Richardson Laboratory 100 year Celebration & The 2024 Kaufman Lecture

| 24 July 2024

Richardson Laboratory 100 year celebration 1924-2024 & The 2024 Kaufman Lecture

September 14, 2024 from 11:30am – 5pm; Queens University Biosciences Complex – Atrium & Room 1102 (Arch St. entrance)

Please join us to celebrate the past, present and future of Pathology and Molecular Medicine with some light refreshments and interesting conversations.

During the celebration some of our pathologists will tell us about their current research within our labs and we have two amazing keynote speakers lined up.

Our first keynote speaker of the day is Dr. Paul Kubes (Canada Excellence Research Chair, Queen’s University) with a talk about: “Imaging pathology in real time: seeing is believing”.

Introducing Dr. Alanna Church (Assistant Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School) as this year’s Kaufman Lecturer with her talk: “Molecular profiling to support the care of children with cancer".

It will be an amazing afternoon and we hope to see you there. Please reserve your spot no later than September 1, 2024.

REGISTER!

Dr. Harriet Feilotter, Dr. Curtis Oleschuk

OLMP Clinical Leads for Hematology, Biochemistry, Genetics/Genomics

Spotlight

| 22 July 2024

Following a competitive evaluation process, we are pleased to share the second phase of Ontario Laboratory Medicine Program (OLMP) Clinical Lead recruitments for the lab disciplines of Hematology, Biochemistry, and Genetics/Genomics.

Dr. Harriet Feilotter Clinical Lead, Genetics/Genomics, OLMP

Dr. Harriet Feilotter is the Genome Diagnostics Division Head at the University Health Network in Toronto, Service Chief for Clinical Genetics at Kingston Health Sciences Centre and a Professor with Queen's University's Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine. She is Lead for the Ontario Molecular Pathology Research Network and Co-Lead for Clinical Implementation at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.

As part of a previous competitive recruitment process, she is also Clinical Lead for Genetic Testing with Ontario Health. This appointment will expand on her existing clinical advisory role in Ontario Health and will ensure alignment in ongoing work and strategic planning for Ontario's genetics/genomics services.

As Clinical Lead, Dr. Feilotter will chair the OLMP Genetics/Genomics Expert Panel.

Dr. Curtis Oleschuk Clinical Lead, Biochemistry, OLMP

Dr. Curtis Oleschuk is a Clinical Biochemist and Service Chief for the Department of Clinical Biochemistry with Kingston Health Sciences Centre, and is an Assistant Professor with Queen's University's department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine. He is also currently a Forensic Toxicologist Consultant for Correction Services Canada and Shared Health Manitoba, a provincial health authority providing system planning and province-wide health services.

Dr. Oleschuk is the Vice President on the Ontario Society for Clinical Chemists, Co-Chair of Tox-LRN – Pan Canadian Initiative on Toxicology Testing, and is a member of the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists Choosing Wisely Committee and the Ontario Health PGP Pharmacogenomics Expert Group.

As Clinical Lead, Dr. Oleschuk will chair the OLMP Biochemistry Expert Panel.

Welcome Dr. Kyster Nanan, New Scientific and Operational Lead, Research Genomics

News

| 9 July 2024

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kyster Nanan as the Scientific and Operational Lead for Research Genomics in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at Queen's University effective July 15th.

Dr. Nanan brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the use of -omics technologies for the study of gene regulation and epigenetics. Some of you may know him from his role as Project Manager and Education Lead for the Ontario Molecular Pathology Research Network (OMPRN), where he remains instrumental in the daily operation of network activities. He also manages a small team at OMPRN and leads the collaborative development of workshops and educational materials for healthcare professionals, researchers and the public.

In this additional role, Dr. Nanan will manage the services, technologies and facilities that facilitate genomics research in the department. Focusing initially on whole exome, genome, and transcriptome sequencing, he will coordinate the expansion of research genomic offerings in the department. He will also work with hospital staff and leaders to develop policies and procedures that coordinate research and clinical genomics. Finally, he will foster collaborations across the university and with external partners, enhancing our research capabilities and impact. Dr. Nanan will report directly to Dr. Berman in this role.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Nanan on this appointment. We look forward to the continued advancements and contributions that he will bring to our department.

Best regards,

David Berman

Highlights summary of our Research Mentorship Program 2024

Spotlight

| 2 July 2024

Our mentorship program, in partnership with the Queen’s Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre since 2017, aims to share knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm between graduate students and high school youth. Our mentorships are a collaboration led by the interests and goals of our mentees and relevance to their own community. We aim to foster inquiry and problem-solving skills through scientific discovery to help equip our mentees for success in their career pursuits.

During the winter term 2023-24, we were privileged to offer seven weekly sessions in General Science and Human Health with eight Indigenous youth in grades 8-11 at the Katarokwi Learning Centre (KLC) in Kingston. Topics, based on mentees’ interests included DNA the blueprint of life, water purification, the amazing world of bacteria, airplane physics, Blood and ABO blood typing, and the total solar eclipse. In addition, mentees enjoyed a field trip on May 17th to the Queen’s Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre to experience a lake sediment coring demonstration, seine netting and Indigenous history of wetlands in the area. We thank Jamie Would and Monica Garvie (Pearl Lab, Dept. Biology), who co-led the above activities with Emily Verhoek (Coordinator, Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre).

Working alongside Program Coordinator Bruce Elliott (DPMM) are Mentorship-Lead Isabelle Grenier-Pleau (DBMS), Assistant Coordinators Doriana Taccardi (DBMS) and Sherri Dutton (Dept. Public Health). Head Mentor Jamie Would (Biology) provided support for our graduate student mentors Samantha Cockburn, Fateme Babaha & Marco Buttigieg (DPMM), Marie Boddington, Jill Greenwood, Jayne Dent, Nicholas Smith & Yasmine Saini (DBMS), and Aishwarya Rajesh Krishnan & Jaydn Clark (HSCI). The entire Mentorship Team has found the program a very rewarding bi-directional learning experience!

Articles

Richardson Laboratory 100 year Celebration & The 2024 Kaufman Lecture

OLMP Clinical Leads for Hematology, Biochemistry, Genetics/Genomics

Welcome Dr. Kyster Nanan, New Scientific and Operational Lead, Research Genomics

Highlights summary of our Research Mentorship Program 2024

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