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MAC Chat
The official newsletter of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Volume 1 - Issue 15
Message from the Chair
Welcome back!

Welcome back to our monthly newsletter, MAC Chat! This is a monthly mailer that will include relevant information pertaining to Obstetrics and Gynecology department. This newsletter is to help streamline communication and to help reduce the number of individual emails that are sent out each month. If you have any interesting articles, information, or good news that might be worth a share to your colleagues - please send the information over (include links to webpages if available!) to Sheryl Fisker (fisker@mcmaster.ca) before the end of the last Monday of the month to be included in that month's edition. Feel free to send them over as they are received throughout the month.

Best Regards,

Jon Barrett
Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department Updates

 

CaRMS 2023 Town Halls

It is that time of year again where we begin to plan our activities related to CaRMS!  We are recruiting residents and faculty to participate with our Town Halls.   
 
The format of the evening (approx. times):  15-minute introduction and program overview, 3 x 15-minute breakout rooms (topics for each breakout room to be provided), 15-minute large group Q+A and 15 minutes for trivia (total 1.5 hours).
 
This is a hugely important event that allows students from across Canada, and the world, to get to know our program!

Research Updates
Welcome back everyone! The research offices have been hard at work over the summer implementing improvements to many aspects of our offices and research procedures to make the research production of our department even more world class!
 
PLEASE READ THE BELOW UPDATES CAREFULLY!
 
1: LOCATION: For those who don’t know, our department research offices have moved! We are now located in HSC 3V43C! In-person meetings, training session, etc can occur if preferred! Please make arrangements with an RC to ensure they are onsite!
 
2: PRESENTATION: With the relocation of our offices, and upgrading of resources, we will soon have a monitor in HSC that will run a slideshow of department research and highlight faculty research interest! The research office will be in contact with every faculty member over the coming months to arrange for the creation of their slides!  
 
3: REPORT: The research office is working with Dr. Barrett to produce a quarterly department research report. The research office will be in touch in the immediate future with instructions! We want to reassure everyone that we are developing a much easier reporting system with the goal of having it implemented by the beginning of November! More details soon!
 
4: VOLUNTEERS: If you require research volunteers or have prospective volunteers reaching out, please connect with obgynres@mcmaster.ca! We will work to pair you with a suitable volunteer, will ensure all proper regulatory training and paperwork is completed and/or record lists of potential volunteers for future contact! If you have any questions about volunteers in the department, please reach out anytime!
From Sept 21-23 our very own Dr. Rohan D’Souza attended and presented at ISOM Congress 2022! We also held a department exhibit showcasing research our department is doing in the field of OB Medicine. To see all our conference material visit https://obsgyn.mcmaster.ca/research/isom-2022
Grants and Funding

Congratulations Dr. Julie Nguyen

HHS New Investigator Fund grant for $40,000, for the FARGO project
JHCCF Research grant for $96,525 is also for the FARGO project.
 
Study title: Frailty Assessment for Risk prediction in Gynecologic Oncology patients undergoing surgery and chemotherapy (FARGO) 
Summary: A prospective study investigating the impact of frailty and its potential biomarkers on surgical and chemotherapy outcomes in gynecologic oncology patients.

 

Congratulations to Dr. Rohan D' Souza
2022 FHS Request for Infrastructure Competition. Our application for research infrastructure was approved in full. Almost $30,000 that will go a long way in making our research dreams possible.  
 

Faculty Awards
Congratulations Dr. Leyland on being awarded Top Preceptor! 
New Team Members

Please join me in welcoming the new team members to our department

Aynsley Reeves 
Postgraduate & Continuing Medical Education Events

Aynsley Reeves joined our team on July 4, 2022, as our Continuing Education and Events Coordinator. Aynsley brings internal experience as an Advancement Assistant for McMaster, following her time as a Resource Consultant for St. Leonard’s Community Services. She has a wide range of expertise, from project management to marketing. 
 

Allison Woodall
Senior Education Program Associate

Allison Woodall joined our team on September 12, 2022, as our Senior Education Program Associate administering the Residency Program (replacing Pascale Wilmot). Allison brings over 5 years of experience as a scheduling clerk and program manager for Choices, a disability-focused nonprofit. She has a wide range of skills, from program development to team management.  Allison has achieved diplomas in Future Ready Leadership and Professional Addiction Studies. She will be working towards further education at McMaster alongside her position with the Department.

Renee Richards
Medical Secretary

Renee Richards joined our team on June 29, 2022, as a Medical Secretary II, supporting the MFM division. Renee has over 5 years of administrative experience in medical settings. She has also worked with patients clinically, administering injections and assisting physicians with patient measurements. 

Faculty and Staff Spotlight

Samantha Wilson 

Give us your 2-minute elevator story. 

My research program uses multi-omics data, emphasis on genomic and epigenomics data, and bioinformatics and machine learning approaches to understand and predict placental dysfunction. I am passionate about translating the results of these work to the clinic, in order to optimize health outcomes for the pregnant person and fetus. As such, we also work on developing and optimizing novel methods to non-invasively assess placental and pregnancy health.

Why did you choose this area of research as your career path?

I didn't have my career mapped out. My research program has developed over the years based on my research experiences. 

I developed an interest in genetics during high school and just kept choosing to study it because it made me happy. Prior to graduate school, I really only worked on cancer projects. I knew moving forward that I wanted to focus on pregnancy and development as I had always found that area interesting. Cancer and the placenta are molecularly very similar, so I thought I could apply my experience in cancer to placental biology.

I was wet-lab trained and switched to computational biology halfway through my PhD. I liked that computation was a puzzle within the experimental question puzzle.  My PhD worked on characterizing genomic and epigenomic signatures in placentas complicated by preeclampsia and IUGR. I became fascinated with classifying placental dysfunction based on molecular profiles. However, I wanted to move this work into translational science and use non-invasive methods, molecular signatures, and machine learning to identify pregnancies at risk of pregnancies complications. This is what I worked on at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre for my postdoctoral fellowship and has developed into my independent research program.

What do you still love about it?

I love that I get to work in multi-disciplinary teams with talented people, and constantly learn new things and challenge myself. 

What is your favourite food to eat when staying up late writing grant proposals?

Boba tea popsicles and coffee

What is your favourite thing to do on a sunny summer day?

Hiking with friends, family, and my dog

What is a movie you have watched more than 10 times and still enjoy watching?

'The Sound of Music' and 'When Harry Met Sally'

What is on your bedside table?

A lamp, a good book, and a plant

Jennifer Laframboise

Name: Jennifer Laframboise
 
Title: Medical Secretary II
 
How long have you worked at McMaster?: 1 Year
 
Your job in a nutshell?: Making sure everything runs smoothly for Dr. Leonardi.
 
What do you like best about what you do?  I like everything but knowing that as a team we can make a difference.
 
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?: anywhere hot with palm trees
 
What is one thing that someone will always see on your desk?: my pink Starbucks cup
 
What restaurant would you recommend someone to try for dinner?: Caro Restaurant and Bar
 

Trainee Corner

Education Retreat

Hold the Date: Education Retreat on January 25, full day event for faculty and residents will join in the afternoon.  
 
The Scoop
Greetings from Lubango, Angola! 

Follow Dr. Esther Chin as she documents her trip and global surgery musings on Instagram 

@gl.obgyne

Chair's Drop-In Hours

 
We all know how busy everyone's schedules are, so Dr Barrett has drop-in hours for informal chats. Every Wednesday from 7am-8am is reserved time to accept calls from you, no need to make an appointment - just give him a call! There are no parameters around the calls, maybe you have a question, suggestion, need some help, or just want to chat! 

Please reach out to Sheryl Fisker (fisker@mcmaster.ca) if you need Dr. Barrett's phone number. 
From the Office of the Chair, 
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University
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