LEARN. ENGAGE. BE INSPIRED.
Welcome to Mini Med School Nanaimo On behalf of BC Children’s Hospital, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Mini Med School Vancouver Island: Nanaimo. We are honoured to be speaking to you from the unceded, traditional and ancestral territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Today at Mini Med School, you’ll learn about some of the latest big ideas and discoveries in health research. Our speakers are among Canada’s leading investigators, healthcare professionals and up-andcoming new researchers. They will share their passion, their commitment and the way they’re working to transform child health for kids in our province and around the world. We’re here today with a big goal: to inspire you. We hope that you leave today excited about what’s possible in the fields of science and health and, most importantly, your own future careers. Sincerely,
Quynh Doan, MDCM, MHSc PhD Interim Senior Executive Director, Research, BC Children’s Hospital Clinician Scientist, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, UBC Director, Clinical Research, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute Stay connected with BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute @bcchresearch
@bcchresearch
Mini Med School Nanaimo
@bcchresearch
Group 2: New Innovations
Thursday, April 28 8:30 am - 3:05 pm Coast Bastion Nanaimo 11 Bastion Street
OUR SCHEDULE 8:30 am
Registration & Welcome Activity
8:55 am
Welcome & Introductions
9:00 am
Building Blocks of Immunity: What do Immune Cells Eat? Right now your immune system is working hard to fight off infections. Your T cells, a type of immune cell, recognize infected or cancerous cells and remove them from your body. But what happens when these cells can no longer tell the difference between healthy and infected tissues? This can lead to the development of autoimmunity, an attack on your healthy tissues by your immune cells, as well as the growth of cancer or persistent infections. Join us to discover the biological fuels that change immune cell functions, what your immune cells “choose” to eat, the pathways that cause diseases, and current research into treatment strategies. Presented by Dr. Ramon Klein Geltink
9:45 am
Ex-Quiz Me? Test your health sciences knowledge! This interactive game will let you compete for prizes and gain more insight on the latest translational and clinical research topics. Presented by Laura Christensen and Sharon Yau
Science Making Miracles Did you know BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute conducts world-class research to improve the health of children and families? 1,000+ researchers are leading scientific discoveries for a healthier future for all kids in BC and beyond. 222.
www.bcchr.ca/MiniMedNanaimo
10:00 am
Research Leader Introductions
10:05 am
10:15 am
- Break -
Meet the 2022 Mini Med School Faculty! Learn more about the BC Children’s Hospital researchers who are pursuing discovery and translating their research into life-saving clinical innovations and excellence in child health.
Research Activities – Session 1 Get ready for some hands-on science! Students will work in groups and participate in a selection of the following activities:
Disease Detective: Think like an Epidemiologist Epidemiology is essential for public health and safety, helping shape the way we think about disease and disease prevention. By examining the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus and the impact of vaccination, you will learn about the patterns of disease, risk factors for disease transmission and the crucial role of epidemiology. Presented by Dr. Sarai Racey
Food Label Detectives Food nutrition labels are an essential part of food packaging, but are they telling you the whole story? Explore a variety of nutrition labels and use your investigative skills to better understand what you’re eating, how to make healthier choices, and what those nutrient content claims actually mean. Presented by Dr. Genelle Healey & Dr. Travis De Wolfe
Mini Med School Nanaimo
Integrating exercise into your daily life Exercise has been proven to be beneficial in many aspects of life that range from mental health, energy levels and sleep habits, but how do certain exercises differ from one another? Uncover the physiological effects of exercise on the body as well as how to integrate it into your daily life. Facilitated by a former UBC Varsity athlete, this interactive session will provide insight into the many different applications of exercise and its impact on your health. Presented by Madeline Wang
Ask a med student: Pathways from high school to medical school Are you considering a career in medicine and want to hear more about the journey to medical school? Facilitated by a current UBC medical student, this interactive session will discuss the academic pathways that students can navigate after high school. Learn more about preparing for university, completing an undergraduate degree, as well as tips for applying to medical school. Questions will be encouraged! Presented by Samantha Pawer
On the Road In 2017, Mini Med School expanded beyond the Lower Mainland for the first time to Terrace. Over the past two years, sessions were also held in Fort St. John, Kamloops and Williams Lake. Where to next? This award-winning science education program will be on the road for years to come! 222.
www.bcchr.ca/MiniMedNanaimo
11:15 am
Lunch
12:15 pm
The Heart of the Matter Lub-DUB, lub-DUB, lub-DUB. Sound familiar? Congrats, you’re alive. Your heart beats 100,000 times each day and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood. But how much do you really know about your heart, especially if it develops abnormally? Do hearts differ between women and men? If so, how does that affect the presentation of heart disease in women compared to men? Learn more about heart anatomy and how our understanding of its structure has changed over the years. Presented by Dr. Najah Adreak
1:00 pm
Research Activities – Session 2 Students will continue to work in groups to participate in the remaining activites from Session 1.
Mini Med School Online High school students throughout BC can now experience Mini Med School online at any time and from anywhere. Participants in our self-directed program are also eligible to receive an electronic certificate of participation. Learn more: www.bcchr.ca/mmsonline
Mini Med School Nanaimo
2:15 pm
- Break -
2:00 pm
Who Wants to be a Health Scientist? Challenge your assumptions about what it means to work in health sciences. This interactive activity will give you a better idea of the dayto-day responsibilities of those working in the medical or research field.
3:00 pm
Closing Remarks
3:05 pm
Optional: Student Networking Interact with our health science experts! After dismissal, the Mini Med School Faculty will be available to network one-on-one with interested participants.
Summer Student Research Program The Summer Student Research Program fosters research awareness and interest for undergraduate and medical students. Each year, the program provides an opportunity to participate in research projects related to child and family health under the supervision of researchers at BC Children’s Hospital. Learn more: www.bcchr.ca/ssrp
www.bcchr.ca/MiniMedNanaimo
OUR FACULTY Alysha Deslippe Doctoral Student, UBC Department of Human Nutrition & Dietetics; Cohen Research Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: I have a deep love for potatoes! Alysha is a first year PhD student in Human Nutrition at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Tamara Cohen. Her research focuses on the role of gender, sex and social influences on teens’ eating practices. By exploring this topic, food programs and policies can more inclusively help all teens make beneficial food decisions. Alysha also has a background in health behaviour promotion through the training of her Masters degree from UBC. When she’s not studying, Alysha can be found outside moving around or inside coaching volleyball.
Christine Wardell Doctoral Student, UBC Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery; Levings Research Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: My favourite way to de-stress is by making pots out of clay on a potter’s wheel Christine is a PhD student studying at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. She grew up in Kitchener, Ontario and attended McMaster University and Western University prior to moving to the West Coast. Christine’s research focuses on educating the immune system of diabetic patients to accept transplanted insulin-producing cells.
Dr. Genelle Healey Postdoctoral Fellow, UBC Department of Pediatrics; Vallance Research Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: I have a Frenchie called Frankie Genelle did her PhD in Nutritional Science at Massey University in New Zealand. Her PhD determined that a person’s usual dietary intake affects how the gut bacteria respond to a fibre supplement. Prior to starting her PhD, Genelle worked as a clinical Dietitian caring for patients with gastrointestinal and kidney diseases. Genelle moved to Vancouver around 4.5 years ago to start a postdoctoral fellowship at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Her current research focuses on what effect different types and amounts of fibre have on the gut bacteria and host health outcomes.
Mini Med School Nanaimo
Lianne Cho Medical & Doctoral Student (MD/PhD), UBC Department of Psychiatry; Honer Research Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: I start every morning by doing a daily crossword Lianne Cho is an MD/PhD student at UBC. She grew up in Toronto, and then graduated from Brown University with a B.Sc. in Neuroscience before moving to the West Coast. For her PhD, she is currently working with the Hotel Study, which seeks to understand the health of individuals who are homeless or precariously housed. Specifically, her project looks at depression experienced by people living in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.
Madeline Wang Undergraduate Student, UBC Integrated Sciences; Assistant, Research Education & Services Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: I love baking and baked over 40 loaves of bread last year! Madeline is a fourth year student at UBC majoring in Integrated Sciences, specializing in genetics and exercise physiology, alongside the Master of Management Dual Degree. Madeline has been involved with a variety of UBC activities, ranging from leading UBC campus tours, participating in student government, and being a member of the Varsity Women’s Rowing team. Additionally, she has conducted research on a variety of topics, including the gut microbiota and mitochondrial stress responses. When she’s not studying, Madeline can be found getting active outdoors or trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.
Moones Yadegari Masters Student, UBC Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Lange Research Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: No matter how old I am, I will always be a foodie who craves different foods at the same time, even by seeing their pictures or hearing about them! Moones is a Graduate Student in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC. Before moving to Vancouver, she was a vet in her home country and had the passion and motivation to also join the research field. Her project for her doctorate of veterinary medicine degree aimed to develop a new method for recombinant protein expression and purification. At BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Moones is working on a project focused on protein interactions. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and spending time with friends.
www.bcchr.ca/MiniMedNanaimo
OUR FACULTY Dr. Najah Adreak Study Coordinator, Harris Research Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: I love everything about heart and cardiac surgery. I can talk all day about it! Najah is an aspiring heart surgeon and clinical researcher with a Master of Science in Surgery degree from UBC. She earned her medical degree from Tripoli University and trained in the Cardiac Surgery residency program in Libya before moving to Canada for further education and training. Najah is the Trainee Representative for the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance and is an active member of the education and training working group. She advocates for cardiovascular health and treatment, especially for underserved women patients, and had led the western committee for the 2021-2022 Wear Red Canada campaign. Currently, she is a study coordinator with the Harris Research Team at BC Children’s Hospital, a place that combines her passion for congenital heart disease, research, heart anatomy and her love for working with kids.
Dr. Ramon Klein Geltink Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital; Assistant Professor, UBC Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Fun Fact: During a trip to Southern Africa I became mildly obsessed with wildlife photography! Ramon grew up in the east of the Netherlands, where he also got his Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences. As part of this degree, he worked in an immunology lab in Rotterdam for a year, which sparked his true interest in scientific discovery. He later moved to Memphis, TN, USA, where he worked on his PhD project in genetics and molecular biology for 9 (!!) years. After his PhD, Ramon moved to southern Germany to work with Dr. Erika Pearce, a world leader in immunometabolism to study “what immune cells eat”. In 2019, he joined BCCHR and UBC to start his own lab and continues to work on the super interesting puzzle of what immune cells eat to protect us from getting sick. Outside of work, Ramon likes to spend time in the wilderness looking for animals to photograph, and in the winter he goes snowboarding whenever possible.
Mini Med School Nanaimo
Samantha Pawer Medical Student, UBC MD Undergrad Education Fun Fact: Soccer is my favourite sport to play, but hockey is my favourite sport to watch Samantha completed her Bachelor of Science degree in genetics and physiology at UBC, where she is currently a first year medical student. Samantha has conducted research at BC Children’s Hospital on a variety of topics, including healthy pregnancies, injury prevention, and type 1 diabetes. She is looking forward to talking about the journey from high school to medical school, and is excited to answer your questions about any of the steps along the way!
Dr. Sarai Racey Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Population & Public Health; Ogilvie, Sadarangani & Bettinger Research Teams, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: I love a good mystery book! Sarai is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at UBC. She completed her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Toronto. Sarai’s research interests include sexual health, infectious diseases, and rural and remote populations. Her research projects include exploring vaccine hesitancy, interventions aimed at increasing HPV vaccine uptake and self-collection of HPV testing for cervical cancer prevention. Sarai currently lives in Cumberland on Vancouver Island, and enjoys mountain biking and skiing with her family.
Dr. Travis De Wolfe Postdoctoral Fellow, UBC Department of Pediatrics; Vallance Research Team, BC Children’s Hospital Fun Fact: I have never had a cavity Travis did his PhD in Food Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he studied how probiotics can help people with gut infections. When he moved to Vancouver, he joined a research group at BC Children’s Hospital to further his studies in gut health. When he is not working with lab mice, Travis enjoys walking his dog, Kiki, on the seawall and visiting different islands near Vancouver.
www.bcchr.ca/MiniMedNanaimo
Outreach Opportunities Looking for additional opportunities to get involved in research and health sciences? Check out the resources below to see the different types of outreach programs available for high school students. BC Children’s Hospital is not affiliated with the programs below. For any questions, please contact the program organizers directly.
Program Name
Program Type
Operation Medical School
Conference
UBC Pathways to Medicine Club
Online Resource
Shad Canada
Summer Program
PuMP+ Vancouver
Conference
Skype a Scientist
Online Resource
Pre-Health Shadowing
Online Resource
Description Operation Med School is a student-run organization that hosts one-day conferences to educate youth about the journey of a medical career. UBC Pathways to Medicine is a club run by current UBC Medical Students, and offers equitable access and guidance to students who would like to learn more about the field of Medicine and BC’s only Medical School. Shad is a month-long STEAM program that allows grade 10 and 11 students to collaborate and work with different peers outside of their home province. Prospective Medical Professionals, known as PuMP for short, is a federally registered charity on a mission to help Canadian high school and post-secondary students understand different career pathways in life and health sciences. Skype a Scientist has a database of thousands of scientists and helps them connect with classrooms, families, libraries, and more all over the globe! Pre-Health Shadowing can be completed from the comfort of your home. Meet with healthcare professionals from various domains and specialties to get an inside look at their education and career paths.