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January 2016
Inside this issue….
www.uhntrainees.ca
For information on UHN training courses, scholarships,
seminars happening around the city and so much more, visit
www.uhntrainees.ca.
The ORT Times A monthly newsletter featuring UHN Trainees
01
Click here to access past issues from our archive.
02 Training the Trainee
CLICK HERE TO PRINT
Training the Trainee
Resumes: How to create a resume that gets the attention of hiring managers
This March we will be inviting the “Cheeky Scientist” back to host a webinar, teaching us how to tailor an academic resume to capture the attention of industry employers. “The layout of a resume must allow the reader to gather information within 7 seconds. We will show career professionals what this layout looks like, so their resume stands out from other candidates. You will learn how to tailor your resume, for industry jobs, as well as the most common mistakes made on a resume and how to avoid them. You will learn the right transferrable skills to highlight on a resume that hiring managers and recruiters are looking for in industry.”
~ Cheeky Scientist
When? March 3, 2016 at 1pm
Where? Anywhere you have access to the internet, including the
comfort of your own home!
05 Latest and Greatest
04 ORT News
Trainee of the Month
06
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07 Conference Reports
Success
ORT NEWSORT NEWSORT NEWS
Office of Research Trainees 02
Just like the world around us, the ORT is constantly changing and evolving. After several years of hard work, Priscilla DeLuca, ORT’s inaugural coordinator, will be leaving UHN and moving to London, Ontario. We wish Priscilla all the best in her future endeavours. Priscilla played an instrumental role in founding, managing and expanding the ORT. She will be greatly missed by the UHN research community. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time in UHN and working for the ORT, especially helping current trainees, staff, and PI’s with all things research trainee-related. I have enjoyed working alongside the UHN research community and thank everyone who has helped me make my experience at the ORT rewarding and productive. The mentorship I received from Dr. Linda Penn, ORT Director, during my time here at UHN will never be forgotten and always valued.”
Although we are sad to see Priscilla leave, we would like to introduce you to our new Coordinator, Johanna Ponnuthurai. Johanna Ponnuthurai was born and raised in Ottawa, where she obtained her Honours Bachelor in Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. She developed an interest in the world of research during her undergraduate studies, while working as a summer research assistant at the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto) and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Ottawa). She is excited to be a part of UHN, taking on this role as the Coordinator for the Office of Research Trainees, and she is looking forward to supporting and encouraging trainees. Welcome Johanna!
We would also like to introduce you to our excellent team of Science Writers! Shaalee is excited to be starting her third year writing for the ORT Times. So far it has been a great experience: “I've gotten to appreciate the diversity in research that occurs everyday at UHN and been able to share these brilliant discoveries with you, the scientists. I’m also passionate about helping non-scientists understand and love science. You may have visited the “Super Cells: The Power of Stem Cells” exhibition last fall in MaRS Phase 2 that I worked on. Students all over the world have enjoyed this award-winning, interactive exhibit and I hope it sparked an inter-est in science in some of the next generation of discoverers.” For 2016, she’s looking forward to sharing more stories with you, finishing her PhD (for which she studies rare lysosomal diseases), and pursuing her new favourite activity: exploring the underwater world through scuba diving.
Continued on next page
ORT NEWSORT NEWSORT NEWS
Office of Research Trainees 03
Continued from previous page
Michael Freeman, The ORT Times’ newest editorial writer, wears many hats. For a first-year M.A.Sc. student with the University of Toronto’s Chemical Engineering Department, this 27-year-old’s CV is not wanting for variety. Michael’s titles have ranged from ‘wastewater engineering consultant’, to ‘medical imaging researcher’, to ‘prototyping and design educator’, to ‘copy editor’ for a national sporting organization. Michael also maintains a rigor-ous travel schedule, having visited 17 countries in the last 5 years — 7 over the past year — during which time he spent 11 months teaching in southwestern Ethiopia and 3 months motorcycling in north India. It is by no stretch of the imagination that travel writing and photography make up the bulk of Michael’s portfolio (mwfreemancreative.com), but his long-standing love of science has brought him back to academia to explore drug delivery to the brain and his love of science writing has brought him to The ORT Times.
Michael Chang is a 3rd year PhD student at the University of Toronto. His research uses optogenetic techniques to investigate the role of interneurons in seizure dynamics in the Valiante Lab at the Krembil Research Institute. He received a McMurrich Oral Presentation Award at Gallie Day 2015 and the Mightex Student Research Grant from optogenetics hardware developer, Mightex Systems. Michael also serves as a ‘G2G’ peer advisor for Graduate Students at the University of Toronto Conflict Resolution Center. Prior to his PhD studies Michael co-founded Chang Property Development, a construction company based in Dawei, Myanmar that works on socially conscientious projects with charity organizations to build roads, bridges, and schools. Michael hopes to share his passion for science, business, and technology though his writings for the ORT Times.
LATEST & GREATESTLATEST & GREATESTLATEST & GREATEST
Office of Research Trainees 04
Peramivir, the Flu Fighter
Assessment of Antiviral Properties of Peramivir against H7N9 Avian Influenza Virus in an Experimental Mouse Model. Farooqui A, Huang L, Wu S, Cai Y, Su M, Lin P, Chen W, Fang X, Zhang L, Liu Y, Zeng T, Paquette SG, Khan A, Kelvin AA,
Kelvin DJ. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Dec;59(12):7255-64. By Shaalee Dworski, ORT Science Writer and UHN Research Trainee
Avian influenza A subtype H7N9 is a relatively new avian virus that was identified in China in 2013. Patients infected with the virus have severe symptoms, including pneumonia, that require medical attention. More than a third of the patients infected with the virus have died.
H7N9 viruses circulate in bird populations and are transmitted to humans mostly from ingestion of poultry. However, it is possible that human-to-human airborne transmission of the virus may develop and trigger an epidemic.
Dr. Amber Farooqui, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. David Kelvin’s lab at UHN’s research unit in China, has been testing whether the antiviral drug peramivir can help patients fight the H7N9 virus. Peramivir functions by inhibiting a protein expressed on the surface of the virus, known as neuraminidase, which is critical for virus replication.
Using a mouse model of H7N9 infection, Dr. Farooqui demonstrated that early treatment with a peramivir injection conferred protection in 50% of mice infected with H7N9. Waiting 24 hours to administer the injection lowered the treatment efficacy to 20%.
Dr. Farooqui also found that peramivir treatment protected the lungs and extrapulmonary tissue from adverse responses to the flu infection. Moreover, it protected the mice against virus-induced nerve damage. With daily injections, the flu was over in 8 days.
These findings suggest that peramivir might benefit patients who are infected with H7N9. Click here to access the full manuscript.
The ORT caught up with Dr. Amber Farooqui: ORT: How close is this to reaching clinical trials? AF: Peramivir has already been used in patients infected with the H1N1 Influenza A virus (H1N1 2009 pandemic). ORT: Could peramivir have efficacy on other influenza A strains, or be modified to do so? AF: Peramivir is effective against a number of influenza A subtypes. In addition to H7N9, it has been used to treat patients infected with a H1N1 virus. Antiviral studies in experimental animals have also confirmed its efficacy against H5N1 and H3N2 influenza subtypes.
From left to right (back row): Zhang Li (MSc student and co-author),
Karen Zhen (Admin staff), David J. Kelvin (PI of the project), Weibin
Chen (Technician), Tiansheng Zeng (MS student and co-author), Jay Li
(MS student), Wang Wei (MS student).
From left to right (front row): Wei Dong (PhD student), Su Ting
(Technician), Mavis Pan (Admin staff), Guishaung Li (Lab Manager),
Amber Farooqui (PDF and primary author), Yisu Liu ( MS student and
co-author)
INSIDERINSIDERINSIDER
Office of Research Trainees 05
Vicki Komisar A 5th year PhD student gives us a taste of her research at UHN: “My research focuses broadly on promoting safe mobility in the community, and more specifically on using biomechanical and motor control approaches to understand how environmental features (e.g., handrails) should be designed to prevent falls, with the goal of informing building codes and accessibility standards. I have co-led the development of two novel mobility aids in collaboration with industry partner Andrew J. Hart Enterprises: “StandEasy Adjustable Pole System” for hospitals and “MoveEasy Pole System” for the home.”
Perspective is
everything!
PhD Candidate, Fernie Lab, Toronto Rehab My work is unique because… “My thesis explores balance recovery, so I need to force people to fall so that they may attempt to recover their balance.” You have two major deadlines, a stained shirt, and your office cactus is dead. How do you avoid a major break-down? “Perspective is everything! In 1700s-Edinburgh, residents tossed raw sewage from their windows onto the streets, and walking to work would have put you at risk of the plague. I’m fortunate to face two major deadlines with a stained shirt rather than the plague.” My motivation “Knowing that people are benefiting tangibly from my work. For example, StandEasy and MoveEasy have been installed at Toronto Rehab and other Canadian hospitals and homes, and have helped a number of people move more safely and independently. I’m proud to have contributed to that.” On my free time I… “Hike, skate, paddleboard or do pretty well anything out-doors that involves mountains, canyons and/or giant bod-ies of water. My A-list includes the Bruce Peninsula, any lakes that resemble Algonquin Park, the Rocky Mountains, Cape Coast, Scotland, Switzerland and Hawaii.”
Helping people recover
their balance.
A patient using the
StandEasy and MoveEasy
Anything outdoors.
SUCCESSSUCCESSSUCCESS
Office of Research Trainees 06
November 2015 ORT Conference Travel Award
The ORT would like to thank all of the applicants for this award. It is our pleasure to announce the recipients of the November 2015 ORT Conference Travel Award:
Pictured above (Left to Right)
Joshua Lipszyc, Ashwini Namsivayam, Lauren Agro
PhD Program (alphabetical order):
Lauren Agro, Supervisor: Dr. Catherine O’Brien, PM
Adam Gribble, Supervisor: Dr. Alex Vitkin, PM
Elaine Kearney, Supervisor: Dr. Yana Yanusova, TRI
Murtaza Nagree, Supervisor: Dr. Jeff Medin, TG
Ashwini Namsivayam, Supervisor: Dr. Catriona Steele, TRI
Dene Ringuette, Supervisor: Dr. Peter Carlen, Krembil
Pamuditha Silva, Supervisor: Dr. Jonathan Rocheleau, TG
William Tu, Supervisor: Dr. Linda Penn, PM
Postdoctoral Fellow (alphabetical order):
Julio Furlan, Supervisor: Dr. Catherine Craven, TRI
Christina MacLaughlin, Supervisor: Dr. Gang Zheng, PM_Techna
Behdin Nowrouzi, Supervisor: Dr. Angela Colantonio, TRI
Sue Tsai, Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Winer, TG
Hideki Ujiie, Supervisor: Dr. Kazuhiro Yasufuku, TG
Kristy Yap, Supervisor: Dr. Murray Urowitz, Krembil
Congratulations to our awardees!
The winners are:
MSc Program (alphabetical order):
Joshua Lipszyc, Supervisor: Dr. Susan Tarlo, Krembil
CONFERENCE REPORTSCONFERENCE REPORTSCONFERENCE REPORTS
Office of Research Trainees 07
Trainee: Harsh Desai, MSc candidate Supervisor: Drs. Minna Woo and Daniel Winer, TGRI Abstract: Macrophage Janus Kinase 2 promotes obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance Conference: World Diabetes Congress, November 30th—December 4th, 2015, Vancouver, BC Click here to read Harsh’s conference report!
Trainee: Serisha Moodley, PhD Candidate
Supervisor: Dr. Mingyao Liu, TGRI
Abstract: XB130/Tks5 protein interaction dissociates during stimuli-specific cell migration Conference: 2015 Cell Biology ASCB Annual Meeting, December 12-16, 2015, San Diego, CA Click here to read Serisha’s conference report!
http://disneyprincess.wikia.com/wiki/Minnie_Mouse
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S & F U N D I N G C A L E N DA R :
15/02 CIHR KRESCENT Fellowship
CIHR is offering a fellowship for those training in kidney research. Click here for details.
15/03 International Fellowship
The Lady Tata Memorial Trust is offering an international fellowship for those performing
leukemia research. Click here for details.
15/04 Arthritis Fellowship
The Arthritis Society is offering a fellowship and scholarship for those training in arthritis research.
Click here for details.
03/03 Professional
Development Webinar
The Cheeky Scientist will be offering a webi-nar titled “Resumes: Why an academic CV
won’t secure you an industry job, and how to create an industry resume that gets the atten-tion of hiring managers.”. Click here for more
details.
Visit www.uhntrainees.ca for more events and funding information.
Office of Research Trainees 08
QUESTIONS? Please contact: ORT Coordinator
University Health Network [email protected]
t. 416-634-8775
WANT TO STAY UPDATED ON A DAILY BASIS? Follow us socially on:
“Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com
Opportunities!!!
The ORT has come across several opportunities available for scientists, graduate students and research fellows, related to undergraduate students including: Health Science Research Course—Tutors Needed! The Undergraduate Medical Education program at the University of Toronto School of Medicine is looking for MDs, PhDs, or MD/PhD’s actively engaged in research to facilitate small group tutorials. Tutorials will introduce students to the principles of research and help them understand how to use research to contribute to improving the health of people and populations. For more information please contact: Debra K. Katzman, MD Course Director [email protected] (416) 813 5084 Attention Research Labs! If you are looking or interested in hiring a co-op student, there is an opportunity within the Science Co-op Programs at The University of British Columbia. They are looking for placement opportunities for their science students. For more information please contact: Heather MacKay Business Development Assistant| Science Co-op Programs [email protected] 604 827 1364
