FACULTY
Congratulations to the members of the Max Rady College of Medicine who received the King Charles III Coronation Medal:
- Dr. Marcia Anderson, vice-dean Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
- Dr. Clara Bohm, associate professor of internal medicine
- Dr. Catherine Cook, UM vice-president (Indigenous) emerita
- Dr. Bunmi Fatoye, assistant professor of community health sciences
- Dr. Peter Nickerson, dean, Max Rady College of Medicine
- Dr. Joss Reimer, associate professor of community health sciences
- Dr. Noralou Roos, professor emerita of community health sciences
- Dr. Navdeep Tangri, professor of internal medicine
- If you received a medal, and aren’t listed above, email med.communications@umanitoba.ca and we will add you to the list.
UM celebrated the achievements of outstanding faculty members at the annual Faculty Recognition Reception. The event honoured recipients of teaching awards, community engagement awards, Merit Awards and those granted Tenure. View the list.
View the list of award winners and nominees of the 2025 Teacher Recognition and Manitoba Medical Students’ Association Awards.
Dr. Versha Banerji and Dr. Shantanu Banerji, both associate professors of internal medicine, were awarded Medals of Excellence by Doctors Manitoba. Read more
Dr. Denice Bay, associate professor of medical microbiology and infectious diseases, was presented the Women in STEM Award at the 2025 Magnificent Women’s Award Gala. Bay has made tremendous contributions to the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases through her leadership of its graduate program and with her own lab’s research, in addition to helping regionally by organizing events with the Biosciences Association of Manitoba and nationally with the Canadian Society for Microbiology.
Dr. Michel Bruneau, clinical teacher of family medicine, and Dr. Selena Papetti, lecturer and associate head, distributed medical education, department of family medicine, were named Physicians of the Year by Doctors Manitoba. Read more
Dr. Tamara Buchel, assistant professor and program director, postgraduate medical education, department of family medicine, was awarded a Medal of Excellence by Doctors Manitoba. Read more
Dr. Mandy Buss, assistant professor and postgraduate faculty lead – Indigenous health, department of family medicine, received the Most Involved in the Community Award from UM’s Women’s Centre.
Dr. Karen Ethans, associate professor of internal medicine, received the 2024 Meridith Marks Award of Excellence in Education. The award was developed by the Canadian Physiatrists Research and Development Foundation and Canadian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to recognize excellence in education among physiatrists.
Dr. Evelyn Forget was made a distinguished professor of community health sciences and received an honorary doctor of canon law degree from St. John’s College at fall convocation.
Dr. Jill Keddy-Grant, assistant professor and section head for dermatology, department of pediatrics and child health, received a Distinguished Service Award from Doctors Manitoba. Read more
Dr. Lisa Lix, professor of community health sciences and Canada Research Chair in methods for electronic health data quality, is the 2025 recipient for the Long-term Career Award from the Health Policy Statistics Section of the American Statistical Association. She was presented this award at the bi-annual conference of the Health Policy Statistics Section conference in San Diego in January.
Dr. Paul McLaren, adjunct professor of medical microbiology and infectious diseases, was awarded the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) CanFAR Excellence Award in HIV Basic Science Research. This prestigious national award will be presented at the CAHR conference in Halifax in May 2025.
Dr. Neeloffer Mookherjee, professor of internal medicine, Dr. Deanna Santer, assistant professor of immunology, and Dr. Carmine Slipski, post-doctoral fellow in medical microbiology and infectious diseases, were all named Science Co-op Supervisors of the Year 2024. They were nominated by science co-op students for providing an outstanding co-op work term experience.
Dr. Leif Sigurdson, associate professor of surgery, received the Jack Armstrong Humanitarian Award from Doctors Manitoba. Read more
Dr. Wendy Smith, a clinical teacher of family medicine and a physician with Ongomiizwin Health Services, was awarded a Medal of Excellence by Doctors Manitoba. Read more
Dr. George Zhanel, professor and associate head of medical microbiology and infectious diseases, was recognized by Web of Science as a highly cited researcher (top 1% of citations worldwide).
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
Manitoba Centre for Health Policy postdoctoral fellow Dr. Anita Durksen has been named a 2025 The Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Award recipient. Durksen, who was recognized for advancing equity through her work with the SPECTRUM Partnership, plans to use this funding to attend the effective leadership program at McGill Executive Institute.
Dr. Kathleen Kenny, a postdoctoral fellow in community health sciences, was selected as a University of Manitoba Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow Health Sciences for 2024. The award recognizes postdoctoral fellows with innovative research programs who are making outstanding contributions to one or both of knowledge creating and mentorship of junior researchers. During her post-doctoral training at the department of community health sciences, Kenny has excelled in groundbreaking research leading to high-quality, impactful publications, secured prestigious CIHR funding and forged exceptional community (Indigenous) partnerships.
Dr. Titus Olukitibi, a postdoctoral fellow in medical microbiology and infectious diseases, received a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Banting postdoctoral fellowship and IMPaCT Training Award.
RESIDENT
Dr. Alexander Sharp, a fourth-year subspecialty resident in general internal medicine, was named Resident of the Year by Doctors Manitoba. His research with Dr. Zulma Rueda, Canada Research Chair in sexually transmitted infection – resistance and control, and associate professor of medical microbiology and infectious diseases, focuses on HIV, substance use disorders and houselessness, was particularly highlighted in this award. He has influenced government policy in HIV and addiction medicine through publications and conference presentations. Read more
STUDENTS
View the list of award winners and nominees of the 2025 Teacher Recognition and Manitoba Medical Students’ Association Awards.
Jade Daigle passed her oral PhD thesis exam in the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases on September 19, 2024. Special thanks to Jade’s committee, Drs. Chand Mangat, advisor, Paul McLaren, co-advisor, Natalie Knox, and Colin Garroway for their mentorship and guidance throughout the process. Dr. Barbara Porto did a wonderful job chairing her first exam.
Toby Le, a PhD student in medical microbiology and infectious diseases, won the Faculty of Graduate Studies Dean’s Student Achievement Award.
Dr. Emma Martell, who graduated in February with her PhD in human anatomy & cell science and pathology, received the 2024 Dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Student Achievement Prize. The award recognizes outstanding academic achievement, strong leadership skills and notable personal service of grad students. Read more
Tobi Olanipekun, a master’s student in physiology and pathophysiology, received the 2024 Dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Student Achievement Prize. The award recognizes outstanding academic achievement, strong leadership skills and notable personal service of grad students. Read more
Andrew Plesniarski passed his oral PhD thesis in the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases on October 25, 2024. Thank you to Drs. Ruey Su, advisor, Blake Ball, co-advisor, Barbara Trigg-Raine and John Wylie, mentors. Special thanks to Dr. Rongtuan Lin, external examiner.
Zach Schiffman passed his oral PhD thesis in the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases on November 25, 2024. Sending many thanks to Schiffman’s committee for their leadership and mentorship along the way: Drs. Jim Strong, advisor, Xiao-Jian Yao, Sam Kung and Jason Kindrachuk. Special thanks to Dr. Brent Fedirchuk for chairing Schiffman’s defense.
Elinor Shvartsman passed her oral PhD thesis examination in the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases on March 13, 2025. Shvartsman has been tirelessly working through the advanced medicine program, juggling between graduate studies and medicine for the past three years. Thank you to Drs. Kelly MacDonald, student advisor, Paul Sandstrom, co-advisor, and committee members Drs. Aruna Ambagala and Lyle McKinnon. Special thanks to Dr. Meaghan Jones for chairing the event.
Morgan Taverner passed his oral master’s thesis in the department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases on December 16, 2024. Thank you to Drs. Thomas Murooka, advisor, Keith Fowke, co-advisor, Catherine Card and Lyle McKinnon, mentors.
Award winners of the 2024 department of medical microbiology and infectious diseases Annual Awards Celebration:
| Award | Winner |
| Dr. Ethan Rubinstein Clinical Fellow Research Award | Dr. Alexander Sharp |
| Dr. Frank Plummer Post-Doctoral Fellow/Research Associate Researcher of the Year Award | Dr. Carmine Slipski |
| Dr. Frank Plummer Researcher of the Year Award | Dr. Barbara Porto |
| Dr. Fred Aoki Career Achievement Award | Dr. Yoav Keynan |
| Graduate Student Knowledge into Action Award | Termeh Shakery |
| Graduate Student Publication of the Year Award | Toby Le |
| Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases Educator of the Year Award | Dr. Lyle McKinnon |
| PGME Clinical Educator of the Year Award | Dr. Amila Heendeniya |
| The Theresa Birkholz Support Staff Award | Megan McDonald |
| UGME Jim Parker Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases Educator of the Year Award | Dr. George Zhanel |
| The Margaret Ormond Community Engagement Award | Dr. Zulma Rueda |
| Dr. Michael Mulvey Top Student Award in Molecular Basis of Infection and Antibiotic Action – MMIC 7160 | Camilo Suarez Ariza |