Fundamental Sciences & Surgical Innovation Node
Node Chair: Dr. Jeremy Burton, Urology and Microbiology and Immunology
This Node will continue to be a flagship for the Department of Surgery as most of the successful, externally funded ongoing research projects within our individual Divisions are based upon laboratory/bench research. Although there are successful silos of ongoing basic science research within the Department of Surgery, their expertise is often not publicized or shared with the larger group. Surgical innovation depends upon key advancements in surgical techniques and the development of novel biomaterials and bio-technologies. Members in our Department have previously shown excellent productivity and innovation in these facets of research. Creating an environment which brings together basic science laboratories and biotechnology research facilities with these clinical innovators will lead to accelerated translation to mainstream clinical and educational practice through close collaboration with the Innovations Fellows program and World Discoveries.
Research Areas that would be Included in this Node:
- Basic science laboratory or engineering work through proof of concept in animal studies, human pilot studies, other innovations, therapies, surgical samples for basic science descriptive analysis
Jeremy Burton
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Microbiome; Urology; Biomaterial; Microbiology
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My major research focus is the microbiome in urologic diseases, but he has multiple collaborative projects, including microbiome research in infectious, metabolic, cardiovascular and rheumatologic diseases.
Alison Allan
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Cancer metastasis; Breast cancer; Blood-based biomarkers; Prostate cancer in vivo animal models of cancer
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My translational research program is focused on cellular and molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis; in particular the study of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) and how the knowledge gained from experimental studies in these areas can be translated to the clinic to benefit patients. I am a Canadian leader in the area of CTC analysis and technology development, and my research group is actively involved in several collaborative local and multi-centre cancer clinical trials.
Nawar Alkhamesi
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Surgical innovation and education; Advanced minimally invasive and video assisted surgery; Colorectal oncology; Improvement of operative environment.
Tom Appleton
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Osteoarthritis; Rheumatology; Macrophages synovitis cartilage
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research program focuses on the role of synovium in the development and progression of osteoarthritis, the pathophysiology of joint damage and symptoms in early osteoarthritis, and clinical classification of different OA phenotypes. Key research tools include patient cohorts with different types of OA, animal models of OA, and immunophenotyping.
George Athwal
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Shoulder and elbow; Shoulder and elbow reconstruction; Upper extremity trauma
Eric Arts
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Virus; Immunology
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: I am the department chair and would be representing our department's research which would related to infections and immunity.
Samuel Asfaha
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Stem cells; Colon cancer; Inflammatory bowel disease
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: Our research focuses on identifying the cellular origin of colorectal cancer by characterizing the intestinal and colonic stem cells of the gut. We are focused on understanding the fundamental processes regulating normal and mutated intestinal/colonic stem cells and aim to define the role of these stem cells in tissue regeneration and carcinogenesis. We utilize a range of approaches from transgenic mouse models to in vitro “mini-guts” to elucidate the key pathways important in cancer and tissue repair.
Jennifer Bjazevic
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Urinary stone disease; Surgical education; Microbiome; Evaluation and feedback; Urinary pathogens
Biography: Research Overview: Research interests include the pathophysiology, medical and surgical management of urinary stone disease as well as a strong interest in medical and surgical education specifically resident evaluation, feedback and surgical coaching.
Muriel Brackstone
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Preoperative Window of Opportunity Trials; Breast Cancer Clinical Trials; Translational Phase I/II Neoadjuvant Trials; Health Outcomes Database Research; Biospecimen Repository Collaborations
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: Having developed the London Tumour Biobank as a flexible platform for serial biospecimen collection from patients at diagnosis, opportunities exist for preoperative window of opportunity trials or novel therapeutic research while cancers remains in situ. These trials in collaboration with translational scientists, paired with comprehensive databases developed with lifelong patient outcomes, provides a real opportunity for novel and rapid bench to bedside innovation.
Arthur Brown
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Spinal cord injury; Stroke; Brain injury; Neuroplasticity
Biography: Research Overview: My laboratory is interested in developing therapies for the treatment of CNS trauma and stoke. Therapies that are currently being explored include immunomodulatory therapies and therapies that increase neuroplastlcity.
Gediminas Cepinskas
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Sepsis/Trauma/Inflammation; Ischemia/Reperfusion; Vascular Endothelium Leukocytes; Gaseous transmitters
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of systemic inflammation. Organ-specific vascular endothelial cell injury/dysfunction. Gaseous transmitters (e.g. carbon monoxide/carbon monoxide releasing molecules) in modulation of inflammatory response.
Subrata Chakrabarti
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Vascular biology; miRNA; Angiogenesis; lncRNA; Epigenetics
Biography: Research Overview: Chronic diseases, vascular biology, tumoral and non-tumoral angiogenesis.
Christopher Del Balso
LecturerResearch Interests / Specializations: Foot and Ankle; Trauma; Biomechanics
Biography: Research Overview: Evaluation of clinical outcomes and altered biomechanics of the foot and ankle associated with acute trauma, post-traumatic, and degenerative arthroses.
Mamadou Diop
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Optical tissue spectroscopy; Blood flow & metabolism; Optical tomography; Biomedical Optics; Soft tissue sensing & imaging
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research is focused on developing mobile optical devices and mathematical models that enable noninvasive sensing and imaging of physiological parameters (e.g., tissue hematocrit content and oxygenation) to inform about health and disease state.
Kenneth Faber
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Shoulder; elbows; outcomes; finite element analysis; rotator cuff healing
Biography: Research Overview: Optimization of upper limb implant design with finite element analysis. Characterization of pathological rotator cuff tissue and promoting rotator cuff healing.
Aaron Fenster
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Robotics; Ultrasound Imaging; Minimally invasive therapy
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My lab is developing robotic systems for image-guided interventions.
Khadry Galil
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Gross anatomy; Anatomical studies; Maxillofacial surgery
Biography: Research Overview: here are examples: . J.Rootu.,C.Moore.,M.johnson.,L.swarby.,K.willmore.,K.galil.,Tjenkyn. Does sinus surgery increase risk of Orbital fracture in patients? American Association of Anatomists, Sandiego , 20`16 Optimization of bone grafting from the mandibular body via anatomical dissection and micro-computer tomography -Swarts, Z.1, Wilson, T. Ph. D1, Willmore, K. Ph. D1, Perinpanayagam, H. DDS, Ph. D2, Merrifield, P. Ph. D1, Galil, K. DDS, Ph. D1,2 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University1 Department of Dentistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University2 -. P.Gill.,. T.Wilson, K.Willmore. H.Peripanayagam.,K.Galil. Hemorrhage Secondary to interforaminal implant surgery anatomical consideration. American Association of Anatomists, Sandiego , (Submitted)2016
Lakshman Gunaratnam
Assistant ProfessorTeaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research program focuses on the role ischemia reperfusion injury plays in regulating innate immunity and inflammation and in renal transplantation & native acute kidney injury. My CIHR-funded basic science research laboratory is actively studying how injured kidney epithelial cells regulate inflammation by expressing Kidney Injury Molecule-1.
Mansour Haeryfar
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy; Sepsis; T Lymphocytes; Immune Regulation; Influenza
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My laboratory investigates conventional and innate-like T cell responses to cancer and infectious agents. We strive to invent and test novel therapeutic approaches to boost anti-cancer and anti-pathogen immunity and also to dampen harmful host responses in the context of sepsis, autoimmunity and allograft rejection.
Lisa Hoffman
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Vasculature; Cell signaling; Targeted therapy; Neuromuscular; Regenerative medicine
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: We have novel evidence of Angiopoietin -1 (Ang-1) depletion in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) microenvironment. While the cause of Ang-1 depletion in DMD is presently unknown, our data supports current literature linking Ang-1 depletion to vascular instability and fibrosis in other conditions (e.g. diabetes, sepsis, cerebral ischemia)4-6, leading to the central aim of our current research: to determine if Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) is sufficient to enhance the integrity of the microvasculature, reduce muscle ischemia and chronic inflammation and attenuate muscle fibrosis.
James Johnson
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Biomechanics; Kinematics; Implants; In-vitro; Shoulder, Elbow & Wrist
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: In collaboration with surgeons, orthopaedic biomechanical research is conducted with special interest in the upper limb. Evaluation includes fixation of implants to bone, kinematic analyses of motion, fracture fixation stability, and load transfer mechanisms across the joints. Experimental techniques include an electromagnetic tracking system to measure motion and custom-made simulators to model limb function in the laboratory. In addition, a bi-axial servo-hydraulic testing machine is used to test structures. The research laboratory which is located at the Lawson Health Research Institute, is dedicated to a “benchtop-to-bedside” approach, where discoveries in the laboratory are targeted to directly enhance patient care.
Douglas Jones
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Cardiac Arrhythmia; Cardiac Electrophysiology; Integrative Physiology; Neuroscience Animal Models
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: Integrative Physiology from the gene to the patient. Developing procedures for diagnostic, biological, electrical and surgical therapies for cardiac arrhythmia. Interactions between the autonomic and limbic system in brain-behaviour and brain cardiovascular function.
Murray Junop
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: DNA Repair; Cancer;Protein Structure-Function; X-ray Crystallography
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: Research in the Junop lab focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms governing repair of various types of DNA damage. Bacterial, yeast and human repair pathways are studied using a variety of genetic and biochemical tools, with the primary emphasis being determination of macromolecular structure using X-ray crystallography.
Graham King
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Elbow; Wrist; Biomechanics; Computer assisted surgery; Joint replacement
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My main focus is studying the biomechanics of the wrist and elbow with an interest in improving the management of patients with fractures and dislocations using rehabilitation and surgical reconstruction. I also have an ongoing interest in computer assisted surgical techniques for the upper extremity.
Takashi Kuboki
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Biopolymers; Biocomposites; Scaffolds; Foams; Polymers and Polymer composites
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My primary research interests are (i) to identify process-structure-property relationships of materials, and (ii) to develop novel functional materials.
James Lacefield
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Ultrasound imaging; Preclinical imaging; Vascular imaging; Cancer imaging; Signal processing
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research team develops signal processing methods to improve the capabilities of Doppler and contrast-enhanced ultrasound for quantitative vascular imaging. Cancer imaging, particularly assessment of treatment responses, is our primary medical application, although we are interested in extending our work to other applications that employ vascular imaging.
Patrick Luke
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Kidney/pancreas transplantation; Advanced surgical techniques (robotics, telesurgery, telementoring, laparoscopy); Immunotherapy; Organ preservation and optimization of organ function post-transplant.
Richard Malthaner
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Robotic surgery; Thoracic surgery; Outcome; Minimally invasive image guided
Biography: Research Overview: My research is focused on translating minimally invasive robot assisted technologies developed at CSTAR into clinical practice. One of the most promising treatment options is a minimally invasive treatment that involves the direct placement of therapeutic agents into lung cancers via robotic assistance. This innovative treatment avoids major surgery, systemic chemotherapy, and conventional radiation, and allows for the precise, consistent and safe placement of therapeutic agents. The research is focused on the development of a small, low-cost, safe and versatile minimally invasive robot assisted system for tumour ablation therapies (MIRATAT).
Tina Mele
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: General Surgery; ICU; Sepsis; Surgical Site Infection; Immunotherapy; Gender Inequity in Medicine
Weiping Min
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Transplant tolerance; Ischemia/reperfustion injury; Immunomodulation; siRMA/miRMA/gRNA; Cancer immunotherapy
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research is focused on tolerance induction through gene silencing and immune modulation. There are two major themes in our research: i) establishing tolerance for preventing graft rejection in transplantation and treatment of autoimmune diseases, and ii) breaking tumor-derived immune suppression for treatment of cancer. The ultimate goals of our research are to dissect the mechanisms underlying dendritic cell-mediated immune modulation, and to develop novel immune-based and RNAi-based therapies.
Armen Parsyan
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Breast cancer; Precision medicine; Breast cancer therapies
Rajni Patel
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Robotics-Assisted Surgery; Minimally Invasive Surgery ; Surgical Training and Skills; Assessment; Haptics and Teleoperation; Image-Guided Interventions
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research over the last 15 years has focused on the design, implementation and validation of novel robotic and other mechatronic systems and devices for applications in image-guided minimally invasive medical interventions. The techniques and technologies developed to date incorporate multimodality sensing (using sensorized instruments), haptics (sense of touch), teleoperation and immersive displays. The applications include cancer tumour localization and treatment, surgical training and skills assessment for robotic as well as hand-held minimally invasive procedures, robotic cardiac surgery, catheter and needle-based percutaneous interventions, and neurosurgery.
Terry Peters
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Image-guided interventions; Visualization; Neuro; Virtual reality; Cardiac
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My laboratory is concerned with the development and validation of tools that allow surgeons to make efficient use of images, produced by sophisticated 3-D imaging systems, during surgical procedures. The objective of minimally-invasive neurosurgery is to resect or lesion the smallest volume of brain tissue, causing the least trauma to the patient while achieving the desired therapeutic result.
Adam Power
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Innovation; Medical devices; Intellectual property ; Entrepreneurship; Cardiovascular
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My main interests are in all aspects of medical device development from invention through to commercialization.
Stahs Pripotnev
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Skin grafting; Surgical flaps; Nerve injury
Parham Rasoulinejad
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Spine; Surgery; Biomechanics
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My primary research interest is in the area of spinal bio-mechanics which include both cadaveric testing as well as computer aided analysis .
Hassan Razvi
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Urinary Stones; Surgical Therapies for Stone Disease; Metabolic Stone Disease; Diagnosis & Treatment of Stone Disease; Basic Science of Stone Formation
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: All aspects of urinary stone disease including basic science, translational investigation, new device assessments and clinical trials.
Timothy Regnault
Associate ProfessorTeaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research activities are focused around the in utero origins of adult metabolic disease. Through the use of cell based and animal/human model systems, and technologies such as PET/CT and MRI, we investigate, how stressors such as hypoxia, oxidative stress and infection and poor maternal diet during fetal life, impact placental, and fetal blood vessel, liver, adipose, kidney, heart and muscle development and function.
Gregor Reid
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Probiotics; Microbiome; Environmental toxins; Urogenital health in women; Fermented food
Biography: Research Overview: Our lab is interested in using beneficial microbes, especially lactobacilli, as a vehicle to improve health and well-being. We study the ability of these organisms to counter pesticides, heavy metals, aflatoxins and other chemicals, and look for practical ways to apply our science to humans.
Susanne Schmid
Associate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Sensory filtering; Autism; Prepulse inibition; Neurodevelopmental disorder; Schizophrenia
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: We study mechanisms of sensory filtering in animal models for schizophrenia/autism/neurodevelopmental disorders using multiple approaches (Behaviour, electrophysiology, histology, DREADD, optogentics). We mostly work with rat models.
Alp Sener
Assoicate ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Kidney; Hydrogen sulphide; Transplant; Ischemia reperfusion injury
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: Our laboratory is focused on establishing novel strategies of minimizing post-transplant graft rejection as well as in developing cutting-edge organ preservation techniques to promote improved early and late allograft function and survival.
Matthew Teeter
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Imagining; Biomechanics; 3D Printing; Surgical Device Design; Clinical Trials
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My research involves the application of medical imaging techniques to design or evaluate orthopaedic implants and other interventions for treating musculoskeletal disorders.
Eva Turley
ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Hyaluronic acid; Hyaluronic acid receptors; Tissue reconstruction; Signalling mesenchymal and adipose derived stem cells
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: My laboratory is currently utilizing antagonists of hyaluronic acid receptors to modify stem cell differentiation in order to promote better tissue reconstruction. We are also pursuing the molecular signalling pathways that regulate stem cell lineage choices. Finally, we are investigating how these choices impact the microenvironment that regulates prostate and breast cancer aggression.
Ryan Willing
Assistant ProfessorResearch Interests / Specializations: Biomechanics; Arthroplasty; Design: Experiment; Simulation
Teaching: Currently Accepting Graduate Students
Biography: Research Overview: I'm interested in better understanding the biomechanics of intact and reconstructed joints, from the perspective of design. This can include evaluation and optimization of orthopaedic implants, or developing techniques to predict outcomes of surgical procedures.
Cory Yamashita
Assistant ProfessorBiography: Research Overview: My research interests include: antimicrobial Peptides/ Pulmonary Surfactant, mechanisms of Acute Lung Injury and Multiple Organ Failure, the Role of MMP-3 in Acute Lung Injury, and ventilator Induced Lung Injury.
