Oct 22 2026, 9:00am – 11:00am
In person at Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, Atrium, 818 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver

Kick off the academic year at our first Coffee Meetup! This in-person event brings together Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) trainees at all stages of training to connect with peers and invited guests, including early-career researchers and professionals from industry and government. 

Open to both new and returning trainees at VCHRI and the University of British Columbia (UBC), this informal event offers a welcoming space to meet new colleagues, grow your network and engage with professionals from a range of academic and career backgrounds. Join us for conversation, connection and snacks.

Learning objectives 

In this event you will get to a chance to:

  • Build connections with fellow trainees
  • Discover useful strategies to navigate academia and launch an impactful career
  • Engage in meaningful dialogue and ask questions
About the speakers
Dr. Newton Cho is a surgeon-scientist with the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD). He earned his MD and completed neurosurgery residency training at the University of Toronto, followed by a PhD at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. He also completed fellowships in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery and spine surgery. His clinical interests span adult spine trauma, degenerative disease, tumours and infections.
Kaya Yoshida completed her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences in 2026, where her research examined cortical and autonomic responses to split-belt treadmill walking in people with chronic stroke. Following graduation, she transitioned to a role as clinical liaison and equipment operations coordinator at the GF Strong Research Centre, working with Dr. Janice Eng to support the integration of research-grade technologies into clinical practice in rehabilitation.​​​​
Sarah Wheeler studied biochemistry at the University of New Brunswick (BSc.), neuroscience at York University (MSc.), and completed her PhD in neuroscience at UBC. Her research has ranged from plant biology to studying brain development in autism models and aging spinal cord injury in mice. She is now an industry postdoc focused on spinal cord injury therapies.