SickKids staff recognized for their achievements

Congratulations to the following SickKids staff members who continue to make outstanding contributions to the health-care and scientific communities.

Dr. Denis Daneman, emeritus Chair of Paediatrics and former Paediatrician-in-Chief, has been appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada. His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, announced the appointment on June 30, 2017.

His citation reads: “Denis Daneman’s life’s work has had a profound impact on child well-being. He led a culture of excellence as Chair of Paediatrics at The Hospital for Sick Children for ten years, expanding SickKids’ standing as one of the world’s leading paediatric facilities. He is recognized for his values-driven leadership, mentoring the next generation of child health leaders, notably in the areas of global child health and social paediatrics. A renowned diabetologist, he has produced influential clinical research studies involving Type 1 diabetes among children.”

The Order of Canada, one of our country’s highest civilian honours, was established in 1967, during Canada’s centennial year, to recognize outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Daneman will receive his insignia at a ceremony to be held at a later date. We will be sure to keep you informed!

Dr. Janet Rossant, Senior Scientist, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Chief of Research Emeritus, has been awarded a 2017 Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Cambridge University. Rossant is an alumna of Cambridge and an Honorary Fellow of Darwin College. Her work in stem cell biology has helped with the understanding of developmental disorders. Cambridge also noted her contribution to ethical and policy debates around stem cell research.

Dr. Bibudhendra Sarkar, Senior Scientist Emeritus, Molecular Medicine Program, has been appointed Senior Advisor to the Public Health Foundation of Bangladesh. The Foundation strives to strengthen the public health-care system in coordination with the private sector through evidence-based programming to reach those communities most in need of medical assistance. In addition to Bangladesh, Sarkar has extended his research in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar, Nepal and India which face similar health crises.

Dr. Jason Fischer, Interim Division Head, Emergency Medicine, has been awarded the Canadian Association of Emergency Medicine’s Dr. Marilyn Li Pediatric EM Leadership Award. Fischer was chosen for the honour as a leader in paediatric emergency medicine and for promoting the core values of honesty, open-mindedness and respect.

Dr. Jeremy Friedman, Associate Chair, Clinical Programs, has received the 2017 Paediatric Academic Leadership - Clinician Practitioner Award. Friedman was recognized for his pioneering work as a paediatric hospitalist; the complex care program in the Division of Paediatric Medicine at SickKids that he initiated; and his research contributions.

Dr. Stephen Scherer, Senior Scientist, Genetics & Genome Biology, and Director, The Centre for Applied Genomics, has received a 2017 Honorary Doctor of Science degree, University of Waterloo. The university recognized Scherer for his work in the field of genetic variation as related to human health and disease, including autism spectrum disorder.

We know that SickKids research students and fellows are exceptionally talented, but it’s wonderful to receive confirmation from some of the most prestigious and discerning funding committees in the country. The competition results for the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships and Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships have recently been announced, and three SickKids researchers—Brett Trost, Jo-Anna Baxter, and Stuart Matan Lithwick—were honoured with valuable and highly competitive awards. Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships, valued at $70,000 per year for two years, and Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, valued at $50,000 per year for three years, are intended to support Canada’s top doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, and are awarded to people who demonstrate research excellence and a strong commitment to leadership and community contribution.

Congratulations to Dr. Brett Trost, our new 2016-17 Banting Postdoctoral Fellow. Trost, a Fellow in Genetics & Genome Biology, is working with Dr. Stephen Scherer to identify non-coding regions of the human genome—which account for over 98 per cent of our genes—that affect a child’s risk of having autism. Trost is also an active reviewer, teacher, and student mentor.

Our new Vanier Scholar Jo-Anna Baxter is working with the Centre for Global Child Health under the supervision of Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta, Co-Director, Director of Research, Centre for Global Child Health. Baxter is focused on improving the nutrition and life skills of adolescent girls and young women in rural Pakistan so that they might become healthier and have healthier pregnancies.

Vanier Scholar Stuart Matan Lithwick, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology is working with Drs. Michael Taylor at SickKids and Gary Bader at the Donnelly Centre to profile medulloblastoma primary tumours and metastases. He seeks to improve the ability to predict, monitor and treat metastatic tumours in children with medulloblastoma.

The Psychiatry Day Program at SickKids has received the Agency of Distinction Award from the Bachelor of Child and Youth Care Program in the School of Social and Community Services at Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. Humber describes an Agency of Distinction as those who have demonstrated that they are committed to the principles of “work-integrated learning” through several means, including offering “meaningful work that meets common goals for students and the community” and “a safe, inclusive learning environment for students of all backgrounds and abilities.”

The Department of Medical Imaging at the University of Toronto (U of T) recently announced their 2016-17 Medical Imaging Awards. Congratulations to the following recipients:

Dr. Alan Daneman, Division Head of General Radiology and Body Imaging, received a Lifetime Achievement Award. The recipient of this award has contributed to areas including teaching, research, administration, leadership, and mentorship, and has made a significant impact on the department. Daneman was recognized for his sustained commitment and contribution throughout his career within the Department of Medical Imaging.

Dr. Juliette Garel received the Outstanding Fellow Teacher-Mentor Award, designed to honour Medical Imaging fellows who have significantly contributed to the teaching and mentoring of the diagnostic radiology residents.

Drs. Helen Branson, David Manson, Oscar Navarro, and Charles Raybaud have been chosen as Outstanding Teachers in the Fellowship Program. This award is based on voting by fellows across all fellowship programs within U of T Medical Imaging. Branson also won the Award for Excellence in Teaching for her work in the Neuroradiology Fellowship Program.

Congratulations to these fine representatives of SickKids.