News & Events
Archived News
Temporary Stoppage
N. B. There will be no further updates to the Oncology Department’s website until January 2012. We regret this inconvenience.
Palliative Care McGill Research News
The Fall 2011 issue of “Palliative Care McGill Research News” is now available on the Palliative Care McGill page.
Kudos
Heart felt congratulations to Balfour Mount
who will receive the 2011 Canadian Medical Association's (CMA) Medal of Service at
the Canadian Medical Association's Annual Meeting.
The news release can be found here:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2011/16/c4061.html
Kudos
Congratulations to Michael Witcher
who was recently notified that his CFI proposal in the 2011 CFI LOF competition has been fully funded.
Goings & Comings
Goings
 |
Sara-Marcil Johnson, August, 2011 Administrative & Student Affairs Coordinator, Palliative Care
|
Nathalie Slavtcheva, July 2011 Research Nurse, Cancer Epidemiology |
Comings
 |
Vanessa Dumeaux, August, 2011 Assistant Professor, Basic Cancer Research |
Hope Makena, August, 2011 Administrative & Student Affairs Coordinator, Palliative Care |
| Edson D. Moreira Jr., August, 2011 Visiting Professor, Cancer Epidemiology
|
Deborah Ummel, August, 2011 Research Assistant, Palliative Care |
|
| Nathaniel Bougamin, July, 2011 Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology |
Scott Owen, July, 2011 Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology |
Kudos
 |
Congratulations to Carolyn Freeman who has been elected President of the International Paediatric Radiation Oncology Society for 2011-2014. |
Comings
|
Comings |
Annie Carbonneau, July, 2011 Faculty Lecturer, Radiation Oncology Nathalie Johnson, July, 2011 Assistant Member, Basic Science Research Beatrice Wang, July, 2011 Assistant Professor, Basic Science Research |
Kudos
Congratulations to Louis Souhami
who has been selected as a 2011 ASTRO Fellow (FASTRO) inductee. This distinguished honour is conferred in recognition of his leadership and significant service to ASTRO and his contributions to the field of radiation oncology.
"Whole Person Care A New Paradigm for the 21st Century"
Tom A. Hutchinson (Ed.)
 |
Congratulations to Tom Hutchinson on the recent publication of Whole Person Care A New Paradigm for the 21st Century. "This work is a ground-breaking volume and the first of its kind to concisely outline and explicate the emerging field of Whole Person Care by organizing the disparate strains of literature on the topic." http://www.springer.com/medicine/family/book/978-14419-9439-4 |
Carmen Loiselle Appointed as Christine and Herschel Victor/Hope & Cope Chair in Psychosocial Oncology
A
special celebration honouring Dr. Carmen Loiselle as the inaugural
Christine and Herschel Victor/Hope & Cope Chair in Psychosocial
Oncology was held June 14th at the Faculty of Medicine Deanery.
Click here for photos.
Comings
|
Comings |
Jean Archambault, June, 2011 Adjunct Professor, Radiation Oncology |
Annual Family BBQ
|
The sun was shining, the food was delicious
and the company and
conversation |
All
members of the Department of Oncology and their families are cordially
invited to the Annual Family BBQ.
RSVP: Naomi Scobie,
naomi.scobie@mcgill.ca; 514-398-2264
Promotions
Mark Basik has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with Tenure in the Departments of Oncology and Surgery.
Announcement
Dr. Thierry Alcindor has been appointed Director of the joint "McGill /Université de Montréal Visiting Speakers Program in Oncology" and will be responsible for coordinating with colleagues at both institutions. Administrative support will be provided by Winie Celestin. Link to VSPO
Goings
|
Goings |
Marc Tischkowitz, June, 2011 Associate Professor, Human Genetics |
Promotions
Lucy Gilbert has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor in the Department of Oncology.
Comings
|
Comings |
Jamil Asselah, April, 2011 Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology Marie Vanhuyse, April, 2011 Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology |
"Thérapeutique du cancer"
Coauteurs: Robert Turcotte, Thierry Alcindor et David Roberge
|
Plus de soixante spécialistes francophones ont contribué à cette seconde édition de ce livre, dont les membres du Département d’oncologie de McGill Robert Turcotte, Thierry Alcindor et David Roberge. Publié par Springer, vous retrouverez aux chapitres 36 et 37 leur approche interdisciplinaire sur les traitements innovants des sarcomes des parties molles et de l’os.
Thérapeutique du cancer |
Bassam Abdulkarim is new Director of Radiation Oncology
 |
The Department of Oncology extends a warm welcome to Bassam Abdulkarim who has just arrived from the
University of Alberta's Cross Cancer Institute, to take up the position
of Director of the Division of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Abdulkarim will be Chief of Radiation Oncology at the MGH-MUHC, and as an accomplished MD/PhD clinician-scientist, will develop a major program in translational radiation biology at the Research Institute of the MUHC, along with colleagues across the University. Additionally, he will participate in clinical and research activities at the Segal Centre/JGH, providing a unifying spirit and force. |
Goings & Comings
|
Goings |
Lorraine Portelance, March, 2011 Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology |
|
Comings |
Frank Bladou, January, 2011 Professor, Surgical Oncology |
Promotions
Walter Gotlieb has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor in the Department of Oncology.
Acting Chair
Eduardo Franco has been appointed Acting/Interim Chair of the Oncology Department as of January 1, 2011.
First Christine and Herschel Victor, Hope & Cope Chair goes to Carmen Loiselle
Carmen Loiselle has been named the first Christine and Herschel Victor, Hope & Cope Chair in Psychosocial Oncology. This newly established Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology at McGill University is based at the Jewish General Hospital site of the Segal Cancer Center, the Louise Granofsky-Psychosocial Oncology Program (LG-POP) and Hope & Cope.
Promotions
Jan Seuntjens, Director of the Medical Physics Unit, has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor in the Department of Oncology.
Walter Gotlieb and the Benefits of Robotic Surgery
"Results of a series of studies published in the The Journal of Robotic Surgery and The International Journal of Gynecological Cancer show that robot-assisted surgery dramatically improves outcomes in patients with uterine, endometrial, and cervical cancer." Walter Gotlieb, Head of Gynecologic Oncology at the JGH Segal Cancer Centre states that "patient quality of life is dramatically improved, their hospital stays are much shorter and they use far less narcotic pain medication."Link to article.
Comings
|
Comings |
Melissa Henry, February, 2011 Assistant Professor, Psychosocial Oncology Emilie Soisson, January, 2011 Assistant Professor, Medical Physics Alasdair Syme, March, 2011 Assistant Professor, Medical Physics Ivan Topisirovic, February, 2011 Assistant Professor, Basic Research Science |
Palliative Care Upcoming Event
Continuing Medical Education Day
Please join us on Friday, February 4, 2011 at the McGill New Residence Hall, 3625 ave du Parc, Montreal for our 2nd Palliative Care McGill CME Day.
Click here for more details.
All members of the Department of
Oncology are cordially invited to the
2010 Annual Holiday Cocktail Party
&
A Celebration in
Honour of
Dr. Gerald Batist
Chair of the Oncology Department from 2001-2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: December 15, 2010
Time: 5:00 - 8:00
Place: Faculty Club, Main Dining Room
3450 McTavish Street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special presentation by "Simply Sweetly" singers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Those wishing to say a few words of appreciation
should contact
Frances.ezzy-jorgensen@mcgill.ca 514-398-8452
Contributions towards a gift for Dr. Batist can be sent to
Naomi Scobie at 546 Pine Ave. W.
Make cheques payable to McGill University, Oncology Department
RSVP to naomi.scobie@mcgill.ca or 514-398-2264
Kudos
Gerald Batist
was inducted into the McGill Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society in recognition of his academic achievement, leadership and community service, at their annual event on November 17, 2010.
Comings
| Comings |
Sylvain Néron, June, 2010 Assistant Professor, Psychosocial Oncology Hananel Holzer, December, 2010 Associate Member, Gynecologic Oncology Sender Liberman, December, 2010 Assistant Professor, Surgical Oncology Agnihotram Ramana-Kumar, January, 2011 Assistant Professor, Cancer Epidemiology |
Kudos
Radiation Oncology Resident, Philip Wong
was recently honored at the 24th CARO Annual Scientific Meeting in Vancouver where his talk was voted the “Best Resident Oral Presentation”.
Kudos
Neil
MacDonald
will be
receiving the “7th Annual John Mendelsohn Award” at a
ceremony in Houston, Texas in October. Established by M. D. Anderson
Hospital to pay tribute to the work of John Mendelsohn, this award
honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the
development of the field of Palliative Care.
In the News
The
Inaugural appointee to the "The Phil Gold Chair in Medicine", established to honour Dr.
Gold's life-long achievements at McGill and at the Montreal General
Hospital, is Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, Director of the RI-MUHC.
McGill med/E-news.
Comings
| Comings |
Issam El-Naqa, June, 2010 Associate Professor, Medical Physics |
Myndessa Kastner, July, 2010 Secretary, Clinical Research Program |
| Michael Witcher, August, 2010 Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology
|
In the News
The
May 20th edition of the McGill Reporter contains an Entre Nous series interview with Michel Tremblay,
Director of the Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Center, long-time
researcher and brand new daddy! Click
here for the full article.
Kudos
Salah
Mahmud has received the Governor
General's Gold Medal from the University of Manitoba. This
prestigious award reflects his outstanding work in his doctoral studies
for which he has also received the Distinguished Thesis Award.
Comings
| Comings |
Neena Bindra, May, 2010 Accounting, Clinical Research Program |
Stephanie Larocque, February, 2010 Secretary, Clinical Research Program |
| Cynthia Perna, May, 2010 Summer Clerk, Clinical Research Program
|
Goings
|
Goings |
Kingsley Cheung, May, 2010 Website Maintenance Oncology Department |
Brenda Lee, May, 2010 Administrative Coordinator Clinical Research Program |
Annual Family BBQ
All
members of the Department of Oncology and their families are cordially
invited to the Annual Family BBQ.
RSVP: Naomi Scobie,
naomi.scobie@mcgill.ca; 514-398-2264
Palliative Care Kudos
Medical students Megin Fong and David King are the winners of
the 2010 Winifred M. Ross Award in Palliative Care. For pictures,
click here.
Kudos Comings Adjunct Professor
Associate Professor
Adjunct Professor
Faculty Lecturer In the News
Kudos In the News
2010 Oncology Summer Scholarship
Application Comings The Department is pleased to announce the establishment of the
Winifred Margaret Ross Prize in Palliative Care which has been
created to encourage interest in Palliative Care. Two prizes, valued at
$1,500 each, will be awarded for the best reflective essays written in
the field of palliative care. The deadline for the first competition is
February 5, 2010.
See details
here.
Congratulations to Hallie Coltin who represented McGill at the
National Interprofessional Institute in Palliative Care held at
McMaster University, May 10th - 14th , 2010.
Laurent Azoulay, an epidemiologist with expertise in population-based studies of cancer
risk based on database analysis, was awarded an FRSQ
Chercheur-boursier Junior 1 as well as an FRSQ Epidemiology Research award.
Sarit Assouline,
a hemato-oncologist, was awarded as FRSQ
Chercheuse-clinicienne for translational research studies to discover new molecular targets in
tumors and new treatments based on them.
Sylvie Aubin,
a psychologist,
was awarded as FRSQ Chercheuse-boursier to study how young adults with
cancer face their problems and
deal with sexual dysfunction. She was also awarded an FRSQ Cancer Research
Grant.
Comings
Ann Burchell
Cancer Epidemiology
Celia Greenwood
Cancer Epidemiology
Ajay Gupta
Experimental Therapeutics
Charles Hackett
Palliative Care
Chandra Martens
Faculty Lecturer
Radiation Oncology
Luke McCaffrey
Assistant Professor
Basic Science Research in Cancer
William Parker
Assistant Professor
Medical PhysicsHoracio Patrocinio
Assistant Professor
Medical Physics
In
its Entre Nous series, The
McGill Reporter recently interviewed Tom Hutchinson to learn more
about the McGill Programs in Whole Person Care in the Oncology
Department and his hope for future
medical practitioners and the importance of mindfulness. Click
here for the full article.Eduardo
Franco has been awarded ASCCP
Lifetime Achievement Award. Established in 2008 by the American
Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, this award recognizes the
contributions of individuals to the field of colposcopy and the
screening and managment of lower genital tract disease. The ASCCP sites
his work as being instrumental in highlighting the importance of
prevention programs for HPV-associated diseases such as cervical cancer
screening and HPV vaccination. We congratulate him on this well-deserved
honour!
Balfour
Mount was recently featured in an
in-depth article by Pauline Gravel in 'Le Devoir'. For the complete
text,
click here.
The
2010 Oncology Summer Scholarship
is now open for applications. This year's
application deadline is April 2, 2010. For more details regarding
application procedures and past projects,
click here.
Comings
Wamied Abdel-Rahman
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology
Prosanto Chaudhury
Assistant Professor, Surgical Oncology
Tanya Fitzpatrick
Assistant Professor,
Geriatric Oncology
Jeff Golan
Associate Member, Surgical Oncology
Tarek Hijal
Faculty Lecturer, Radiation Oncology
Gabriella Stroian
Assistant Professor, Medical Physics
Josie Ursini-Siegel
Assistant Professor,
Basic Science & Translational Research
Emeritus Professor, Balfour Mount, Palliative Care pioneer and long
time member of the Department of Oncology, has been named one of the
Great Montrealers of 2009 by the Montreal Board of Trade. We
congratulate Dr. Mount on this notable honour.
Click here for Montreal Board of Trade Announcement.
Phil Gold, co-discoverer of the carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),
will be inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in April,
2010. MUHC Press Release.
Gayle
Shinder is one of the new members of the
Hope & Cope Executive
Advisory Board.
Goings
| Goings |
Jacques Galipeau, October, 2009 Associate Professor, Hematology |
Pfizer-FRSQ Innovation Fund Awards $1,500,000 to Gerald Batist's Research Team
The Pfizer-FRSQ Innovation Fund has awarded one of its first
two grants in support of research to Gerald Batist and Q-CROC in the amount of $1,500,000 for the project entitled “Prospective study for identifying and validating
biomarkers of therapeutic resistance in metastatic colorectal cancer”.
FRSQ Press Release
Bernard Lapointe Appointed as Eric M. Flanders Chair in Palliative Medicine
On
September 9th, a reception was held at the Francesco Bellini Life
Sciences Atrium to celebrate the appointment of Dr. Bernard Lapointe to the Eric M. Flancers Chair in Palliative Medicine at McGill
University.
Click here for photos.
In
a ceremony to be held in Ottawa in November, Vincent Giguère will
be inducted as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Canada.
"His groundbreaking work has led to major advances in our understanding
of the roles played by nuclear receptors and their natural and synthetic
ligands in embryonic development, adult physiology and several diseases,
most notably hormone-dependent cancers and metabolic disorders."
McGill Press Release
Comings and Goings
| Comings |
Dawn Allen, October, 2009 Associate Director, Palliative Care |
|
| Goings |
Martin Chasen, November, 2009 Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology |
Comings and Goings
| Comings |
Valerie Badro, September, 2009 Research Assistant, Whole Person Care |
Luc Levesque, August, 2009 Adjunct Professor, Pharmaco-Oncology |
| Slobodan Devic, August, 2009 Assistant Professor, Medical Physics |
Virginia Manning, September, 2009 Administrator, Cancer Genetics |
|
| Melissa Henry, September, 2009 Adjunct Professor, Palliative Care Research |
Carolynna Olha, August, 2009 Secretary, Clinical Research Program |
|
| Goings |
Samina Chanda, August, 2009 Project Manager, Cancer Genetics |
Wei-Ju Chen, September, 2009 Website Maintenance, Oncoogy Department |
Scientific Breakthrough!
Jacques Galipeau has lead a team of researchers at the JGH's Lady Davis Institute that has "found an experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) that reverses the disorder in mice and could do the same for humans." See Montreal Gazette Article and Nature Medicine.
Comings
| Laurent Azoulay, September, 2009 Assistant Professor, Cancer Epidemiology |
Johanne Monette, September, 2009 Associate Member, Geriatric Oncology |
| Kevin Petrecca, September, 2009 Associate Member, Neuro-Oncology |
Michael Sebag, September, 2009 Associate Member, Hematology Oncology |
| Doreen Wan- Chow- Wah, September, 2009 Associate Member, Geriatric Oncology |
Promotions
William Foulkes
has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor, GFT-U, in the Department of Oncology, Human Genetics and Medicine and has been named a James McGill Professor.
Arthur Porter has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor, GFT-H, in the Department of Oncology. Kudos
KudosThe 2009 Northwest Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Award, presented at the ASCRS Meeting in May, went to the co-authors of “Neoadjuvant High Dose-Rate Endorectal Brachytherapy in the Era of Total Mesorectal Excision for Patients with Rectal Cancer: Ten Year Follow-Up”, which include Dawn Anderson and Té Vuong.
Comings
Raquel Aloyz has been awarded a Charles O Monat Award by the Faculty of Medicine.
Isabelle Dumont, July, 2009
Assistant Professor, Psychosocial Oncology
Koren Mann, July, 2009
Assistant Professor, Cancer Research
Announcement
Anna Derossis has replaced Roger Tabah as Director of the Surgical Oncology Residency Program as of July 1st.
Comings
Samina Chanda, July, 2009
Program Administrator, Cancer Genetics Program
Bernard LaPointe Named Eric Flanders Chair & Director of Palliative Care
Bernard LaPointe has been appointed to the Eric Flanders Chair in Palliative Care in the Oncology Department and is McGill’s new Director of Palliative Care.
Dr. LaPointe is a visionary whose take of palliative care as a fully integrated aspect of cancer care, from initial diagnosis on, has been formally recognized at the international level by the European Society of Medical Oncology and who, last year, was honoured by the Canadian Hospice Association. He is an excellent leader, facilitator, rassembleur and mentor committed to integrating palliative care across McGill and across Quebec. He will help to strengthen McGill palliative care research and training activities and will be working on improving the quality and capacity of the professional life of the palliative care providers.
Kudos
Eduardo Franco has been renewed as a James McGill Professor for seven years.
William Foulkes has been renewed as a William Dawson Scholar and will be appointed a James McGill Professor upon his promotion to Full Professor, which is imminent.
Comings
Laurena Deligny, May 2009
Ethics Secretary, Clinical Research Program
BBQ Cancellation
Due to ongoing construction at Royal Victoria College, regrettably we will not be able to hold the Annual Oncology Family BBQ this year which was planned for June 17th.
Changes in Radiation Oncology Leadership
Carolyn Freeman has submitted her resignation as Director of McGill's Radiation Oncology Program. After almost 30 years of successful leadership, she will remain active with the MUHC and McGill, and has agreed to stay on in the interim as Director, until a search committee recruits a new leader. The search committee will begin this work in June. A formal opprotunity to honour her is being planned .
Luis Souhami has resigned as Associate Director of Radiation Oncology at McGill after 18 years of strong leadership. He has been central in advancing the development of Radiation Oncology at McGill in terms of research, teaching and clinical care and has made important contributions as a leader through the RTOG. He will remain active in this and in other activities at both the MUHC and McGill.
Té Vuong has been appointed as the new Associate Director in Radiation Oncology at McGill and the Director at the Segal Cancer Centre/Jewish General Hospital radiation facility. A gifted teacher and clinical scientist with an international reputation, Té has created a research consortium that is both Quebec-wide and worldwide in scope, which innovates in brachytherapy for gastrointestinal cancers. As an accomplished team-builder she is enthusiastic about working with everyone as she begins her new leadership position.
Joint Reception Held To Celebrate 20 Years of Service
On May 8th, the McGill Cancer Centre and the Oncology Department held a joint coffee & cake reception at the Goodman Cancer Centre, to celebrate 20 Years of Service to McGill and to show appreciation to the following individuals.
| Matt Adamski | Magdelena Maslowski |
| Penny Chipman | Louise Mazza |
| Michael Evans | Alain Nepveu |
| Bertrand Jean-Claude | George Shenouda |
| Pierre Laneuville | Luis Souhami |
| Lam Leduy | Te Vuong |
| Ann Lynch |
To mark the occasion, honorees were thanked by Gerald Batist and Michel Tremblay for their long service, presented with a commemorative pin and given a congratulatory letter with instructions on how to select their gift from Birks & Mayors. Click here for photos
Comings & Goings
Comings:
Wei-Ju Chen, April, 2009
Website Maintenance
Goings:
Nancy Gair, May, 2009
Secretary, Whole Person Care
2009 Summer Scholarship Winners
Penny Toliopoulos and Brady Eason are the winners of the 2009 Summer Scholarships. Penny's research project will study the "Implication of Tab GTPase in Breast Cancer Metastasis" in Moulay Alaoui-Jamali's lab. Brady's project with Morag Park, will look at "Linking Met Receptor Signaling to Cell Polarity in Cancer".
Kudos
Carmen Loiselle, Director
of our Oncology Nursing Program, has been awarded an FRSQ
Chercheur-boursier Senior 1.
Kudos
Thierry Muanza has been awarded
an FRSQ Chercheur-clinicien junior 1 salary award. Dr. Muanza's
work combines radiobiology with imaginative chemistry and novel
therapeutics, as well as biomarker discoveries.
Floor Hockey Champs
The Coveted Oncology Cup
this year went to Captain Penny Chipman and her Blue Team: Petr
Kavan, Michel Tremblay, Wilson Miller, Cristiano Ferrario, Walter Gotlieb
and son Steven who defeated the Multicolored Team 3-2.
Click here for photos.
Comings
Sylvie Aubin, April 2009
Assistant Professor, Psychosocial Oncology
Sherry Hogan, April 2009
Clinical Research Coordinator, Adolescent & Young Adult
Oncology
Anthony Zeitouni, April 2009
Associate Professor, Head and Neck Oncology
Walter Gotlieb Appointed Director of Surgical Oncology
The Department of Oncology is pleased to announce that Walter Gotlieb has been appointed Director of the Division of Surgical Oncology at McGill for a 5 year term.
Kudos
Heartfelt
congratulations go to Martin Black, who has been named “Mentor of the Year” by the Quebec Regional Advisory
Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and
will be the recipient of its “Prix
d’excellence”.
The
Department of Oncology wishes to express its appreciation to Ervin Podgorsak, founding Director of the Medical Physics
Unit, for 30 years of exceptional service.
Jan Seuntjens has been appointed Director of the Medical Physics Unit for a five-year term beginning January 15, 2009. We wish him much success in his new leadership role.
The Winter 2009 Special Issue of “Palliative Care McGill Research News” is now available and features selected highlights of the 17th International Congress on Palliative Care held September 23-26, 2008.
The
Department of Oncology is pleased to
announce the establishment of the McGill Rectal Cancer Radiation Program under the directorship of
Dr. Té Vuong.
Dr. Vuong’s innovations, insights and international stature along with her clinical research activities, publications, funding rates and capacity to encourage participation and to network make her an exceptional leader for this initiative.
It is expected that the newly created McGill Rectal Radiotherapy Program (MRRP) will be a multi-and inter-disciplinary program of the McGill Department of Oncology with activities and leadership in both McGill hospitals with radiation facilities - the JGH and the MUHC.
All members of the Department of
Oncology are cordially invited to a
Holiday Cocktail Party.
Date: December 17, 2008
Time: 5:00 - 8:00
Place: Faculty Club, Main Dining Room
3450 McTavish Street.
RSVP to naomi.scobie@mcgill.ca or 514-398-2264
Special Performance by
The Soulstice a Cappella Singers
Congratulations to Eduardo Franco who has been awarded the Women in Government’s Presidential Leadership Award for his “commitment to the elimination of cervical cancer.”
Dr. Franco was honoured at a gala dinner at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.,
Friday, November 21, 2008, where the award was presented.
Claude Richard, November, 2008
Research Nurse, Cancer Epidemiology
Katia Bellegarde, December 2008
Research Nurse, Cancer Epidemiology
This new collaborative between Hope & Cope (founded by Sheila Kussner), the Jewish General Hospital and McGill University is momentous in that it is only the second Chair in Psychosocial Oncology in all of Canada.
Angelica Todireanu, October, 2008
Administrative and Student Affairs Coordinator, Whole
Person Care
Dr. Annette
Herscovics
(1938 - 2008)
Annette Herscovics passed away on
September 6, 2008, after a long battle with breast cancer. She
was professor at the McGill Cancer Centre and the Department of
Biochemistry. Annette was a McGill graduate and obtained her
Ph.D. degree in 1963 from the Department of Anatomy, which she
also joined after her graduation. She subsequently went to the
Massachusetts General Hospital, where she had a successful and
productive career in glycobiology. In 1982, she came back to
McGill and joined the McGill Cancer Centre.
Annette was an accomplished and respected scientist and was involved in several national and international collaborations. She made numerous significant contributions to her field of research. In recognition of her contributions, she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. She also joined the editorial board of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a position that she held for several years.
Annette was also an accomplished violinist, a member of the McGill Faculty of Medicine orchestra 'I Medici di McGill' and of several string quartets and chamber ensembles. She was valued mentor to staff and students, always offering sound advice. She will be sadly missed by all her friends and colleagues.
Formerly at Institut Gustave-Roussy, where he led a very productive research program and directed the Melanoma Group of the EORTC, Dr. Spatz joins as a new Professor of Pathology and Oncology at McGill, as the Pathologist-in-Chief at the Jewish General Hospital and as the Director of the Research Pathology Program at the Segal Cancer Centre/Lady Davis Research Institute.
Dr. Spatz is a tremendous collaborator and is enthusiastic to interact with Department members on common interests. Please join us in welcoming Alan and his family to Montreal and to McGill.
Congratulations to Dr. Morag Park who has been
appointed Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Cancer
Research.
Comings:
Kingsley Cheung, September, 2008
Website
Maintenance
Jonathan Wan, September, 2008
Assistant
Professor, Radiation Oncology
Goings:
Eileen Lavery, September, 2008
Administrative & Student Affairs Coordinator, Whole
Person Care
Jasper Palfree, September, 2008
Website
Maintenance
Comings:
Annett Körner, August, 2008
Associate Member, Psychosocial Oncology
Goings:
Chandra Martens, August, 2008
Adjunct Professor, Radiation Oncology
Heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Henry Shibata who was honored with the Distinguished Investigator Life Time Achievement Award by the NSABP on June 14, 2008.
Comings:
Sam Ratnam, July, 2008
Adjunct Professor, Cancer Epidemiology
Helen Trottier, July, 2008.
Adjunct Professor, Cancer Epidemiology
Goings:
Carmelita McNeil, August, 2008
Research Assistant, Palliative Care Research
Cara Schwartz, June, 2008
Data Entry Clerk, Cancer Epidemiology
Megan Wainwright, August, 2008
Clerical Support, Whole Person Care
All members of the Department of Oncology and their families are cordially invited to the Annual Family BBQ.
- Date: June 18, 2008
- Time: 5pm - 7pm
- Place: Royal Victoria College Courtyard
3425 University Street (Between Milton and Sherbrooke
RSVP: naomi.scrobie@mail.mcgill.ca, 514-398-2264
Lorenzo Ferri, June 2008
Assistant Professor, Surgical Oncology
François DeBlois, May 2008
Assistant Professor, Medical Physics
Golda Tradounsky, May 2008
Faculty Lecturer, Palliative Care
Associate Member, Paul Allison, is the newly appointed Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry for a five-year term beginning June 1, 2008. Dr. Allison, a William Dawson Scholar, is director of both the Network for Oral and Bone Health Research Division and of the Oral Health and Society of the Faculty of Dentistry. For his Oncology Profile, click here.
Comings:
Sara Marcil-Johnson, May 2008
Administrative and Student Affairs Coordinator, Palliative Care
Jasper Palfree, May 2008
Website Maintenance
Christine Sgherri, May 2008
Administrative Coordinator, Cancer Nutrition & Rehabilitation Program
Goings:
Kingsley Cheung, April 2008
Website Maintenance
The Department of Oncology congratulates Keira Hodkinson and Jordan
Isenberg, who are the winners of the
2008 Summer Scholarships.
Ms. Hodkinson's project, supervised by Dr. Raquel Aloyz, is entitled "Evaluation of the effect of DNA-PK inhibitors on platinum-induced DNA-damage and cell cycle progression in human colon cells".
Mr. Isenberg's project, supervised by Dr. Miguel Burnier, is entitled "Detection of circulating malignant cells derived from an Imatinib uveal melanoma animal model".
For the full
program and photos of the 2008 Research
Retreat held March 13-14, 2008, at
Chateau Vaudreuil, click here.
Howard Bergman, April, 2008
Associate Member, Geriatric Oncology
Jamila Adnaan, March, 2008
Secretary, Clinical Research Program
Congratulations to Ph.D. students Marie-Helene Mayrand and Andrea
Spence from the Division of Cancer
Epidemiology on their recent honours.
Ms Spence received a merit award for the best paper presented at the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the National Cancer Institute of Canada. Dr. Mayrand has been awarded a McGill Principal's Dissertation Fellowship.
Mary Jane MacDonald, January, 2008
Administrative Coordinator, Cancer Nutrition & Rehabilitation Program
Ala-Eddin Al Moustafa, December, 2007
Assistant Professor, Cancer Genetics Program
Best wishes for a healthy and happy new year!
Click here to see the photos from Christmas Party 2007.
All members of the Department of
Oncology are cordially invited to a
Holiday Cocktail Party.
Date: December 19, 2007 Time: 5:00 - 8:00
Place: Faculty Club, Main Dining Room
3450 McTavish Street.
RSVP to naomi.scobie@mcgill.ca or 514-398-2264
"Dr. Jacques Galipeau and colleagues have obtained a CIHR Proof of Principle 1 Grant to study the Ex Vivo Generation of Suppressive Cells for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis." *
"Dr. Raquel Aloyz and Dr. Gerald Batist have obtained an NIH grant in collaboration with Dr. Sylvain Martel of the École Polytechnique, to assess the use of magnetotactic bacteria to target tumors." *
*As announced in the "Lady Davis Insider.
Dr. Bernard Lapointe has been selected
as the recipient of the 2007 Canadian
Hospice Palliative Care Award of
Excellence which will be presented
to him on November 4th at the Annual
General Meeting of the Canadian Hospice
Palliative Care Association in Toronto.
This honour notes Dr. Lapointe as being an exemplary individual whose excellence is devoted to quality hospice palliative care in Canada. His achievements have made a difference in the quality of life for patients facing a life threatening illness and their loved ones and have had a positive impact on the hospice palliative care movement within the international community as well as in Canada. *
*From CHPCA Letter of Award (October 10, 2007)
Dr. R.
Thomas Jagoe has arrived at McGill
to begin his tenure as Director of
the Cancer and Nutrition Rehabilitation
Program in the Oncology Department.
Dr. Jagoe's research lab and clinical
activities will be conducted at the
Segal Cancer Centre and he will be
working in close partnership with both
Dr. Martin Chasen, Clinical Director of
the CNRP and Founding Director, Dr. Neil
MacDonald.
Comings:
Pamela Hodgson, October, 2007
Research Assistant, Palliative Care
Promotion & Tenure
Dr. Robin Cohen was granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor on June 1, 2007. Dr. Frank Verhaegen was granted tenure as of June 1, 2007.
Comings:
Lucy Saunders, August, 2007
Administrative & Student Affairs Coordinator, Palliative Care
Goings:
Marie-José Martirene, July, 2007
Administrative & Student Affairs Coordinator, Palliative Care
A good time was had by all who attended this year's Annual Oncology Family BBQ at the RVC Courtyard on June 20th. To see photos, click here.
Morag Park has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and will be inducted at a ceremony on November 17, 2007 in Edmonton.
"Dr Park is considered an international leader in understanding the mechanisms underlying activation of human cancer. Her work now focuses on the tumour microenvironment relevant to human breast cancer and the molecular events that occur during cancer progression and invasion." **From McGill Public & Media Newsroom, July 10th 2007
Deadline: July 31st.
Nicole Beauchemin and Philip Gordon will both be presented with an award for their outstanding contributions to education in the health professions. This will take place as part of the symposium for the Faculty Honour List for Education Excellence on June 14th in the Meakins Ampitheatre.
The Department of Oncology would like to congratulate Vincent Lavallée as its newest recipient of the Oncology Summer Scholarship. Mr. Lavallée will be completing the project entitled "Comparing ectopic and endogenous replication in normal vs. tumor cells" under the guidance of Dr. Maria Zannis-Hadjopoulos.
Comings:
Nada Jabado, April, 2007
Associate Member, Pediatric Oncology
Winie Celestin, March, 2007
Acting RUIS and Visiting Speaker Coordinator; Accounts Administrator
Goings:
Joanne Miller, March, 2007
Acting RUIS and Visiting Speaker Coordinator; Accounts Administrator
Michael Pollak has received a grant from the Prostate Cancer Foundation for his research on "Mediators of the Adverse Impact of Obesity on Risk for High-Grade Prostate Cancer". Out of 420 applicants from 22 countries, 63 projects were selected for funding by the PCF’s 2006 Competitive Award Program.
New Deadline: March 20, 2007. Click here for details.
Janusz Rak, February, 2007
Associate Member, Hematology/Oncology
Congratulations to Oncology’s High Enroller! Radiation Oncologist Christine Lambert has the highest enrollment in NCIC Studies carried out at McGill.
Brian Leyland-Jones has resigned his professorship in the Department of Oncology to become the Director of the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta.
Over 150 researchers and students from all over Quebec congregated at the JGH for the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Montreal Centre for Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer, October 26 -27, 2006.
This year’s clinical research theme, in addition to highlighting discoveries currently being tried in the clinic and those approaching clinical trials, featured the Clinical Research Unit at the Segal Cancer Centre which provides the opportunity for translational medical research by linking innovative work at the laboratory bench to clinical experience at the bedside. http://www.ctecm.ca
Dr. Carmen Loiselle has been appointed Director, Oncology Nursing Program.
This newly established program will exist in both the Department of Oncology and in the School of Nursing of the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University.
The specific goals of the Oncology Nursing Program are:
- To provide a platform for academic and professional activities and exchanges among nurse researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, nurse managers, clinical specialists and nursing staff.
- To encourage trans-disciplinary collaboration across cancer-related fields such as epidemiology, medicine, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and social work.
- To increase the visibility of oncology nursing at McGill University, its affiliated health centers and abroad.
Comings:
Esther Schirrmacher, November, 2006
Assistant Professor (P-T), Experimental Therapeutics & Pharmacology
Linda Ofiara, November, 2006
Associate Member, Medical Oncology
Robert Turcotte, November, 2006
Associate Member, Surgical Oncology
Kingsley Cheung, November, 2006
Website Maintenance
Goings:
Christine Talbot, November, 2006
Website Maintenance
Thanks largely to the efforts of Lawrence Panasci, the Oncology Department now has a fellowship of $40,000 per year for two years from Bayer Canada Inc.
The first recipient of the Bayer Fellowship in Oncology is Cristiano Ferrario who is working on combining new agents with traditional chemotherapy and integrating translational research in search of predictors of response.
The Internal Scholarship and Awards Committee of the Research Institute of the MUHC has recently announced that the following awards will be presented at their Awards Dinner at the St. James Club on October 18th.
- Martin Chasen - The Simone & Morris Fast Award
- Fabio Cury - The MGH 175th Anniversary Award
- Thierry Muanza - The Simone & Morris Fast Award
- George Shenouda - The Olive Williamson Award
- Té Vuong - The RVH Centennial Award & The Howard W. Pillow Memorial Award
Comings:
Carmela Pepe, July, 2006
Assistant Prof. (GFT-H), Medical Oncology
Polymnia Galiatstos, July, 2006
Associate Member, Medical Oncology
Fabio Cury, September, 2006
Assistant Prof. (GFT-H), Radiation Oncology
Mary Ellen Macdonald, May 2006
Faculty Lecturer, Psychosocial Oncology Program
Anna Ciarciello, April 2006
Accounts Administrator & Visiting Professor Program Coordinator
Dr. Krzysztof Bujko from the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre in Warsaw Poland will be giving the following presentations on September 6th and 7th.
The Polish rectal cancer trial comparing two preoperative radiotherapy schedules: Implications for clinical practice.
The role of preoperative radiotherapy on sphincter preservation in rectal cancer: The implications from Polish randomized trials.
Dr. Michel Tremblay has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
The Department of Oncology wholeheartedly congratulates Michel on this well-deserved honour!
Link
On June 27th, 2006, Dr. Walter Gotlieb was awarded a grant of $20 000 by the Canadian Foundation for Women's Health.
Dr. Antonis Koromilas was promoted to full professor June 1, 2006
In April 2006, The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada conducted its accreditation review of all medical teaching programs across Canada. The surveyors' recommendation to the RCPSC regarding McGill's Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Palliative Care programs is that they all be granted full approval.
Dr. George Shenouda has been placed on the Faculty of Medicine's Honour List for Educational Excellence.
Congratulations to the winners of the Oncology Summer Scholarship!
Michael Dunn "The expression of the DNA repair proteins XPD and Xrcc3 as indicators of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer" under the guidance of Dr. Raquel Aloyz, and Wenyong Tong "Structure and Activity relationship between Ganglioside CG2 and its ligands" under the guidance of Dr. Uri Saragovi.
Photos