Pulse is evolving to monthly!

Our newsletter will be transitioning from a bi-monthly to a monthly publication. This change is fueled by our commitment to delivering even more engaging and impactful content. By consolidating our efforts into a monthly cadence, we aim to provide you with richer, more comprehensive updates and stories, ensuring each edition is packed with the quality information you deserve.

If you would like to submit news, events or information to Pulse, please submit by the 15th of the month.

Is your email signature compliant with the U of A's branding?

The U of A has created branding guidelines, templates and resources which are available:

1. On Canto (you must login with your CCID to obtain). 
2. On Google drive for those who may have difficulty accessing Canto. 

The templates and resources include:

Security and Privacy Employee Declaration - Renewal Required

Every University employee who uses University information technology resources and/or has access to personal information during their work is required to complete this training and acknowledgement. Training currently consists of 3 online videos (about 29 minutes in total) and 10 quiz questions. Check if your declaration is due this month.

Research News and Information

• DoM Internal Review for CIHR Project Grant Spring 2024 Competition (Dec 8).
  Researchers who would like to apply for this competition should notify the DoM Office of Research of their intent to apply via email to Jay Babiak, Grants Facilitator, no later than Friday, December 8.
   
• Laboratories and Power Outages Planning and Response. North Campus is at an elevated risk of a power outage due to a project to upgrade EPCOR infrastructure. Read more about planning for a power outage and what to do when it happens.
   
• Knowledge mobilization plans for grant applications: learn from the experts
  (Dec. 13). The Research Partner Network is pleased to host a knowledge mobilization (KMb) workshop to help researchers develop a strong KMb plan. 
   
• Choosing a Peer Review Committee for your CIHR Project Grant application 
  (Jan 10). Past committee chairpersons Drs. Kate Storey, Andrea Gruneir, and Christian Beaulieu will offer advice and answer questions about CIHR peer review committees and how to select the appropriate one for your Project Grant application. 

Research Funding and Grants Deadlines

• CIHR: Strategic Master's Award (Dec 7). This award provides financial support to scholars who are engaged in an eligible master's program in Canada and that are relevant to specific CIHR priority research areas.

• Brain Canada Foundation: Turnbull-Tator Award (Dec 13). The Turnbull-Tator Award aims to recognize an outstanding publication by a researcher at a Canadian institution in the field of spinal cord and/or brain injury research, including concussion.

• Call for Proposals – New Networks (Jan 29). Accelerating Clinical Trials is opening applications to fund the development of new or existing trial networks in areas of need. Trial networks bring together researchers and patient partners and are focused on disease states, patient populations, or interventions. A total of $900,000 is available to fund six new networks.
   

Many more grants and sources of funding opportunities are listed on the Research News and Funding web page.  

Members' Recent Research Publications

• 337.7: BETA-2 scores overestimate graft function in pancreatic islet transplant recipients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of< 30 ml/min/1.73 m2. Marfil-Garza B, Carr AL, Zhuang M, Lam A, Dajani K, Anderson B, O’Gorman D, Kin T, Bigam D, Shapiro J, Senior PA. Transplantation. 2023 Oct 1;107(10S2):143-4.
   
• Myocardial Injury After Noncardiac Surgery in Major General Surgical Patients a Prospective Observational Cohort Study. Jacka MJ, Youngson E, Bigam D, Graham MM, Heels-Ansdell D, Park LJ, Kanstrup CT, Nenshi R, Bagshaw SM, McAlister F, Pannu N, Townsend D, McMurtry MS, Devereaux P. Annals of Surgery. 2023 Dec 1;278(6):e1192-7.
   
• Sun Safety in Elementary School: Trialing Strategies for Keeping Children Protected​​​​​​​. Li M, Mathura P, Hagtvedt R, Dytoc M. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2023 Nov 10:12034754231211329.

See DoM Publications for a complete list of journal publications.

Studies by Dr. Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert (Professor, Division of Rheumatology) suggest that one in four women, or 25%, may develop at least three symptoms suggestive of an abnormally functioning autonomous nervous system, 10 years after breast implants. (Global)

Dr. Peter Senior (Professor, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism) says that over the last few years, he’s noticed that a number of the grad students at the Alberta Diabetes Institute studying Type 1 diabetes are also living with the disease. (Folio)

Dr. Stephanie Smith (Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases) estimates that 95% of the respiratory viruses at the U of A Hospital are COVID. (CBC News)

As the season for coughs and colds returns, Dr. Lynora Saxinger (Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases) reminds that antibiotics aren't a go-to treatment for common viral respiratory infections. (CBC News)

Congratulations to our graduates who convocated in November!

Read more about five of our graduates and what inspired them in their journey, by clicking on the links below.

PhD In Medicine

Please join us in welcoming the following new staff:

• Dr. Saumya Jayakumar, Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology

• FoMD is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Sarah Forgie as Vice-Dean, Faculty Affairs, for a five-year term effective Feb. 1, 2024. Dr. Forgie is currently the chair in the Department of Pediatrics.

• Upcoming Faculty Development Workshops - visit the FoMD calendar.

• U of A president, VP to lead climate change solution forum at COP28. The leadership presence in Dubai will include a focus on sharing profusion of U of A net-zero innovations to address global challenges.

• Duo Push update. The U of A's multi-factor authentication has changed its look as of Dec 1.

• New alert software rolled out to network-connected computers. IST and the Office of Emergency Management has rolled out a new safety alert software to U of A physical network-connected Windows computers. The “Alertus” software is part of a response notification system to keep you informed about emergencies on campus.

• UAI Winter Party — all are welcome (Dec 8). All are welcome to the U of A International Winter Party. Join the festivities in the TELUS Centre and enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including musical and dance performances, cabane à sucre, fire pit, holiday crafts, and more!

• Read the December 2023 MD Culture Shift, an AHS publication created by physicians for physicians. 
   
• Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) Billing Process reminder. When you assess a patient who is covered by WCB, please put WCB in the comment field of the billing order for all encounters. The WCB comment will send the billing code to a work queue so the billing team can enter the claim into the WCB portal.  Alternatively, WCB billing can be submitted using the Connect Care Smart form. Please contact servicecodecapture@ahs.ca if you have any questions.
   
• Changes to AHS executive team. With the refocus of Alberta’s public healthcare system, AHS is committed to supporting this change with new voices and new leadership.
   
• Connect Care now in more sites, programs across Alberta. Launch 7 of Connect Care brought more than 12,000 additional staff and physicians at 79 AHS and AHS-partner acute care and combined acute and long-term care sites onto the common provincial information system.
   
• Toys for Tickets campaign. AHS is bringing back Toys for Tickets, which gives people who have recently received an AHS parking ticket an opportunity to donate a new, unwrapped toy rather than paying their fine. Last year, they collected 470+ toys province-wide.

Support Resources: 

• Support services for those affected by crises at home or abroad. As a U of A community member, you do not have to navigate difficult situations on your own - campus services and supports are available. Whether you and/or your students are affected by a global event or a personal crisis, these resources can offer support during difficult times. 
   
• Corporate team building with Campus and Community Recreation (CCR) - Check out CCR’s new team building offerings! It’s a great way for groups to enjoy recreational activity while having fun, improving communication and getting to know one another better. Options include team sports, arts and crafts, board games and more. 
   

• Finding Your Path: Career Explorations and Strategies (Jan 10). In this session, faculty and staff will engage in a guided career wayfinding process with a career development expert. 

• Culture of Care Safety Summit (Jan 24). This one-day event will feature eight educational safety sessions related to the main event theme of “Changing the Mindset.”