Current Residents
Rongbo Zhu
PGY5
Hometown:
LaSalle, Ontario
Education:
- Clinical Immunology and Allergy: Western University
- General Internal Medicine: University of Toronto
- Doctor of Medicine: Western University
- Bachelor of Medical Sciences: Western University
Research Interests: Telemedicine, immunotherapy, drug allergies
Likes: Being outdoors, spending time with friends and family and playing board games
Why Allergy and Clinical Immunology?
This is a specialty with an unique spectrum of disease with many practice changing discoveries in the last decade. It is a rapidly expanding field with therapies that can significantly improve a patient's quality of life. Lastly, allergy and clinical immunologists are one of the happiest specialties and this is especially true here at Western where we foster collegiality and fun!
Lundy McKibbin
PGY5
Hometown: Okotoks, Alberta
Education:
- Clinical Immunology and Allergy: Western University
- General Internal Medicine: University of Manitoba
- Doctor of Medicine: University of Alberta
- Bachelor's degree with biology major, French Studies major, and linguistics minor.
Research Interests: Medical Education, hereditary angioedema, adverse drug reactions, immunology’s role in infectious diseases, and food allergy.
Likes: Musical composition, swimming, reading nonfiction books on diverse topics (medical history is a recent passion), and the study of culture.
Why Allergy and Clinical Immunology?
Improving my understanding of how our immune systems interact with the plants, animals, and microbes that surround us—much less the very foods we eat—is delightful, fulfilling, and downright captivating. The study of clinical immunology and allergy is the study of how we humans fit into our surroundings. While the satisfaction of teaching and learning cannot be underplayed, more rewarding still is the smile of a patient who reintroduces a food for the first time, is finally able to breathe effortlessly, no longer suffers from recurrent swelling, and no longer suffers recurrent infections.
I have the pleasure of working with inquisitive patients, inspiring leaders and supportive colleagues to whom I am deeply indebted. Our diverse backgrounds and common interest in patient care make me proud to be part of the clinical immunology and allergy team here at Western University.
Arian Ghassemian
PGY4
Hometown: North York, Ontario
Education:
- Clinical Immunology and Allergy: Western University
- General Internal Medicine: Western University
- Doctor of Medicine: Queen’s University School of Medicine
- Honours Bachelor of Sciences: Biology and Psychology, McMaster University
Research Interests: Asthma, Food Allergy, Adverse Drug Reactions
Likes: Working out and staying active, making craft cocktails, city exploring
Why Allergy and Clinical Immunology?
I did a lot of my undergraduate courses in microbiology, genetics, cell physiology and returning to some of that in allergy and immunology is a homecoming of sorts for me. I also think there’s also a lack of understanding, appreciation, and to some degree apprehension of what to do with allergies and how much atopic disease or just the label can affect people’s day to day life. It’s so rewarding to be able to remove an undue medication allergy label, or validate a patient's suffering and give them options to help. There is also immense potential in research and further discovery, and as my training unfolds, I look forward to seeing what dogma changing discoveries await me.
Geetanjalee Sadi
PGY-4
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Education:
- Clinical Immunology and Allergy: Western University
- General Internal Medicine: University of Toronto
- Doctor of Medicine: University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine
- Bachelor of Science, Honours: York University
Research Interests: Adverse drug reactions
Likes: Mystery novels, baking, yoga
Why Allergy and Immunology?
Allergic diseases, as with other chronic conditions, require both medical management and lifestyle modifications; and have significant impact on the quality of life of patients. Understanding the role of immune function in the pathophysiology of disease represents the crux of the specialty. The case presentations are complex and often overlap with other subspecialties. This is a unique specialty with a wide scope of practice.
