Category: newsroom

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute Welcomes Returning Board Members at Annual Meeting

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI) celebrated another year of success at the Annual Meeting of the Corporation on June 20, 2024, and are pleased to announce the return of our existing Board of Directors, and the reappointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to a new term.

Dr. Andrew Dean, returning as Board Chair, and Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, CEO of TBRHRI, congratulated all returning Board Directors for the coming term. Board Director John Dixon who resigned at the end of April was recognized for his commitment to the Board.

Dr. David Marsh was re-elected as Vice-Chair of the Board as well as Chair of the Science and Research Committee, and James Peotto will continue as Treasurer. Returning as Board Directors are Dr. Sheldon Tobe, Andrew Ross, Peter Bishop, Dr. Jocelyn Bel, and Dr. Erin Cameron.

Dr. Crocker Ellacott will continue to serve as an ex-officio Director along with Dr. David Marsh, Vice President of Research and Graduate Studies at NOSM University, Dr. Chris Mushquash, Vice President, Research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Chief Scientist at TBRHRI, and Tim Larocque, Director, Applied Research and Innovation at Confederation College.

The Board also announced the re-appointment of CEO Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott to a new 5-year term.

TBRHRI’s Annual Report was also released and highlights some of the successes of the 2023/2024 fiscal year. To download of a copy of the Annual Report visit https://bit.ly/2023-24-TBRHRI-Annual-Report

Celebrating Year Two Progress on Strategic Plan 2026

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI) are pleased to report back to the community on the progress of our joint Strategic Plan 2026.

Strategic Plan 2026 focuses on five pillars that build on a philosophy of Patients at the centre of everything we do. These pillars are: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Patient Experience; Staff Experience; Research, Innovation and Learning, and Sustainable Future.

For the second year, we have made significant progress on all of our strategic priorities that are represented across all of our strategic pillars.

Each year, we choose to focus in on one of the strategic pillars and provide a closer look at some of the initiatives under the pillar that TBRHSC and TBRHRI have undertaken to advance the overall Strategic Plan 2026; with an ultimate goal to continue to improve health care in Northwestern Ontario. This year, we are highlighting the strategic pillar of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and have chosen to showcase some of our initiatives that foster a culturally safe environment where all patients, families and staff feel like they belong.

“To ensure we provide the best possible health care experience, we are strengthening our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion,” says Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO at TBRHSC and CEO at TBRHRI. “We are creating a more culturally safe and compassionate environment — to ensure equity for all throughout our Hospital and Health Research Institute.”

Initiatives to support this commitment include the addition of Indigenous Care Coordinators to help patients navigate the health care system; mandatory cultural safety and equity, diversity, and inclusion training for all staff; and enhancements to our Hospital environment to create a more welcoming space.

“Prioritizing equity, diversity and inclusion supports a positive experience, not only patients and their families but also for our staff,” says Gord Wickham, Board Chair for TBRHSC. “These initiatives are just the beginning; we are continually building an environment to enable our vision of Exceptional care for every patient, every time.”

“Research and innovation are major contributors to providing quality, equitable health care and what we do is driven by the needs of patients in our unique region,” comments Dr. Andrew Dean, Board Chair for TBRHRI. “Collaboration is vital in a place like Northwestern Ontario with a vast geography and unique cultures. Our incredible team of researchers recognize the value of finding and developing new innovations to address local and regional challenges.”

View the Year Two Progress Report through the 2023-24 TBRHSC Annual Report here or the 2023-24 TBRHRI Annual Report here.

View the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion video here.

Health Research Speakers Series

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Meet some of the best and brightest in our health research community by joining us for these virtual presentations via Webex.

The Application of the Adverse Events Severity System in Northwestern Ontario (March 21)

PRESENTED BY: Dr. Travis E. Marion, MD. MSc. BEd. FRCSC., Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSMU), Division of Clinical Sciences, Thunder Bay Campus, Program Director, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Assistant Professor

DATE: March 21, 2024
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online event via Webex

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. Marion, MD. MSc. BEd. FRCSC. is an orthopaedic surgeon who has been practicing at Thunder Bay Health Sciences Centre, and regional centres since 2017. He is an assistant professor in the Division of Clinical Sciences at NOSM University and is the current Spine Surgery Medical Lead at the TBRHSC.

Dr. Marion is an active member in multiple medical societies including the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA), Canadian Spine Society (CSS), Canadian Orthopaedic Trauma Society (COTS), and the Orthopaedic Trauma Society (OTA).

Dr. Marion has international clinical experience, and actively participates in various multinational studies. As the recipient of multiple grants, his research interests include adverse events, and quality improvement as it pertains to delivery of orthopaedic and spine care within Northwestern Ontario. He has presented his work nationally and internationally, and his research has garnered multiple awards.

MEETING LINK: https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m07294d3718773bbcb2c64af458f748ce
MEETING NUMBER (ACCESS CODE): 2348 188 3149
MEETING PASSWORD: TM21
TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY)
+1-613-714-9906,,23481883149##
Canada Toll (Ottawa)
+1-647-484-1598,,23481883149##
Canada Toll (Toronto)

Using billing data to describe physician practices for health human resource planning (February 22)

PRESENTED BY: Dr. David Savage, MD, PhD, CCFP(EM) Emergency Physician, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Assistant Professor, NOSM University.

DATE: February 22, 2024
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online event via Webex

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. David Savage is a graduate of NOSM University and an Emergency Physician at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. His research is currently focused on northern and rural health and health human resource planning.

MEETING LINK: https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m5f732046667d07d1ab2de1b37a0989fd
MEETING NUMBER (ACCESS CODE): 2341 234 6702
MEETING PASSWORD: DS22
TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY)
+1-613-714-9906,,23412346702##
Canada Toll (Ottawa)
+1-647-484-1598,,23412346702##
Canada Toll (Toronto)

My Bladder Health Matters (January 25)

PRESENTED BY: Dr. Hazem Elmansy, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Associate Professor & Program Director of the Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Fellowship Program, NOSM University

DATE: January 25, 2024
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online event via Webex

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. Hazem Elmansy is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Program at NOSM University. He joined Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Urology department in May 2017 after completing his Urology residency at McGill University and training in endourology (including Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy for complex stone management, laser surgery for the prostate and metabolic work-up to prevent stone disease recurrence). In October 2017, Dr. Elmansy performed the first Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) procedure in Ontario. He has a strong passion for research and has co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications, as well a chapter in Smith’s Textbook of Endourology. Dr. Elmansy is a coauthor of the Canadian Urological Association guidelines for the management of ureteric stones. His research contributions were recognized and awarded at both the American and Canadian Urological Association annual conferences.

MEETING LINK:
https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m32513030c2198ff1f849890d8d626a83
MEETING NUMBER (ACCESS CODE): 2340 253 8991
MEETING PASSWORD: HE25
TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY)
+1-613-714-9906,,23402538991##
Canada Toll (Ottawa)
+1-647-484-1598,,23402538991##
Canada Toll (Toronto)

Research Support Services at Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (December 7)

PRESENTED BY: Rabail Siddiqui, Research Development Coordinator, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

DATE: December 7, 2023
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online event via Webex

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Rabail Siddiqui has over five years of experience in research, ranging from basic sciences, to clinical and translational research. She has worked for the Orthopaedic Research Program at TBRHRI for the last three years and has been covering the position of Research Development Coordinator since May 2021. Rabail obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology and her Master of Public Health with a specialization in Epidemiology from Lakehead University. She recently completed a Master of Health Sciences (MHSc) in Translational Research from the University of Toronto.

MEETING LINK: https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m343336546d55cde8e303a36241a175ba
MEETING NUMBER (ACCESS CODE): 2340 835 0581
MEETING PASSWORD: RS07
TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY)
+1-613-714-9906,,23408350581##
Canada Toll (Ottawa)
+1-647-484-1598,,23408350581##
Canada Toll (Toronto)

Health Research Speaker Series: The Application of the Adverse Events Severity System in Northwestern Ontario (March 21, 2024)

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Meet some of the best and brightest in our health research community by joining us for these virtual presentations via Webex.

PRESENTED BY: Dr. Travis E. Marion, MD. MSc. BEd. FRCSC., Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSMU), Division of Clinical Sciences, Thunder Bay Campus, Program Director, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Assistant Professor

DATE: March 21, 2024
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online event via Webex

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. Marion, MD. MSc. BEd. FRCSC. is an orthopaedic surgeon who has been practicing at Thunder Bay Health Sciences Centre, and regional centres since 2017. He is an assistant professor in the Division of Clinical Sciences at NOSM University and is the current Spine Surgery Medical Lead at the TBRHSC.

Dr. Marion is an active member in multiple medical societies including the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA), Canadian Spine Society (CSS), Canadian Orthopaedic Trauma Society (COTS), and the Orthopaedic Trauma Society (OTA).

Dr. Marion has international clinical experience, and actively participates in various multinational studies. As the recipient of multiple grants, his research interests include adverse events, and quality improvement as it pertains to delivery of orthopaedic and spine care within Northwestern Ontario. He has presented his work nationally and internationally, and his research has garnered multiple awards.

MEETING LINK: https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m07294d3718773bbcb2c64af458f748ce
MEETING NUMBER (ACCESS CODE): 2348 188 3149
MEETING PASSWORD: TM21
TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY)
+1-613-714-9906,,23481883149##
Canada Toll (Ottawa)
+1-647-484-1598,,23481883149##
Canada Toll (Toronto)

 

>> Click here for the full Health Research Speaker Series Schedule (PDF) <<

Health Research Speaker Series: Using billing data to describe physician practices for health human resource planning (February 22, 2024)

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Meet some of the best and brightest in our health research community by joining us for these virtual presentations via Webex.

PRESENTED BY: Dr. David Savage, MD, PhD, CCFP(EM) Emergency Physician, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Assistant Professor, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

DATE: February 22, 2024
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online event via Webex

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. David Savage is a graduate of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and an Emergency Physician at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. His research is currently focused on northern and rural health and health human resource planning.

MEETING LINK: https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m5f732046667d07d1ab2de1b37a0989fd
MEETING NUMBER (ACCESS CODE): 2341 234 6702
MEETING PASSWORD: DS22
TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY)
+1-613-714-9906,,23412346702##
Canada Toll (Ottawa)
+1-647-484-1598,,23412346702##
Canada Toll (Toronto)

 

>> Click here for the full Health Research Speaker Series Schedule (PDF) <<

Health Research Speaker Series: My Bladder Health Matters (January 25, 2024)

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Meet some of the best and brightest in our health research community by joining us for these virtual presentations via Webex.

PRESENTED BY: Dr. Hazem Elmansy, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Associate Professor & Program Director of the Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Fellowship Program, NOSM University

DATE: January 25, 2024
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online event via Webex

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Dr. Hazem Elmansy is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Program at NOSM University. He joined Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Urology department in May 2017 after completing his Urology residency at McGill University and training in endourology (including Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy for complex stone management, laser surgery for the prostate and metabolic work-up to prevent stone disease recurrence). In October 2017, Dr. Elmansy performed the first Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) procedure in Ontario. He has a strong passion for research and has co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications, as well a chapter in Smith’s Textbook of Endourology. Dr. Elmansy is a coauthor of the Canadian Urological Association guidelines for the management of ureteric stones. His research contributions were recognized and awarded at both the American and Canadian Urological Association annual conferences.

MEETING LINK:
https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m32513030c2198ff1f849890d8d626a83
MEETING NUMBER (ACCESS CODE): 2340 253 8991
MEETING PASSWORD: HE25
TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY)
+1-613-714-9906,,23402538991##
Canada Toll (Ottawa)
+1-647-484-1598,,23402538991##
Canada Toll (Toronto)

 

>> Click here for the full Health Research Speaker Series Schedule (PDF) <<

Health Research Speaker Series: Research Support Services at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (December 7, 2023)

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Join us (virtually) for the first presentation in our Health Research Speaker Series on December 7th (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm), featuring Rabail Siddiqui, Research Development Coordinator at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute.

Title: Research Support Services at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute
Date: December 7, 2023
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Online event via Webex

Meeting link: https://bit.ly/HRSS-December-7
Meeting number (access code): 2340 835 0581
Meeting password: RS07
Alternatively, you may join the session by phone:
+1-647-484-1598 (long distance fees may apply)
Access code: 2343 229 3461

About the speaker:

Rabail Siddiqui has over five years of experience in research, ranging from basic sciences, to clinical and translational research. She has worked for the Orthopaedic Research Program at TBRHRI for the last three years and has been covering the position of Research Development Coordinator since May 2021. Rabail obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology and her Master of Public Health with a specialization in Epidemiology from Lakehead University. She recently completed a Master of Health Sciences (MHSc) in Translational Research from the University of Toronto.

 

>> Click here for the full Health Research Speaker Series Schedule (PDF) <<

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute Welcomes Returning Board Members at Annual Meeting

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI) celebrated another year of success at the Annual Meeting of the Corporation on June 22, 2023.

Dr. Andrew Dean, returning as Board Chair, and Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, CEO of TBRHRI, congratulated all returning Board Directors for the coming term. Dr. Pamela Wakewich departed her role as Vice Chair and Director and was recognized for her commitment to the Board.

Dr. David Marsh was elected as Vice-Chair of the Board as well as Chair of the Science and Research Committee, and James Peotto will continue as Treasurer. Returning as Board Directors are Dr. Sheldon Tobe, Andrew Ross, John Dixon, Peter Bishop, Dr. Jocelyn Bel, and Dr. Erin Cameron.

Dr. Crocker Ellacott will continue to serve as an ex-officio Director along with Dr. David Marsh, Associate Dean, Research, Innovation and International Relations at NOSM University, Dr. Chris Mushquash, Vice President, Research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Chief Scientist at TBRHRI, and Tim Larocque, Director, Applied Research and Innovation at Confederation College.

TBRHRI’s Annual Report was also released and highlights some of the successes of the 2022/2023 fiscal year. To download of a copy of the Annual Report visit https://bit.ly/2022-23-TBRHRI-AnnualReport

50/50 Draw Funds Revolutionary New Breast Cancer Screening Tool

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

Everyone who buys a Thunder Bay 50/50 ticket in the month of October will be contributing to a piece of Thunder Bay history. That’s because half of all proceeds will go directly to breast cancer including the new Radialis unit, a revolutionary alternative to X-ray mammography that was developed and will be manufactured right here in Thunder Bay.

Dr. Alla Reznik and her team have worked for about ten years developing this new technology from scratch. The technology detects breast cancer tumours using molecular imaging. That’s a much more precise and efficient method of diagnosing breast cancer for women who have dense breast tissue, which is about half of all women. And, it does all this without painful compression of the breast during imaging.

Radialis was not designed to replace mammography, but instead provide an alternative for those women who need it.

“Mammography saves lives. Mammography is the gold standard in detecting breast cancer. But mammography is efficient only for 50% of all women,” Dr. Reznik said. “For those women for whom mammography is not efficient, we need to offer another detection tool.”

Mammography is what Dr. Reznik called an indirect cancer detection tool – one that detects cancers based on expected density differences between a tumour and breast tissue. Tumours can be missed in some women because there isn’t enough contrast in the X-ray mammography between dense breast tissue and dense tumour tissue. Further, false positives or questionable results can trigger a number of other treatments and tests that can be painful and stressful. That’s something Dr. Reznik saw happen to a close friend.

“(The results she received were) suspicious but inconclusive,” she said. Thankfully, a biopsy revealed her friend didn’t have cancer. However with Radialis, she wouldn’t have needed a biopsy at all. Women who experience these painful tests after false positives are less likely to get mammograms in the future. “I don’t want anybody to experience false-positive results.”

Radialis can also be used to monitor treatments earlier and more effectively, allowing doctors to try something different if the initial treatment isn’t working.

“This is very much aligned with personalized medicine,” Dr. Reznik said. “It’s a game changer.”

The first round of clinical trials has already successfully completed at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto with a second round about to begin. Clinical trials are planned to start in Thunder Bay in April 2023 to test how well the unit can be used for monitoring certain breast cancer treatments. Dr. Reznik said that she is also in discussions with other hospitals including one in the United States to build systems.

Radialis has received FDA clearance and will begin manufacturing its molecular imaging units right here in Thunder Bay. That has always been an important goal for Dr. Reznik and her team, she said.

“If we just sell our technology to a manufacturer, then the manufacturing will be moved out of Thunder Bay. But we are committed to our region and even if Radialis is at some point purchased by a larger company, manufacturing will stay in Thunder Bay.”

Some of the proceeds of October’s Thunder Bay 50/50 draw will go directly to building prototypes needed for testing and clinical trials including purchasing component parts.

“Every ticket you buy will help fund research that will benefit hundreds of patients in Thunder Bay with a direct way to diagnose breast cancer and a direct way to follow up with their treatment,” Dr. Reznik said.

You can help make Thunder Bay medical history! Buy your Thunder Bay 50/50 tickets and see what this month’s jackpot is up to at: ThunderBay5050.ca

Canadian researchers using cutting edge technology to investigate long-COVID

Posted on by Marcello Bernardo

In a multi-site study funded by the Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund, scientists discovered a clue into the cause of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), also known as long-COVID.

Led by Grace Parraga, Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair at Western University, researchers used novel lung imaging techniques to investigate gas exchange in the lungs of people suffering from long-COVID. This exploratory study used hyperpolarized xenon-129 magnetic resonance imaging (HP 129Xe MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans to visualize the flow of oxygen through the lungs and where it is blocked.

The use of the HP 129Xe MRI technology is based on the technique co-invented by Mitchell Albert, Lakehead University—Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute Research Chair in Molecular Imaging and Advanced Diagnostics. As a graduate student at The State University of New York at Stony Brook, Albert co-invented this powerful diagnostic technology that allows you to see how the lungs are functioning in real time. Since then it has been applied to several important biomedical areas, including this study.

“It’s really gratifying to see that after 25 years, our invention now is turning out to be important in the use of discovering what is happening in patients with post-acute COVID-19,” says Albert. “Not a lot is known about long-COVID yet. People have these lingering symptoms lasting months and months, and no one really understands why this is. This study starts to shed light on what is happening in the lungs, what the problem is, and the fact that there is indeed a physical problem.”

Albert is referring to the fact that for people with long-COVID can suffer from symptoms including shortness of breath, brain fog and fatigue, where traditional methods of assessing the lungs (i.e. pulmonary function tests, CT scans, chest x-rays) may not indicate there is an issue in the lungs. Using HP 129Xe MRI changes that.

“You can think about hyperpolarized xenon like a tracer that allows you to see how the gas behaves within the lungs. So by using the HP 129Xe, we are able to trace the pulmonary gas exchange and literally see how oxygen is transferred into the bloodstream,” explains Yurii Shepelytskyi, post-doctoral researcher in Albert’s lab. “In this study, we looked at post-acute COVID-19 syndrome to see how the gas transfer changes in subjects who had COVID-19 and who were previously hospitalized over those people not hospitalized. We found that the amount of gas transferred into the blood is significantly smaller in subjects who had COVID-19, indicating a gas transfer impairment.”

Albert’s team at Lakehead University / Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute is one of five sites conducting research for this study. In this collaborative study, the impaired pulmonary transfer has been correlated to pulmonary vascular changes detected by CT scanning. This initial discovery is important as in order to develop treatment options for patients with long-COVID, the source of the issue must be identified.

“Next steps are to continue the research and follow up with the patients to determine if they have fully recovered, or if their symptoms persist. This information will be useful to health care providers to provide guidelines for treating patients with long-COVID,” says Albert. “We are very excited to be a part of this groundbreaking study that will help people all across the province and beyond. Thank you to TBRHRI for allowing us use of the 3T MRI, and to Lakehead University for providing seed funding that allows us to do this incredible work right here in Northwestern Ontario. Finally, I am grateful to the Ministry of Health for making this research possible and to Grace Parraga, the study leader, for inviting us to participate.”

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