Surgery - MGH Foundation

Ms. Sarah Atoui

The Thelma L. Adams Fellowship (Oncology)

I am a physiotherapist with a Master’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Quebec in Montreal. I am a now PhD candidate in the Department of Experimental Surgery at McGill University. My research project will be conducted in the Perioperative Program (POP) at the Montreal General Hospital. POP staff (a kinesiologist, a nutritionist, and a clinical psychologist) will work closely with me to prepare patients for surgery. My training at the MUHC will be of great value for my PhD, as I am already very familiar with the program and have experience in both the recruitment and data collection process of POP.

Dr. Ahmed Aoude

Gérard R. Douville Award

Millennium Research Award

Being an electrical and biomedical engineer as well as an orthopedic surgeon specialised in spine and tumor surgery, my research will mainly be focused on medical device development and innovations for the operating room, and more specifically, cutting-edge technology to improve orthopedic surgery. This will in turn provide better outcomes for patients through safer surgery, and will decrease surgical time and technical errors associated with surgery. Some of the technologies that I will be working with include computer assisted surgery, robotics, augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Mélanie Aubé-Peterkin

Dr. Mostafa Elhilali Fellowship

My qualitative study in educational research will evaluate the initial experience of implementing competency-based medical education into our local urology residency program’s training curriculum. What is interesting about our program’s current timeframe is that we have two similar-sized resident cohorts working simultaneously within the same residency program: the competency-based cohort and the traditional cohort. This unique situation will allow us to obtain feedback from both resident cohorts, from the faculty who teach and evaluate both of these cohorts, as well as from the program director who has been instrumental in implementing this new curriculum. Results from this study may shine a new light on both positive aspects and challenges caused by this curriculum change, which will allow medical educators to find solutions and make adjustments to improve residency training across Canada.

Swneke Bailey, PhD

Dr. Ray Chiu Distinguished Scientist in Surgical Research Award

The life-expectancy of patients with stomach cancers that have spread (metastasized) to the lining of the abdominal cavity, the peritoneum, is only four months. This poor outcome is caused by the lack of effective therapies for metastatic disease. Using multiple genomic technologies, we aim to improve the survival of these patients by identifying the molecular changes that allow their tumors to spread. These molecular alterations will permit the early identification of patients at risk of metastasis and the affected genes or pathways represent new potential drug targets, which could lead to the development of new treatments for this devastating disease.

Dr. Jonathan Cools-Lartigue

Dr. Gold Fellowship in Cancer Research

The Herbert S. Lang Award in Oncology and Surgery

Cancers of the lung and esophagus are a group of diseases with an increasing incidence in the western world. Despite advances in treatment, few patients survive beyond five years. Our current work aims at demonstrating that tumor-derived extracellular vesicles induce neutrophils migration to lymph nodes leading to the elaboration of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). This renders the lymph node hospitable for tumor growth but also highlights a potential opportunity: NETs are highly sensitive to inhibition by currently-available drugs.

Dr. Ida Derish

Tom Hum and Eileen Hum Chang Research Award

The Barbara Bourne Tiffin Award

Heart attacks cause lasting damage to the heart muscle and are a major cause of death and disability. The blood flow loss results in a diseased organ, with no curative therapies available despite the rise of stem cell (SC) therapies to repair the damaged heart. The focus has shifted towards cell-free strategies that utilize SC secretions to deliver regenerative effects. We tackle the development of a cell-free method using three-dimensional SC culture secretions to promote blood vessel formation, which is crucial for proper heart functioning. We hope to eventually identify a novel cardiovascular repair therapy to improve patient survival.

Dr. Sinziana Dumitra

Dr. Douglas Avrith Scholarship

Ms. Vanessa Ferreira

Auxiliary of the MGH Research Award

T.H.P. Molson Fellowship

Cancer patients often have poor nutritional status and physical function before their surgery, which can negatively impact recovery and survival. The preoperative period is an opportune time to actively engage and empower patients in improving their functional, nutritional and mental status in anticipation of surgical stress. My research focuses on the development and implementation of multimodal prehabilitation programs, which include exercise, protein supplementation and anxiety management strategies during the preoperative period, which can improve functional capacity of the patients, help them better withstand the stress of surgery, and enhance their recovery.

Chelsia Gillis, PhD

The Thelma L. Adams Fellowship (Oncology)

Colorectal surgery is commonly performed in Canada to treat bowel cancers and other bowel diseases. Recovery from colorectal surgery is difficult because of many possible side effects and complications. These side effects lead to long hospital stays and slow recovery. In fact, it can take several months for patients to recover the strength to return to their typical daily activities. Our goal is to improve patient outcomes and experiences with a new surgery program called Prehabilitation. Prehabilitation programs prepare patients for their operation with nutrition, anxiety reduction, and exercise advice, to help patients feel mentally and physically prepared for surgery.

Dr. Adam Hart

L. Edmond Ricard Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship

While hip and knee replacement surgery improve the mobility and quality of life for over 160,000 Canadians each year, post-operative infections have become a devastating complication and are now the leading cause for reoperation. My research program aims to find and evaluate new strategies to prevent infections following joint replacement surgery. Projects have been established in both the clinical and basic sciences; constituting a double-pronged approach that facilitates knowledge transfer from bench to bedside. Each project leverages the strengths of our clinical practice and McGill collaborators to explore unique approaches for the prevention of infections.

Mr. Adam Hoffman

Inez and Willena Beaton Award in Oncology

My academic program at McGill University is a Master of Science in Experimental Surgery. As a thesis core stream student, I will be conducting laboratory research, gaining a greater understanding of public health in the process. In particular, I am looking forward to being able to critically evaluate scientific literature and use my writing skills for my own research. Moreover, I hope to apply the scientific knowledge and skills learned in a real-world setting and in a related career down the road.

Dr. Anitha Kammili

Bell Media Fellowship

The Honourable Hartland Molson Fellowship

Mimi Dupuis Benjamin Award

My doctoral project is focused on automating assessments with the assistance of artificial intelligence. This will help trainees in general surgery and surgeons themselves in monitoring their progress during residency, fellowship and beyond to provide personalized and timely feedback. It will also help in identifying areas of weaknesses objectively, with the ultimate goal of producing highly competent surgeons in an efficient manner.

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Ms. Mingyang Kong

Dr. Ray Chiu Surgical Research Award

As a research unit of McGill’s Department of Surgery, the Experimental Surgery Program administrates and coordinates graduate surgical research training for the MUHC. Basic and clinical research is conducted by graduate students in the Experimental Surgery Program. Laboratories at different McGill teaching hospitals within the MUHC network provide opportunities for basic scientists to interact with physician-scientists, translating bench discoveries into clinical applications. With the recent establishment of concentrations, including Surgical Innovation, the Surgical Education and Global Surgery, the Experimental Surgery program aims to provide world-class research training in surgery.

Mr. Jean-Gabriel Lacombe

Cools-Gagnon Thoracic Surgery Award

As part of this research program, our team developed a novel camera for minimally invasive thoracic surgeries. Cameras currently used in thoracic surgeries are obstructive and lead to frustration among surgeons. To minimize obstruction and frustration, and to increase patient safety, our team leveraged innovative magnet technologies and designed a camera that reduces crowding within the thorax. The camera not only requires minimal handling but also increases the surgeon’s visual field during surgical procedures. The result is a more compact and versatile tool that minimizes time wasted by surgeons during operations.

Ms. Geneviève Lambert

The Thelma L. Adams Fellowship (Oncology)

My academic program involves learning about the surgical process in order to find the knowledge gaps and challenges that could be solved to improve healthcare delivery. The Experimental Surgery Department has provided me with outstanding tools to appreciate medical dilemmas, in addition to patient perspectives. Understanding the evolution of surgical tools and methods, treatments, and the implementation of lifestyle interventions in the perioperative period has allowed me, in my research and clinical practice, to enhance partnerships with patients, and healthcare professionals. This enables me to respect patients’ will and limitations, while optimizing the cancer care continuum.

Dr. Lawrence Lee

The Honourable Hartland Molson Fellowship

Nesbitt-McMaster Award for Excellence In Medicine And Surgery

My research program is focused on patient-centered outcomes and care. In particular, I am investigating how patients make decisions regarding their cancer care. The number of treatment options is often overwhelming for patients, and they may not choose a strategy that is consistent with their values and goals. This research will aim to determine how best to align patients’ treatment values and goals with the best available option, in order to maximize patient-centered outcomes. Furthermore, I have also established a colorectal cancer biobank for translational research investigating new targeted cancer therapies.

Kedar Mate, PhD

Mimi Dupuis Benjamin Award

I am particularly interested in experiences of people with sarcoma receiving treatments at the MUHC, as patient-experiences will help to identify gaps in care and serve as a quality assurance proxy measure. My project is to develop two sarcoma-specific patient-reported outcome indexes(SARCO-PBOI) and patient-reported experience index (SARCO-PREI). It will take place within a multi-disciplinary team of stakeholders (surgeons, clinicians, radiologists), patient partners, epidemiologists and psychometricians. Specifically, the study plans to engage patients and key stakeholders in guiding the development of the measures. We also plan on using a variety of strategies to disseminate this development beyond traditional routes – for example, partnering with sarcoma groups, creating workshops to showcase how to use the measures, and presenting the findings to clinicians.

Dr. Katherine McKendy

Molson Brothers Award in Trauma

Nesbitt-McMaster Award for Excellence In Medicine And Surgery

MGHF Board Emeritus Research Award

My main research interest is in the field of medical education, focusing on feedback, assessment, and curriculum development. I am currently working on a project, in collaboration with the Canadian Association for General Surgery, to develop a national teaching curriculum for surgical trainees. This curriculum will use an online platform to develop and deliver high quality educational content, allowing trainees to benefit from the expertise of surgeons across the country. I am also working on a clinical project to develop a multidisciplinary trauma clinic. The goal of this project is to collaborate with allied heath professionals, with a specific focus on mental health, in order to enhance the physical and mental aspects of recovery for trauma survivors.

Dr. Victor McPherson

Aaron & Susan Lieberman & Family Award in Urology Research

Simone & Morris Fast Award for Oncology

My research focuses on bladder cancer, and my interest is in the generation of clinical trials and the utilization of targeted therapeutics to shut down critical cancer cell signaling processes. My research program at McGill will focus on targeting gene mutations in bladder cancer via targeted drugs, and on creating model systems to test bladder instillations of these agents, with the intent to generate phase I/II clinical trials to test promising new drug regimens.

Dr. Hamzeh Naghawi

Elizabeth & Arnie Vered Cancer Research Award

The Honourable Hartland Molson Fellowship

My work focuses on studying the effects of objective feedback and deliberate practice on surgical pedagogical frameworks, particularly when combined with new or challenging minimally invasive surgical procedures. My thesis involves the development and validation of a virtual assessment tool to safely implement a novel, surgically challenging technique into practice. The platform provides a cost-effective simulation-based environment for multiple users simultaneously, at their convenience, regardless of time or geographic location. This ultimately aims to create better educational material in order to minimize the learning curve and improve the quality of surgical care delivered to patients with rectal cancer.

Mr. Xin Su

Dr. Ray Chiu Surgical Research Award

My research focuses on cancer lymph node metastasis. Early detection and monitoring of malignant tumours are crucial to improve patient survival. In many cancers, lymph nodes are the first sites of metastasis. In addition to the tumour staging system, as more new therapies are available, lymph node metastasis status is intervenable before distant metastasis, which is the leading cancer-related cause of death. Currently we are focusing on how neutrophils, physiologically anti-microbial immune cells, can participate in lymph node metastasis. This work will lead to the development of novel therapeutics and will contribute to better management of cancer patients.

Dr. Stéphanie Thibaudeau

Dr. Harvey C. Brown Award

My academic program/research at the MUHC focuses on hand microsurgery outcomes and training as well as optimizing post-operative outcomes in hand surgery. Currently, we are close to finishing patient recruitment in a randomized controlled trial, investigating the effects on post-operative pain control of local anesthesia wrist block versus regional anesthesia brachial plexus block. We are also developing a curriculum for microsurgical training in plastic surgery residency. To assist our residents in obtaining these microsurgical skills, we are validating the use of a micro-vessel simulator as compared to a rat microsurgical training.

Dr. Joshua Vorstenbosch

Simone & Morris Fast Award for Oncology

Breast cancer reconstruction following mastectomy significantly improves quality of life in breast cancer survivors. However, many patients undergoing breast reconstruction with implants will experience painful contracture surrounding the implant requiring surgical intervention. My lab is interested in better understanding how the body interacts with implants at the cellular and molecular level, in both normal conditions and during contracture. This information will enable us to investigate treatment strategies against contracture and to develop more biocompatible implant materials, in order to further improve the quality of life in breast cancer survivors who have already endured so much.

Dr. Sofia Valanci Aroesty

T.H.P. Molson Fellowship

After residency ends, surgeons are practically left on their own to improve and learn new technical skills. Surgeons need to perform at the top of their game. Without the opportunity for continuous feedback and bilateral learning with other peers, surgeons face a plateau. Coaching has been shown to improve individual performance in other fields, like sports, and is a promising approach for surgery. If done correctly, it may provide surgeons with the opportunity to improve and maintain their performance for the sake of the health and lives of their patients.

Dr. Michael Weber

Robert and Mary Hewitt Horizons Award

My team and I are currently working on the development of bone implants, used as reservoirs for the local release of therapeutics agents at the site of bone-metastasis resection. We have previously developed a novel 3-D printing fabrication technique of bone implants that are specifically designed to replace the defect generated after resection of a destructive bony metastasis. This 3-D printing technique allows for the fabrication of bio-ceramic implants that are tailored or customized to the patient’s anatomy.

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