 26, 2020
    Welcome to Dr. Trevor Thang who is joining the department as a new cross-appointed faculty member from Dentistry effective March 1, 2020.

  • Pilot agreement increases access to lab testing for paediatric oncology patients

    February 24, 2020
    LifeLabs and London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) have been working together for several months to deliver a pilot service that makes it easier for families with children fighting cancer to access lab testing that is required to inform treatment decisions.

  • Welcome Dr. Abubaker Sidahmed

    February 18, 2020
    We are pleased to welcome Dr. Abubaker Sidahmed who joined the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine staff on February 3, 2020.

  • Welcome Dr. Emily Goebel

    February 14, 2020
    Dr. Emily Goebel, MD, FRCPC, joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in January 2020 as an Anatomical Pathologist.

  • Novel coronavirus forum offers topical education for learners

    February 12, 2020
    Schulich Medicine & Dentistry students learned from an expert panel of researchers and clinicians about the 2019 novel coronavirus epidemic in the context of virology, infectious disease medicine and past outbreaks.

  • Discover Shakespeare at the Stratford Festival

    February 01, 2020
    Health and medicine feature prominently in many of Shakespeare’s works. A special group for Schulich Medicine & Dentistry faculty, staff and students is being formed to attend his plays at the world-famous Stratford Festival, including lunch and an opportunity to meet the cast or production teams.

  • In Memoriam - Dr. David Grignon

    January 31, 2020
    Our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. David J. Grignon, who passed away on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

  • PaLM Quality Office

    January 28, 2020
    The Quality Office is responsible for ensuring that all laboratory policies, processes and procedures are developed, implemented and monitored in accordance with accreditation and licensing standards.

  • CIHR Project Grants

    January 27, 2020
    Congratulations to all of the successful recipients of CIHR Project Grants (Fall Competition 2019) including those in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

  • In Memoriam - Dr. Samuel Ludwin

    January 24, 2020
    It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Samuel Ludwin, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Professor and Chair of Pathology from 1992-1993, on January 21, 2020, at his home in Kingston, Ontario, after a valiant battle against ALS.

  • Lachlan McLean completes his MSc Thesis

    January 23, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Lachlan McLean, who has completed his MSc in Pathology.

  • Western Strategic Support for CIHR Success

    January 20, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Lisa Cameron, Dr. Fred Dick and Dr. Parisa Shooshtari who all received Western Strategic Support for CIHR Success awards.

  • Yohan Kim completes his PhD Thesis

    January 13, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Yohan Kim, who has completed his PhD in Pathology.

  • Xiaoyun Ji completes her MSc Thesis

    January 09, 2020
    The Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine would like to offer congratulations to Xiaoyun Ji who recently completed her MSc in Pathology.

  • 2019 Catalyst Grants for Translational Cancer Research

    January 07, 2020
    Congratulations to Dr. Saman Maleki on receiving funding for the 2019 Catalyst Grants for Translational Cancer Research on two of his projects - one as the PI, and the other one as the co-applicant.