Department of Medicine 2025 Annual Celebration Awards
Tonight is about celebration. It’s about recognizing excellence in teaching, innovation, research, and the well-earned promotions of our colleagues.
It’s about stepping back from the everyday grind to see the bigger picture, and the ripple effect we’re having not just within the Department, but across the university, the province, and far beyond.
- Dr. Narmin Kassam, Chair, Department of Medicine
Education and Career Development Awards | Faculty Research Awards | Me2 Majumdar Research and QI Day Awards | Leaving a Leadership Role | Retirements | J. Charles Morrison Award | Teaching Awards | Academic Promotions | Clinical Promotions
EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
Thomas J. Marrie Mentorship Award
Cooperation, Collaboration and Teamwork Award
This award celebrates a faculty member who has demonstrated a sustained and meaningful commitment to the growth and development of others, not just through formal mentorship roles, but in all the quiet, consistent ways that shape careers and build confidence.
Dr. Janis Miyasaki is known for her investment in the success of others. Whether she’s providing thoughtful feedback on a grant, helping a junior faculty member navigate career crossroads, or simply checking in with a student after a tough rotation, her approach is deeply personal and impactful.
She sees potential where others may not and then actively works to bring that potential forward. Dr. Miyasaki has mentored individuals who have gone on to lead in education, research, administration, and across neurology subspecialties. And she doesn’t just mentor...she sponsors, she advocates, and she creates space for others to thrive.
Dr. Miyasaki is also a powerful role model, not only for her clinical, academic and leadership excellence, but for the way she lives out values of balance, well-being, equity and inclusion. Her voice, particularly in support of underrepresented groups in medicine, is a strong and steady one.
The 2024–2025 Department of Medicine Cooperation, Collaboration, and Teamwork Award is an award that shines a spotlight on those who exemplify what it means to work together in the truest sense of the word.
This award recognizes groups who create environments where collaboration, respect, and shared purpose don’t just happen, they thrive.
These teams set the bar for how we teach, research, and deliver care. And tonight’s recipients have done all of that, and more.
The Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Clinical and Patient Pathway Team, part of the Provincial Pathway Unit at AHS, brought a bold and compassionate vision that’s already improving care across Alberta and making waves far beyond our province.
Led by Dr. Mahua Ghosh (Associate Professor, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism), this team designed two evidence-based care pathways: one for patients and one for primary care providers.
Built on the 2023 International PCOS Guidelines, these tools were thoughtfully adapted to reflect Alberta’s local needs and realities.
Top row: Dr. Donna Vine, Ms. Julie Robison, Dr. Beate Sydora, Dr. Caroline LeJour
Middle row: Ms. Sarah Chambers, Ms. Maria Kupreeva, Dr. Mahua Ghosh, Dr. Tarek Motan, Dr. Laurie Mereu
Bottom row: Ms. Paula de Gannes-Beckles, Ms. Lydia Sadiq, Dr. Aderonke Achi, Ms. Maggie McPherson
Missing: Dr. Julia Carter, Dr. Bettina Lott
What stood out to the adjudication committee was the way this work was done inclusively, respectfully, and with patients at the centre.
Patient partners weren’t just consulted, they were collaborators.
The result? Improved diagnosis, management, and referral practices for PCOS, a complex, often misunderstood condition that affects individuals throughout their lives.
These pathways are already having a positive impact: improving clinical care, informing primary care, and empowering patients.
This work is a masterclass in what can happen when smart, compassionate people come together with a shared purpose.
Paul W. Armstrong Excellence in Research Award
This award honours an individual whose work showcases exemplary achievements, including a high degree of expertise, perseverance and dedication. It is with great respect that we acknowledge this individual’s remarkable contributions to the field.
Dr. Aminu Bello has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in kidney care, both globally and nationally. Through his work leading the Global Kidney Health Atlas, he has played a pivotal role in shaping kidney care policies across 164 countries. His research continues to influence kidney care practices worldwide, showcasing his global impact.
On the national stage, Dr. Bello’s development of Canada’s first national CKD surveillance system and the eConsult system have transformed kidney care delivery in Canada, improving access and care for patients across the country.
His achievements have been recognized through prestigious awards and fellowships, cementing his position as a leader in nephrology. With over 260 publications and an unwavering commitment to research excellence, Dr. Bello’s contributions have set a new standard for the field.
Basic Science Publication
Award
This award recognizes outstanding publication in a top-ranked journal, with the work having been completed at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø and the recipient serving as Principal Investigator.
Dr. Joel Dacks's research, , exemplifies excellence in scientific research and collaboration.
This research investigates the Biogenesis of Lysosomal-related Organelle Complexes (BLOCs), which are involved in essential human cell functions such as clotting, pigmentation, and immune defence. The team’s bioinformatic analysis uncovered the presence of BLOC components in diverse eukaryotes, including pathogens of medical relevance.
What makes this paper so impactful is its use of structural modelling and sensitive homology searching to link BLOCs with other membrane-trafficking machinery. This work enhances our understanding of cellular evolution, offering new hypotheses that can drive future clinical and translational studies.
Translational Research
Award
The Translational Research Award honours excellence in applied clinical research in areas such as population or clinical epidemiology, health outcomes, health services research, randomized controlled trials, and the development of innovative products or processes.
This year’s award recognizes Dr. Troy Harkness, Professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine, for his outstanding contributions to applied clinical scientific research.
Dr. Harkness is internationally recognized for his pioneering work on aging and cancer therapeutics.
His research utilizes novel yeast models to explore the mechanisms of aging and cancer chemoresistance, leading to significant discoveries with important clinical implications.
Dr. Harkness’ research spans discovery and clinical applications, with an emphasis on aging and cancer therapeutics.
His work is supported by extensive national funding and continues to influence both basic and clinical research.
Clinical Investigation Publication Award
This award recognizes outstanding clinical investigation research that contributes to advancing patient care and health outcomes.
Dr. Sofia Ahmed is being honoured for the pioneering work of her multidisciplinary team of experts on "." This publication, featured in Kidney International in October 2024, addresses a critical knowledge gap in nephrology and gender health.
This work has not only contributed to a highly respected journal but also garnered global attention, including interviews with The Guardian and an invitation to contribute to a U.S. National Academies of Sciences study on sex and gender identification.
Best Basic Science Research Oral Presentation
Title: Nanotubes mediated mitochondria transfer from normal to cancer cells promotes Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition (MET) required for metastasis in cancer.
Authors: Kléouforo-Paul Dembele, Alois Haromy, Yuan-Yuan Zhao, Jiyuan Piao, Yongsheng Liu, Gopinath Sutendra, Evangelos Michelakis
Best Clinical Quality Improvement Oral Presentation
Title: Improving Rifaximin Utilization with a Best Practice Advisory in Connect Care: Initial Findings
Authors: Samina Khan, Vince DiNinno, Mayur Brahmania, Puneeta Tandon
Best Basic Science Research Poster Presentation
Title:
Authors: Yongneng Zhang, Alois Haromy, Yongsheng Liu, Yuanyuan Zhao, Gopinath Sutendra, Evangelos Michelakis
Best Clinical Research Poster Presentation
Title:
Authors: Alisha Rullay, Karina Kaur, Jonathan Liu, Zachary Guenther, Alim Hirji, Rhea Varughese, Dale Lien, Justin Weinkauf, Laura van den Bosch, Jayan Nagendran, Ann Crockett, Jason Weatherald, Gavin Low, Kieran Halloran
Best Clinical Research Oral Presentation
Title: Altered upper airway alarmin cytokine expression in response to biologic treatment in severe asthma
Authors: Hazel Marriott, Marc Duchesne, Isobel Okoye, Jalal Moolji, Adil Adatia, Paige Lacy
Best Clinical QI Poster Presentation
Title:
Authors: Mark Grasdal, Pamela Mathura, Sandra Marini, Mohua Podder, Narmin Kassam
Paul Man Award
This award was named in honour of Dr. Paul Man, Division Director of Pulmonary Medicine from 1986 to 2001, for his exceptional contribution to translational research.
Translational research brings scientific discoveries to life by turning them into practical applications. It accelerates the development of therapies, diagnostics, and preventive measures, improving health-care outcomes and benefiting communities.
Translational research includes work that contains elements or components of bi-directional clinical or basic science research. It includes research that take basic science discoveries toward improved clinical care and research on the translation of improvements in clinical medicine to changes in health-care delivery.
Abstract: Evaluation of a Medical and Rehabilitation Program for Individuals with Long COVID: Patient Experience, Health Outcomes, and System Impact
Authors: Azita Zahiriharsini, Caitlin Hurd, Kiran Pohar Manhas, Mahnoush Rostami, Fatemeh Vakilian, Gurpreet Brar, Ting Wang, Thomas Mullie, Suzanne Basiuk, Balraj Mann, Colin Del Castilho, Chester Ho
Ballermann Translational Research Fellowship Award
This is the Department of Medicine’s most prestigious award, given to a trainee who has published an influential high-impact paper in a translational research journal.
This award was initiated over 10 years ago by our previous chair, Dr. Barbara Ballermann, and continues with the support of Dr. Kassam, both of whom believe in the importance of encouraging and supporting translational research.
Many of the publications recognized are in high-impact factor journals within their field, and this is a remarkable achievement for our trainees.
Title:
Authors: Maria Areli Lorenzana-Carrillo, Saymon Tejay, Joseph Nanoa, Guocheng Huang, Yongsheng Liu, Alois Haromy, Yuan Yuan Zhao, Michelle Mendiola Pla, Dawn E. Bowles, Adam Kinnaird, Evangelos Michelakis, Gopinath Sutendra
