The 30th Chung Research Day was an inspiring celebration of innovation and research excellence in the Department of Surgery. This year, our event took place on November 4, 2024, in a hybrid format combining in-person and virtual participation.
This year marks the 30th Chung Lecture, and we were thrilled to welcome Dr. Susan Mackinnon as our Chung Lecturer. Dr. Mackinnon is the Minot Packer Fryer Professor of Surgery, Director of the Center for Nerve Injury and Paralysis, and Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. She is renowned for her groundbreaking work in nerve surgery, which she explored in her lecture titled “Cultivating Joy and Well-Being For Performance, Innovation, and Paradigm Shifts”.
Program Highlights
The 30th Chung Research Day featured a wide array of outstanding presentations and research. Notably, three Plenary Presentations and four Short Oral Presentations stood out:
Best Plenary Presentations
- Caroline Illmann (Division of Plastic Surgery): “Engaging Patients in Research: Our Experience Creating a Patient Advisory Committee”
- Austin Heffernan (Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery): “Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing and Greenhouse Gas Emission Quantification of a Multidisciplinary Complex Airway Clinic”
- Abhiram Cherukupalli (Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery): “The Utility
and Challenges of Using Large Language Models for Diagnostic Assistance in Telemedicine Applications in Rural India”
Best Short Oral Presentations
- Abdullah Mashat (Division of Pediatric Surgery): “Design and Development of a Low-Cost Modular Simulator for Training in the Surgical Management of Jejunoileal Atresia”
- Ying Jie Li (Division of Vascular Surgery): “Canadian Vascular Surgeon’s Perspective on the Impact of Device Representatives in the Operating Room: A CSVS Survey”
- Abhiram Cherukupalli (Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery): “A Novel Approach to Nasal Decongestion through Trans-Oral Neuromodulation of Sympathetic Sinonasal Nerve Fibers – a Porcine Model”
- Claire Liu (Division of General Surgery): “Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes in Elderly Breast Cancer Surgery Patients”
The Department of Surgery expresses heartfelt gratitude to the 30th Chung Research Day judges: Drs. Faizal Haji, Division of Neurosurgery; Kathryn Isaac, Division of Plastic Surgery; Susan Mackinnon, 30th Chung Lecturer, Washington University School of Medicine; Anna McGuire, Division of Thoracic Surgery; Desmond Nunez, Division of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery; Rebecca Warburton, Division of General Surgery.
Dinner and Reception
As is tradition, we concluded the day with a delightful dinner and reception at the University Golf Club, providing a perfect setting for networking and informal discussions.
The Dinner & Reception included a Department Awards Ceremony featuring the annual research awards. Congratulations to our 2024 research award winners:
Dr. H.W. Johnson Early-Career Investigator Award Co-Recipients:
Drs. Sarah Baker and Shahrzad Joharifard
Dr. Sarah Baker is an Assistant Professor at UBC and a radiation oncologist at BC Cancer Surrey, focusing on advanced radiotherapy. She received her MD from UBC and completed her residency at the University of Alberta’s Cross Cancer Institute. She further specialized through a fellowship and PhD at Erasmus MC in the Netherlands, concentrating on stereotactic radiotherapy for lung and head and neck cancers. Her clinical and research interests include SABR and innovative radiotherapy for lung malignancies. Dr. Baker also serves as the medical director of the Clinical Trials Unit at BC Cancer Surrey, advancing cancer treatment through clinical trials.
Dr. Shahrzad Joharifard is a Canadian Pediatric Surgeon with a focus on global health in conflict zones. She holds degrees from Princeton University (AB History), Duke University (MD), and Harvard (MPH in Clinical Effectiveness). Dr. Joharifard completed her general surgery residency at UBC in 2017 and a Pediatric Surgery fellowship at Université de Montréal in 2020. Her career includes extensive work across sub-Saharan Africa, including roles with Partners in Health in Liberia. She co-founded UBC’s Global Surgery Lab and co-directs a training program in essential surgical skills. Currently, she works at BC Children’s Hospital and with Médecins Sans Frontières.
Dr. R.J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient:
Dr. Eitan Prisman
Dr. Eitan Prisman is a Clinical Associate Professor at UBC’s Department of Surgery, specializing in head and neck reconstructive surgery. Since joining UBC in 2014, he has pioneered virtual surgical planning with 3D-printed guides for jaw reconstruction, in clinical use since 2017. Dr. Prisman established the first Trans-oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) program in Western Canada in 2014 and led the ORATOR clinical trial. His ongoing research focuses on virtual surgical planning, interdisciplinary collaboration in head and neck cancer treatment, and the application of machine learning to improve patient care and diagnostics in head and neck oncology.
Research Mentorship Award:
Dr. Emilie Joos
Dr. Emilie Joos is a trauma and acute care surgeon at Vancouver General Hospital and an Associate Director of the UBC Branch for Global Surgical Care. She completed her medical degree at McGill University, general surgery residency at Laval University, and a Trauma and Surgical Critical Care fellowship at the University of Southern California. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Joos co-founded the UBC Global Surgery Lab, mentoring students and residents on global surgery research, with projects presented internationally and published in peer-reviewed journals.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the presenters and award winners. Your dedication and hard work have left a lasting impact on the 30th Chung Research Day.