Chung Research Day

In the early 1990s, Doctors Wally Chung and Madeleine Chung endowed a fund to support a department-wide research forum. The Chung Research Day showcases research endeavors in the Department of Surgery covering topics in basic, clinical and education research. More information on the Chung family’s contribution to academic life and to the community can be found at: THE CHUNG COLLECTION

Chung Research Day takes the format of a day-long academic session followed by a reception. At the reception, research prizes in the following areas are presented:

  • Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award
  • Dr. H. W. Johnson New Investigator Award
  • Research Mentorship Award (NEW!)
  • Ennis Award in Medicine for Breast Cancer Treatment


November 4, 2024

Chung Lecturer:
To be announced

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient:
To be announced

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient:
To be announced

November 6, 2023

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Jodi Sherman, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine; Associate Professor of Epidemiology in Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health; Director, Yale Program on Healthcare Environmental Sustainability; Medical Director, Yale New Haven Health System Centre for Sustainable Healthcare

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient:
Dr. Faizal Haji

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient:
Dr. Carl Brown
Watch Finley award winner video >

29th Chung Research Day Poster

Full Program

Highlights

November 7, 2022

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Chad Ball, Professor of Surgery and Oncology, University of Calgary 

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Hannah Piper

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Robert Olson

Full Program

Highlights


November 1, 2021

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Gelareh Zadeh, MD, PhD,FRCS(C), FAANS 

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Andrew Thamboo

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Christopher Honey

Full Program

Highlights

November 18, 2020

Chung Lecturer: Melanie Morris, BSc, MD, FRCSC – Something to Imagine: Equity in Pediatric Surgery

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Anna McGuire

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Glenn Regehr

Full Program

November 4, 2019

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Grantcharov, Professor of Surgery, University of Toronto

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Emily Joos

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Nadine Caron

Full Program


November 5, 2018

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Richard K. Reznick
Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences Queen’s University Chief Executive Officer, Southeastern Ontario Academic Medical Association

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient : Dr. Andrea MacNeill Video

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient : Dr. Bruce Verchere

Full Program

Highlights

October 16, 2017

Chung Lecturers:  

Dr. Michael Tymianski, Head of UHN’s Division of Neurosurgery and Senior Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute.

Dr. Wendy Lai, President of Mèdecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) Canada

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Eitan Prisman

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Amin Javer

Full Program

Highlights

Location: The research presentations took place in the Paetzold Auditorium at Vancouver General Hospital followed by the reception at the UBC Golf Course.

Keynote Speakers:  

Dr. Michael Tymianski, Head of UHN’s Division of Neurosurgery and Senior Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute.

A world-renowned neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, Dr. Tymianski holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Translational Stroke Research and was recently inducted into the Order of Canada. He has received multiple academic awards, and funding from the National Institutes of Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and the Canadian Stroke Networks.
For the last two decades, Dr. Tymianski has dedicated his research to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying stroke and possible therapies for cerebral protection. His efforts led to the discovery of the drug called NA-1 which has the potential to protect the brain from the effects of stroke. NA-1 is currently in Phase III clinical trials in humans.

Dr. Wendy Lai, President of Mèdecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) Canada

Dr. Lai is a specialist in Emergency Medicine at Humber River Hospital in Toronto. She earned a biochemistry degree with great distinction from McGill University, a medical degree from the University of Western Ontario and studied Family Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lai has worked in remote communities of the Canadian North delivering medical care to First Nations. Involved with MSF since 2006, Dr. Lai has worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a medical doctor and as the medical team leader in a maternity hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She returned to work in post- earthquake Haiti and, most recently, served in the Central African Republic as the medical team leader for a secondary health care project. For Dr. Lai, assisting disadvantaged populations has been a natural extension of her passion for medicine and interest in social justice.

Schedule

Program

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient Dr. Eitan Prisman Video: Click here to view

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient Dr. Amin Javer: Click here to view

November 7, 2016

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Ivar Mendez, F.H. Wigmore Professor and Unified Head, University of Saskatchewan and Saskatoon Health Region, Department of Surgery and Royal University Hospital

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient : Dr. Neil K. Chadha

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient : Dr. Morad Hameed

Full Program

Highlights

Highlights

Location: The research presentations take place in the Paetzold Auditorium at Vancouver General Hospital followed by the reception at the UBC Golf Course.

Chung Research Day Poster: Click here to view

Keynote Speaker: The 2016 keynote speaker is Dr. Ivar Mendez, F.H. Wigmore Professor and Unified Head, University of Saskatchewan and Saskatoon Health Region, Department of Surgery and Royal University Hospital.

His research focuses on functional neurosurgery, brain repair, stem cells, robotic neurosurgery and computerized systems in neurosurgical applications. In 2002, Dr. Mendez and his team performed the world’s first long distance telementoring neurosurgery. In 2013, he reported the first remote programming for neuromodulation devices. Dr. Mendez was the President of the Canadian Neuromodulation Society (CNS) from 2009 – 2012 which, under his leadership, has promoted the access of neuromodulation therapy to all citizens of Canada.

Chung Day Full Program: Click here to view

Photo Gallery: Click to view. Note: these photos are not for commercial use. 

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient Dr. Neil K. Chadha Video: Click to view

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient Dr. Morad Hameed: Click to view

Other presentation awardees:

PLENARY SESSION AWARDS

Dr. Kristin DeGirolamo, General Surgery

               Process mapping as a framework for performance improvement in emergency general surgery

Karan D’Souza, General Surgery

               Improving outcomes in colorectal surgery through implementation of sequential quality improvement interventions at a community hospital

Romy Hoeppli, General Surgery

               Migration capacity of thymic regulatory T cells can be tuned by expansion in cytokine-enriched culture conditions

Dr. Danny Mendelsohn, Neurosurgery

Impact of work-hours and sleep on well-being and burnout for physicians-in-training:  the prospective RATE Study

SIMULTANEOUS SESSION AWARDS

Dr. Oleksandr Butskiy, Otolaryngology                      

ThroatUnwrap – computer optimization of anterolateral thigh flap design for circumferential pharyngeal reconstruction: a cadaveric proof of principle study

Dr. Anali Dadgostar, Otolaryngology                          

The use of polydiaxanone (PDS) plates for endoscopic skull base repair

Dr. Heather Denroche, General Surgery    

Deletion of TLR2 or MyD88 does not ameliorate islet amyloid induced beta cell dysfunction

Dr. Mahshid Ebtia, Plastic surgery               

               Evaluation of the anti-glucotoxic effects of leech saliva extract (LSE) on mouse and human pancreatic islets


November 2, 2015

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Garnette Sutherland, Professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary, and founder and Director of the Seaman Family MR Research Centre, Alberta Heath Services.

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient : Dr. Robert Olson

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient : Dr. Sam Wiseman

Full Program

Highlights

Highlights

Location: The research presentations take place in the Paetzold Auditorium at Vancouver General Hospital followed by the reception at the UBC Golf Course.

Chung Research Day Poster: Click here to view

Keynote Speaker: The 2015 keynote speaker was Dr. Garnette Sutherland, University of Calgary spoke on his award winning work in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and robotic surgery.

Dr. Sutherland is a Professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary, and founder and Director of the Seaman Family MR Research Centre, Alberta Heath Services.

His major research focus is the application of MR techniques to the study of neurological diseases. Among his innovations are the Intraoperative MR system, and the NeuroArm robotic system that can do neurosurgery. He has been recognized by numerous awards including an Order of Canada (2012) and induction into the Space Foundation’s Space Technology Hall of Fame (2014).

Chung Research Day Program Overview: Click to view
Chung Day Full Program – Final: Click to view
Photo Gallery: Click to view Note: these photos are not for commercial use. 

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient Dr. Robert Olson Video: Click to view

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient Dr. Sam Wiseman: Click to view

November 17, 2014

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Thomas, Pearson-Ginsberg Chair, Division of Thoracic Surgery, University of Toronto and Head of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at University Health Network.

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Sheina Macadam

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Richard Simons

Full Program

Highlights

October 29, 2013

Chung Lecturer:  Dr. Lorelei Lingard, Professor and Director of the Centre for Education Research and Innovation Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry | Western University, London, Ontario

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Cathie Garnis

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. W. James Morris

Full Program

Highlights

Highlights

2013-October-29: the 19th. ANNUAL W.B. & M.H. CHUNG LECTURESHIP

Our keynote speaker was Dr. Lorelei Lingard, Professor and Director of the Centre for Education Research and Innovation Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry | Western University, London, Ontario

Dr. Lingard is one of the world’s leading education researchers in the study of communication and collaboration on healthcare teams. Her research program investigates the nature of communication on inter-professional healthcare teams. She has studied teams in a variety of clinical settings, including the operating room, the intensive care unit, the internal medicine ward, adult rehabilitation unit, and the liver transplant program. She is particularly interested in how communication patterns influence patient safety, and how learning to talk in sanctioned ways shapes the professional identity of novices.

The Chung Research Day – Schedule

Read or download the complete Chung Day’s Program and Abstracts Book (“The Surgical Times“)

  • Message from the Chair, Dr. John Kestle
  • The Benefactors
  • Chung Lecture 2013
  • Plenary Presentations
  • Evening Program
  • List of full Presentation Abstracts
  • Kudos & Congratulations 2013
  • Awards
  • History of this Event

The Awards Reception and dinner was held at the Museum of Vancouver, Vanier Parks.

The annual faculty research recognitions were also presented at the dinner.
Learn more about the works of the recipients: of the New Investigator Award and of the Senior Investigator Award.


September 24, 2012

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Haile Debas, University of California, San Francisco

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Francis Lynn

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Paul Steinbok

Full Program


Highlights

2012-September-24: the 18th. ANNUAL W.B. & M.H. CHUNG LECTURESHIP

Schedule of the Day with list of All Presentations’ Abstract-Titles

Faculty Research Awards for achievements in research

The Richard J. Finley Senior Research Scholar Award recognizes research excellence by a senior faculty member.
This year’s recipient Dr. Paul Steinbok (Neurosurgery) accepted his award at the Chung Research Day Awards Reception.

Please view VIDEO (~ 6.5 mins.) describing the research of Dr. Steinbok and his team.

The Hjalmar W Johnson New Investigator Award: recognizes excellence in research by an early career stage investigator for excellence in research. This year’s recipient Dr. Francis Lynn (General Surgery – CFRI) accepted his award at the Chung Research Day Award Reception.

Please view brief VIDEO (~ 3.5 mins.) introducing the works of Dr. Lynn and his team.

November 7, 2011

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Gerald Fried, McGill University

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Scott Tyldesley

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Aziz Ghahary

Full Program

Highlights

Schedule of the Day

View the photos of the Research Day – Presentations and the photos. Note: these photos are not for commercial use. 
Research Day – Awards Reception

Faculty Research Awards for achievements in research

The Richard J. Finley Senior Research Scholar Award recognizes research excellence by a senior faculty member.
This year’s recipient Dr. Aziz Ghahary (Plastic Surgery) accepted his award from Dr. Garth Warnock, Professor and Head at the Chung Research Day Awards Reception.

Please view VIDEO (~ 7 mins.) describing the research of Dr. Ghahary and his team.

The Hjalmar W Johnson New Investigator Award: recognizes excellence in research by an early career stage investigator for excellence in research. This year’s recipient Dr. Scott Tyldesley (Radiation Oncology and Developmental Radiotherapeutics) accepted his award from Dr. Warnock at the Chung Research Day Award Reception

Please view brief VIDEO (~ 4 mins.) introducing the works of Dr. Tyldesley and his team.

Research Day Presentation Prizes

Speed Poster Prizes

Basic Science Awards:

    • 1st prize – Dr. Ryan Harwell [ iPad winner ] (General Surgery)
    • 2nd prize – Dr. Paul Sabatini (General Surgery)
    • 3rd prize – Dr. Sara White (General Surgery)

Clinical/Education Research:

  • 1st prize – Dr. Erin Brown [ iPad winner ] (Plastic Surgery)
  • 2nd prize – Dr. Dawn Owen (Radiation Oncology and Developmental Radiotherapeutics)
  • 3rd prize – Dr. Jennifer Higgins (Cardiovascular Surgery)

10 mins. Oral Presentation Prizes

  • Faculty award – Dr. Jan Ehses (General Surgery)
  • Basic Research Trainee – Dr. Eric Xu (General Surgery)
  • Clinical Research Trainee – Dr. Adelyn Ho (Plastic Surgery) tied with Dr. Andrea MacNeil (General Surgery)
  • Education Research Trainee – Dr. Yasmin Halwani (General Surgery)

October 22, 2010

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Yvan Douville, Laval University

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Sandra Jarvis-Selinger

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Christopher Ong

Full Program

Highlights

Program of the Day
Faculty Research Awards for achievements in research

The Richard J. Finley Senior Research Scholar Award recognizes research excellence by a senior faculty member.
This year’s recipient Dr. Christopher Ong ( General Surgery) has research programs in both Prostate Cancer research and development of novel immunosuppressive strategies to prevent transplant graft rejection. His work has led to the development of innovative methods for treatment of drug resistant prostate cancer, as well as to new drugs for manipulation of the immune system.

Please view a very short VIDEO (~ 2.5 mins.) to describe the two main areas of transitional research.

The Hjalmar W Johnson New Investigator Award: recognizes excellence in research by an early career stage investigator for excellence in research. This year’s recipient Dr. Sandra Jarvis-Selinger (General Surgery) accepted her award at the Chung Research Day Award Reception. Dr. Jarvis-Selinger is Michael Smith Foundation Scholar who directs her research and teaching to pedagogical innovations in health through the examination of learning technologies. Her key initiatives include a CIHR funded project to look at e-Health mentoring to develop health professional careers for aboriginal youth, and a CIHR Grant to develop home based tele-health help for chronic disease management. She also recently co-developed two new courses: (i) Surgical Residents as Teachers, for the Departments of Surgery, Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery, and (ii) e-health for the UBC School of Population and Public Health.

Please view a very brief VIDEO (~ 2 mins.) – Knowledge translation in education

Chung Research Day Presentation Prizes

  • Best Resident/Trainee oral presentation – Clinical:
    • Dr. Jennifer Higgins (Cardiovascular Surgery)
  • Best Resident/Trainee oral presentation – Basic:
    • Dr. Gareth Lim (General Surgery)
  • Best Resident/Trainee oral/video presentation – Education:
    • Dr. Monica Langer, Jennifer Yam and Steven Rathberger (General Surgery)
  • 1st prize speed poster/poster presentation- Dr. Trevor Hartl (Otolaryngology)
  • 2nd prize speed poster/poster presentation- Dr. Dawn Owen (Radiation Oncology)
  • 3rd prize speed poster/poster presentation- Dr. Sara White (General Surgery)

November 9, 2009

Chung Lecturer: Andrea L. Pusic, MD, MHS, Assistant Attending Surgeon, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Dr. H.W. Johnson New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Adam Meneghetti

Dr. R. J. Finley Senior Scholar Award Recipient: Dr. Garth Warnock

Full Program

Highlights

Schedule of the Day

View the photos of the Research Day Presentations and the photos of the Research Day Dinner; Awards won. Note: these photos are not for commercial use. 
Faculty Research Awards for achievements in research

  • Richard Finley Senior Research Scholar Award:         Dr. Garth Warnock (General Surgery) Dr. Warnock is an accomplished surgeon-scientist and mentor. He performed the world’s first islet transplantation while he was at Edmonton, and has set up a thriving Islet Transplant Program and Islet Research Laboratory here. In the past year, he has published several high profile papers including one describing the outcome of a clinical trial which showed that type I diabetics who receive an islet transplant suffer far fewer complications due to diabetes than those undergoing intensive medical therapy.
  • Hjalmar Johnson New Investigator Award:         Dr. Adam Meneghetti (General Surgery) Dr. Meneghetti has made great progress in his development and evaluation of surgical performance metrics through collaboration with faculty in the Division of General Surgery and the CESEI. His original research efforts have been recognized with a Department of Surgery Concept award and a research grant from the RCPSC.

Chung Research Day Presentation Prizes

  • Faculty Podium Presentation:
  • Trainee Podium Presentations:

Prizes are given to trainees in each of basic, clinical and education research. Since there were no trainee podium presentations in education research this year, two awards for clinical research were awarded.

  • Clinical: Dr. Erica Stokes (Radiation Oncology)
  • Clinical: Dr. Jennifer Goulart (Radiation Oncology)
  • Basic: Mr. Andrew Ming-Lum (General Surgery)

November 3, 2008

Chung Lecturer: Thomas M. Krummel, MD FACS, Emile Holman Professor and Chair – Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Susan B. Ford Surgeon in Chief Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford, CA

Full Program

Highlights

Schedule of the Day

This year’s invited lecturer was Thomas M. Krummel, MD FACS, Emile Holman Professor and Chair – Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Susan B. Ford Surgeon in Chief Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford, CA.

Department of Surgery Awards- Chung Research Day Awards

  • Best Faculty Presentation: Dr. Alice Mui (General Surgery) title: “Non-invasive monitoring anti-graft immune status in organ transplant recipients.”
  • Best Resident Presentation- 1st Prize:Dr. Raymund Yong (Neurosurgery) title: “Mesenchymalstem cells as delivery vehicles for delta-24-RGD in the treatment of malignantglioma.”
  • Best Resident Presentation- 2nd Prize: Dr. Farshad Forouzandeh (Plastic Surgery) title: “Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) expressionimproves the engraftment of engineered skin substitute used as woundcoverage.”
  • Best Poster Presentation: Dr. Jennifer Goulart (Radiation Oncology) title: “Outcomes of node-negativebreast cancer 5 cm and larger treated with and without post-mastectomyradiotherapy”
  • Best Video Presentation: Dr.Peter Skarsgard (Cardiac Surgery) title: “Repair of anterior leaflet mitral valve prolapse.”

October 29, 2007

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Markus W. Büchler, President International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, Professor of Surgery, University of Heidelberg

Full Program

Highlights

The 13th. Annual W.B. & M.H. Chung Research Day was held on Monday, October 29,
in the Cordula & Guter Paetzold Health Education Centre Main Floor Jim Pattison Pavilion South.
Schedule of the Day and the Detailed Program

This year’s invited lecturer was Dr. Markus W. Büchler, President International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, Professor of Surgery, University of Heidelberg


November 7, 2006

Chung Lecturer: James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS, FAAP, 2006. Janes Visiting Professor in Surgery, Dan Family Chair in Neurosurgery, Professor and Chairman, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto

Full Program

Highlights

The 12th. Annual W.B. & M.H. Chung Research Day was held on Tuesday, November 7,
in the Cordula & Guter Paetzold Health Education Centre Main Floor Jim Pattison Pavilion South.
Schedule of the Day and the Detailed Program

This year’s invited lecturer was James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS, FAAP, 2006. Janes Visiting Professor in Surgery, Dan Family Chair in Neurosurgery, Professor and Chairman, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto

October 24, 2005

Chung Lecturer: Dr. Richard K. Reznick, R.S. McLaughlin Professor and Chair| University of Toronto, Department of Surgery.

Full Program

Highlights

The 11th. Annual W.B. & M.H. Chung Research Day was held on Monday, October 24,
in the New Lecture Theatre, Level 1, Providence Wing at St. Paul’s Hospital.
Schedule of the day

This year’s invited lecturer was Dr. Richard K. Reznick, R.S. McLaughlin Professor and Chair| University of Toronto, Department of Surgery.
The winners were:

  • Best Faculty Presentation: Dr. Chris Honey (Neurosurgery)
  • Best Resident Presentation- Dr. Erik Vu (Emergency Medicine)
  • Best Poster Presentation: Dr. Don Anderson (Otolaryngology)

October 29, 2004

Chung Lecturer: Dr. John Wong, Head of the Department of Surgery at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong

Full Program

Highlights

The 10th. Annual W.B. & M.H. Chung Research Day was held on Friday October 29,
in the New Lecture Theatre, Level 1, Providence Wing at St. Paul’s Hospital.
Schedule of the day
This year’s invited lecturer was, Dr. John Wong, Head of the Department of Surgery at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong
The winners were:

  • Best Faculty Presentation- Dr. Richard Finley (Thoracic Surgery)
  • Best Resident Presentation- Dr. Christian Finley (General Surgery)
  • Best Poster Presentation- Dr. Sam Wiseman (General Surgery)