Faculty
Dr. Heather Armstrong, assistant professor of internal medicine and Canada Research Chair in integrative bioscience, received the Triangle Canada Early Career Research Award, and the Crohn’s and Colitis Canada Women in IBD award. Read more.
Dr. John Ataguba, associate professor of community health sciences, was appointed extraordinary professor of health economics at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. This is an honorary, non-salaried position.
Dr. Meghan Azad, professor of pediatrics and child health and Canada Research Chair in developmental origins of chronic disease, was featured on the Massey Grand Rounds Annual Symposium titled “Trust you Gut: The Microbiome in Health & Disease.” She was awarded the Jannet Rossant Lectureship and spoke about “Modelling Milk & Microbes: new approaches to understanding how breastfeeding supports the infant microbiome and lifelong health.”
The University of Manitoba was honoured to confer upon Dr. Brian Blakley the title of Professor Emeritus. A distinguished physician, researcher and professor, Dr. Blakley joined the faculty in 1997 as professor and head of otolaryngology. Read more.
Dr. Shay-Lee Bolton, assistant professor of psychiatry, received The Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Development Award. Bolton’s award will fund her to attend a two-day program, Leadership Skills for Engineering and Science Faculty, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston this summer. Read more.
Dr. Laura Chisick, assistant professor and section head of general internal medicine, received The Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Development Award. Dr. Chisick’s award will fund her to attend the Leadership Strategies for Evolving Health Care Executives program at Harvard University. Read more.
Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, distinguished professor of psychiatry, was recognized for his Outstanding Achievements in Cancer Research at the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance Awards. Read more. Dr. Chochinov also received the Arthur M. Sutherland Award from the International Psycho-Oncology Society. The award honors an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member with a lifetime achievement in the field of psycho-oncology. This is a late career award and recognizes sustained and distinguished output in psycho-oncology over their whole career. Read more.
Dr. Renée Douville, associate professor of pharmacology and therapeutics, received The Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Development Award. Dr. Douville’s award will fund her to take online courses through the Yale School of Management in the areas of Women’s Leadership, Leading Teams and Leading with Power and Influence. Read more.
The University of Manitoba was honoured to confer upon Dr. Joanne Embree the title of Professor Emeritus. She made significant contributions as a pediatric infectious disease specialist and a researcher with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. Read more.
Dr. José François, associate professor and former head of the department of family medicine, received the Physician of the Year award from Doctors Manitoba. Read more.
Dr. Amanda Fowler-Woods, assistant professor of community health sciences, received the Canadian Association for Medical Education Rising Star Certificate of Excellence Award. She also received The Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Development Award. Dr. Fowler-Woods’ award will fund her to attend the Intermediate Indigenous Women in Leadership program at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta. Read more.
Sara Goulet, associate dean (admissions) and assistant professor of community health sciences and family medicine, received a Medal of Excellence from Doctors Manitoba. Read more.
The University of Manitoba was honoured to confer upon Dr. Grant Hatch the title of Professor Emeritus. He is highly respected for his contributions to cardiolipin biology and atherosclerosis research, and was a faculty member for more than 30 years. Read more.
Dr. Stephen Kowalski, professor of anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine, received the Doctors Manitoba Distinguished Service Award. Read more.
Dr. Judith Littleford, senior scholar and retired associate professor of anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine, will receive in May the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine Alumni of Distinction Award for her outstanding lifetime contribution to education. Read more.
The University of Manitoba was honoured to confer upon Dr. Brian Postl the titles of Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus. Dr. Postl, a 40-year faculty member, was dean of the Max Rady College of Medicine for 12 years and of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences for nine years. Read more.
Dr. Helen Pymar, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, received a Medal of Excellence from Doctors Manitoba. Read more.
Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, assistant professor of physiology and pathophysiology, received the Women in Health Sciences Award from the University of Manitoba at the Magnificent Women’s Awards Gala 2024 in March.
Dr. Zulma Rueda, associate professor of medical microbiology and infectious diseases and Canada Research Chair in sexually transmitted infection – resistance and control, received The Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Development Award. Dr. Rueda’s award will fund her to attend a hybrid online/in-person program at Harvard University called Women Leaders: Advancing Together. Read more.
Dr. Kelly Russell, associate professor of pediatrics and child health, received a Special Commendation award ($500) in the IHDCYH Talks Video Competition, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, for the Heads Up! Becoming Concussion Smart video. View the video.
Kristel van Ineveld, associate professor of internal medicine and program director for geriatric medicine subspecialty residency, received a Medal of Excellence from Doctors Manitoba. Read more.
Dr. George G. Zhanel, professor and associate head of medical microbiology and infectious diseases was identified by Web of Science as one of the world’s most influential researchers, selected among an elite group recognized for exceptional research influence, demonstrated by the production of multiple highly-cited papers that rank in the top 1 per cent by citations for field and year. Dr. Zhanel also won a Manitoba Medical Students’ Association teaching award in the category of Med II, Inspiration.
Alumni
Jayelle Friesen-Enns [B.Sc./17, M.Sc./23, MD/2023] is a 2024 recipient of the prestigious Indspire Award. Read more.
Resident
Dr. Lerly Luo, public health and preventive medicine resident in the department of community health sciences, received the Doctors Manitoba Resident of the Year Award. Read more.
Postdoctoral fellow
Dr. Mariana Herrera-Diaz, postdoctoral fellow in medical microbiology and infectious diseases in Dr. Zulma Rueda‘s lab, received CIHR’s Research Excellency, Diversity and Independence Early Career Transition award.
Students
Allison Balasko, PhD student in medical microbiology and infectious diseases in Dr. Keith Fowke‘s lab, won a Women in Health Sciences Award from the Women’s Centre at the University of Manitoba, and it was awarded at the Magnificent Women’s Awards Gala 2024.
Shanelle Gingras, PhD student in medical microbiology and infectious diseases in Dr. Paul McLaren‘s lab, received a Women in STEM Award from the Women’s Centre at the University of Manitoba, and it was awarded at the Magnificent Women’s Awards Gala 2024.
Elise Gork, a graduate student in Dr. Jason Kindrachuk‘s lab, won a Faculty of Graduate Studies Research Completion Scholarship.
Ellie Jack, a PhD candidate in community health sciences, received The Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Development Award. The award will fund Jack to participate in a program called Leading Strategic Student Success through the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Read more.
Toby Le, PhD student in medical microbiology and infectious diseases in Dr. Keith Fowke‘s lab, won the Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases and the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases 2024 NCCID-CFID Infectious Diseases Knowledge Translation Award for his project entitled “Using knowledge translation to build community capacity and resiliency against infectious diseases.”
Mirha Zohair, a third-year medical student, is the 2023 UM recipient of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award for Medical Students. Read more.
Recipients of the 2023 Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Annual Awards Celebration:
- Dr. Frank Plummer Post-Doctoral Fellow-research Associate Researcher of the Year: Enrique Villacis Alvarez
- Dr. Fred Aoki Career Achievement Award: Dr. Keith Fowke
- Graduate Student Knowledge into Action Award: Shanelle Gingras
- Graduate Student Publication of the Year Award: Vanessa Schulz
- PGME Clinical Educator of the Year: Dr. Armelle Villalobos
- Theresa Birkhotz Support Staff Award: Mona Mahmoudi
- UGME Jim Parker Educator of the Year: Dr. Philippe Lagace-Wiens
- Medical Microbiology Graduate Program Faculty Educator of the Year: Dr. Linda Larcombe
- Dr. Frank Plummer Researcher of the Year: Dr. Paul Mclaren
- Dr. Michael Mulvey Top Student Award in Molecular Basis of Infection and Antibiotic Action: Paula Pidsadny