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Alana Poon
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Robert Jee
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Robert Jee
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Meet the incoming 2026 Clinical Fellows
The Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics at UBC is pleased to welcome our incoming 2026 cohort of Clinical Fellows. Our fellowship programs provide advanced subspecialty training across a range of clinical disciplines such as Pediatric Anesthesia, Advanced Airway Anesthesia, Obstetric Anesthesia, Cardiac Anesthesia, and more at UBC-affiliated teaching hospitals, combining hands-on clinical experience with opportunities for teaching, research, and academic development. A full listing of our specific fellowship offerings can be found here.
We are proud to welcome fellows from around the world as they join our department and contribute to advancing patient care, education, and innovation in anesthesiology. Learn more about our 2026 Cohort of Clinical Fellows below.
Division of Pediatric Anesthesia
Rachel Blair
Hometown: Princeton, BC
Site: BC Children’s Hospital
“My name is Rachel and I am excited to be endeavouring into my pediatric anesthesia fellowship at BCCH this year. I was fortunate to complete my residency at UBC and am thrilled to be returning after an incredible first year of clinical practice in Kamloops, BC. Amongst several aspects, I’m looking forward to exploring pediatric pain and the delivery of pediatric surgical services across BC. Most of all, I enjoy working amongst thoughtful and dedicated healthcare teams and look forward to the year ahead.”
Rafid Karim
Hometown: Brisbane, Australia
Site: BC Children’s Hospital
“I’m undertaking this fellowship to develop expertise in tertiary pediatric anesthesia, with the hope of bringing these skills back home to Australia. As a proponent of TIVA (total intravenous anesthesia), I’m particularly looking forward to embracing the department’s innovative systems which allow awake IV starts in pediatric surgery patients.
On the academic side – I am very drawn to BCCH’s strong commitment to global health. I’m excited to join BCCH’s global health team on an overseas mission during my fellowship, and to use my academic time to engage with and learn from the global health initiatives led by our department’s research team.”
Fellows not pictured
August Pierik & Aliya Arslanova: Pediatric Anesthesia
Division of Obstetric Anesthesia
Izodora Alexandra Isabela Matei
Hometown: Timisoara, Romania
Site: Vancouver General Hospital
“I am a board certified Anaesthetist from Romania. I am a Clinical Fellow in Anesthesia Obstetric at BCWH and I chose this fellowship to further develop my expertise in maternal care, learn from a high-volume tertiary referral centre, and gain exposure to advanced Obstetric Anesthesia practices. I am excited to work with a supportive multidisciplinary team, contribute to research and education, and bring the knowledge and skills I gain back to improve patient care throughout my career.”
Anna Wilkinson (reappointment)
Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland
Site: Vancouver General Hospital
“I’ve loved working at BC Women’s hospital and learning from the team here so much I’ve extended my fellowship! I’ve been supported to undertake and present research projects at conferences and developed and acquired clinical skills including gastric ultrasound. Vancouver has been a wonderful city to live in temporarily and I have had the chance to explore many of the corners of beautiful BC.”
Fellows not pictured
Livia Schenkel Thurler Trairi: Obstetric Anesthesia
Division of Advanced Airway Management Anesthesia
Philipp Hueser
Hometown: Hamburg, Germany
Site: Vancouver General Hospital
“I completed my training in Germany two years ago and was looking for a fellowship to further develop my skills in airway management. At the same time, I wanted to live somewhere that offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventures. VGH seemed like the perfect place to combine my passion for airway management with my love of the outdoors. I’m looking forward to a great year.”
Fellows not pictured
Andrew Maye: Advanced Airway Anesthesia
Division of Pain Medicine
Archili Miminoshvili
Hometown: Donetsk, Ukraine
Site: ChangePain Clinic
“My fellowship includes ultrasound-guided interventional pain procedures, neuromodulation, radiofrequency techniques, and regenerative therapies for musculoskeletal disorders. I chose this fellowship to deepen my expertise in advanced pain management and to strengthen my ability to provide evidence-based care for patients with complex chronic pain. My current research focuses on novel treatment approaches for chronic pain and autonomic dysfunction, including pulsed radiofrequency of the stellate ganglion in patients with Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Through this training, I hope to contribute to research, education, and multidisciplinary collaboration in pain medicine.”
Navid Mohammadi
Hometown: Coquitlam, BC
Site: ChangePain Clinic
“This postgraduate clinical fellowship is designed to train physicians in evidence-based, efficient approaches to the management of chronic pain. Fellows gain comprehensive experience in diagnosing and treating a wide range of chronic pain conditions, including myofascial, neuropathic, mechanical, and widespread pain syndromes. For me, the most valuable aspect of this fellowship has been learning to apply a holistic, patient-centered approach to chronic pain management.”
Division of Cardiac Anesthesia
Adam Beebeejaun
Hometown: London, United Kingdom
Site: St. Paul’s Hospital Anesthesia Department
“I have come to Vancouver to gain experience in cardiac anaesthesia, particularly with heart transplantation, mechanical support devices and transeosophageal echocardiography. I have completed my anaesthesia training in the UK and have working in New Zealand, Australia and volunteered for medical projects across Africa and the Middle East. I am excited to work in a new health system, meet new people and explore this beautiful country!”
Julian Chung
Hometown: Perth, Western Australia
Site: Vancouver General Hospital
“The cardiac anesthesia fellowship at Vancouver General Hospital is a year-long clinical fellowship split between cardiac OR, transesophageal echocardiography, and Cardiac Surgery ICU. It allows those who have completed anesthesia training to gain further experience in an exciting and fulfilling subspecialty as part of an accomplished, supportive and friendly department! Outside of the hospital, there aren’t many nicer places to live in than Vancouver, especially in the middle of summer. It’s the perfect place to get outside and ride a bike and I’m especially looking forward to the winter ski season, something we definitely don’t experience back home.”
Division of Critical Care
Joyce Kalungi
Hometown: Kampala, Uganda
Site: St. Paul’s Hospital Critical Care Department
“I was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, where I completed my residency training in anesthesiology. Working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic inspired my passion for critical care and led me to pursue a clinical fellowship before joining the Anaesthesia and Simulation program. My interests include resident education, innovation, and using artificial intelligence to improve healthcare workflows in low-resource settings.”
Fellows not pictured
Jack Huang & Darragh O’Reilly: Regional Anesthesia
Tomas Partington: General Anesthesia
Abdelrahman Lab Celebrates Three Award Winners: Emily, Sanarya, Mohamed
Congratulations to three trainees from the Abdelrahman Lab on their recent research awards. Their work explores different aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, from the role of cerebral blood flow and neurovascular coupling to changes in brain receptor signaling. We are pleased to recognize Mohamed Darwish, Emily Ye, and Sanarya Aljaf for their achievements and contributions to Alzheimer’s disease research.
Mohamed Darwish
PhD Student | Neuroscience Graduate Student Rising Star Award
Mohamed Darwish was awarded the Neuroscience Graduate Student Rising Star Award for his research investigating whether improving blood flow to the brain can help protect learning and memory in Alzheimer’s disease.
“My project investigates whether improving blood flow to the brain can help protect learning and memory in Alzheimer’s disease. Using an Alzheimer mouse model, we will test whether GLP-1-targted drugs improve brain blood flow and reduce disease-related changes, which could help identify new approaches to treating Alzheimer’s disease.”
– Mohamed Darwish, PhD Student
Emily Ye
MSc Student | Irene Graham Brain Research Endowment Award ($4,000)
Emily Ye received the Irene Graham Brain Research Endowment Award, valued at $4,000, for her research examining how changes in brain receptor location and signaling contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, with a focus on differences between females and males.
“I investigate the neurobiological mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s disease, specifically how G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) can contribute to Alzheimer’s pathophysiology. My project looks at the localization of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) and M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1 mAChR) within brain tissue, two GPCRs important for learning and memory. As a pharmacology lab, we study how allosteric modulation of these receptors through pharmacological interventions can rescue cognitive deficits observed in Alzheimer’s disease via transgenic mouse models, noting sex-specific effects. Ultimately, we hope to provide mechanistic insight into the roles of mGluR5 and M1 mAChR in disease progression, informing the development of more precise, sex-tailored therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease.”
– Emily Ye, MSc Student
Sanarya Aljaf
PhD Candidate | DMCBH Neuroscience Graduate Rising Star Award (2025 & 2026)
Sanarya Aljaf, a PhD candidate under the supervision of Dr. Khaled Abdelrahman, received the DMCBH Neuroscience Graduate Rising Star Award in both 2025 and 2026.
“My research investigates how dysregulated astrocytic mGluR5 signaling contributes to Alzheimer’s disease pathology, particularly impaired neurovascular coupling and cerebral blood flow (CBF), and how these mechanisms affect cognitive function. I am also investigating sex-specific differences in Aβ–mGluR5 signaling to determine whether astrocytic mGluR5 represents a potential therapeutic target for restoring vascular and cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease.”
– Sanarya Aljaf, PhD Candidate
Research in Focus: Matthias Görges
Research in Focus shines a light on the innovative studies and discoveries taking shape across the UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Through each feature, we celebrate the minds driving meaningful change in research, education, and clinical practice across anesthesiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics.
Dr. Matthias Görges’ research focuses on developing innovative technological solutions to improve anesthesia and critical care. As a biomedical engineer, his work spans digital health, including mobile health applications, clinical decision support tools, advanced data science, and medical device interoperability and data exchange.
Through the AI and Data Science Unit at BC Children’s Hospital, Dr. Gorges leads the development, evaluation, and implementation of digital health tools and advanced data science methods across large, interdisciplinary teams. His research brings together clinicians and engineers across a range of healthcare settings, including operating rooms, intensive care units, general wards, patients’ homes, and rural communities throughout BC.
By working closely with anesthesiologists, critical care physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals, Dr. Gorges’ research aims to translate innovative technologies and data-driven approaches into clinical practice, with his work already informing changes in clinical policy and practice.
“The motivation for this work was a gap in understanding why children within a certain population might have a harder time recovering from surgery or suffer prolonged postsurgical pain.”
— Dr. Matthias Görge, Associate Professor, UBC
Meet Dr. Matthias Görges!
Site: BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Rank: Associate Professor
Dr. Mattias Gorges’ research journey has been shaped by a longstanding interest in the intersection of engineering, medicine, and patient care. He began his academic training in Biomedical Engineering at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, completing a Diplom-Ingenieur (FH) in 2004 and an MSc in 2005.
He continued this interdisciplinary work during his PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Utah, where he focused on the interface between engineering and nursing. During his postdoctoral fellowship in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Gorges explored how engineering could support pediatric anesthesia and critical care.
Today, as an Associate Professor in the APT Department, Principal Investigator at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, and BC-licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), Dr. Gorges co-leads the Digital Health Innovation Lab and the AI and Data Science Unit, continuing to bring engineering and technology into healthcare research and innovation.
What drew you to this particular research question or problem?
I recently completed an observational cohort study that used perioperative patient- and parent-reported experience and outcome measures to identify pediatric postsurgical recovery trajectories, published in Anaesthesia on 26 Feb 2026 (https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.70180). The motivation for this work was a gap in understanding why children within a certain population might have a harder time recovering from surgery or suffer prolonged postsurgical pain. Identifying these children in advance provides an opportunity to leverage the time from surgical booking to the day of surgery to develop tailored preparation (pre-habilitation) and multimodal perioperative support plans that alter recovery trajectories, improving comfort and return to activities of daily living. It is essential that we build these prediction tools using local data so they are more applicable to our population, and that we explore digital health solutions, such as apps, to support children and families through their surgical journey and optimize our care provision.
How does this project fit into your broader research interests or goals?
A learning health system uses locally available data to improve care, enabling timelier access to treatments, more accurate diagnoses, reduced clinician workload, and personalized feedback, thereby iteratively refining healthcare processes and improving family-relevant outcomes. A key component of this approach is earlier identification of high-risk patients at risk of undesired outcomes, such as acute deterioration, unplanned hospital admission, escalation of care, or poor functional recovery and long-term pain after surgery.
My research focuses on digital health platform development, advanced data science approaches for predictive analytics, and data‑driven clinical decision support, with the aim of improving pediatric perioperative and critical care outcomes through advanced clinical informatics. This approach provides a mechanism for discovering innovative solutions to healthcare problems and may allow us to provide more personalized care, in which digital health interventions improve outcomes for children and families, such as by preparing for surgery through effective coping mechanisms or motivating recovery activities.
What impact do you hope this work will have on clinical practice, education, or society in general?
The publication describes a study that involved significant engagement with families and our older patients to describe their surgical and recovery journey, from before admission to 3 months later. The study provides a broader understanding of how specific factors in our patients’ and their families’ lives can affect recovery from surgery. In the words of one of my anesthesia collaborators, “Identifying [these factors] in children serves as a rallying point and a blueprint for enhancing care. These findings allow clinicians to proactively develop collaborative perioperative plans for these patients before the additional stressor of surgery.” Importantly, we also included a qualitative component in this study: ‘Parental Perspectives on Pediatric Surgical Recovery: Narrative Analysis of Free-Text Comments from a Postoperative Survey‘, which generated significant interest among anesthesia, surgical and nursing colleagues and demonstrated the value of engaging families to help understand and refine our clinical processes.
What’s one thing you hope people will take away from this study?
From this study specifically, we need to differentiate modifiable factors (such as anxiety or existing pain) from non-modifiable risk factors (such as age or sex) and use this information to communicate effective strategies that support patients and their families in acting on recommendations (to effect change). From this and other work in my research program, I have learned that in order to develop digital health interventions that improve family-relevant outcomes and experiences, it is essential to co-design technical solutions with clinicians, people with lived experience, and relevant technical specialists, such as engineers, computer scientists, and human factors experts. This requires understanding the local setting, context, and health system constraints; effective communication, teamwork, and transdisciplinary collaboration; and an acknowledgment of the value of diverse opinions, creativity, and a willingness to think outside the box.
Faculty Spotlight: William Yao
The Faculty & Trainee Spotlight Series shines a light on the incredible people who make up the heart of UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Amidst the remarkable achievements and developments within the department, it is a pleasure to share the stories of the dynamic trainees and faculty who bring passion, curiosity, and insight that drive the areas of anesthesiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics forward.
Meet Dr. William Yao!
Rank: Clinical Instructor
Site: Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH)
Dr. Yao’s journey in medicine began in Hamilton, Ontario, where he grew up and completed both his undergraduate and medical degrees. His path eventually brought him to UBC, drawn by the warmth, kindness, and diversity he experienced during his CaRMS tour. During residency, he grew both personally and professionally, gaining a deeper understanding of the values that mattered most to him in medicine and in life.
That journey ultimately led him to Surrey Memorial Hospital, where he has found a strong sense of fulfilment working alongside an amazing and supportive team while serving a diverse community.
“There’s something really rewarding about helping someone reach that “lightbulb moment” or get excited about a new concept, and I’m grateful that I get to be part of that process.”
— Dr. William Yao, Clinical Instructor; UBC
What have you learned from working with residents and students that has surprised or inspired you?
As a relatively early-in-practice staff, I’m often shocked that now I’m the person learners are asking questions to. It has made me realize how much I’ve learned throughout my own training. The way I understand things, and teach others, is to break big topics into smaller, simple pieces. What has been most inspiring is seeing how genuinely excited people are to learn and watching their confidence grow as they put things together. There’s something really rewarding about helping someone reach that “lightbulb moment” or get excited about a new concept, and I’m grateful that I get to be part of that process.
What’s one piece of advice you received early in your career that has stayed with you?
Something a friend told me once was: “Only you know yourself best.” Medicine is a journey filled with uncertainty and numerous decisions. Even from the first day of medical school, we are met with questions that make us wonder if we are making the “right” choice. We’re fortunate to have many people around us who are willing to offer advice, but sometimes there is no one-size-fits-all answer. I’ve come to realize that there is no single mold for how we should live our lives. Be kind and true to yourself, pursue what interests you, and choose the path that feels right for you. Undoubtably, there will be others there to support you.
What drew you to anesthesiology/pharmacology/therapeutics as a specialty or area of research?
I chose anesthesiology because, quite simply, I thought it was cool. I enjoyed pharmacology and physiology, and was drawn to the idea of applying those concepts in real time. As I’ve progressed through training, I’ve come to appreciate that there is much more to the specialty than the science. I enjoy the challenge of solving problems as they arise, the variety of clinical situations, and the relationships we build with the entire operating room team. There is something particularly rewarding about bringing together physiology, teamwork, and practical problem-solving to help a case run safely and smoothly. And, of course, I love the chair.
If you weren’t in this field, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
If I never went into anesthesiology, I would spend my entire time playing with my dog, Bear. He is a whole 5.5 pounds so he requires lots of attention! If I had to seriously choose another career, maybe something like engineering or geology. I’ve always been fascinated by nature and the outdoors, and I think it would be pretty cool to have a job where you get to explore places and understand how things came to be.
Trainee Spotlight: Jake Johnston
The Faculty & Trainee Spotlight Series shines a light on the incredible people who make up the heart of UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Amidst the remarkable achievements and developments within the department, it is a pleasure to share the stories of the dynamic trainees and faculty who bring passion, curiosity, and insight that drive the areas of anesthesiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics forward.
Meet Jake Johnston!
Role: Anesthesia Resident, PGY-5
Site: UBC Vancouver
For Jake Johnston, an early interest in out-of-hospital medicine has continued to shape his journey in anesthesiology. After completing his undergraduate studies in Biotechnology at BCIT and UBC, he went on to attend UBC’s Island Medical Program in Victoria and is now a PGY-5 in UBC Anesthesiology.
Throughout residency, Jake has found opportunities to bring his training beyond the hospital, from spending a month doing anesthesia at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to joining resuscitation teams at music festivals and athletic events. He has also been part of the medical team for an international freediving competition. He is currently continuing this interest by completing an Advanced Learning Program in Prehospital and Transport Medicine with STARS.
“Providing critical care in the period between medical disaster and the hospital can make a significant impact on patient survival.”
— Jake Johnston, Anesthesia Resident, UBC
What inspired you to pursue anesthesiology, pharmacology, or therapeutics?
During medical school, I struggled to choose between anesthesia and psychiatry, two very different specialties. Ultimately, I couldn’t leave acute medicine behind and came to appreciate the role anesthesiologists play in some of the scariest moments of peoples’ lives: establishing rapport quickly and settling nerves before surgery. I love the applied pharmacology, physiology, and procedures — we are the only physicians in the hospital who routinely order, prepare, administer, and handle the consequences of our own medications. The versatility is hard to beat: pediatrics to obstetrics, every surgical specialty, and while the OR is home, we practice all over the hospital.
What areas of research or practice are you most passionate about?
My biggest interest outside the traditional anesthesia environment is prehospital and transport medicine. There’s a lot of overlap with anesthesia: resuscitating unstable patients, challenging airways, transfusion, working as a team. There’s also plenty that’s new: undifferentiated patients, limited diagnostics and resources, transport logistics, and providing phone advice to rural providers. Providing critical care in the period between medical disaster and the hospital can make a significant impact on patient survival. I’m also passionate about simulation, medical education, and point-of-care ultrasound — I served as a resident simulation lead, teach on ATLS courses, and completed the ASA Diagnostic POCUS Certificate.
What do you enjoy doing outside of the hospital or lab?
Anything with my wife Melody, our daughter Ella, and (usually) our (high-maintenance) dog Fig, Otherwise, you’ll find me outside trail running, mountain biking, skiing, or fishing. We also love to travel — ideally somewhere I can get underwater for some diving.
What’s a fun fact about you that most people wouldn’t guess?
I used to faint at the sight of blood, right up until undergrad. In an attempt to extinguish my vasovagal response, I watched videos of open heart surgery on youtube (while lying down, just in case). It worked. If you’d told me as a kid that I’d end up running massive hemorrhage protocols on patients with uncontrolled bleeding in the operating room or in the back of a helicopter, I wouldn’t have believed it (and probably would have fainted).
Research in Focus: Catrina Loucks
Research in Focus shines a light on the innovative studies and discoveries taking shape across the UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Through each feature, we celebrate the minds driving meaningful change in research, education, and clinical practice across anesthesiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics.
A central aim of Dr. Catrina Loucks’ research is to understand why people experience and respond to pain differently by examining how genetic variation shapes pain sensitivity and reactions to pain medications, ultimately supporting the development of more personalized pain management strategies for children.
Through the Loucks Pain Management Pharmacogenomics Lab, Dr. Catrina Louck’s research brings together human genetics, pharmacogenomics, and experimental models to identify genetic factors that shape pain and medication responses. A key component of this work uses the microscopic roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate how pain-related genes and pathways influence sensory responses. Because many of these genes and signalling pathways are conserved between Caenorhabditis elegans and humans, the model provides an opportunity to uncover complex genetic mechanisms that may contribute to individual differences in pain.
By connecting genetic discoveries with predictive testing and precision medicine approaches, Dr. Loucks’ research aims to help clinicians better understand the benefits and risks of different pain medications and ultimately support safer, more effective, and more personalized pain management for children.
“Through this work, we hope to better characterize the complex genetic underpinnings of human pain and help inform predictive genetic testing strategies that support more individualized risk-benefit decisions for pain management in children.”
— Dr. Catrina Loucks, Assistant Professor, UBC
Meet Dr. Catrina Loucks!
Site: BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Rank: Assistant Professor
Dr. Catrina Loucks’ research journey has been shaped by a longstanding interest in understanding the genetic and biological mechanisms underlying human sensation. She began this work during her BHSc/MSc at the University of Calgary, where she investigated human genes involved in sensory and signalling processes, identifying several genes with important roles in these pathways.
She continued exploring these mechanisms during her PhD at Simon Fraser University, where she turned to the microscopic roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to investigate how sensory and signalling genes function. Through mechanistic and behavioural studies, she uncovered novel biological roles for two genes involved in sensory processes.
During her postdoctoral training at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Loucks expanded her expertise into human population genetics, conducting genomic analyses across large populations to identify new genetic contributors to human traits. Together, these experiences have given her a unique combination of expertise spanning human genetics and experimental biology, allowing her to build a research pipeline that connects genetic discoveries in humans with mechanistic insights from C. elegans to advance our understanding of the biological basis of human pain.
What drew you to this particular research question or problem?
In humans, individual genetic differences dictate both how we feel pain and how our pain is modulated by unique experiences, environments and personal backgrounds. This makes it difficult to pinpoint whether specific genetic factors influence pain sensitivity, the context-specific modulation of pain, or both. C. elegans is an ideal model to elucidate the complex, and often context-specific, roles of human pain-related genes due to its (a) well-characterized neuronal functions/connections, (b) behavioural assays that enable the interrogation of pain-related sensory processes and the (c) conservation of many pain-related genes/pathways. Furthermore, several C. elegans genes show conserved sensory/signalling roles compared to their corresponding human pain genes, thus facilitating the translation of findings to better understand the genetic underpinnings of human pain.
How does this project fit into your broader research interests or goals?
We are working to unravel the genetic complexity underlying variable pain responses in children by conducting unbiased genomic screens in well-characterized populations of children (funded through a Canadian Cancer Society Challenge Grant and a Terry Fox New Investigator Award). Through this, we have discovered and/or curated genetic predictors of several pain-related phenotypes in children (NPJ Genom Med 2024, J Clin Pharmacol 2025, Anesth Analg 2025 [two publications], Clin Pharmacol Ther 2026 and Pediatr Blood Cancer 2026). Our NSERC Discovery research program is extending our work to establish a C. elegans genetic validation platform for pain-related phenotypes. This platform (localized at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute and funded by a CFI John R. Evans Leaders Fund Award) consists of state-of-the-art microscopes (stereo, injection and fluorescent) and two automated behavioural trackers that is allowing us to elucidate the complex roles of identified genes in pain.
What impact do you hope this work will have on clinical practice, education, or society in general?
In children, ongoing pain can interfere with brain development, disrupt behaviour and increase the risk of chronic pain. This can be particularly devastating for vulnerable patient populations, such as children with cancer and infants treated in the neonatal intensive care unit, who often experience high burdens of pain. Providing adequate pain treatment for these children is critical, yet it remains challenging to predict who will experience pain and how each child will respond to prescribed pain relievers. This is especially difficult in infants and young children who cannot articulate their level of pain, limiting their ability to receive appropriate relief without harm. Through this work, we hope to better characterize the complex genetic underpinnings of human pain and help inform predictive genetic testing strategies that support more individualized risk-benefit decisions for pain management in children.
Trainee Spotlight: Wilson Ho
The Faculty & Trainee Spotlight Series shines a light on the incredible people who make up the heart of UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Amidst the remarkable achievements and developments within the department, it is a pleasure to share the stories of the dynamic trainees and faculty who bring passion, curiosity, and insight that drive the areas of anesthesiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics forward.
Meet Wilson Ho!
Role: Anesthesia Resident, PGY-3
Site: UBC Vancouver
Wilson Ho’s interest in anesthesiology has been shaped by a passion for medical education and improving the experiences of learners entering the clinical environment. Throughout his residency training, he has sought opportunities to support medical students and create a more welcoming introduction to the specialty.
Inspired by the challenges many students face when transitioning into clinical clerkship, particularly in the fast-paced environment of the operating room, Wilson collaborated with his co-residents to develop a structured orientation resource for third-year medical students beginning their anesthesia rotation. Through this quality improvement initiative, he hopes to help students feel more confident, prepared, and supported as they embark on their clinical training.
“There is something inherently satisfying about implementing changes where you work, and immediately evaluating both positive/negative impacts.”
— Wilson Ho, Anesthesia Resident, UBC
What inspired you to pursue anesthesiology, pharmacology, or therapeutics?
My interest in anesthesia stems from my interest in physiology, as the operating room is the best place to watch pharmacology work in real time. We must choose the right medications during critical situations, and witness almost instantaneously how these drugs affect the body. I also enjoy this specialty because we can make a meaningful impact when patients are most vulnerable. Although we don’t form many longitudinal relationships with patients, I take satisfaction in knowing that I helped them safely undergo procedures that significantly change their lives.
How did your path lead you to UBC?
Having grown up all my life in Ontario, I wanted to get outside of my comfort zone and explore the West Coast. I’ve always been attracted to the outdoors, and am a fan of skiing, running, and being in nature. UBC seemed like the obvious choice, where there’s an eclectic mix of mountains, ocean, and rainforest! I’ve also heard many great things about the UBC Anesthesia program, specifically its supportive learning environment and strong sense of mentorship. Our program prioritizes a sense of community within residents, where we’re not afraid to share both our successes and failures with one another.
What areas of research or practice are you most passionate about?
I would not be standing where I am today without the help of mentors who gave their time, believed in my potential, and challenged me to grow. From formal anesthesia clinical teaching to informal mentorship programs, I am passionate about finding ways to help others navigate their medical journey. On the research side, I’m very interested in quality improvement. There is something inherently satisfying about implementing changes where you work, and immediately evaluating both positive/negative impacts. I’m hoping to expand the work we started with 3rd year medical students, and work with other specialties beyond anesthesia.
What do you enjoy doing outside of the hospital or lab?
Outside of work, you will most likely catch me outdoors! I enjoy staying active, and frequently hike through the many beautiful mountains that BC has to offer. I still have yet to do the Grouse Grind though, and look forward to conquereing it with some of my co-residents later this summer. I also love cooking, and trying new recipes at home. Some of my most recent experiments include tiramisu, sushi cake, and lemon meringue pie. Sleeping, exercising, and eating are my best ways to stay recharged throughout residency!