Gallie Day: “The Blue Ocean of Knowledge”

Drs. James Rutka and Michael Fehlings reflected on the major social, medical, scientific and political changes which have occurred over the past 42 years. The theme of this year’s Gallie Day was “Knowledge Translation: Making Research Matter”. Knowledge Translation (KT) encompasses communication between knowledge users and knowledge makers. It results in mutual learning through the process of planning, generating, disseminating, and relating existing or new knowledge to enhance the patients’ health. What we know and what we do with this knowledge was highlighted throughout the symposium and the keynote speaker lecture.

The Knowledge Translation symposium, “Knowledge Translation: The Next “Blue Ocean”, chaired by Michael G. Fehlings, featured 4 exceptional speakers. Michael started the symposium with his talk on “The Next ‘Blue Ocean’”, which reflects the concept that successful organizations strive to develop new and innovative opportunities or “Blue Oceans” rather than simply competing for diminishing resources in “Red Oceans”. KT represents an enormous opportunity or “Blue Ocean” for academic surgeons to link discovery with practical translation and hence have real impact. Anna R. Gagliardi (Scientist, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network; Associate Professor, University of Toronto (Surgery; Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation; Institute of Medical Science) gave an overview of KT in her talk, entitled “Essentials of Knowledge Translation Practice and Science”. Anna relayed her research experience in ensuring that stakeholders are aware of and use research evidence to inform their health and health-care decision-making, leading to improved health. She described scientific studies of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings into routine practice in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of health services. She discussed processes, challenges, outcomes and impacts of KT. Specific examples of KT strategies from her work related to guideline implementation. A recent systematic review on integrated knowledge translation shows that we have little evidence so far that researcher-decision maker partnerships lead to greater uptake of research. Shaf Keshavjee (Surgeon-in-Chief, Sprott Department of Surgery, UHN; James Wallace McCutcheon Chair in Surgery; Director, Toronto Lung Transplant Program; Director, Latner Thoracic Research Laboratories; Professor, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery & Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto) captivated the audience with his talk entitled “Innovation: Opportunities, Academia and Changing the Ecosystem”.

Robin McLeod (Angelo and Alfredo De Gasperis Families Chair in Colorectal Cancer and IBD Research) gave an engaging talk entitled “Clinician Engagement - Why is it important?” Andrew W. Howard (Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon, Hospital for Sick Children; Professor, Departments of Surgery and Health Policy, Management & Evaluation; Director, Office of International Surgery, University of Toronto) wrapped up the symposium with his talk entitled “A Tale of Two Results: Reflections on Real World Uptake of Injury Prevention Interventions”

James Rutka and Mohit Bhandari

This year’s Gordon Murray Lecturer was Dr. Mohit Bhandari (Professor and University Scholar, Academic Chair, Div of Orthopaedic Surgery; Associate Chair- Research, Dept of Surgery; Executive Director, Center for Evidence-Based Orthopaedics; Canada Research Chair in Evidence-Based Orthopaedics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)

Professor Bhandari’s lecture “To Succeed, We Must Often Fail” was an inspiring account of his experiences as a successful academic surgeon. His central message was that one should not be discouraged by failure—but use these challenges as learning opportunities to drive success.

This was the second year E-Poster presentations were used. Electronic Posters or E-Posters are mini oral presentations displayed on-site on a large LCD screen. We had a record number of abstracts submitted by trainees working with our faculty. There were 18 platform presentation groups with a total of 83 e-poster presentations. The Gallie Bateman Awards (for Surgeon Scientist Training Program participants) and the McMurrich Awards (for any trainee working with a member of the faculty of surgery) were judged for both platform presentations and poster presentations. The range of assorted topics and researchers highlighted the wide-ranging and excellent research being conducted throughout our Department.

We had 10 excellent oral presentations, all of which were of exceptional quality. Surgeon Scientist Training Program (SSTP) residents are awarded the Gallie Bateman prizes for best oral presentation and e-poster presentation. We had two First prize oral presentation awardees. Marisa Louridas [Peter Szasz (SSTP), Andras B Fecso (SSTP), Michael G. Zywiel (SSTP), Parisa Lak, Ayse B. Bener, Kenneth A. Harris, Teodor P. Grantcharov] gave an excellent talk entitled “Practice does not always make perfect: Need for selection curricula in modern surgical training” (Teodor P. Grantcharov, Supervisor). Kim Tsoi [Sonya MacParland, Max Ma, Vinzent Spetzler, Juan Echeverri, Ben Ouyang, Nicolas Goldaracena, Johann Mortiz Kaths, John Conneely, Benjamin Alman, Markus Selzner, Mario Ostrowski, Oyedele Adeyi, Anton Zilman, Ian McGilvray, Warren Chan] was tied for 1st prize with her enthralling nanoparticle presentation entitled “Towards understanding nanoparticle uptake by the liver: The role of flow dynamics, and cellular phenotype” (Benjamin Alman and Warren Chan, Supervisors).

Mohamad A Hussain [Muhammad Mamdani, Jack V Tu, Gustavo Saposnik, Deepak L Bhatt, Subodh Verma, Mohammed Al-Omran] received second prize for his presentation entitled “Carotid surgery versus stenting: A contemporary population-based analysis of longterm outcomes” (Mohammed Al-Omran, Supervisor),. Third prize was received by James P. Byrne [Stephanie Mason (SSTP), David Gomez, Avery B. Nathens] for his interesting work entitled “Timing of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in severe traumatic brain injury: A propensity-matched cohort study” (Avery B. Nathens, Supervisor).

First prize for SSTP Resident E-Poster presentation was awarded to Peter Szasz [Esther Bonrath, Marisa Louridas (SSTP), Andras Fecso (SSTP), Brett Howe, Adam Fehr, Michael Ott, Lloyd Mack, Kenneth Harris, Teodor Grantcharov] for his poster presentation entitled “Setting performance standards for technical and non-technical competence in General Surgery” (Teodor P. Grantcharov, Supervisor). Second prize was won by James J. Jung [Teodor Grantcharov], entitled “Approach to asymptomatic paraesophageal hernia: Elective laparoscopic hernia repair or watchful waiting?” (Teodor P. Grantcharov, Supervisor). Stephanie Mason [Avery Nathens, Alejandro Gonzalez, Paul Karanicolas, Rob Fowler, Marc Jeschke] received third prize for her poster presentation entitled “Persistent morbidity requiring urgent readmission after major burn injury: A population-based analysis” (Avery Nathens and Marc Jeschke, Supervisors).

Carol Swallow and Anand Govindarajan

The McMurrich Awards are presented to research trainees who are not in the Surgeon Scientist Training Program. The oral presentations were exceptional. The first place award was won by Rachel Vanderlaan [Yaqina Yana Fu, Jingyi Pan, Anouk Martine-Teichert, Jiaquan Zhu, Mauro Lo Rito, Jason Maynes, John Coles, Jaques Belik, Christopher Caldarone] for her oral presentation, entitled “Myofibroblast deposition and altered pulmonary vein reactivity contribute to disease progression in a surgical model of pulmonary vein stenosis” (Christopher A. Caldarone, Supervisor). Christopher D. Witiw [Lindsay A. Tetreault, Fabrice Smieliauskas, Branko Kopjar, Eric M. Massicotte, Michael G. Fehlings] received second prize for his oral presentation entitled “Surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy: A patient centered quality of life and health economic evaluation” (Michael G. Fehlings, Supervisor). Third prize was received by Amine Mazine [Cedric Manlhiot, Vivek Rao, Edward J Hickey, Shakira Christie, Tirone E David, Maral Ouzounian] for work entitled “Longterm outcomes of the Ross Procedure versus mechanical aortic valve replacement: A propensity-matched cohort study” (Maral Ouzounian, Supervisor).

Michael Fehlings, Tony Zhong, James Rutka

Carol Swallow and Teodor Grantcharov

McMurrich Awards were also bestowed upon a group of individuals who presented remarkable e-posters. First prize went to Reinhard Dolp (Marc Jeschke, Saeid Amini-Nik – Supervisors) for his presentation entitled “Burn derived stem cells are comparable with other sources of stem cells”. Second prize was awarded to Janne Folke Bialik (Andras Kapus, Supervisor) for the presentation entitled “Mechanisms underlying the induction of a profibrotic epithelial phenotype during renal fibrosis”. Akihiro Ohsumi [Katherine Marseu, Peter Slinger, Karen McRae, Ilker Iskender, Manyin Chen, Kohei Hashimoto, Hisashi Oishi, Hyunhee Kim, Zehong Guan, David M. Hwang, Thomas K. Waddell, Mingyao Liu, Shaf Keshavjee, Marcelo Cypel] received third prize for presentation entitled “The effect of sevoflurane in pre- and post-conditioning of ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat lung transplantation model”.

Every year we honour our faculty with research awards that demonstrate their great work- a continuous array of magnificence. Bernard Langer Surgeon Scientist Training Program Award - awarded to an outstanding graduate of the Surgeon Scientist Training Program in the Department, who shows the greatest promise for a career in academic surgery went to Anand Govindarajan (Surgeon Investigator, General Surgery); George-Armstrong Peters Prize - awarded to a young investigator who has shown outstanding productivity during his initial period as an independent investigator as evidenced by research publications in peer reviewed journals, grants held, and students trained was awarded to Toni Zhong (Surgeon Investigator, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery); Teodor Grantcharov (Surgeon Scientist, General Surgery) earned the Charles Tator Surgeon Scientist Mentoring Award - recognizing an individual supervising participants in the SSTP who emulate Professor Tator’s qualities, of excellence in research, commitment to SSTP mentoring and dedication to promotion of Surgeon-Scientists; Michael D. Taylor (Surgeon Scientist, Neurosurgery) received the Lister Prize - awarded to an investigator who has shown outstanding and continuing productivity of international stature as evidenced by research publications, grants held, students trained and other evidence of stature of the work produced.

The sixth Shafie Fazel Award, established in memory of Dr. Shafie Fazel is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments during his/ her residency both as a surgeon and as an investigator, was presented to Nir Lipsman (PGY VI, Neurosurgery), a recent SSTP graduate who obtained his PhD with Professor Andres Lozano.

Michael Taylor and Michael Fehlings

Christopher Caldarone, Nir Lipsman and Marion Fazel

David Latter and Christoph Haller

The Zane Cohen Clinical Fellowship, presented to a clinical fellow who has practiced and achieved at the highest level while being a clinical fellow in the Department of Surgery was awarded to Christoph Haller (Fellow, Cardiovascular Surgery).

The Tovee Award is presented to an academic staff member of the Department of Surgery who has made the greatest contribution to the educational activities of the Department, as exemplified by Dr. E. Bruch Tovee during his outstanding career. This year’s recipient of the Tovee Postgraduate Prize is Georges Azzie (Surgeon Teacher, General Surgery). Dennis Di Pasquale (Surgeon Teacher, Orthopaedics) received the Tovee Undergraduate Prize.

The Surgical Skills Centre Distinguished Educator Award demonstrates the Centre’s commitment to surgical skills education. This award recognizes those individuals who have made exemplary, innovative contributions to teaching and learning in the Surgical Skills Centre over the past year. This was presented to Sandra de Montbrun (Surgeon Scientist, General Surgery).

Albert Yee, Dennis diPasquale and James Rutka

Oleg Safir and Sandra de Montbrun

David Latter and Kathryn Isaac

The D.R. Wilson Award for teaching is made annually to the surgical resident who is rated by undergraduate students as an outstanding teacher. This year we have two residents who are recipients of this award, whose teaching has been highly evaluated by medical students. Both of these residents demonstrated positive attitudes toward teaching and were considered good surgical role models for undergraduate medical students. The awardees are Joshua Allon Greenberg (General Surgery) and Kathryn Vanessa Isaac (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery).

The 52 judges for the e-poster competition as well as the 18 timers, who volunteered their time for the e-poster judging deserve special thanks, as well as the Research Committee members who reviewed and judged the oral presentations. As we take pride in how great the Day and Evening awards ceremony went, we need to acknowledge the tremendous effort it took from everyone involved. The Day could not have gone as well as it did without everyone’s participation and collaborative efforts. Thanks again this year to Andrea McCart for assigning the judges to the posters, Natalie Coburn and Jack Langer for expertly moderating the sessions, and Sylvia Perry for making sure the day’s and evening’s preparations were followed to perfection. Avery special thanks to Val Cabral for her incredible dedication and hard work in organizing the Surgeon Scientist Training Program, and the Gallie Day events.

Val Cabral (with contributions from Michael G. Fehlings)