Mini Medical School 2015-16
June 6, 2016
Presenters: Dr. Richard Leigh & Dr. David Proud
Topic: Asthma: What is it and how will it be treated by 2021?
Dr. Richard Leigh
Dr. Richard Leigh is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology with the University of Calgary and the Zone Clinical and Academic Department Head for Medicine with Alberta Health Services. His clinical and research interest areas include understanding the basic mechanisms underlying airway remodeling in asthma, the assessment of airway inflammation, and clinical trials in asthma and COPD.
Dr. David Proud
Dr. David Proud is the Head of the Airway Inflammation Research Group (AIRG) and Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Calgary. His major research interests focus on the pathogenesis of viral exacerbations of asthma and COPD and on airway epithelial cell biology. He holds a Canada Research Chair in Inflammatory Airway Diseases. His achievements in research and training were recognized by his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
May 2, 2016
Presenters: Dr. Mark Swain & Dr. Craig Jenne
Topic: Liver Health and Immunity
Dr. Mark Swain
Dr. Mark Swain is a professor and Head for the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. His research interests are in studying the mechanisms underlying the development of fatigue in liver disease, and the innate immune response in the regulation of hepatic inflammation. His clinical focus is on areas of viral hepatitis and autoimmune liver disease.
Dr. Craig Jenne
Dr. Craig Jenne is the Scientific Director of the Snyder Translational Lab in Critical Care Medicine, a position that allows him to work directly with Clinicians and Researchers on human clinical studies. He also has a faculty appointment within the department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary and is continuing his work using intravital microscopy to study the early innate immune response to viral and bacterial infections.
April 4, 2016
Presenters: Dr. George Chaconas & Dr. Dan Gregson
Topic: Lyme Disease
Dr. George Chaconas
Dr. George Chaconas is a professor at the University of Calgary with the Cumming School of Medicine. He is also a member with the Snyder Institute for Chronic Disease and is the Canada Research Chair in the Molecular Biology of Lyme Borreliosis. His research interests focus on Borrelia burgdorferi and related Borrelia species that cause Lyme disease and relapsing fever.
Dr. Dan Gregson
Dr. Dan Gregson is an associate professor at the Cumming School of Medicine and an infectious disease consultant with the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. He is also the president of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Canada and a member of the Snyder Institute. His clinical interests are in Diagnostic Microbiology and his research interests focus on the diagnosis of bacterial infections
March 7, 2016
Presenters: Dr. Chris Mody & Dr. Herman Barkema
Topic: Emerging Infectious Disease
Dr. Chris Mody
Dr. Chris Mody is a clinician scientist, and Head of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary. His research interests include how we defend ourselves against fungi such as Cryptococcus and bacteria such as Pseudomonas. His clinical interests include fungal and chronic lung infections, as well as immunologic lung disease. His achievements in the academic health sciences were recognized by his election into the prestigious Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2011.
Dr. Herman Barkema
Dr. Herman Barkema is a professor and Head of the Department of Production Animal Health at the University of Calgary. His research interests focus on prevention and control of diseases in cattle herds, with a special interest in mastitis and Johne’s disease. In 2014, he was recognized for his renowned research into infectious diseases of cattle, and was named a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. This achievement was also recognized at the Cumming School of Medicine - Celebration of Excellence.
February 8, 2016
Presenters: Dr. Mike Parkins & Dr. Ranjani Somayaji
Topic: Cystic Fibrosis
Dr. Michael Parkins
Dr. Michael Parkins is an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary with the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases. He is also a member of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. His clinical interests are in general infectious diseases, Cystic Fibrosis, epidemiology of infectious diseases and HIV. His research interests are in clinical trials in cystic fibrosis and infectious disease, CF airway microbiology and polymicrbobial infections.
Dr. Ranjani Somayaji
Dr. Ranjani Somayaji is a clinical lecturer with the Division of Infectious Disease at the University of Calgary. She is an associate member of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. She has been working with the Division of Infectious Disease since July 2015, where she is completing further clinical and research training in Cystic Fibrosis. Her research interests are in infectious disease epidemiology, wound care, and cystic fibrosis epidemiology and outcomes.
January 11, 2016
Presenters: Dr. Maitreyi Raman & Dr. Saumya Jayakumar
Topic: Nutrition, IBD and Liver Disease
Dr. Maitreyi Raman
Dr. Maitreyi Raman is a gastroenterologist and physician nutritionist at the University of Calgary. She is also the Medical Director of the Southern Alberta Nutrition Support Services. Her clinical and research interests are in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Obesity. Dr. Raman has published many research papers in this area and she continues to conduct cutting edge research in Fatty Liver Disease. She is also the co-author of Healing Fatty Liver Disease, The Complete IBS Health & Diet Guide, and The Complete Prebiotic & Probiotic Health Guide.
Dr. Saumya Jayakumar
Dr. Saumya Jayakumar is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, and in 2013 she became the Fellowship Program Director for the Hepatology Fellowship at the University of Calgary. Her clinical and research interests include end-stage liver disease, transplant hepatology and pathophysiology, prognostic indicators, and treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
December 7, 2015
Presenters: Dr. John Conly & Dr. Glen Armstrong
Topic: Superbugs
Dr. Glen Armstrong
Dr. Glen Armstrong is a professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology& Infectious Diseases and is a member of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. He is internationally recognized for his ground-breaking work in glycobiology that is leading to the development of more effective vaccines, drug therapies and techniques to combat antibiotic resistance.
Dr. John Conly
Dr. John Conly is the Co-Director for the Synder Institute for Chronic Diseases at the University of Calgary, and an infectious disease specialist. He received the Ronald Christie Award in 2012 from the Canadian Association of Professors of Medicine for his outstanding contributions to academic medicine in Canada. He is an active consultant in clinical infectious diseases and his current interests focus on antimicrobial resistance, patient safety and innovations.
November 9, 2015
Presenters: Dr. Paul Kubes & Dr. Thomas Louie
Topic: Microbiome
Dr. Paul Kubes
Dr. Paul Kubes is the Director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, and was awarded Canadas Health Researcher of the Year Award in 2011 by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for his work in examining the role that white blood cells play in preventing and reversing sepsis.
Dr. Thomas Louie
Dr. Thomas Louie is an infectious disease specialist, and was featured in TIME for his research on inflammation of the large intestine. He perfected the very first microbiome transplantation that has saved lives.