LMP Celebration of Excellence 2024: awardees

Parth Shah

Parth Shah has recently finished his second year in LMP with a major in Neuroscience. He is currently working in Dr. Dana Philpott’s lab, investigating the role of Nod2 in Crohn’s Disease-associated Type 2 Diabetes. Going into his third year, Parth is excited to explore the specialized courses and research opportunities offered by the LMP department.

Huidan Zuo 

Huidan Zuo has recently finished her second year of study in LMP with a minor in Psychology. Currently, she is working as a summer student in Dr. Susan Done's laboratory, researching the association between intratumour heterogeneity, tumour stromal immune microenvironment, and the metastasis and recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer. As Zuo enters her third year, she eagerly anticipates engaging in more specialized and intriguing LMP courses and contributing further to advanced research. 

Riley Alvarez

Riley Alvarez is an incoming fourth-year student in the Pathobiology Specialist program. She is currently conducting research with Dr. Greg German, outlining the regulatory frameworks that govern phage therapy across the world. This work—alongside her other pursuits—will ideally illustrate science's reach beyond its conventional realms. Moving forward, Riley is driven to continue fueling her love for learning with an even greater love for what learning promises: boundless growth. 

Riley facilitates internal communications within LMPSU, acting as a liaison between executives, students, and faculty.

Lilian Zhai

Lilian Zhai recently graduated from the Pathobiology Specialist program. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she engaged in diverse research projects with focuses on diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and lung adenocarcinoma. She is deeply grateful for the invaluable opportunities provided by LMP and looks forward to pursuing clinical research in the future. 

Henry Xie 

Youheng (Henry) Xie is in his fifth year of residency in the Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology Program at the University of Toronto.  

Prior to pursuing medicine, he completed his BSc and BEd at Queen’s University where his interest in anatomy and teaching blossomed. He went on to medical school at the University of Saskatchewan, and then the University of Toronto for postgraduate training.  

During his time in residency, Henry engaged with his peers and promoted resident excellence. He served as Chief Resident in his final year, where he shared his passion for pathology and advocated for the career. Henry will be pursuing Fellowship training in Forensic Pathology at the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service. 

Janet Zhou 

Janet Zhou completed her undergraduate training in Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Alberta and obtained certification through the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science. Her training in laboratory medicine continued as she pursed a PhD in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta where she studied the hepatobiliary handling of arsenic.  

She is completing the Clinical Chemistry Postdoctoral Training Program at the University of Toronto and looks forward to starting her position as a Clinical Biochemist at Alberta Precision Laboratories back in Edmonton where she will oversee clinical chemistry testing for the rural communities of Alberta.  

Sunit Das

Dr. Sunit Das is a neurosurgeon and scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Hospital for SickKids, and Associate Professor and Keenan Chair in the Department of Surgery.  

Dr. Das’s clinical practice is focused on the care of patients with brain tumours. His laboratory in the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Centre at the Hospital for Sick Kids focuses on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that regulate tumour evolution and treatment resistance in glioblastoma.  

Dr. Das currently serves as the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusiveness at the Institute for Medical Sciences, and as the Chair of the Residency Competency Committee for the Toronto neurosurgical training program. He is a Senior Fellow at Massey College. 

Scott Yuzwa

Dr. Scott Yuzwa completed his PhD at Simon Fraser University in 2013, where he studied the O-GlcNAc post-translational modification on tau protein and its role in neurodegeneration. As a post-doctoral fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children, he turned his attention from the aging and degenerating brain to the developing brain and the application of single-cell genomics.  

In 2019, Dr. Yuzwa was recruited to LMP as an Assistant Professor and established his research group. Dr. Yuzwa is deeply committed to the success of students, be it in the classroom or in the lab. He has completed certification in university instruction, designed and delivered three new courses in LMP and has already graduated three MSc students since joining the department. The Yuzwa lab is focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying cell genesis in the developing and mature brain and the impacts of disease and injury therein. 

Mario Capitano 

Dr. Mario Capitano is a pathologist working at Unity Health Toronto in his third year of practice. He is trained in anatomical pathology with a hematopathology fellowship and primarily practices dermatopathology and hematopathology.  

Dr. Capitano has a strong interest in education at all levels of training. He is extensively involved in the new MAPS (medical imaging, anatomy, pathology, and surgery) component of the Foundations curriculum as the pathology co-lead. He is also the coordinator of the Lab Medicine Interest Group Case of the Month, which serves to increase the engagement of medical students with Laboratory Medicine. Additionally, he supervises enriching educational experiences (EEE) students and is involved with teaching residents and fellows at the hospital level. 

David Barth 

Dr. David Barth is a Hematologic Pathologist and Clinical Hematologist at University Health Network (UHN). After completing his MD at the University of Toronto, he completed residencies in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Hematological Pathology.  

He serves as Medical Director of the UHN Core Hematology Laboratories and Director of the UHN Therapeutic Apheresis and Stem/Immune Effector Cell Collection unit. His area of research interest includes improving and investigating novel methods of providing therapeutic apheresis. Teaching the art and science of hematologic pathology to all levels of medical trainees and laboratory technologists is one of the entertaining parts of his workday. 

Blaise Clarke

Dr. Blaise Clarke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology. His research focuses on Gynecological Pathology & Anatomical Pathology.

Hubert Tsui

Dr. Hubert Tsui completed his BSc (Hons), MD, PhD, and residency in Hematological Pathology at the University of Toronto. He began his career at the University Health Network in 2015 and joined Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in 2018 to lead a new Complex Malignant Hematology program.  

He is presently the Division Head of Hematological Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Program; Associate Scientist, Biological Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute; co-principal investigator of the Sunnybrook Hematology Biobank and the Ontario representative on the Hematological Pathology Specialty Committee, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

Michael Pollanen 

Dr. Michael Pollanen is the Chief Forensic Pathologist of the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service and the Director of the Forensic Pathology Fellowship Program at the University of Toronto. He is also the Vice Chair Global Health for LMP. With a focus on vulnerable populations, his work leverages autopsies as a basis to study disease and injury. Dr. Pollanen's expertise spans anatomical pathology, neuropathology, forensic pathology, and cellular and molecular pathology, which he uses to drive innovative research. He actively engages in international capacity-building efforts for low and middle-income countries, collaborating with organizations like the United Nations and the International Committee for the Red Cross. 

Lianna Kyriakopoulou 

Dr. Lianna Kyriakopoulou is a Clinical Biochemist and a Clinical Molecular Geneticist. She is currently a director of Genome Diagnostics at the Hospital for Sick Children.  

Her research interests are focusing on the development of functional genomic platforms and translation of high complexity omics-testing in the clinical laboratory.  

Her educational activities span from undergraduate to postgraduate teaching. She is a course coordinator for the LMP301H course, Introduction to the Biochemistry of Human Disease, and contributes to a number of graduate courses and postgraduate activities for biochemistry, biochemical and molecular genetics. 

Scot Hamilton 

Dr. Scot Hamilton is the Laboratory Director of Mount Sinai Fertility and a Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto.  

He earned his PhD in Physiology at the University of Western Ontario and continued postdoctoral research using the placenta as a model for cancer. He has been the Scientific and Laboratory Director for programs across Canada. In addition, he is a surveyor for Accreditation Canada and an expert on numerous boards and standards committees.  

He is committed to advancing the education and training of Canadian Clinical Embryologists and is most proud of his contribution to the development of the MHSc in Laboratory Medicine program in LMP. 

Yulia Lin 

Dr. Yulia Lin is internationally recognized as an expert in the field of transfusion medicine. She has made significant contributions to the field through education, quality assurance, and knowledge translation. 

Of particular note are her co-leadership of the development of the University of Toronto’s Transfusion Boot Camp, which is now being offered internationally, and Dr. Lin’s substantial efforts to put the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine on the world map as a Centre of Excellence in Transfusion Medicine practice through internationally renowned education and knowledge translation. 

Corwyn Rowsell

Dr. Corwyn Rowsell is a Pathologist at Unity Health Toronto and an Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto.  

He has been the Coordinator of Undergraduate Medical School Education for LMP since 2019, and lead for the Inflammation and Cancer weeks in the Introduction to Medicine Course. Dr. Rowsell supervises pathology residents on their GI rotation at Unity Health, delivers lectures on esophageal pathology for the resident half-day, and in his role as OAP President, has made engaging pathology residents in the activities of the association a major focus. 

Brendan Dickson 

Dr. Brendan Dickson is an expert in bone and soft tissue pathology. His research primarily focuses on the molecular characterization of mesenchymal neoplasms, which has led to the discovery of new entities and diagnostic biomarkers.  

He is deeply committed to education and knowledge sharing; he actively imparts his expertise through publications, social media, and his online Soft Tissue and Bone Tumour Atlas. 

Sara Vasconcelos 

Dr. Sara Vasconcelos is a Senior Scientist at the University Health Network in the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and holds the John Kitson McIvor Endowed Chair in Diabetes Research.  

Her translational research program aims to develop regenerative medicine strategies to treat cardiovascular diseases and diabetes and to use bioengineering approaches to study these diseases. Her lab has developed new vascularization techniques to support functional tissues for organ regeneration and is pioneering the work to create mature, long-lasting, functional blood vessels. Her work on human cardiac tissues-on-a-chip has opened a new avenue of research in stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte maturation and drug testing. Her laboratory’s groundbreaking research contributions have been recognized by several awards. 

Daniel Beriault 

Dr. Daniel Beriault is recognized as a national leader in the field of toxicology. He is respected for his outstanding scholarly contributions that have had national clinical impact by developing methodology and tools to analyze the composition of street drugs (drug checking services) that not only supports the harm reduction of those with addiction issues but also informs and improves how healthcare professionals respond to overdoses.  

His results have influenced public health policies and funding programs. His contributions to guiding professional practices, by disseminating novel lab test utilization strategies he developed, have gained him recognition both nationally and internationally.  These also impacted patient care. 

Myron Cybulsky 

Dr. Myron Cybulsky started his research career at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and was recruited by Dr. Avrum Gotlieb to the LMP faculty in 1996 as a clinician-scientist.  

As part of his research program in vascular biology, initiation of atherosclerosis and molecular mechanisms of inflammation, he was devoted to mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty, and continually participated in undergraduate and graduate teaching.  

In the last decade, he held leadership roles as a Division Head, then Interim Director of the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and Co-Cice Chair of Research at LMP.  

During medical school and pathology residency, Dr. Cybulsky had the privilege of obtaining research training under Dr. Henry Z. Movat, who was the inaugural recipient of the LMP Distinguished Service Award in 1987. 

David Hwang 

Dr. David Hwang completed the MD PhD Program at the University of Toronto and was among the first graduates from the newly minted Department of LMP’s PhD program in the late 1990s.  

After completing his Anatomical Pathology residency at the University of Toronto, he began his career as a thoracic pathologist at University Health Network, before moving to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in 2018 to become the inaugural Chief of Sunnybrook’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics. He has served as the Director of LMP’s Clinical Fellowships Program since 2014.