ims magazine winter 2011

IM MAGAZINEWINTERT H I N K , L E A R N , D I S C O V E R . 2011

S

DIVERSITY

SPOTLIGHT

EXPERT ADVICE

LIFE AFTER IMS

The experts have weighed in on your pressing IMS issues...

Find out about the exciting and unique research our students and faculty are pursuing!

Check out what the former IMSSA president is doing now!

OF SCIENCE

02 | IMS MAGAZINE WINTER 2011 DIVERSITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Editor .....................03

News and Views ............................04

Directors Message ........................07

Feature Article ................................08

Spotlight .........................................12

Close Up .........................................24

Research Highlight .........................26

Behind the Scenes .........................28

Future Directions ............................30

Ask the Experts ..............................32

Diversions .......................................33

Strength in Diversity

Childhood AggressionGenomics

Dr. Ori Rotstein explains how we are bridging the gap between science and medicine here at the

Institute of Medical Science.

By Walid AzizMScBMC Candidate

This abstract design is meant to highlight the many different sites across Toronto at which IMS students and faculty are contributing to the wide body of scientific research. The spheres which each

represent a single location are interconnected, much like the networking done between collaborators.

Dr. Joseph Beitchman outlines the latest find-ings in the genetics of childhood aggression.

A look into one of our very owns use of the zebrafish model for innovative discoveries.

FEATURE

Cover Art

IN THISISSUE...

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MAGAZINE STAFFNatalie VenierAvi VandersluisKamila LearNina BahlAnthony GriecoZeynep YilmazSamantha BremnerMinji KimWenjun XuMohammed SabriWilson YuDiego AccorsiJoyce HuiBeatrice LauJulie Man Connie Sun

Editor-in-ChiefManaging Editor

IMS AdvisorContent Committee

Design Editors

Photography

IM MAGAZINEWINTERT H I N K , L E A RN , D I S COV E R . 2011

S

DIVERSITY

SPOTLIGHT

EXPERT ADVICE

LIFE AFTER IMS

The experts have weighed in on your pressing IMS issues...

Find out about the exciting and unique research our students and faculty are pursuing!

Check out what the former IMSSA president is doing now!

OF SCIENCE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

IMS MAGAZINE WINTER 2011 DIVERSITY | 03

ike all scientific endeavours, the IMS Magazine began as but a simple concept. After an inspiring experience at IMS Scientific Day in which I was amazed at the wealth of diverse research being conducted by our students and faculty, I wondered why we are

only exposed to each others work once a year. I wanted to showcase the vast array of research areas being studied by IMS students and faculty, with the hope that this might promote more interaction and collaboration. More specifically, my plan was to develop a way to highlight the science and research going on at the IMS in a cohesive manner that could be clearly understood by any member of the IMS.

The IMS Magazine Committee has worked diligently to present you the first edition of the IMS Magazine. In this edition, which focuses on the diversity of science in the IMS, you will find an assortment of student and faculty profiles that represents the range of research taking place here. Hopefully, these will provide you with insight into their unique studies and experiences in the department. Additionally, there are also other sections such as News and Views, which will keep you informed about current events and updates, and Future Directions, where you can read about a former IMS students journey beyond his PhD. We hope you find each section enjoyable and informative.

The evolution of the IMS magazine has been an enriching and incredible experience for me. I have had the opportunity to meet and interview both world-class and up-and-coming scientists, an experience which has been simply inspirational. Of course, this project could not have been realized without the help of the fantastic IMS Magazine Committee that has been essential in bringing this idea to life. Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge the brilliant IMS Magazine design team a collection of incredibly talented Biomedical Communications students who were integral to the creation of the IMS Magazine.

In summary, it is my absolute pleasure to present to you the first edition of the IMS Magazine! I hope you enjoy learning about the ongoing science at the IMS and can appreciate the broad spectrum of scholarly activity in the department. Of course, your comments and feedback are very much welcome, as we aspire to bring you the best of the IMS.

Enjoy!

Natalie VenierEditor-In-Chief, IMS Magazine

Natalie VenierEditor-In-Chief

Natalie Venier is a second year MSc student who plans to transfer into the PhD program. She is currently studying prostate cancer chemoprevention at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

L Letter from

the Editor


NEWS & VIEWS

NEWS&

GENERAL STREAM UPDATE

IMS STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS

MARCHFEBRUARYJANUARYVIEWS

Congratulations! The IMS is delighted to announce that Dianne Fukunaga has accepted the position as the Student and Faculty Affairs Coordinator at IMS. This is a well-deserved promotion for Dianne. Her responsibilities will include managing the MSC1010/1011Y course and modules, awards, faculty appointments, and courses. The IMS will be recruiting to fill the Program Assistant position.

Thank you! Dr. Neeru Gupta will be finishing her term as the Director of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) this year. Dr. Gupta was responsible for the development and implementation of SURP. Under her directorship, the program has grown significantly over the years, attracting both domestic and international students. The IMS would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Gupta for her dedication and outstanding contributions to SURP. Best of luck in all your future endeavours!

Warm welcome! It is also with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Dr. Vasundara Venkateswaran as the new Director of SURP. We are thrilled to have you on board and we look forward to your guidance and leadership!

For information on IMS news and events, please see: http://www.ims.utoronto.ca

For more information on IMSSA/IMSSA-related events please visit: http://imssa.sa.utoronto.ca

Feedback: Please send your comments and suggestions to

[email protected]

New Winter Modules 2011

Clinical Insights for Non-Clinicians

Clinical Trials

English Language & Writing Support

Introduction to Biostatistics

Preclinical Models

Protein Mass Spectrometry

To find out about the new winter modules, click here:http://www.ims.utoronto.ca/Assets/IMS+Digital+Assets/TR+Modules.pdf

110121723

2026TBATBA

TBA1Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers Hockey Game

Thesis defense workshop

IMS Open House

Transfer to PhD workshop

Toronto Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls Basketball Game

Orientation Day

Opera Night: Magic Flute

Look out for an IMSSA Pub Night!

Student-Supervisor Relationship Workshop (Jan/Feb)

Look out for an IMSSA Pub Night!

CIHR Operating Grant Deadline

NEWS & VIEWS


RECENT PUBLICATIONS & AWARDS

NEW FACULTY MEMBERS

IN MEMORIAM

MARCH

STUDENT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS

Gomez D et al. Hips can lie: The impact of excluding isolated hip fractures on external benchmarking of trauma center performance. The Journal of Trauma. 2010 Nov; 69(5):1037-1041.

Gomez D et al. Controversies in the management of splenic trauma. Injury. 2010 Oct. [Epub ahead of print].

Haas B et al. Survival of the fittest: The hidden cost of undertriage of major trauma. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2010 Dec; 211(6):804-11.

Hoang-Kim A. The First International Society for Fracture Repair and International Osteoporosis Foundation. Osteoporosis: From evidence to action. Combined Symposium & Working Groups. Adv Orthop 2010; 2(1):15-18.

Haroon Nand Inman RD. Ankylosing spondylitis - new criteria, new treatments. Bull NYU Hosp Jt Dis. 2010; 68(3):171-4.

Haroon Net al. From gene expression to serum proteins: biomarker discovery in ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010 Jan; 69(1):297-300.

Nazemian Z et al. The effect of age on in vitro fertilization outcome: is too young possible? J Assist Reprod Genet. 2010 Nov 2. [Epub ahead of print]

Noor A et al. Disruption at the PTCHD1 Locus on Xp22.11 in Autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. Sci Transl Med. 2010 Sep 15; 2(49):49-68

Sabri M, et al. Statins: a potential therapeutic addition to treatment for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage?. W.Neurosurg. 2010 Jun; 73(6):646-53.

Sabri M, et al. Uncoupling of endothelial nitric oxide synthase after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2010 Jun 2. [Epub ahead of print]

Noor A. American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), Predoctoral Presentation Award semi-finalist, 60th Annual Meeting, Nov, 2010; Washington DC, USA.

Sabri M, 2010-2011 Brain Aneurysm foundation grant, USA (BAF). Awarded for work on eNOS uncoupling after subarachnoid hemorrhage in a novel mouse model.

Shabana AA, 2010-11 Faculty of Medicine OGSST Awards competition and received the Government of Ontario/Edward Dunlop Foundation Scholarships in Science and Technology.

Yilmaz Z. 2010-2011 Government of Ontario/Paul and Adelle Deacon Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (OGSST).

The IMS is deeply saddened to announce the sudden and tragic passing of IMS student, Sara Al-Bader and her husband, Mike Smoughton. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends at this difficult time.

We are pleased to announce that the results of the 2010 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships awarded by CIHR are now available. All four of the prestigious scholarships were awarded to IMS students!

Congratulations to the following students: Wigdan Al-Sukhni, Nigil Haroon, Janine Hutson, Jonathan Yeung

Click here for more information: http://www.vanier.gc.ca/hp-pa-eng.shtml

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Anne-Marie Guerguerian Associate Member of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children.

Anna GagliardiAssociate Member of Surgery, Toronto General Hospital.

Gustavo SaposnikAssociate Member of Medicine, St. Michaels Hospital.

Narinder PaulAssociate Member of Medical Imaging, Toronto General Hospital.

Douglas LeeMember of Medicine, Toronto General Hospital.

Evdokia AnagnostouMember of Paediatrics, Bloorview Research Institute.

Aleixo MuiseAssociate Member of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children.

David CherneyAssociate Member of Medicine, Toronto General Hospital.

Ranju RalhanAssociate Member of Otolaryngology, Mount Sinai Hospital.

Marianne KoritzinskyAssociate Member of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret

Hospital.

Paul WalesAssociate Member of Surgery, Hospital for Sick Children.

Joel RayAssociate Member of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Asim CheemaAssociate Member of Medicine, St. Michaels Hospital.

Scott BeattieAssociate Member of Anaesthesia, Toronto General Hospital.

Sharon DellAssociate Member of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children.

Ariel Graff-GuerreroAssociate Member of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental

Health.

George YousefAssociate Member of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology.

St. Michaels Hospital.

Edward ChowAssociate Member of Radiation OncologySunnybrook Health Sci-

ences Centre.

Kim ConnellyAssociate Member of Medicine, St. Michaels Hospital.

Marc JeschkeMember of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Fiona WebsterAssociate Member of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Mary Pat McAndrewsMember of Psychology, Toronto Western Hospital.

Andras NagyMember of Molecular Genetics, Mount Sinai Hospital.

Gabrielle BoulianneFull Member of Molecular Genetics, Hospital for Sick Children.

Amy CheungAssociate Member of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences

Centre.

Claudia dos SantosAssociate of Medicine, St. Michaels Hospital.

Lendra FriesenAssociate Member of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Rohan GanguliFull Member of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Muhammad MamdaniAssociate Member of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation,

St. Michaels Hospital.

Theo MoraesAssociate Member of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children.

Patricia OCampoFull Member of Dalla Lana School of Public Health, St. Michaels

Hospital.

Teresa PetrellaAssociate Member of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Ayal SchafferAssociate Member of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences

Centre.

Hong-Shuo SunAssociate Member of Surgery, University of Toronto.

Taufik Ali ValianteAssociate Member of Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital.

Find out more about faculty on the IMS faculty database: http://www.ims.utoronto.ca/faculty/

directory.htm


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Editor .....................00

News and Views ............................00

Directors Message ........................00

Feature Article ................................00

Spotlight .........................................00

Close Up .........................................00

Research Highlight .........................00

Behind the Scenes .........................00

Future Directions ............................00

Ask the Expert ................................00

Diversions .......................................00

Diversity of Science at IMS

Childhood AggressionGenomics

Professional Programs

How we are bridging the gap between science and medicine here at the Institue of Medical Science.

By Walid Aziz,MScBMC Candidate

Each sphere represents a location at which IMS is

contributing to the body of scientific research.

Dr. Joseph Beitchman outlines the latest find-ings in the genetics of childhood aggression.

A look into one of our very owns use of the zebrafish model for innovative discoveries

Learn about the Biomedical Communications, Radiation Sciences and Bioethics professional streams.

FEATURE

CoverIN THISISSUE...

00

0000

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MAGAZINE STAFFNatalie VenierAvi VandersluisNina BahlAnthony GriecoZeynep YilmazSamantha BremnerMinji KimWenjun XuMohammed SabriWilson YuDiego AccorsiJoyce HuiBeatrice LauJulie Man Connie Sun

Editor-in-ChiefManaging Editor

Content Committee

Design Editors

Photography

DIRECTORS MESSAGE


It is a tremendous honour to be able to participate in the inaugural edition of the IMS Magazine. Up front, I would like to extend my congratulations to Natalie Venier and her editorial team for conceptualizing and bringing to fruition a new Journal which highlights the breadth and diversity of research in the IMS. I personally experience these unique aspects of the IMS when I meet monthly for breakfast with a dozen of our first year students. Together we share who we are, where we came from, why we are at the IMS and what our research projects are. Our students come to the IMS from around the world, attracted by our excellent faculty and by the opportunity to address research questions using methodologies ranging from fundamental science in cell systems to in vivo studies in experimental models of human disease to patient-oriented research using human subjects, administrative databases and qualitative research approaches. The common thread in this diverse range of approaches is the desire to better understand the human condition with the hope and expectation that this new knowledge will be applied to the prevention and treatment of disease. In the IMS, we have wholeheartedly embraced this translational approach to science through the development of new courses in our curriculum highlighting translational research, through our activities at the annual IMS Scientific Day and through our lecture series in our summer student program. The IMS Magazine will provide another medium through which translational research will be highlighted. You will learn more about our students and our faculty and how their work relates in some way to the goal of improving health and preventing disease. Hopefully, the vignettes will energize both our students and faculty to seek out potential collaborative interactions. Individuals from outside our department will begin to understand the excitement of research in the IMS and seek us out as a venue for graduate training. In closing, Id like to again recognize Natalie and her team for initiating this unique project and to take this opportunity to wish you the best for the holiday season and for a happy and healthy 2011.

Enjoy!

Ori D. Rotstein, MDDirector, Institute of Medical ScienceUniversity of Toronto

Ori D. Rotstein, MDDirector, IMS

Dr. Ori Rotstein has been the Director of the IMS since 2000. He is also the Surgeon-in-Chief of the Department of Surgery and Division of General Surgery at St. Michaels Hospital. In addition, he is a scientist in the Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michaels Hospital and a professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto.

DirectorsMessageDear colleagues:


FEATURE

STRENGTH

diversityBy Ori D. Rotstein, MD, Director, Institute of Medical Science

F

The IMS was established as an institute within the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) in 1968. At the time of its inception, its major purpose was to provide a graduate depart-ment in which clinical faculty at the University of Toronto who were engaged in research could serve as supervisors for clinical trainees desiring to pursue formal graduate train-ing at the University of Toronto.

in

ew would have predicted at the time that the IMS would grow and flourish to become one of the larg-est graduate units at the University of Toronto and

the largest in the Faculty of Medicine, with over 600 gradu-ate faculty members and over 450 graduate students. Part of this growth has been related to the addition of a number of non-clinician scientists to its faculty ranks. These individuals may be scientists, whose primary affiliation is with a clini-cal department in the university or alternatively, or they may have primary appointments in other graduate departments with cross appointment to the IMS for the purpose of hav-ing access to our students. The student numbers have also swelled due to the attraction of non-MD students to our graduate training streams. At present, more than half of IMS students are non-MD in background. The majority of these are individuals entering graduate training following comple-tion of their undergraduate degrees. However, other health care professionals, such as those in Nursing, Rehabilitation Science, Social Work and Speech-Language Pathology, of-ten seek research graduate training after completing their professional degrees. The Faculty of Nursing, the Faculty of Social Work, and the Department of Rehabilitation Science have their own graduate programs, but many of these health

care professionals continue to carry out doctoral studies in the IMS due to the broad range of graduate research training opportunities (e.g. bioethics, clinical and evaluative studies). From this description of our faculty and student body alone, one can appreciate the incredible diversity of the individuals participating in graduate training in the IMS.

Our diversity does not stop there, however. IMS students and faculty are widely dispersed throughout various sites affili-ated with the University of Toronto Health Science Network. This includes nine affiliated teaching hospitals, hospital-based research institutes, and University of Torontos Faculty of Medicine buildings on the university campus. Students at each of these sites carries out his/her daily research activi-ties locally, but attend central lectures and seminars as part of their coursework on the main university campus. Further, our students perform their work in a broad range of disci-plines across the health care spectrum. This is not surprising given the fact that our supervisors are derived from 12 clini-cal departments in the Faculty of Medicine. In addition, our faculty members have expertise across research methodolo-gies ranging from fundamental cellular and molecular biol-ogy (including animal modeling of disease) to physiological


FEATURE

diversity

IMS students and faculty are widely dispersed throughout various sites affiliated with the University of Toronto Health Science Network. This includes nine affiliated teaching hospitals, hospital-based research institutes, and University of Torontos Faculty of Medicine buildings on the university campus.

studies in man to clinical trials to population-based research activities. In a room of a dozen first year students, it would not be surprising to hear about research on cell signaling pathways in dendritic cells, to listen to studies of sleep physiology in man, and to hear about the investigation of outcome of trauma triage strategies using large databases.

With this diversity of diseases studied and method-ologies used, how do we rationalize the existence of a single graduate unit? After years of hand wringing as to how to address this issue, we have grown to appreciate that this is one of our units strengths. We have made translational research, i.e. the translation of biology into patient care, a priority of our depart-ment. Students are challenged to understand how

their fundamental research may lead to changes in patient care and, at the other end of the research spectrum, how basic biology and physiology influ-ence what questions we address in our clinical re-search. Students from all backgrounds participate in a translational research core course, providing opportunities to understand how diversity across the spectrum of research is a critical element of ad-vancing patient care. Our IMS Students Association brings our students together for social events and career development workshops. Our annual IMS Scientific Day features a plenary speaker who high-lights the bench-to-bedside and back approach to research. Research diversity is our strength. We should continue to take advantage of it as a means of improving patient outcome and healthcare delivery.

2

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Wal

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FEATURE

Professional Programs

MSc Biomedical Communications

The Master of Health Science degree in Bioethics (MHSc) is offered in collabo-ration with the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics and is directed towards practitioners who wish to increase their knowledge and skills in bioeth-ics by assisting them in their roles as clinician/teachers, as members of bioethics committees. It is a professional Masters degree program that does not require a thesis.

More information: http://www.jointcentreforbioethics.ca/education/mhsc.shtml

MHSc Bioethics

The Master of Science in Biomedical Communications (MScBMC), is a two-year professional Masters degree. Biomedical Communications is an interdisci-plinary profession that bridges the disciplines of art, science, medicine and communication. Theories of design and communication are combined with scientific knowledge gained from basic and clinical science courses to pro-duce visual material for use in the teaching of science, medicine and health promotion, and the formulation of hypotheses and research goals as part of the process of scientific discovery. Through the selection of appropriate con-tent and media, the analysis of target audience, and the evaluation of commu-nication instruments, the effectiveness of original visual communication material is further enhanced.

More information: http://www.bmc.med.utoronto.ca/

The Master of Health Science in Medical Radiation Sciences (MHScMRS) is designed specifically to develop the kind of advanced academic clinician who is in demand in contemporary radiation medicine practice. Graduates of the program will fill the cancer care systems need for advanced, expert, and aca-demic radiation therapists: a breed of professionals who continue to challenge the boundaries of practice, contribute to accelerating the pace of radiotherapy innovation and take clinical and academic endeavours to new levels.

More information: http://www.radonc.utoronto.ca/future-students/programs/mhsc-in-medical-radiation-sciences

MHSc Medical Radiation Science

2011 Joyce Hui


FEATURE

2010 IMS Enrolment Statistics

IMS MAGAZINE WINTER 2011 DIVERSITY |

32

504total number of students

Biomedical Communications

Radiation Sciences

Bioethics 026

MSc Direct Entry PhDPhD 112219Clinician Investigator Program

IMS Professional Programs58

52

221

240

30

MSc

PhD

Direct Entry PhD

MD/PhD 13

2011 Joyce Hui

rowing up in Chicago, Illinois, Paul Kelly had two passions: art and science. After high school, however,

he moved to Michigan to begin a degree in engineering. Two years into the program, he realized he wanted to fulfil his keen inter-est in science and human movement. Kelly moved back to his hometown to pursue a kinesiology degree at the University of Illi-nois, and while in his second year, attended a fascinating lecture about medical illustra-tion. Enthused and inspired, he enrolled in additional art classes to enhance his artistic skills and to better his portfolio. At the same time, he came across the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications (MScBMC) professional program at the University of To-ronto.

Kelly immediately knew he wanted to join the BMC program, offered through the IMS. One of only five accredited graduate pro-grams of its kind, and unique in Canada, Kelly found it extremely appealing. BMC encouraged pushing boundaries and for-ward thinking, unlike other programs which Interview by Natalie Venier

G only focused on improving established tech-niques, he notes. He liked BMCs emphasis on technology and was very impressed with the work of the programs previous students. Additionally, coming from the United States, Kelly saw a great opportunity to gain expo-sure to an alternative system of healthcare. I was very excited to be studying in the cultur-al diversity of Toronto, where meeting people from many different backgrounds could also teach me more about how to communicate to a wide variety of audiences, he states.

Currently in his second year of the program, Kelly has a clear passion for research. He is working on dynamic 3-D visualization of sport-related concussions. Using dynamic visuals, he shows what happens in the brain when an individual has a concussion. Kelly hopes his research will help change the un-derstanding and attitudes about concussions in contact sports. In a time when sport-relat-ed concussions are gaining awareness, Kellys research is quite important. Biomedical communication sets a mental template for the population it provides a framework for

medicine and science and a visual image to build information on, he explains. Through collaboration with his contact advisors Dr. Doug Richards, Dr. Anne Agur, and Nick Woolridge, who are essential to guiding him through his project and providing their sup-port and expert advice, Kelly has been pro-gressing well. He has also been in contact with such organizations as U of Ts BrainFit Lab, which is currently conducting several research studies into the effects of concus-sions on young athletes.

Kelly is clearly enjoying his experience at BMC, but he acknowledges that it is not easy. He confesses to putting in more than 60-70 hours of work in some weeks. When asked about his favourite experience at BMC thus far, though, Kelly hesitates. Thats a diffi-cult question. I would say it would have to be working together with so many talented people, as colleagues. You feed off of each others ideas. Its an incredible work environ-ment filled with energy, he replies.

Although he recommends the BMC program to students interested in medical illustra-tion, Kelly stresses that they should come prepared. He suggests starting early; taking art classes throughout undergraduate studies will help develop a really good portfolio and gain important skills for the program. Start-ing the program with confidence in your tools and art skills gives you the freedom to play around with layouts and perspective, says Kelly, but BMC places the strongest emphasis on a good scientific background in its potential students. Moving forward, Kel-ly is certain that he will continue to pursue biomedical research and medical illustrating after his MSc. He hopes to continue working on 3-D work in Toronto and aspires to one day work for IN VIVO or AXS.

Paul KellyDynamic Visualization Helps Understand Concussions

STREAM MSc Biomedical CommunicationsSUPERVISOR Nick Woolridge

The above illustrations were created by Kelly to depict the process that occurs when one undergoes a sports-related concussion.


SPOTLIGHT

tee, and she is looking forward to giving the incoming students a better opportunity to feel like they belong to a diverse but friendly community.

Malik has her eyes set on an academic career. Being very passionate about teaching, she as-pires to work in a university setting. For her PhD project, she is interested in conducting functional studies to link genetic variants to RNA and protein expression. Malik truly enjoys the research process and aims to con-tinue in the research field because it is very gratifying to see the results of your experi-ments and to know that they may make a dif-ference in peoples lives in the future.

ative to Mississauga, Ontario, Ayesha Malik completed her un-dergraduate studies at the Univer-

sity of Toronto Mississauga. She is currently a first year MSc student at the IMS, and her research focuses on the genetic variance of oxytocin and its association with childhood-onset aggression. Additionally, Malik will be responsible for recruiting psychiatrically normal child controls in order to compare them to aggressive children.

When asked about how she decided to focus her research on childhood aggression, Malik passionately states that she is very interested in behaviour and genetics. Psychiatric ge-netics is a very new and exciting research area, she says, adding that biology and ge-netics greatly contribute to the environment individuals choose for themselves, and ge-netic influences interact with environmental factors to further shape behaviour. Despite coming from a more biological background and having focused on the genetics of dro-sophila for her undergraduate thesis, Malik has always been interested in psychology. I took many psychology courses during my undergraduate studies, and I deliberately chose to move away from studying animal models as they are not always adequate to study the full range of behaviours that are displayed by humans, she says. She chose to do her MSc work with Dr. Beitchman because of his holistic approach to under-standing aggressive behaviour in children, which utilizes genetic methods as well as the study of traits and other psychological fac-tors.

Malik, who currently holds a NSERC CGS-M Masters Award and an IMS Entrance Scholarship, chose the IMS instead of other graduate departments because of the di-

Ayesha MalikDiscovering the Role of Genes in Aggressive Behaviour

Interview by Zeynep Yilmaz

N versity of research opportunities. The IMS is currently the best option for any student interested in psychiatric genetics; although other departments have comparable options, they are very specific and narrow in terms of research focus, she adds. When asked if she would recommend the IMS to others, she smiles and says without hesitation, Most definitely! Wherever I go, be it courses of-fered by the Graduate Professional Skills Pro-gram or any other campus activity, I see other students from the IMS. A current member-at-large of the Institute of Medical Science Students Association (IMSSA), Malik be-lieves that joining the student organization and attending its various events is a great way to meet new people. She is also a member of the IMSSAs new Frosh Activities Commit-

The Oxytocin GeneThe oxytocin gene encodes for the neurotransmitter oxytocin, which plays an important role in pair-bonding. Oxytocin also is a key player in social approach behaviours, and aggressive behaviours may be linked to low levels of oxytocin activity.For more information, see: Oxytocin: The Great Facilitator of Life

STREAM MSc SUPERVISOR Dr. Joseph Beitchman


SPOTLIGHT

Wojciech KosteleckiMaking Sense of the Brain

lished in Cognitive Neurodynamics as the second author. Most excitingly, however, he is currently completing a manuscript on the development of new methods for detecting causal relationships in neuro-imaging data, of which he will be the first author. Although the preparation of this paper has been a challenge it required describing complex mathematical methods and analysis he has found it incredibly rewarding.

Looking back at his experience, Kostelecki recommends the IMS to all potential gradu-ate students. Regardless of ones research in-terests, he believes that with the vast array of supervisors from which to choose, there is someone for everyone. He has found the administrative staff and his program advi-sory committee members to be very helpful throughout his graduate studies at the IMS, and encourages choosing individuals who are supportive and with whom it is easy to get along. Kostelecki is excited for what his future holds, and is looking forward to con-tinued success as a doctoral student.

ojciech Kostelecki has always had an avid interest in neurosci-ence. As an undergraduate stu-

dent studying at the University of Toronto, he joined Dr. Zhong-Ping Fengs Molecular Biology and Electrophysiology lab, where he was involved in numerous interesting exper-iments, including testing the effects of gene mutations on the biophysical properties of ion channels. A both positive and enriching experience, Kosteleckis time with Dr. Feng motivated and prepared him for a career in research.

In the summer of 2008, Kostelecki decided to join the IMS as a MSc candidate under the direction of Dr. Jose Luis Perez Velazquez. Naturally, with his strong background and fascination with neuroscience, Kostelecki found that Dr. Perez Velazquezs research seeking relationships between brain func-tion and behaviour suited him well, and he has since transferred to the PhD program. Kostelecki is currently working on devel-oping novel statistical methods for analyz-ing neuro-imaging data. Having conducted hands-on research as an undergraduate stu-dent, Kostelecki experienced a big transition

W upon entering graduate school, where his work thus far has been mostly analytical. This transition, however, has been both challeng-ing and rewarding, and it has enabled him to grow as a researcher. Furthermore, exposure to a different type of research has provided Kostelecki with the freedom and opportunity to be more creative intellectually, which has thus aided his research.

Kostelecki is quite accomplished and has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. In his first year in the IMS, he received funding from the Hospital for Sick Childrens ResTraComp program, which is intended to enable research fellows to pursue research fellowship training. In his second year, he received a NSERC Alexander Gra-ham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship. Cur-rently, he holds a second NSERC Postgradu-ate Scholarship. Additionally, as a result of his lab experience with Dr. Feng, he has co-authored publications in PLoS Genetics and the European Journal of Pharmacology. In both instances, Kostelecki assisted with the experiments and the data acquisition, and played an active role in the preparation of the manuscripts. Recently, Kostelecki pub- Interview by Anthony Grieco

STREAM PhDSUPERVISOR Dr. Jose Luis Perez Velazquez


SPOTLIGHT

Zahi ToumaNovel Disease Index Generates Hope forImproved Lupus Management

Ultimately, Touma intends to delve deeper into the field and develop another novel in-dex related to disease activity. His passion for improving the care received by his patients is the kind that drives innovative discovery with practical, clinical applications.

Further reading regarding the SRI-50:Touma Z, Gladman DD, Ibaez D and Urowitz MB. Development and Initial Validation of SLEDAI-2K (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000) Responder Index-50 (SRI-50). J Rheumatol July 12, 2010 (In press).http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21123323

Touma Z, Gladman DD, Mackinnon A, Urowitz MB. SLEDAI-2K Responder Index-50 (SRI-50) http://www.sri-50.com

espite being in the city for less than four years, Dr. Zahi Touma has helped uphold the University of

Torontos reputation of excellence in clini-cal research. For the first time in decades, Touma and colleagues have given hope to lupus sufferers regarding treatment develop-ment with their novel outcome measure of the diseases activity.

Following medical training at Kursk State Medical University in Russia, Touma com-pleted three years of internal medicine train-ing at the American University of Beirut in his home country of Lebanon. It was during a subsequent sub-specialty in rheumatology that he began to identify areas of lupus man-agement in need of improvement. Over the last two decades or so, we havent had any drugs approved by the FDA for lupus treat-ment, notes Touma. There are lots of trials going on, but [no drugs] have been approved yet. I looked at [the] studies and realized it may not actually be because of drug failure, but rather that we dont have appropriate measures to evaluate how disease activity is progressing.

Toumas research interests progressed when he was accepted as a rheumatologist by the Department of Internal Medicine in 2007. Six months later, he joined the Institute of Medical Science to embark upon his PhD project. I didnt come to the IMS directly, but I knew [I wanted] to investigate clini-cal epidemiology, and specifically, clinical outcome measures, he explains. Under the guidance of his supervisors, Touma has been able to develop a reliable index the SRI-50 with the ability to capture partial improve-ment in lupus disease activity, an achieve-ment that distinguishes it from pre-existing indices.

To validate the index, the research team continues to collect data for their prospec-tive study at the University of Toronto Lupus Clinic by applying the SRI-50 during clinic appointments. They are also investigating implementation strategies to assist physi-cians keen on incorporating the tool into

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their practices. Moreover, at least two drug trials have already adopted the SRI-50 as a secondary outcome measure, and several other drug companies have expressed inter-est in utilizing the index for future studies.

Touma attributes the rapidity of the SRI-50s initial success partly to the large patient cohort he is able to access through the U of T Lupus Clinic, one of the worlds biggest centres for specialized lupus care. He is also quick to recognize those who have supported his research along the way. My supervisors are great, and the lupus team is excellent. I also have to acknowledge the people who have been funding my stay here [the Lupus Ontario Geoff Carr Fellowship and the Uni-versity of Toronto Arthritis Centre of Excel-lence Fellowship]. I am extremely grateful.

Over the last two decades or so, we havent had any drugs approved by the FDA for lupus treatment.

Interview by Nina Bahl

STREAM PhD Clinician Investigator ProgramSUPERVISOR Dr. Murray B. Urowitz & Dr. Dafna D. Gladman


SPOTLIGHT

Ann MontgomeryImproving Maternal Healthcare Abroad

STREAM MScSUPERVISOR Dr. Prabhat Jha

t was a coincidence and a per-fect match! exclaims Ann Mont-gomery. She is referring to her jour-

ney to graduate school in the IMS, which she admits is like fitting a missing piece into a puzzle. Montgomerys academic path be-gan at the University of Ottawa, where she completed an Honours BSc in nutritional biochemistry. She later earned a BHSc in midwifery at Ryerson University and has worked as a midwife and preceptor for over a decade. Extremely interested in interna-tional health and global level epidemiology, Montgomery has spent significant time in Haiti and Nepal, volunteering as a techni-cal advisor to a non-profit organization that strives to improve maternal healthcare and midwifery training, and as a lecturer and neonatal resuscitation trainer.

While working in Nepal, Montgomery wit-nessed the death of a 16-year-old woman due to post-partum sepsis after giving birth to twins. She realized that mortality is multi-factorial and is heavily influenced by issues outside the healthcare system. As a result, in 2005, she pursued a MSc in epidemiol-ogy from the School of Hygiene and Tropi-cal Medicine at the University of London in the UK, concentrating on maternal morbid-ity in the Sub-Sahara in Africa. Around the time of her completion of her MSc degree, Montgomery was contacted by the Centre for Global Health Research, a group that is affiliated with St. Michaels Hospital and the University of Toronto, and whose mission is to conduct high-quality research that ad-vances global health. In collaboration with the Registrars General of India, a statistical firm, Montgomery was asked to shed light on the cause of maternal death during birth in India. She enrolled in the IMS in 2010, and is currently conducting this project for her thesis.

It is believed that in the absence of prena-tal care or a skilled birth attendant, moth-ers are at a higher risk of mortality during childbirth. In developed countries, where the major cause is hemorrhage, trained birth attendants can focus appropriately only on hemorrhage. In India, however, accord-ing to Montgomerys preliminary results, post-partum sepsis is the leading cause of childbirth-related mortality, despite the fact that it can be significantly reduced through the use of antibiotics. Another interesting

area that Montgomery is focusing on, and that is especially relevant to her, is the effect of the presence of a midwife on the number of maternal deaths. She is currently sorting through thousands of maternal death cases. Although she foresees mechanical glitches and analytical limitations, she is confident that they can be overcome. Upon comple-tion, her study will form the basis for future policy-making strategies pertaining to ma-ternal deaths in India.

As a mother of two kids, Montgomery is very busy and fully occupied all the time. She is the Vice-President of the College of Mid-wives of Ontario and the Chair of its Inqui-ries, Complaints and Reports Committee. She is also the author of two publications and a book chapter about the role of skilled birth attendants in maternal deaths. Mont-gomery is enjoying her life as a student and revels in the flexibility and balanced lifestyle it provides her. She is very grateful to her su-pervisor, Dr. Prabhat Jha, for his involvement

in her research and support for her future career development. As her journey goes on, Montgomery is looking forward, and hopes to continue to meet new and interesting peo-ple and make a difference in their lives.

Publications:Montgomery A. If Women Counted: The Role of Skilled Birth Attendants in Surveillance ofMaternal Deaths. In: Elit L, Chamberlain Froese J edi-tors. Womens Health in the MajorityWorld: Issues and Initiatives. New York: Nova Science Publishers; 2007; 35-48.

Montgomery AL, Goufodji S, Kanhonou L, Alihonou E, Azondekon A, Houngb J, Collin S,Filippi V. Validity and reliability of postpartum morbid-ity questionnaires in Benin. J Biosoc Sci,Submitted.

Montgomery AL, Morris SK, Kumar R, Jotkar R, Mony P, Jha P, Bassani DG. Capturing thecontext of matenral deaths from verbal autopsies: a reli-ability study of the maternal dataextraction tool (M-DET). Plos One, Submitted.

Interview by Wenjun Xu

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SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Karen DavisFACULTY VIEW

n the list of Dr. Karen Davis interests, cycling, hockey, music, film and travel rank highly. But of

all of her passions, researching the brain mechanisms underlying pain and analgesia tops the list. Now the Head of the Division of Brain, Imaging and Behaviour-Systems Neuroscience at the Toronto Western Re-search Institute, the IMS Associate Direc-tors journey started in high school, when she first realized her love for neuroscience.

From early on in her undergraduate stud-ies at the University of Toronto, Dr. Da-vis sought out research opportunities. She spent two summers researching pain with two world-renowned electro-physiologists. These experiences motivated her to com-plete her PhD as well as two post-doctoral fellowships, including one at Johns Hopkins University that proved to be a turning point in her training as a scientist. Being in a multi-disciplinary lab, Dr. Davis was exposed to clinical studies of nociception, interacted with chronic pain patients, and learned hu-man psychophysical techniques. This clini-cal exposure shaped her appreciation of the sensori-motor and cognitive problems expe-rienced by chronic pain patients, and taught her the importance of carefully considering these nuances in any laboratory study. Upon returning to Toronto, Dr. Davis engaged in more clinically-relevant and human-based studies of pain, and together with a neuro-radiologist at TWH, also began developing functional MRI. Shortly thereafter, she ob-tained a faculty position and set up her own research lab.

O Dr. Davis lab is currently interested in hu-man neuro-imaging and psychophysical studies of pain and attention. To facilitate these studies, she has developed numerous clinical collaborations and she has been very successful in attaining funding. As a result, Dr. Davis lab continues to produce ground-breaking work, with several neuro-imaging studies leading the field. For Dr. Davis, these new discoveries are the ultimate reward.

In addition to her research, Dr. Davis contri-butions to the IMS department and her scien-tific community are astounding. Beginning as a member of the admissions committee, she became a graduate coordinator in 2002, and in 2009 took on the role of IMS Associ-ate Director. Of note, she helped develop and publish the IMS Graduate Oath. Dr. Davis is also a member of numerous advisory boards and is the Section Editor for the journal Pain.

Dr. Davis understands what it takes to get started in her field. While having a short- and long-term research plan is crucial, she be-lieves it is equally important to keep an open mind to new directions and concepts to keep research fresh and relevant. She recommends young scientists familiarize themselves with existing pain literature as well as the poten-tial contribution of other systems to pain. For her final piece of advice, Dr. Davis reverts to her own experiences. It is very important for non-clinician scientists to spend some time with clinicians and patients, enabling them to better design their research questions and models, she stresses.

PhD

Interview by Avi Vandersluis


SPOTLIGHT

-Avi Vandersluis

Dr. Tom WaddellMSc, FRCSC, PhD, MD

The lung transplant surgeon sat down with us to dis-cuss his path, his research, and the future of his field.

AV: You are a well-established surgeon and se-nior scientist at Toronto General Hospital. How did you get to where you are today?TW: I attended medical school in Ottawa before doing my general surgery residency in Toronto. Afterwards, I joined the Surgeon Scientist Pro-gram at U of T where I earned a MSc in lung transplantation and a PhD in cell biology. I then completed general surgery, with a focus on thoracic surgery, and finally did a post-doc fel-lowship in London, England, before returning to Toronto.

AV: How did you get involved with the IMS?TW: My MSc and PhD were actually done with the IMS. When I decided that I wanted my own lab, the IMS was a natural home.

AV: What type of research is being conducted in your lab?TW: Were looking at alternative treatments for end-stage lung disease. I got involved in this field through my experience as a lung trans-plant surgeon. Currently, we are pursuing the potential of cell therapy for advanced patients. I think the future will be very improved with many more cell types to be isolated, expanded, and controlled.

AV: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?TW: Watching the evolution of young scientists from undergraduate students to true research-ers. Its important to remember that persistence is the most critical ingredient for success.

To find out about Dr. Waddells Clinical Insights for Non-Clinicians module, click here.

Q&A with...


SPOTLIGHT

in research, Nascimento notes. It is both re-warding and gratifying to see your work im-proving patient care.

orn and raised in Brazil, Dr. Bar-to Nascimento grew up a talented and promising soccer player. When his

soccer career was cut short, he decided to fol-low in the footsteps of his father and grandfa-ther and pursue a career in medicine. During his medical training and residency, he devel-oped a keen interest in trauma surgery and critical care medicine. In 2004, upon moving to Toronto, Nascimento began working at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre one of Canadas largest trauma centres where he has since completed a series of fellowships including Trauma Research, Critical Care Medicine, and Transfusion Medicine.

Passionately interested in research, in 2008, Nascimento chose to enrol in the Clinician Investigator Program at the IMS, where he is currently completing his MSc in clinical epidemiology while maintaining his clinical responsibilities as a member of Sunnybrooks Critical Care team. When asked why he de-cided to enrol in a graduate program, Nas-cimento emphasized that trauma and criti-cal care is a very competitive area. Having a Masters degree from the IMS a prestigious graduate program at the University of Toron-to enhances your knowledge and research skills, making you a very favourable candi-date in the field.

Nascimento is at the forefront of critical care and transfusion research, working to develop a clear understanding of how to best manage patients who present with trauma-induced coagulopathy a disorder in which blood fails to clot normally, resulting in heavy and prolonged bleeding after traumatic injury. Unfortunately, managing such patients is very difficult. Accordingly, in the early hours of trauma, coagulopathy and bleeding are the main causes of hospital death. A better un-derstanding of the underlying mechanisms of coagulopathy could help in the develop-ment of optimal management strategies for patients arriving in the emergency room.

Barto NascimentoChanging the Face of Trauma Management

Currently, as part of The Trauma: Formula-driven vs. Lab-guided Randomized Con-trolled Trial (TRFL Study), Nascimento and a team of colleagues are assessing the coagu-lation status of trauma patients predicted to need massive transfusions in hopes of gain-ing insight into the coagulopathy process in the early stages of bleeding. Using sophisti-cated tests, he measures an extensive panel of clotting factors and biological markers to determine the physiological responses to trauma and bleeding. In addition to manag-ing blood loss, Nascimento hopes to identify novel biomarkers released at the time of trau-ma to help identify patients with coagulopa-thy and ultimately improve their outcomes.

Nascimento is actively involved in the trau-ma field, both teaching and authoring mul-tiple peer-reviewed publications. He is also an organizing member of the Canadian Mas-sive Transfusion Consensus Conference, where he is involved in helping to establish guidelines for massive transfusion protocols in Canada. He hopes to continue to pursue research in the future, and feels that the Cli-nician Investigator Program has helped him build a solid research foundation upon which he can do so. It is flexible and practical for the clinician, who can still maintain some clinical practice while being heavily involved

Interview by Natalie Venier

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The Trauma: Formula-driven vs. Lab-guided Trial (TRFL Study)The TRFL Study is a random-ized controlled trial assessing the feasibility of adopting formula-driven blood transfusion protocols in a population of trauma patients. The aim of this study is to deter-mine whether using this protocol is practical and/or superior to current laboratory-guided transfusion prac-tices for treating and/or preventing early coagulopathy, and whether it will improve survival rates in mas-sively bleeding trauma patients.

For more information, click here.

STREAM MSc Clinician Investigator Program SUPERVISOR Dr. Sandro Rizoli

It is both rewarding and gratifying to see your work improving patient care.

coming to Toronto to complete a PhD in Medical Genetics at U of T. After briefly leav-ing academia to get involved in a biotechnol-ogy startup company, he returned to work as a Research Associate at Toronto General Research Institute. He quickly progressed to Associate Scientist and then to Affiliate Sci-entist before obtaining his own independent lab in 2005. In 2009, Dr. Wens lab was moved to St. Michaels Hospital, and it was there that his research has really flourished.

Although his research initially utilized mouse models, Dr. Wens focus shifted to zebrafish as it has emerged as a superior vertebrate model for genome-wide studies. Using cutting-edge functional genomics technologies trans-genesis, gene trapping, gene knockdown, and chemical genetic screening to name a few his lab concentrates on discovering novel drugs and on improving their understand-ing of organ and tissue development in order to delineate the mechanisms underlying nu-merous diseases. He has recently published a landmark paper with the zebrafish model, in which an anti-angiogenic chemical genetic screen for developing zebrafish embryos was employed to identify a small molecule target-ing cancer angiogenesis, the first such study of its kind.

As an associate member of the IMS, Dr. Wen is making the most of his opportunity to work alongside world leaders in translational research. With high-throughput, genome-wide, translational research believed to be the direction of the future, Dr. Wen hopes to continue to stay at the forefront of his fields. But at the end of the day, it all comes back to his motto. The most rewarding part of my job is that I get to indulge my research inter-ests every day and immerse myself in my love of science.

r. Xiao-Yan Wens motto is sim-ple: work hard, work smart and en-joy science. Abiding by these three

guidelines has given him much success and helped him in becoming the Founding Di-rector of the new Zebrafish Centre for Ad-vanced Drug Discovery, a fully automated robotic high-throughput zebrafish screening platform for which he is receiving funding

D from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to create. Dr. Wen is also an assistant professor of medicine at the University of To-ronto and a scientist at the Keenan Research Centre, part of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michaels Hospital.

Born and raised in China, Dr. Wen earned his MD at Jiangxi Medical College before

Preclinical Animal Models is an introductory module designed to teach students conducting human-subject research and non-animal basic science the most up-to-date technologies in the creation of animal models, manipulating them at the molecular, cellular and whole-body levels.The model systems covered in this module include mouse, rat, zebrafish and non-human primates. Because of the diversity of research disciplines at the IMS, this module will use a wide spectrum of disease models including early embryonic defects, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, infection and immunity, diabetes, organ injury, neurological disorders, psychiatry, learning and memory.

Module Directors

Module Coordinator

Preclinical Animal Models ModuleDr. Xiao-Yan WenDr. Katharina Foerster

Zeynep Yilmaz


MD, PhDDr. Xiao-Yan WenFACULTY VIEW


SPOTLIGHT


SPOTLIGHT

aron Kucyi is trying to soak it all in. The guitar-playing, music en-thusiast is in his first year of the MSc

program at the IMS, and is the newest addi-tion to Dr. Karen Davis neuro-imaging and pain laboratory at Toronto Western Hospital (TWH). Strongly attracted to the IMS focus on translational research, as well as the nu-merous opportunities to collaborate and in-teract with world-renowned researchers, he is still getting used to the immensity of the department. Appreciating how vast the IMS is and the fact that it is impossible to take ev-erything in all at once took some time, he notes, but Ive already learned so much in my short time here.

As a biology major at York University, Kucyi had been considering a career in medicine, pharmacy, or optometry. But after complet-ing his undergraduate thesis, in which he used fMRI to study an illusion known as the McCollough Effect, his passion for research and neuroscience flourished. Before joining the IMS, Kucyi spent a year traveling recre-ationally and honing his research skills in


A two different labs, work that resulted in three peer-reviewed publications and two recent poster presentations at the Society for Neu-roscience Annual Meeting in San Diego. It wasnt long before he decided to pursue re-search in graduate school, however, and the IMS seemed like the perfect fit. As the larg-est graduate department at the University of Toronto, the IMS offered me a unique oppor-tunity to explore my neuroscience interest with a team of top researchers in the field.

With his initial focus of completing his course requirements and performing an in-depth literature review well on its way, Kucyi is excited to explore the brain in a new light. The study of pain provides an insight into the mystery of conscious experience and is also clinically relevant, he enthuses. I love how pain research bridges the gap between basic science and clinical care. Aiming to

transfer to the PhD program in the future, Kucyi strives to impact the way people think about the brain and perception, and he hopes his work will have a positive influence on pa-tient care.

Being a first-year student in such a large department can be intimidating, but Kucyi has embraced opportunities to get involved in student affairs and meet new people. Be-tween his roles as the TWH Site Director for the IMS Students Association and as a mem-ber of the planning committee for TWH Re-search Institutes research day, he has found his niche here at the IMS. While his future goals include a career in research and aca-demia, he also has a special interest in the dissemination of research to the general pub-lic. Already the author of an online neurosci-ence blog, where he writes in lay terms about new research with the goal of branching out from the neuroscience community, Kucyi hopes to combine the experience he gains at the IMS with his love for the communication of science.

I love how pain research bridges the gap between basic science and clinical care.

Aaron KucyiOvercoming the Pain of First Year

STREAM MScSUPERVISOR Dr. Karen Davis

Click here to view some of Aaron`s most recentpublications.


SPOTLIGHT

Kitty ChanRadiating Care to Help Fight Cancer

treatment of pelvic cancer and to develop a process map for formulating an IG-HDR protocol.

Now in her second year of the program, Chan believes that she has developed invaluable skills that will help her deliver care beyond the scope of basic radiation science. By con-tinuing to work as a radiation therapist and to witness the loving bonds between cancer patients and their families, she is also able to gain a unique perspective that she would oth-erwise not experience as a researcher: seeing the positive impact of her research on patient outcomes.

For those interested in the MHScMRS pro-gram, Chan stresses the need for dedication and the ability to manage time. It is crucial, she says, to be able to balance ones duties as a radiation therapist and as a researcher. Chan adds that individuals considering the program should be comfortable interacting with patients on a daily basis, and be able to translate their research findings into clinical practice. Moreover, and most importantly, she believes that one must have a sense of empathy and compassion for cancer patients, and understand that patient care is of the ut-most importance.

hile obtaining her under-graduate degree in toxicology at the University of Toronto, Kitty

Chan participated in a basic science research lab under the direction of Dr. W. McIntyre Burnham. Recognizing that her personality was better suited for patient care, rather than hands-on basic research, prompted Chan to look into possible job opportunities at local hospitals, where she noticed that there was a shortage of radiation therapists. Therefore, upon graduation, Chan decided to enrol in the Radiation Therapy Degree and Advanced Diploma Program offered jointly by the Mi-chener Institute and the University of To-ronto.

After completing the program in 2005, Chan began working as a radiation therapist at Princess Margaret Hospital. She likes to think of her duties as being both high tech and high touch. Not only must she be able to operate multi-million dollar machinery with a high degree of skill, but she must also have a sense of compassion for her patients suf-fering. Personally touched by cancer in 2008 when she lost a friend to the disease, Chan experienced first-hand what is like to have

W a loved one undergo the courageous battle. Although they are scared and confused, she learned that patients are also full of hope. Ac-cordingly, rather than treating her patients as victims, she feels that it is best to truly care for them on a personal level.

Two years into her career as a radiation therapist, Chan applied for and was accepted into an internal research position, where she studied how to integrate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) into radiation therapy. From this experience, she realized that marrying research with patient care leads to improved outcomes for cancer patients. Therefore, when the Master of Health Science in Medi-cal Radiation Sciences (MHScMRS) profes-sional program became available through the IMS in 2009, with the goal of overlapping patient care with education, Chan jumped at the opportunity. Her research focuses on implementing image-guided, high-dose-rate (IG-HDR) brachytherapy a technique us-ing a relatively intense source of radiation to deliver a therapeutic dose through temporar-ily placed needles, catheters, or other applica-tors for pelvic cancer. She hopes to identify current HDR practices in Ontario for the Interview by Anthony Grieco

STREAM MHSc Medical Radiation ScienceSUPERVISOR Dr. Cynthia Mnard

r. Bini Toms recalls growing up in India as a happy child with very traditional and religious parents

who highly valued a good education. An established scientist, Toms was working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology, and as the Vice Principal, at T. John College in Bangalore, India, when she enrolled in the Master of Health Sci-ences (MHSc) in Bioethics professional pro-gram at the IMS as an international student. She has a background in agricultural sci-ences with a specialization in genetics and plant breeding. Aside from her teaching and advisory roles, Toms who has first-hand knowledge of the need for greater research accountability and bioethical education has dedicated herself to spreading bioeth-ics awareness to people, especially those in non-medical life sciences, more than half way across the world.

Toms first became interested in bioethics af-ter being nominated by her organization to attend a month-long training program orga-nized by Dr. Nandini K. Kumar and spon-sored by the National Institutes of Health

and the Indian Council of Medical Research. Although most of the trainees had back-grounds in medical sciences, she correlated the ethical issues discussed in the program to the agriculture and plant biotechnology fields. There is a close link between agri-culture and healthcare, so the related ethical issues are interwoven. [Accordingly], agri-medical researchers are contributing im-mensely to the advancement of medicine and global health. [Thus, they must] be provided appropriate ethical guidelinesand be ad-equately trained and educated about the fun-damental moral and ethical dilemmas posed by [these advancements], she notes.

Initially, Toms sometimes found it difficult to convince people that bioethics was integral to her discipline and to make the lessons from each class relevant. However, as a result of her interactions with experienced, enthusi-astic, and highly motivated faculty working in a variety of healthcare settings and with different educational backgrounds, the pro-gram has given her a broad perspective on the role of bioethicists and has allowed her to cultivate the necessary skills for executing

Bini TomsAdvancing Agricultural Sciences through Bioethical Education

STREAM MHSc BioethicsSUPERVISOR Dr. Ross Upshur

Interview by Natalie Venier & Avi Vandersluis

that role. The educational environment at the Joint Centre for Bioethics and at the IMS helped students clarify, refine, and develop their understandings of ethical issues and the responsibilities of ethicists in society, adds Toms.

Currently completing her remaining course requirements in India, Toms describes her experience as an international student as enriching. Having colleagues from differ-ent cultural, linguistic, religious, and pro-fessional backgrounds is an experience one can never have when living in ones own small world, she claims, adding that while plunging into a full-time study program in a foreign country might seem challenging and difficult, if you are determined, sincere in your work and optimistic, you are sure to succeed.

Toms is incredibly grateful for her tremen-dous academic success which includes both a Masters degree and a Doctorate degree prior to joining the IMS. I attribute [it] all to the blessings of my parents and the love and support of my husband, [all of whom] have been instrumental in all my achieve-ments. I am thankful to God for all the great people in my life. As she works towards the completion of the MHSc program, she as-pires to establish guidelines for agri-medical research in India and to integrate bioethical education into the academic curriculum for agricultural students who also contribute to health care in their capacities as researchers. Through her efforts, she hopes to continue to play a role in the advancement of the fields of agricultural sciences, plant biotechnology and clinical research.

Having colleagues from different cul-tural, linguistic, religious, and profes-sional backgrounds is an experience one can never have when living in ones own small world.

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SPOTLIGHT

Peter PapageorgiouConnecting the Dots: The Role of beta-FXIIa in Hypertension and Chronic Renal Failure

renal failure. His hard work has culminated in numerous conference presentations and multiple awards, including being named a Research Fellow of the International Society of Hypertension and winning an educational award from Hypertension Canada. Papa-georgiou has also received funding from the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Oliver Studentship for Research on Kidney and Kidney-related Diseases, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Currently, Papageorgiou is working on a manuscript for the Journal of Clinical Investigation, where he aims to publish his PhD research.

When asked what he likes to do during his spare time, Papageorgiou smiles. PhD students have no spare time, he says. Ulti-mately, however, he is pleased with his ex-periences as a graduate student. I am very grateful for the opportunities that I have had as the IMS helped me bridge my work from basic to translational research. Truly driven by passion, Papageorgiou hopes to continue pursuing research in the future in hopes of elucidating the complex biological systems of hypertension.

eter Papageorgiou was born in Toronto, but its only been a few years since he became familiar with the city

again. He lived in Greece until high school, where he received the International Bacca-laureate diploma. Afterwards, he moved to the United Kingdom for his undergraduate studies, and was exposed to the scientific method in a research course during his final year as a student in the Faculty of Science. With his piqued interest in research, he went on to study the role of gastrin in digestion using transgenic animals. It was the com-plexity of biological systems and his experi-ences working with radioactive isotopes that truly got him hooked on research.

Upon completing his undergraduate degree, Papageorgiou moved back to Toronto to pursue his love of science in a Masters pro-gram. Along with Dr. Daniel Osmond in the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto, he discovered a molecule that plays a key role in hypertension. Further re-search revealed that this protein was in fact the beta-fragment of activated coagulation factor XII (beta-FXIIa). Moreover, Papa-georgiou found that injection of beta-FXIIa increased blood pressure and released plas-ma catecholamines, thereby establishing a

physiological connection between the coagu-lation and sympatho-adrenal systems.

Hoping to delve further into the relationship between these two systems, Papageorgiou chose to pursue the project further with Dr. John Floras at the IMS. His motivation for joining the PhD program at the IMS was solely driven by his fondness for the work. With the goal of applying his in vitro work to animals and humans, the IMS focus on translational research was a perfect match. At the IMS, he was also able to easily form collaborations with experts from cardiology, hematology, nephrology and physiology.

Now preparing for his final defense, Papa-georgiou reflects that his PhD learning ex-perience has been amazing. In a longitudinal cohort study involving hemodialysis patients and in an interventional study using an ani-mal model of chronic renal failure, he was able to demonstrate the participation of beta-FXIIa in blood pressure regulation in chronic Interview by Minji Kim

P

I am very grateful for the opportuni-ties that I have had as the IMS helped me bridge my work from basic to translational research.

STREAM PhD SUPERVISOR Dr. John S. Floras


SPOTLIGHT


CLOSE UP

CANCER`S n over 20 years as a clinician-scien-tist, Dr. Fei-Fei Liu has made quite a mark on the field of cancer research. The author

of a multitude of publications and the recipient of numerous prestigious grants and awards, her continued success is remarkable. Not only was she the Head of the Division of Applied Molec-ular Oncology at the Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI) from 2005-2010, and a radiation on-cologist at Princess Margaret Hospital, but she also serves as an ad hoc reviewer for many sci-entific journals. Recently, she took some time out of her extremely busy schedule to answer our questions and to give us an inside look into both her professional and personal life.

I

By Avi Vandersluis

MysteriesUnravelling

With the future in her sights, Dr. Fei-Fei Liu reflects on her journey so far


CLOSE UP

important tumour molecular profiles and the various omic information, which together can indeed predict outcome. At the same time, the same information needs to be de-rived from the germline or host DNA data.

Q What do you find most rewarding about your job?

A Trying to unravel all of this information. When we succeed and get some hints that we might have uncovered an important pathway, its like Christmas! I also take great pleasure in seeing a graduate student mature over his or her four to five years in our lab from a shy young woman or man to a confident young adult and scientist. Watching them grow up, and catching up with them in the years fol-lowing, is extremely rewarding.

Q Tell us something you would like people to know about you that they do not already know.

A I have a few hobbies. I love reading great mystery novels and I love music. I play the piano and I sing, both poorly and completely off-key. I love traveling with my family. My husband Richard and our two boys Derek and Trevor recently took a family trip to Af-rica. We witnessed how youths in Kliptown, South Africa with no running water or electricity were self-motivated in develop-ing a tutoring centre, and succeeded in send-ing young students from their town to uni-versity. It was my first time ever going. It was totally inspiring!

Q What advice would you give to some-one starting off in your field? A Have passion and conviction that your work is important. There is a fine line be-tween perseverance and obstinacy. Work hard. Recognize opportunities and grab them. Find good mentors who will guide you in your career. And lastly, as the song goes, Dont Stop Believin.

Q Combining medicine with research is a lot more common nowadays than it was in the past. How did you go about becoming a clinician-scientist?

A After two years of undergrad at U of T, I went on to complete medical school in 1980. I then sub-specialized in both internal medi-cine and radiation oncology one could do that in those days which I finished in 1983 and 1986, respectively. I spent 1987 doing a one year fellowship in hyperthermia at Stan-ford that was where I became hooked on lab research before returning to Toronto in 1988 and starting my faculty position within the OCI at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Q As a new faculty member, was it diffi-cult to balance your clinical work with your research?

A In those days, there was no clinician-scientist model, so during the weekdays, I spent 100% of my time seeing patients. I did my research during evenings and weekends. As the years went by, and as I continued to publish and obtain peer-reviewed funding, my clinical load gradually reduced to its cur-rent proportion of 20%.

Q Can you tell us a little bit about your research focuses?

A My research career has had three lives. Our first area of interest was hyperthermia. It had great biology, but it was technically limited, so its broad application to human patients was not feasible. We then moved on to viral gene therapy, but unfortunately, it suffered from the same challenges as hyper-thermia. We now focus on several different domains. The first is micro-RNA profiling for human tumours, due to the broad availability of clinically-annotated formalin-fixed cancer tissues from which such global profilings are possible. From completing such experiments, we are now starting to unravel biological in-sights into clinically-relevant human cancer pathways, which will potentially lead to the discovery of novel markers that can predict outcome. In addition, we are also evaluating novel molecular therapeutics.

Q What would you consider your most significant research accomplishment?

A I consider two of our findings to be quite impactful. The first is the observation of human papilloma virus (HPV) in patients with tonsillar or oropharyngeal carcinomas (OPCs). Last year, we published a paper doc-umenting that approximately 60% of patients diagnosed with OPC in a recent era (2003-2006) harboured the HPV genome in their tumours. Most peculiarly, these patients have a much superior outcome than OPC patients who do not have HPV-associated malignan-cies: a three-year overall survival of 85% vs. 65%. This significant difference is universally observed. The mechanisms underlying this superior outcome have not yet been elucidat-ed, and are being actively pursued by our lab.

We are also quite excited about the discovery of a novel radio-sensitizing target, which is an enzyme in the heme-biosynthesis path-way. This discovery was made by Emma Ito, one of my PhD grad students, through the conduct of a siRNA robotics screen. We are now in the throes of trying to develop a small molecule inhibitor targeting this enzyme.

Q What do you think is the future of re-search in your field?

A I think cancer care will be transformed. I believe that in the future, patients will come into our clinics carrying a USB key contain-ing not only their clinical medical records, but also their germline DNA and tumouromic (i.e. genomic, proteomic, etc.) infor-mation. Part of the clinical evaluation of our future cancer patients will be plugging their omic information into an algorithm, which will then define the optimal treatment plan based on the intrinsic sensitivities of their tu-mours to different treatment modalities, and balanced by the tolerance of their normal tis-sues to the same regimens. During treatment, biomarker tests and imaging modalities will be conducted to allow for real-time biologi-cal and technological adaptations, depending on the tumours response.

To achieve this vision for the future of per-sonalized cancer medicine, a lot of work re-mains to be done. We need to understand the


RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

childhood aggressionhildhood-onset, aggressive an-tisocial behaviour reflects signifi-cant psychological and behavioural

problems. Aggressive behaviour is associated with damaging effects on the individual, his or her family, and society as a whole. Persis-tent, pervasive aggression is associated with peer rejection, academic failure, risk-taking behaviour, delinquency and substance abuse. In adulthood, these individuals frequently have poor mental health and impaired psy-chosocial functioning. Furthermore, their parenting styles tend to be harsh, aggres-sive, and neglectful, which plays a role in the transmission of aggression across genera-tions. Not surprisingly, aggressive behaviour is one of the most common reasons children and adolescents are referred to mental health clinics.

C The etiology of childhood aggressive anti-social behaviour is poorly understood, but environmental factorssuch as childhood maltreatmentare a substantial risk factor. Nevertheless, not all children who experi-ence maltreatment become delinquent or adult criminals. The reason for this variability is largely unknown, but it is probable that the vulnerability to aggressive antisocial behav-iour is at least partly dependent upon genetic susceptibility. Indeed, there is considerable evidence that aggressive antisocial behaviour is heritable and that certain genes may pre-dispose individuals to develop aggressive an-tisocial behaviour or, contrariwise, to protect against its development.

Existing research has identified certain neu-rotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine

and the enzyme monoamine oxidase A, as important factors in the development and manifestation of aggressive behaviour. Ex-tending these observations to the underly-ing genotype, our group has identified genes including the serotonin transporter and re-ceptor, dopamine DRD2, brain-derived neu-rotrophic factor and monoamine oxidase A as being important vulnerability factors in childhood aggression. It is important to note that genes may only predispose a child to the development of aggression. However, wheth-er aggressive antisocial behaviour actually develops and reaches clinical significance is dependent on the interaction between genes and environment. Because aggressive antisocial behaviour is heterogeneous, there have been many at-

by Dr. Joseph Beitchman

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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

childhood aggression

Preliminary research in our lab has already identified OXT markers to be significantly correlated with callous-unemotional charac-teristics in aggressive children.

In conclusion, we believe that polymor-phisms of genes related to the OXT-AVP system will give more insight into possible causes of persistent, pervasive aggression in children. Such knowledge will give rise to a better understanding of the genetic basis of childhood aggression and may ultimately lead to new medications and forms of treat-ment.

Reference:Winslow, J. T., Hastings, N., Carter, C. S., Harbaugh, C. R., & Insel, T. R. (1993). A role for central vasopressin in pair bonding in monogamous prairie voles. Nature, 365(6446), 545-548.

Relevant publications by Dr. Beitchman:Beitchman, J. H., Mik, H. M., Ehtesham, S., Douglas, L., & Kennedy, J. L. (2004). MAOA and persistent, perva-sive childhood aggression. Molecular Psychiatry, 9(6), 546-547.

Beitchman, J., Baldassarra, L., Mik, H., De Luca, V., King, N., Bender, D., Ehtesham, S., & Kennedy, J. (2006). Serotonin transporter polymorphisms and persistent, pervasive childhood aggression. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(6), 1103-1105.

Beitchman, J., Davidge, K., Kennedy, J., Atkinson, L., Lee, V., Shapiro, S., & Douglas, L. (2003). The serotonin transporter gene in aggressive children with and without ADHD and nonaggressive matched controls. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1008, 248-251.

Davidge, K., Atkinson, L., Douglas, L., Lee, V., Shapiro, S., Kennedy, J. & Beitchman, J. (2004). Association of the serotonin transporter and 5HT1Dbeta receptor genes with extreme, persistent and pervasive aggressive behav-iour in children. Psychiatric Genetics, 14(3), 143-146.

Guerin, A., Beitchman, J., Strauss, J., & Kennedy, J. (2007). Association study of the brain-derived neuro-trophic factor gene and childhood aggression. Psychiat-ric Genetics, 17(1), 7-8.

Mik, H., Ehtesham, S., Baldassarra, L., De Luca, V., Davidge, K., Bender, D., Tharmalingam, S., Kennedy, J. & Beitchman, J. (2007). Serotonin system genes and childhood-onset aggression. Psychiatric Genetics, 17(1), 11-11.

Dr. Joseph Beitchman is the Clinical Director of the Child, Youth and Family Program in the Clinical Re-search Department of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. He is a professor and the Head of the Division of Child Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

For more information, visit:http://www.camh.net/research/scientific_Staff_profiles/bio_detail.php?cuserID=40

tempts to identify more homogeneous sub-groups of aggressive behaviour. Recent evi-dence has pointed to a callous-unemotional behavioural subtype, which is thought to be a forerunner to psychopathic behaviour. In-dividuals who are callous and unemotional are likely to have interpersonal difficulties with trust, attachment, and recognizing and interpreting emotional cues. There is also evidence that callous-unemotional traits are heritable and, consequently, our lab has been exploring possible genetic factors.

There is an emerging literature on the role of oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP) in human social behaviour, stimulated by the groundbreaking study by Winslow et al. (1993), which identified OXT and AVP to be central mediators in monogamy and selec-tive aggression in Prairie voles. The OXT-AVP system has been studied for its effects on complex social behaviours and aggres-sion-related disorders. Animal studies have shown that traits such as attachment and pair-bonding are associated with OXT, while AVP is associated with maternal and territo-rial aggression.

The structures of OXT and AVP are very similar. Both are located on chromosome 20, but are oriented in opposite transcrip-tional directions in mammals. The receptors are widely distributed throughout the brain, perhaps accounting for their manifold and diverse effects.

In humans, OXT has been associated with empathy-mediated generosity. It is thought to function as an anxiolytic hormone as it decreases the release of stress hormones, aided in part by its action at the OXT recep-tor in the amygdala. OXT administration has been shown to reduce amygdalar activity in response to fear-inducing visual stimuli and anxiety levels appear to be linked to aggres-sion in several animal models. In humans, OXT may act to decrease anxiety by increas-ing recognition and feelings of affiliation. Also, lower OXT levels in cerebrospinal fluid have been associated with increased ag-gression. AVP, on the other hand, has been shown to enhance cognition for sexual stim-uli in human males and increased AVP levels in cerebrospinal fluid have been associated with increased aggression.

Given these putative important social effects

of the OXT-AVP system, perturbations in this neuro-humoral system may be expected to interfere with social behaviour. Investi-gators have speculated that the OXT-AVP system may contribute to such disorders as Autism and Schizophrenia, and more re-cently callous-unemotional traits. Callous-unemotional traits reflect deficits in social behaviour, such that empathy or the ability to recognize emotional cues in the faces of others may be compromised. Investigations of the genes and receptors of the OXT-AVP system may offer clues to understanding the etiology and biological underpinnings of cal-lous-unemotional aggressive behaviour. Aforementioned evidence suggests the OXT-AVP system may be a principal mediator in human behaviour, and may contribute to the development and manifestation of callous-unemotional aggressive behaviour. It is likely that multiple genetic variants of modest ef-fect may be associated with aggressive anti-social behaviour. That is, genes from multiple systems, such as the neurotransmitters sero-tonin and dopamine and the neuro-humoral OXT-AVP system, among others, all contrib-ute in varying ways to aggressive antisocial behaviour. For this reason, research in our lab on the genetics of childhood aggression has recently expanded its focus to the neuro-humoral OXT-AVP system.

Specifically, we will be studying genetic markers associated with the OXT-AVP sys-tem that could help explain aggressive anti-social behaviour in children and adolescents. Pho

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While it is not well known what causes childhood aggressive antis

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