MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

AMHSP TIPS

2026-27 Annual
AMHSP Individual Service Agreement (ISA)

In order to be compliant with the Master Agreement, ISAs must be signed and fully executed before the start of the fiscal year. Therefore, we will be starting the process to complete the 2026-27 ISAs when you meet with your Division Director (DD) for your annual report. 

2026-27 AMHSP ISA Process Memo Deadlines

1. ISA Schedule A posted on MS Teams | July 18
2. DDs to return reviews and approved Schedule A to the ISA Team | Sept. 26
3. ISAs uploaded on SharePoint for review by the Manager, Department Chair/Head, Vice Dean, Zone Medical Director | Oct. 31
4. ISAs to be sent out for signatures via Consigno | Jan. 2, 2026
5. Fully executed ISAs returned to the ISA Team | Mar. 31, 2026

NOTE:  It is very simple to make an amendment on a fully executed ISA, so please don’t delay in completing your ISA because you are expecting a change in your job description for the upcoming year unless it has been confirmed and approved.

All AMHSP policies can be found on the AMHSP website.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Congratulations to DoM 2025 Awardees!

The Department of Medicine’s 2025 Annual Celebration Dinner was an evening filled with recognition, reflection, and heartfelt celebration. We proudly honoured outstanding achievements in teaching, innovation, and research, celebrated the well-deserved promotions of our colleagues, and paid tribute to those retiring or concluding their leadership roles. 

Sabbatical for Academic Faculty Members

Now is the time to consider a sabbatical opportunity for the upcoming academic year. Submit an application by September 15 for a sabbatical time between July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027.  

Who is eligible: Tenured academic staff
Who is not eligible to apply: Sabbatical does not apply to AMHSP, Clinical Faculty, TRAS or FSO teaching appointment

Please join us in welcoming the following DoM members:

• Arnav Agarwal, Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine
• Leyla Asadi, Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases
• Pishoy Gouda, Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiology
• Whitney Hung, Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Rheumatology
• Jennifer Jin, Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology

• Noreen Singh, Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Gastroenterology

• Justin Smith, Assistant Professor, Division of Rheumatology

• David Yang, Assistant Professor, Division of Gastroenterology

Spend Time in the DEC and Enter to Win!

Whether you’re meeting with a colleague, enjoying a quiet moment, or catching up on work, each visit to the Department Enrichment Centre is a chance to win. Scan the QR code in the DEC, and let us know how you used the space to enter our monthly draw for DoM swag or dining gift cards.

Congratulations to our June contest winner, Kelly McDougall, Division of Rheumatology!

DoM RESEARCH

Research News

Recognizing Research Excellence

The Department of Medicine is home to many outstanding researchers whose work is advancing knowledge and improving care. Congratulations to the following four individuals on receiving this year’s research awards in recognition of their remarkable contributions.

Cheers to Our 2025 Graduates!

Congratulations to 11 DoM students who graduated in June!

Shaina Corrick is changing the way we understand gender and health. Jashan Saini is listening, learning, and leading change in critical care. Margret Michaels went from hospital gowns as a kid to research breakthroughs today. These are just three of our amazing graduates. Read the inspiring stories of seven of our graduates!

Research FAQ

How Do I Request Research Support?

You can request assistance by contacting:

1. General Research Support. The Divisional Program Support (DPS) Team offers many administrative support services for researchers including:
   • Canadian Common CV (CCV) support.
   • Securing signatures and arranging meetings for grant applications, particularly multi-centre grants in which a DoM faculty member is the principal applicant.
   • Securing other necessary documents usually required for grants, particularly multi-centre grants, such as ethics approvals, operational approvals, or letters of support from external institutions.
     
     You should first contact the DPS team at dpsadm@ualberta.ca.
     
     For any specialized requests related to general research support or request for significant support, please contact RaeAnne Barkhouse, Academic Divisional Administrator, at 780-492-8787 or raeanneb@ualberta.ca, who will direct you to the appropriate support team.
      
2. DoM Research Office. A full-time, PhD-trained, support person can be allocated for larger grants driven by a DoM member, requiring several weeks or months of preparatory work. Contact Eleni Karageorgos, Team Lead of the DoM Research Office, at 780-248-1491 or eleni.karageorgos@ualberta.ca or Dr. Evangelos Michelakis, Associate Chair of the DoM Research Office, at 780-407-1576 or evangelos.michelakis@ualberta.ca.

Faculty Funding and Awards

Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) | Jul. 7 (for Genome Alberta Eligibility Check). GAPP supports collaborative R&D projects that apply genomics-based solutions to real-world challenges across sectors. This program funds projects co-led by Canadian for-profit enterprises and academic researchers, with Genome Canada contributing (from $100,000 to $2 million).  
More deadlines: Draft LOI: Jul. 15, LOI: Jul. 30, Full Proposal: Sep. 8

NSERC Discovery Grant | Aug. 1 (pre-application). The NSERC DG supports ongoing research programs with long-term goals rather than a single short-term project or collection of projects. These grants recognize the creativity and innovation that are at the heart of all research advances. 
More deadlines: RAS: Oct. 22, Sponsor: Nov. 3

CIHR Fall 2025 Competition Deadlines | Aug. 8: SRO re: research security requirements. More deadlines: Aug. 13: CIHR registration, Aug. 20: Risk Assessment Form (RAF), Aug. 28: Researcher Home Page for RAS review.

2026/27 Heart & Stroke Research Competitions are now open, including

• Grants-in-Aid | Aug. 28
• New Investigator Award | Sep. 4

Trainee Funding and Awards

Neuroscience Research Training Scholarship | Sept. 9. This award will consist of a commitment of $65,000 per year for two years, plus a $10,000 per year stipend to support education and research-related costs for a total of $150,000. Recipient must be interested in an academic career in neurological research with an MD, PhD, or equivalent doctoral-level clinical degree.

For more Funding and Award Opportunities, see:

Members' Research Publications

Dai, J., Kim, MY., Sutton, R.T., Mitchell, J. R, et al. Comparative analysis of natural language processing methodologies for classifying computed tomography enterography reports in Crohn’s disease patients. npj Digit. Med. 8, 324 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01729-5

DoM NEWS

Dr. Peter Senior (professor, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism) and Dr. James Shapiro (professor of surgery) celebrate the islet transplantation program that has revolutionized diabetes treatment. (Folio)

• Dr. Daniel C. Baumgart (adjunct professor, Division of Gastroenterology)
  • Getting beyond the gut: AI tool reveals hidden health risks for people with inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Ross Mitchell (professor, Division of General Internal Medicine) is co-PI on this study. (Folio)
     
• Dr. Paige Lacy (professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine) 
  • Wildfire smoke (CBC Radio Active)
  • ‘Prevention is better than the cure’: Expert cautions against breathing in wildfire smoke (CTV News)
     
• Dr. Vivian Mushahwar (professor, Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)
  • Collaborative leadership (The Globe and Mail)
    ​​​​​​​
• Dr. Patrick Pilarski (professor, Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)
  • “The end of the era of human data”: AI experts discuss new frontiers at CDL Super Session (Betakit)​

• Dr. Lynora Saxinger (professor, Division of Infectious Diseases)
  • Ontario baby’s measles-related death highlights that vaccination is critical, health experts say (The Globe and Mail)
  • Alberta premier defends charging most Albertans for COVID-19 vaccines (Edmonton Journal)
     
• Dr. Arya M. Sharma (professor emeritus, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism)
  • Newish treatments for obesity - effective or fad?...with Professor Arya M. Sharma (Nutrition Science Bites)
     
• Dr. Stephanie Smith (professor, Division of Infectious Diseases)
  • Experts stress the importance of achieving herd immunity at a community level as Alberta grapples with the measles outbreak (Edmonton Journal)
  • Measles is surging in Alberta. Which vaccine-preventable disease could be next? (CBC Radio)

DoM ACCESS, COMMUNITY
AND BELONGING

Understanding Melanin: Why It Matters for Access, Community, and Belonging

Melanin is a natural pigment found in all humans. Everyone has melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, including individuals with albinism. There are three types of melanin:

• Pheomelanin, which gives red and pink tones to skin and hair;

• Neuromelanin, found in the brain; and

• Eumelanin, the most common type, responsible for the wide range of human skin, hair, and eye colours.

Eumelanin plays a powerful protective role. It absorbs and diffuses up to 99% of harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and neutralizes free radicals in the skin. People with darker skin naturally produce more eumelanin, which gives them a built-in sun protection factor (SPF) of 10–15. This has been an evolutionary advantage for populations living near the equator, where sun exposure is intense. Our baseline skin tone, typically visible on the inner arm, is genetically determined, while sun exposure activates melanocytes, further deepening skin colour.

As humans migrated from Africa to regions with less sunlight, our bodies adapted to new environments. In areas with lower UV exposure, people needed to produce more vitamin D from less sunlight. A mutation in the SLC24A5 gene, known as the ‘A’ allele, led to lighter skin tones that could synthesize vitamin D more efficiently in these climates. The original ‘G’ allele, linked to darker skin, provided protection in sun-intense environments. Over time, natural selection led to the global spectrum of skin tones we see today. Importantly, human skin was originally brown. Lighter skin tones are simply variations that arose due to environmental adaptation and a small genetic change.

Why this knowledge supports Access, Community, and Belonging

Understanding the science behind melanin and skin colour helps build a more informed and compassionate society. It shows that all humans share common ancestry and that differences in skin tone are natural adaptations, not markers of value or ability.

By embracing this truth, we can foster access to accurate knowledge, create stronger community bonds across differences, and nurture a sense of belonging for all people. When we recognize that race is a social concept, and not a biological one, we take a meaningful step toward a more connected and respectful world.

Read other ACB definitions and topics on the DoM ACB site.

HAPPENINGS IN DoM

The MGRs will break for the summer and
will resume in September.

In case you missed it:

• May 30 — New Professor Series: Colon cancer in inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Frank Hoentjen, Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, U of A
• June 6 — Research Grand Rounds: Epigenetics and the Human Life Course. Dr. Michael Kobor, Edwin S.H. Leong UBC Chair in Healthy Aging and Canada Research Chair in Social Epigenetics.
• June 13 — "Ask Your Doctor About …" - facts and fictions about GLP-1s (like ozempic and mounjaro). Dr. Peter Senior, Professor, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, U of A
• June 20 — Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: Where do these patients go for treatment in Edmonton? Dr. Peter Kannu, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Medical Genetics, U of A

FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

FoMD Impact Report 2023-2024. See how FoMD learners, researchers and partners are transforming health, driving innovation and shaping the future of education in Alberta and around the world. 

Patient Immersion Experience (PIE) 

Do you live with a chronic medical condition or disability that requires regular interaction with the health-care system? As a patient mentor, you have a unique opportunity to influence medical education and help improve patient care. To learn more or sign up, visit: forms.gle/patientimmersionexperience.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA NEWS

Scheduled Network Maintenance

IST will begin network upgrades from June to August, mostly overnight, which may affect the Internet, AHS access, VPN, etc. 

• Check the building-specific maintenance schedule. E.g.,
  • MSB - Jul. 10  |  HMRC - Jul. 15  |  LKS - Jul. 17
  • KATZ - Jul. 24  |  Cdn Blood Services - Jul. 31  |  CSB - Aug. 7 
  • ZLC - Aug. 14  | College Plaza and UT - Aug. 21
• Restart your printer after the update, if needed.

• The University of Alberta ranks eighth in the world and second in Canada among universities striving for a more sustainable future, according to the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. 

• Recognize a Remarkable Grad  |  Dec. 15. You can nominate a friend, family member, colleague or former classmate for an Alumni Award in one of five categories: Distinguished Alumni Award, Honour Award, Horizon Award, Service Award, Innovation Award

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES NEWS

Measles Key Messages for Staff and Physicians at UAH/Maz/Stollery. Read this two-page memo of July 4, 2025.

Copilot Chat is the only AI chatbot approved for use at AHS. All staff can now use Copilot Chat, Microsoft’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, through Microsoft365.com. To access Copilot Chat, click Microsoft365 on the top menu of Insite, then the Microsoft365 launch button.

Copilot Chat can help you brainstorm ideas, quickly answer questions, and analyze or simplify information. When using any AI tool, always confirm the accuracy of information before making decisions. Copilot Chat gives answers based on data from the Internet, which may not always be accurate or reliable.

To learn more about Copilot Chat, including how to safely use it, see the FAQ on Insite or attend virtual office hours.

Free AMA webinars support PPIP requirements. The Alberta Medical Association Accelerating Change Transformation Team (AMA-ACTT) is offering free, interactive webinars to help physicians meet the Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP) requirements by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta.

These sessions are ideal for primary care providers looking to complete their mandated PPIP activities with practical, step-by-step guidance. Upcoming sessions include:

• Privacy Best Practices | July 8, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Quality Improvement Basics | July 10, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
• Virtual Care Standards of Practice | Aug. 27, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Register and learn more.

HELPFUL SUPPORT & TIPS

• Voluntary Personal Leave Plan (PLP): apply by July 28. The PLP offers eligible support staff, academic staff and excluded staff with the opportunity to take unpaid personal leave, with the cost being deducted from your pay over a 12-month period.
   
• Leading with Influence | Applications due Sep. 8. This leadership development program is designed for any faculty or staff member to bring colleagues and partners together to make a positive difference at U of A and beyond. Whether or not you're a manager, this program will help further develop your leadership skills. 
   

• Google Drive Tip: Tired of making 10 clicks to get to your file? Use Workspaces in Google Drive to click only one time. Workspaces allows you to group and organize files from various locations, by putting a shortcut link into a single space. You can have up to 8 workspaces and up to 25 files in each workspace. The Workspaces icon is found on the left navigation in Google Drive (after Home and Activity icons).