New furniture and upgrades to student spaces in Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library
Ten new study carrels on the 300 level of the Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library have been installed near the glassed-in area at the south end of the library. Bar-height tables and chairs will be installed in the same space shortly, adding another 17 spaces for students to study.
The Ross and Paterson instruction labs (room 232 and 231 respectively) have been updated with new furniture and technology and will be open for instructors to book shortly. The Paterson lab (231) will have new moveable desks for students to learn on their own devices, and both spaces will contain a 90’’ monitor and minicomputers for instructor use. Contact healthlibrary@umanitoba.ca or call us at 204-789-3342 with your booking request.
Library orientations and training available on request for new research staff and residents
The Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library staff are here to help onboard new research staff and residents. We offer orientations on request through either our consultation service or our customized small-group training.
Contact healthlibrary@umanitoba.ca or call 204-789-3342 to book an orientation or training, or schedule an appointment with one of our librarians. Find your department librarian.
Canadian Medical Hall of Fame nominations
The deadline for submissions for the 2026 induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame is Monday, June 9, 2025. Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureates are Canadian citizens whose outstanding leadership, integrity and contributions to medicine and the health sciences, in Canada or abroad, have led to extraordinary improvements in human health. Read more
Dr. Jonathan McGavock, professor of pediatrics and child health, recently interviewed Dr. Gordon Guyatt on The Emerging Scholar Podcast.
Listen to the episode before Guyatt gives the Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research Lecture on June 2 on the Bannatyne campus. Lecture details
News from the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases
- Drs. Heather Adam, James Karlowsky, Philippe Lagacé-Wiens, Frank Schweizer, and George Zhanel are among the eight University of Manitoba researchers featured on the global highly cited list.
- Dr. Carmine Slipski, a postdoctoral fellow in the Bay lab, and Dr. Titus Olukitibi, postdoctoral fellow in the Fowke lab, won first and second place, respectively, in the UM postdoctoral fellows 3 Minute Project presentation competition. Olukitibi also won the people’s choice award. Read more
- Congratulations to Dr. Titus Olukitibi, a postdoctoral fellow in the Fowke lab, for leading a science outreach program, engaging students in science learning and supporting science infrastructure for schools. Read more
- Congratulations to Ryan Darragh (Bay lab), Cara Follows (Lajoie lab), and Matt Mayor (Su lab), who did the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases proud as they presented the thesis concepts in the Faculty of Graduate Studies 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Congratulations to Olivia Lovett (Card lab), who placed fifth in the French competition.
Dr. Mandy Buss, associate professor of family medicine and postgraduate faculty lead, Indigenous health, was interviewed on the Primary Focus podcast. The show is hosted by Dr. Tara Kiran, associate professor of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
About the episode: In Culturally Inclusive Care for Indigenous Peoples, Kiran visits the Northern Connections Medical Centre in Winnipeg to learn more about how its team is revolutionizing care for Indigenous Peoples. Then she interviews Buss about the critical need for increased Indigenous representation in the medical field.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
A new 60-minute online course, developed with the expertise of Dr. Meghan Azad, professor of pediatrics and child health, and Canada Research Chair in early nutrition and the developmental origins of health and disease, is now available for healthcare professionals. This course offers an accessible yet comprehensive overview of how human milk influences the developing gut microbiome. It explores the potential links between early microbiome development and the risk of chronic conditions such as asthma, allergies and obesity. Designed to enhance the understanding of health-care professionals across various fields, this course provides valuable insights into the crucial role of human milk in shaping long-term health outcomes.
Office of Continuing Competency & Assessment (CCA) updates
- Transfer of courses to CCA:
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) was transferred to the Office of Continuing Competency & Assessment in March 2024
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) was transferred to the Office of Continuing Competency & assessment in December 2024
- AFMC CPD Research Symposium abstract:
- Dr. Nermin Gergis submitted an abstract and was accepted to present at the AFMC CPD Research Symposium on May 22, 2025.
Dr. Christine Kelly, associate professor of community health sciences, was appointed to the National Seniors Council who advises the federal Ministers of Health and the Minister of Jobs and Families on matters related to the health, well-being and quality of life of older people.
Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg, distinguished professor of pediatrics and child health, and Dr. Athanasios Zovoilis, associate professor of biochemistry and medical genetics, are co-leads of a recently announced Genome Canada-Genome Prairie funded Canadian Precision Health Initiative project entitled “PrairieGen: A multi-omics approach to advancing data integration from Manitoba and Saskatchewan populations into the PanCanadian Genome Library.”
This genomics-based project is a $7.2 million, four-year project that will sequence the genomes from over two thousand individuals in Manitoba and Saskatchewan representing diverse patient cohorts. Through genomic sequencing, researchers at University of Manitoba and University of Saskatchewan will be contributing to the PanCanadian Genome Library and hope to unlock information that will lead to better health outcomes for individuals in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
THRiVE Discovery Lab is thrilled to announce the successful defense of Narges Khodabandehloo’s master of science thesis titled, Lactating Parents Attending Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre: A Descriptive Study. Khodabandehloo’s hard work and dedication to her research have made a significant contribution to the lab’s ongoing work. Read more.