Research Kudos: 2012 Mentored Clinician Scientist Awards

Improving patient care through research

A fundamental aspect of VCH Research Institute is its focus on translational health research - improving patient care by uniting multidisciplinary teams that move research discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patients' bedside. The Mentored and Established Clinician Scientist Awards are one avenue to achieve this goal.

This annual funding program is supported by the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. Awards are granted to individuals who are up-and-coming in clinical practice, who also demonstrate promise in related areas of translational health research at VGH, UBC Hospital or GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre. Support through these awards provides clinicians with protected time, allowing them to focus on advancing their research careers. This year's grant recipients are as follows:

2012 MENTORED CLINICIAN SCIENTIST:
Recipients receive $75,000 a year for two years, with the possibility of a third year renewal.

Dr. Patricia Mills Physician and research clinician, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre and ICORD Spinal Cord Research Program Clinical instructor, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UBC Faculty of Medicine Mentor: Dr. Andrei Krassioukov Research clinician, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre and ICORD spinal cord research program Professor, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UBC Faculty of Medicine

Study Title: Transcranial electrical stimulation and amelioration of orthostatic instability in individuals with acute spinal cord injury

Dr. Mills' research is funded by the TD Grants in Medical Excellence program through the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.

2012 MENTORED CLINICIAN SCIENTIST:
Recipients receive $75,000 a year for two years, with the possibility of a third year renewal.

Dr. Sheina Macadam Attending plastic surgeon and research clinician, Department of Surgery, VGH Clinical assistant professor, UBC Faculty of Medicine Mentor: Dr. Andrea Pusic Attending plastic surgeon and research clinician, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Associate professor, Faculty of Medicine, Weill Medical College, Cornell University

Study Title: Quality of life and patient-reported outcomes of reconstruction in breast cancer survivors

Dr. Macadam's research is funded through the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation's Best of Health Fund.

2012 ESTABLISHED CLINICIAN SCIENTIST:
Will receive $100,000 a year for two years with the possibility of a third year renewal.

Dr. Peter Black Urologist and research clinician, VGH, UBC Hospital, and Vancouver Prostate Centre Assistant professor, Department of Urologic Sciences, UBC Faculty of Medicine Study Title: Targeting the NOTCH signaling pathway in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder Dr. Black's research is funded through the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundatiion's Best of Health Fund.

Research Kudos: 2011 Mentored Clinician Scientist Awards

One of the hallmarks of VCH Research Institute (VCHRI) is its focus on translational health research - improving patient care by bringing multidisciplinary teams together to move research discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patients' bedside. One way that VCHRI fosters translational research is through its Mentored Clinician Scientist (MCS) Awards which support clinician scientists at the beginning of their research careers.

Each year, VCHRI grants MCS Awards to individuals who are up-and-coming in clinical practice, as well as research at VGH, UBC Hospital, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre or Lions Gate Hospital (2010). MCS Awards are funded through VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation's Adopt a Young Scientist Program, with Lions Gate Hospital Foundation also contributing in 2010, and provide award recipients with $50,000 a year for two years. The award is renewable for a third year based on productivity and funding availability. Award holders also receive $20,000 in start-up funds from their UBC academic department to assist with costs typically associated with starting a research program, such as equipment and other resources.

2011 Mentored Clinician Scientist Recipients:

Dr. Ka Wai Cheung Attending Physician, VGH Emergency Department Member, Emergency Medicine Research Program, VCHRI and the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine Title: Emergency Department Tobacco Cessation Counselling: Implementation and Evaluation of a Community-Based Program Mentor: Dr. Jeff Brubacher Attending Physician, VGH Emergency Department Director, Emergency Medicine Research Program, VCHRI Assistant Professor, UBC Department of Emergency Medicine

Dr. Noah Silverberg Psychologist, Acquired Brain Injury Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre Member, Rehab Research Lab, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre and the UBC Department of Medicine, Divisions of Neurology and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Title: A randomized controlled trial of self-management for persistent post-concussion syndrome Mentor: Dr. Grant Iverson Director, BCMHAS Neuropsychology Outcome Assessment Lab Professor, UBC Department of Psychiatry

VCHRI would like to acknowledge and thank the following members of the MCS Awards peer review committee for their hard work. Without these individuals who volunteer their time to participate on our peer review committees, VCHRI would be unable to fund competitions such as the MCS Awards.

• Dr. Neil Reiner, Infectious Diseases, VGH; Interim Director, Immunity & Infection Research Centre, VCHRI (Chair)
• Dr. Ted Steiner, Infectious Diseases, VGH; Immunity and Infection Research Centre
• Dr. Maureen Ashe, Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
• Dr. Brian Kwon, Orthopaedics, VGH; ICORD
• Dr. Jason Barton, Ophthalmology, VGH; Human Vision and Eye Movement Laboratory

Announcing the Winners of VCHRI's 2010
Clinician Scientist Awards

Dr. Robert McMaster, Interim VP Research, VCH, and Executive Director, VCHRI, is pleased to announce the winners of VCHRI's 2010 Clinician Scientist Awards, funded by VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation (through their Adopt a Young Scientist Program) and Lions Gate Hospital Foundation respectively.

These awards are aimed at clinician scientists at the beginning of their research careers. These are individuals both clinically practicing and conducting research at one of the following sites: VGH, UBC Hospital, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre or Lions Gate Hospital, who want to reduce their clinical practice commitments in order to continue developing their research careers as independent investigators.

Dr. Donald Griesdale Dept. of Anaesthesia at VGH; Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Anaesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics Mentor: Dr. Peter Choi Dept. of Anaesthesia at VGH; Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Anaesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics Title: Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Video-laryngoscopy vs. Direct Laryngoscopy for Endotracheal Intubation in the Critically Ill Patients (VICI)

Dr. Gary Andolfatto Emergency Dept. at LGH; Emergency Medicine Research Program, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Emergency Medicine Mentor: Dr. Riyad Abu-Laban Emergency Dept. at VGH; Emergency Medicine Research Program, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Emergency Medicine Title: A prospective, randomized double-blind trial to evaluate ketamine-propofol combination vs. propofol alone for procedural sedation and analgesia in the emergency department.

We also wish to acknowledge and thank the Clinician Scientist Awards review committee members for their hard work. We could not run any of our funding competitions without individuals volunteering their time to participate on our review committees.

• Dr. Rob McMaster, VCHRI (Chair)
  
• Dr. Ted Steiner, Infectious Diseases; Immunity and Infection Research Centre
  
• Dr. Diane Lacaille, Rheumatology, VGH; Arthritis Research Centre of Canada
  
• Dr. Brian Kwon, Orthopaedics; ICORD
  
• Dr. Jason Barton, Ophthalmology; Human Vision and Eye Movement Laboratory

Announcing the Winners of VCHRI's 2009
in it for life  Investigator Awards

Dr. Robert McMaster, Interim VP Research, VCH, and Executive Director, VCHRI, is pleased to announce the winners of VCHRI's 2009 in it for life Investigator Awards, funded by VCHRI and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.

There are two categories of awards: Mentored Clinician Scientist (MCS) and Established Clinician Scientist (ECS). These awards are aimed at clinician-investigators (beginning and mid-career respectively) located at VGH, UBC Hospital and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, who want to reduce their clinical practice commitments in order to continue developing their research careers as independent investigators.

MENTORED CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS

	Dr. Peter Black The Prostate Centre at VGH, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Urologic Sciences Mentor: Dr. Martin Gleave Director, The Prostate Centre at VGH, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Urologic Sciences Title: Targeting the NOTCH signaling pathway in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

ESTABLISHED CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS

Dr. Najib Ayas Sleep Disorders Program, UBCH; Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine Title: The Role of Telemedicine in the Initiation of Nasal CPAP

We also wish to acknowledge and thank the in it for life Investigator Awards review committee members for their hard work. We could not run any of our funding competitions without individuals volunteering their time to participate on our review committees.

• Dr. Rob McMaster, VCHRI (Chair)
  
• Dr. Harvey Lui, Dermatology, VGH; Photomedicine & Optics Laboratory, Skin Care Centre, VCHRI
  
• Dr. John Fleetham, Respiratory Medicine, VGH; Centre for Respiratory and Critial Care Medicine, VCHRI
  
• Dr. Ted Steiner, Infectious Diseases, VGH; Immunity and Infection Research Centre, VCHRI
  
• Dr. David Huntsman, OvCaRe, VCHRI & BCCA; Centre for Translational and Applied Genomics (CTAG), BCCA
  
• Dr. Diane Lacaille, Rheumatology, VGH; Arthritis Research Centre of Canada

Announcing the Winners of VCHRI's 2008
in it for life  Investigator Awards

Dr. Bernie Bressler, VP Research, VCH, and Executive Director of VCHRI, is pleased to announce the winners of VCHRI's 2008 in it for life Investigator Awards, which are funded by VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.

There are two categories of awards: Mentored Clinician Scientist (MCS) and Established Clinician Scientist (ECS). These awards are aimed at clinician-investigators (beginning and mid-career respectively) located at VGH, UBC Hospital and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, who want to reduce their clinical practice commitments in order to continue developing their research careers as independent investigators.

MENTORED CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS

	Dr. Chris Carlsten Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine Mentor: Dr. J. Mark FitzGerald, Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine Title: Diesel Exhaust Inhalation in Asthmatics: Oxidative Stress as a Mediator of Airway Reactivity and Immune Response
	Dr. Jessica McAlpine OvCaRe, VCHRI & BCCA; UBC Dept. Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Div. of Gynaeoncology Mentor: Dr. David Huntsman, OvCaRe, VCHRI & BCCA; Ctr for Translational & Applied Genomics, BC Cancer Agency; UBC Dept. of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Title: PARP Inhibitors in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Targeted Molecular Therapy in BRCA Null Phenotypes and Mechanisms of Resistance

ESTABLISHED CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS

Dr. Jeffrey Brubacher Emergency Medicine Research Program, VCHRI; UBC Dept. of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine Title: Reporting and Response to Patient Safety Events in Urban and Rural EDs in BC

We also wish to acknowledge and thank the in it for life Investigator Awards review committee members for their hard work. We could not run any of our funding competitions without individuals volunteering their time to participate on our review committees.

• Dr. Linda Peritz, VCHRI (Chair)
  
• Dr. Ross MacGillivray, Biochemistry, UBC
  
• Dr. Lynn Raymond, Psychiatry, UBC Hospital
  
• Dr. Paul Keown, Nephrology, VGH
  
• Dr. Harvey Lui, Dermatology, VGH
  
• Dr. Liisa Holsti, Occupational Therapy, C&W

Announcing the Winners of VCHRI's 2007
in it for life  Investigator Awards

Dr. Bernie Bressler, VP Research, VCH, and Executive Director of VCHRI, is pleased to announce the winners of VCHRI's 2007 in it for life Investigator Awards, which are funded by VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. For 25 years, in partnership with its donors, the Foundation has helped advance world-class health care for British Columbians.

This year there were two categories of awards: Mentored Clinician Scientist (MCS) and Established Clinician Scientist (ECS). These awards are aimed at clinician-investigators (beginning and mid-career respectively) located at VGH, UBC Hospital and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, who want to reduce their clinical practice commitments in order to continue developing their research careers as independent investigators.

MENTORED CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS

	Annette McWilliams Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine Mentor: Dr. Stephen Lam, Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine Title: Comparison of EBUS-TBNA and Surgical Lymph Node Sampling: A Feasibility Study
	Michael Gilbart Centre for Hip Health, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Orthopaedics Mentor: Dr. David Wilson, Centre for Hip Health, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Orthopaedics Title: Early Cartilage Hip Degeneration and MRI Imaging Modalities
	John Swiston Centre for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine Mentor: Dr. Mark FitzGerald, Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine Title: Risk Factors for Hospital Readmission in Patients with COPD: A Prospective Canadian Cohort Study

ESTABLISHED CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS

	Youwen Zhou Laboratory of Predictive Medicine & Therapeutics, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Dermatology & Skin Sciences Title: Predicting Melanoma Patients' Survival Using a New Metastatic Marker
	Bill Salh Immunity & Infection Research Centre, VCHRI at VGH site; UBC Dept. of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology Title: The Role of Integrin Linked Kinase in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

We also wish to acknowledge and thank the in it for life Investigator Awards review committee members for their hard work. We could not have any of our funding competitions without individuals volunteering their time to participate on our review committees.

• Dr. Linda Peritz, VCHRI (Chair)
  
• Dr. Ross MacGillivray, Biochemistry, UBC
  
• Dr. Lynn Raymond, Psychiatry, UBCH
  
• Dr. Paul Keown, Nephrology, VGH
  
• Dr. Rob Stenstrom, Emergency Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital

Announcing the Winners of the 2006
in it for life  Mentored Clinician Scientist Competition Award Winners

Dr. Bernie Bressler, VP Research, VCH and Executive Director of VCHRI, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2006 in it for life  Mentored Clinician Scientist Awards, which are funded by VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. For 25 years, in partnership with its donors, the Foundation has helped advance world-class health care for British Columbians. The following three VGH clinicians will receive salary awards of $50,000/year for two years, with possible one-year renewals, to support them in developing their research careers as independent investigators.

Dr. Julie Irving, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
"Genetic Profiling of Synchronous Tumors of the Uterine Corpus and Ovary"

Dr. Alan So, Division of Urology (Prostate Centre)
"A Phase I Trial Using Intravesical Antisense Oligonucleotide Targeting Hsp-27 for the Treatment of Superficial Bladder Cancer"

Dr. Corinne Hohl, Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine
"Adverse Drug Events in the Emergency Department - A Research Program in Patient Safety"

We also wish to acknowledge and thank the in it for life  Investigator Awards committee members:

• Dr. Linda Peritz, VCHRI (Chair)
  
• Dr. Anthony Chow, Infectious Diseases
  
• Dr. Ross MacGillivray, Biochemistry, UBC
  
• Dr. John Fleetham, Respiratory
  
• Dr. Lynn Raymond, Psychiatry
  
• Dr. Hugh Anton, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

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