The Joe Doupe Undergraduate Medical Research Symposium celebrated the accomplishments of the Max Rady College of Medicine students who participated in one of two research programs – the Bachelor of Science in Medicine (B.Sc. (Med.)) program and the Single Summer Research Program. The event, which took place on Sept. 12, also celebrated the legacy of Dr. Joe Doupe – a physiologist, clinician scientist and strong proponent of undergraduate medical student research.
As part of the symposium, Robert Brownstone [MD/89, PhD/89], FRCSC, FCAHS gave an inspiring presentation entitled Prairie skies, long roads, and colorful crops: One Manitoban’s perspective on health research. It focused on clinical research and his career as a renowned neurophysiologist and clinician scientist. Brownstone’s accomplishments and career successes are multifold, having propelled him to become the Brain Research UKL Chair in Neurosurgery and the Head of Neurosurgery at Queens Square in London.
Three students from the B.Sc. (Med.) program were awarded best oral presentations based on how they highlighted their research, presented their findings and answered questions from the audience.
Jonathon Gerstein’s presentation was entitled Autophagy impairment during shift workers exacerbates cardiac injury following myocardial infarction, and was under the supervision of Dr. Lorrie Kirsenbaum, Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, and professor and director of research development in the Max Rady College of Medicine and Canada Research Chair in Molecular Cardiology at the University of Manitoba.
Amy Lam’s presentation was entitled The cardioprotective role of flaxseed in the prevention of anthracycline and trastuzumab medicated cardiotoxicity, and was under the supervision of Dr. Davinder Jassal, professor, department of internal medicine, Principal Investigator Cardiovascular Imaging, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences.
David Nelson’s presentation was entitled A Novel Target to Combat Antibiotic Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and was under the supervision of Dr. Grant Pierce, executive director of research, St. Boniface Hospital and distinguished professor, University of Manitoba.
Following the presentations, 34 prizes and scholarships were awarded to selected second-year B.Sc. (Med.) students during the awards ceremony. The prizes ranged from those acknowledging excellence in basic science to recognizing projects with the greatest chance of commercialization. Students participating in the one summer research program also received awards for best presentations, best basic science research project and best clinical research project.
The undergraduate medical research programs at the University of Manitoba allow undergraduate medical research students to be mentored by investigators during two summers for the B.Sc. (Med.) program or one summer with the Medical Student Research Program.
The Undergraduate Medical Research Program is grateful for support that it receives from the Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and its various sponsors, specifically the Manitoba Medical Service Foundation, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM), CancerCare Manitoba, Rh Institute and the Thorlakson Foundation.
The prizes that are awarded are all supported by a number of endowed funds, private donors and agencies and they serve to acknowledge research accomplishments in different fields.
The application process for 2020 is underway. The undergraduate summer research programs’ success relies on members of the Max Rady College of Medicine to provide research program abstracts for both the B.Sc. (Med.) program and the single summer research program. This year, 72 research abstracts have been received from faculty members across 11 departments demonstrating an investment in undergraduate medical research and a broad cross-section of topics.
Every year since the program’s inception in 1926 the B.Sc. (Med.) program’s enrollment has been steadily increasing and this year it is expected to reach 100 for first- and second-year students. As the program expands, and the interest to pursue research grows, supporters and donors to the program are critical for its continued success in helping medical students discover the rewards of research.
For additional information on the Undergraduate Medical Research Programs, visit Undergraduate Medical Research Award Winners or contact program coordinator Allison Birch at 204-789 3558 or Allison.birch@umanitoba.ca or Director of B.Sc. Med and Summer Research Program Dr. John Embil at 204-787-4654 or jembil@hsc.mb.ca.