Dr. David Bevan, one of APT’s previous department heads, passed away last week. His obituary can be found at the U of T website, which was his last institution before he retired: https://mailchi.mp/a0288ad828be/remembering-david-richard-bevan?e=5ea6c5d504
Roanne Preston 2
Professor
BC Women’s Hospital
Biography
Dr. Preston received her medical degree from the University of Ottawa, where she also completed an internship and residencies in Internal Medicine and Anesthesia. Dr. Preston subsequently completed a fellowship in Obstetrical Anesthesia at the University of Toronto, Women’s College Hospital.
Prior to joining the UBC Faculty of Medicine in 2004, Dr. Preston was an Anesthesiologist at the Ottawa Hospital. From 2004 to 2012, Dr. Preston served as Head of the Department of Anesthesia at BC Women’s Hospital; and from 2008 to 2012 she was Senior Medical Director Acute Perinatal Program BC Women’s. She has also served as President of the Children’s and Women’s Medical Staff Association, and acting VP Medical Affairs for BC Women’s. She remains the UBC Department’s Division Head of Obstetric Anesthesia.
Dr. Preston’s research interests focus on obstetric anesthesia. She has presented nationally and internationally on topics in obstetric anesthesia, including optimal labour analgesia, the obstetric airway, surgical outcomes and patient safety. She is a part of the Canadian Airway Focus Group that produces national guidelines on airway management. Dr. Preston has served on the CJA Editorial Board for nine years, was a Royal College Examiner in Anesthesiology for five years and is currently the President of the Association of Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia. Her current main interest is in finding solutions to the anesthesiology human resource issues in the province as well as supporting international medical graduates in seeking certification in Anesthesiology. Her current research projects include a CIHR-supported study on using administrative data to follow important surgical outcomes, and a survey on nutritional preferences in labour to guide policy change.
Research Interests
Obstetric anesthesiology
Clinical Interests
Services
Teaching
Congratulations to Dr. Laine Bosma on the awarding of the 2024 Canadian Association of Medical Education Certificate of Merit
Kudos goes to Dr. Laine Bosma who is being recognized by the Canadian Association of Medical Education for his longstanding commitment to medical education with the awarding of the 2024 Certificate of Merit. Dr. Bosma was instrumental in introducing simulation training into anesthesiology and other residencies and in transitioning our anesthesiology residency program to a competency-based curriculum. Dr. Bosma was the Simulation Director for the UBC Anesthesiology Residency Program from 2012 to 2016, Education Lead on Simulation for UBC Postgraduate Medical Education from 2014 to 2016, and UBC Anesthesiology Residency Program Director from 2016 to 2023. His impact has been felt by many of the early-to-mid faculty in our department across this province. Congratulations, Dr. Bosma, for a well-deserved recognition!
Congratulations to Dr. Tillie Louise Hackett on the awarding of the Allergy, Genes and Environment Network (AllerGen) – Michelle Harkness Mentorship Award for Mentoring Excellence – Investigator
AllerGen Inc – Mentoring Excellence – Investigator
Recognizing outstanding mentoring by investigators in allergic disease research and education, at any career stage or in any discipline (including senior or junior University-based faculty or clinician scientists).
“Dr. Hackett’s approach to mentoring goes far beyond traditional academic boundaries. She cultivates an environment where critical thinking, creativity, and independent research are not just encouraged but are the foundation of daily practice. Her ability to inspire confidence and foster a sense of belonging within her team is remarkable. A quality that is consistently echoed by Dr. Hackett’s mentees is her dedication to creating a positive learning environment where everyone feels heard. She never fails to support her trainees who collectively represent different cultural backgrounds at all levels of training.”
Professor Mark Ansermino was presented with the 2024 J.S. Gravenstein Award
Professor Mark Ansermino was presented with the 2024 J.S. Gravenstein Award at the Society for Technology in Anesthesia on Saturday 13th January 2024. The award is given annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of anesthesia technology throughout their career. He is the first Canadian to receive this award. A list of the previous recipients of this prestigious award can be found on the STA website.
Dr. David Stewart passed away on August 31, 2023
Our department is saddened to announce the passing of Dr. David Stewart on August 31, 2023. Dr. Stewart was active in the department’s simulation program and served as Head of Pediatric Anesthesia at BC Children’s Hospital. After leaving Vancouver he went on to serve as Head of Pediatric Anesthesia at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and then followed his passion of developing pediatric anesthesia in China from 1985-2011.
Dr. Richard Wall passed away on August 19th, 2023
Our department is saddened by the passing of Dr. Richard Wall on August 19th, 2023. A brilliant intellectual, Dick joined our department as a chemist. His expertise in medicinal chemistry led to a number of fruitful collaborations within our department, including the discovery of vernakalant. Dick was instrumental in the development of the B.Sc. pharmacology program and he was a beloved academic and content advisor to countless undergraduate and graduate students. We extend our condolences to Dr. Wall’s family. He is dearly missed.
Dr. Peter Choi
Welcome to Guillaume Grenet, MD, PhD, who will spend the next year as a Visiting Scientist with the Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Dr. Grenet completed his MD in endocrinology and his PhD in clinical pharmacology at the University of Lyon 1. He is a hospital doctor at the pharmaco-toxicology department of the University Hospital of Lyon, and a member of the Evaluation and Modeling with the Therapeutic Effects Group at the Laboratory of Biometry and Evolutionary Biology, CNRS UMR 5558 Lyon 1. His research focuses on treatment evaluation, especially of drugs used in diabetes, metabolic diseases and cardiovascular risk factors, mostly using meta-analytical approaches.
He is currently joining the Therapeutics Initiative team, to collaborate notably with the Drug Assessment Working Group and the Cochrane Hypertension Group. He will pursue the INDANA project of individual participants data meta-analysis in high blood pressure, initiated by Pr Gueyffier. In the context of the growing overweight and obesity pandemic, Dr Grenet will assess the impact of the body mass index on the cardiovascular benefits of antihypertensive drugs. The results are expected to help personalizing evidence-based treatment of people affected by overweight or obesity and high blood pressure.
Dr. Guillaume Grenet, MD, PhD
@Guillaume__Gr
Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) Award for The Loucks Pain Management Pharmacogenomics (PMP) Lab
Congratulations to Dr. Catrina Loucks on the recent awarding of a Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) award for The Loucks Pain Management Pharmacogenomics (PMP) Lab.
The opioid crisis continues to devastate the lives of Canadians, and unfortunately, it has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased movement toward opioid-sparing pain management strategies means that we are at risk of undertreating serious pain. This can be particularly devastating in children with high burdens of pain, where ongoing pain can interfere with brain development, disrupt behaviour, and increase the risk of chronic pain.
Safe and effective pain management is influenced by individual genetic differences that dictate both the likelihood of pain and whether medications will be safe and effective. Dr. Loucks is using pharmacogenomics to identify genetic factors that can help predict an individual’s need for, and subsequent response to, opioid and non-opioid pain relievers.
Safe and effective pain management is influenced by individual genetic differences that dictate both the likelihood of pain and whether medications will be safe and effective. Dr. Loucks is using pharmacogenomics to identify genetic factors that can help predict an individual’s need for, and subsequent response to, opioid and non-opioid pain relievers.
The Loucks Pain Management Pharmacogenomics (PMP) Lab is leveraging the resources of, and filling a critical gap in, the interdisciplinary Canadian Pharmacogenomics Network for Drug Safety, which is a drug surveillance network that collects adverse/unexpected responses to approved medications, including opioids. With the requested infrastructure, the Loucks PMP Lab will enable both advanced training in pharmacogenomics, and the development of a pipeline from genetic discoveries to predictive genetic testing to help select the safest and most effective medications to ultimately lessen the burden of pain for Canadian children.
Dr. Khaled Abdelrahman highlighted in the Faculty of Medicine – Faculty Spotlight
Meet Dr. Khaled Abdelrahman, one of the Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics newest faculty members, who was recently profiled in the Faculty of Medicine – Faculty Spotlight – READ MORE