Panélistes et conférenciers
Conférenciers / Panélistes
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Keynote Address - Battling Misinformation
le 2 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 12h00 HNE -
Adaptive Approach to SBRT
le 3 février 2021 de 13h30 HNE À 15h30 HNE -
New Horizons in SBRT
le 4 février 2021 de 12h30 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Emerging Smarter: How Covid-19 is Reshaping the Future of Radiation Medicine
le 4 février 2021 de 14h00 HNE À 15h45 HNE -
Introduction: Where We Are, Where We Have Been, and Where We Are Going
le 1 février 2021 de 11h15 HNE À 12h45 HNE -
Discussion (panel)
le 1 février 2021 de 12h45 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Patient Reported Outcomes from Patient's Point of View
le 3 février 2021 de 15h30 HNE À 16h00 HNE -
Setting Up SBRT Program
le 4 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 12h30 HNE -
An Overview of the Radiobiology of Hypofractionation and Stereotactic Radiotherapy
le 2 février 2021 de 14h00 HNE À 14h30 HNE -
Team Communication in SBRT
le 2 février 2021 de 12h00 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Setting Up SBRT Program
le 4 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 12h30 HNE -
New Horizons in SBRT
le 4 février 2021 de 12h30 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Team Communication in SBRT
le 2 février 2021 de 12h00 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Adaptive Approach to SBRT
le 3 février 2021 de 13h30 HNE À 15h30 HNE -
Patient Experience
le 1 février 2021 de 14h00 HNE À 14h30 HNE -
Introduction: Where We Are, Where We Have Been, and Where We Are Going
le 1 février 2021 de 11h15 HNE À 12h45 HNE -
Discussion (panel)
le 1 février 2021 de 12h45 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Current State of SBRT Trials (Panel)
le 2 février 2021 de 14h30 HNE À 16h00 HNE -
Adaptive Approach to SBRT
le 3 février 2021 de 13h30 HNE À 15h30 HNE -
Emerging Smarter: How Covid-19 is Reshaping the Future of Radiation Medicine
le 4 février 2021 de 14h00 HNE À 15h45 HNE -
Opening Remarks
le 1 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 11h15 HNE -
Closing Remarks
le 4 février 2021 de 15h45 HNE À 16h00 HNE -
Introduction: Where We Are, Where We Have Been, and Where We Are Going
le 1 février 2021 de 11h15 HNE À 12h45 HNE -
Discussion (panel)
le 1 février 2021 de 12h45 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Differentiating Between Best Practice and Billing Driven Practice: SBRT in Two Healthcare Systems
le 3 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 11h30 HNE -
Adaptive Approach to SBRT
le 3 février 2021 de 13h30 HNE À 15h30 HNE -
New Horizons in SBRT
le 4 février 2021 de 12h30 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Overcoming Obstacles to Wider Adoption of SBRT (Presentation and Group Discussions)
le 3 février 2021 de 11h30 HNE À 13h00 HNE -
Team Communication in SBRT
le 2 février 2021 de 12h00 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Setting Up SBRT Program
le 4 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 12h30 HNE -
Discussion (panel)
le 1 février 2021 de 12h45 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Current State of SBRT Trials (Panel)
le 2 février 2021 de 14h30 HNE À 16h00 HNE -
Setting Up SBRT Program
le 4 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 12h30 HNE -
Patient Reported Outcomes from Patient's Point of View
le 3 février 2021 de 15h30 HNE À 16h00 HNE -
Current State of SBRT Trials (Panel)
le 2 février 2021 de 14h30 HNE À 16h00 HNE -
Adaptive Approach to SBRT
le 3 février 2021 de 13h30 HNE À 15h30 HNE -
Emerging Smarter: How Covid-19 is Reshaping the Future of Radiation Medicine
le 4 février 2021 de 14h00 HNE À 15h45 HNE -
Team Communication in SBRT
le 2 février 2021 de 12h00 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Emerging Smarter: How Covid-19 is Reshaping the Future of Radiation Medicine
le 4 février 2021 de 14h00 HNE À 15h45 HNE -
Introduction: Where We Are, Where We Have Been, and Where We Are Going
le 1 février 2021 de 11h15 HNE À 12h45 HNE -
Discussion (panel)
le 1 février 2021 de 12h45 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Setting Up SBRT Program
le 4 février 2021 de 11h00 HNE À 12h30 HNE -
Team Communication in SBRT
le 2 février 2021 de 12h00 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Discussion (panel)
le 1 février 2021 de 12h45 HNE À 13h30 HNE -
Current State of SBRT Trials (Panel)
le 2 février 2021 de 14h30 HNE À 16h00 HNE -
Patient Experience
le 1 février 2021 de 14h00 HNE À 14h30 HNE -
Debates: Current Workflows in SBRT (from registration survey)
le 1 février 2021 de 14h30 HNE À 16h00 HNE
Timothy Caulfield, BSc, LLB, LLM
Professor Timothy Caulfield is an unrivalled communicator who debunks myths and assumptions about innovation in the health sector — from research on stem cells to diets to alternative medicine — for the benefit of the public and decision-makers. He is a Canada Research Chair in health law and policy, a professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and a research director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta.
Over the past several years, Caulfield has been involved in a variety of interdisciplinary research endeavours that have allowed him to publish more than 350 articles and book chapters. His research focuses on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, and the public representations of science and health policy issues. The recipient of numerous academic and writing awards, Caulfield is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Caulfield also writes frequently for the popular press on a range of health and science policy issues and is the author of two national bestsellers: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness and Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash. His most recent book is The Vaccination Picture. He is also the host and co-producer of the award-winning, hit documentary TV show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has been shown in over 60 countries and is currently streaming on Netflix.
Lesley Baldwin, PhD, MCCPM
Dr. Lesley Baldwin is a medical physicist at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, AB, and a member of the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine. She was instrumental in the establishment of Edmonton’s linac-based cranial SRS program and is an active member of the SABR program, treating lung, liver and spinal lesions using a variety of image guidance and motion management techniques. Her clinical interests also include breast radiotherapy, gynecological brachytherapy and 3D printing applications in radiotherapy. Although this is her first time assisting in conference planning, she has a long history of involvement with the Association of Medical Physicists in Alberta and was a past member of AAPM’s Public Education Committee.
Wayne Beckham, PhD, MACPSEM, FCCPM, FCOMP
Wayne Beckham is the Provincial Medical Physics Leader for BC Cancer, the sole provider of comprehensive cancer care for British Columbia. He is also the Regional Medical Physics Leader and site Radiation Safety Officer for Class II radiation devices and for PET/CT at BC Cancer – Victoria. He is an Adjunct Professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Victoria (UVic) and also the UVic/BC Cancer – Victoria Medical Physics Graduate Program Director. Wayne’s primary research interests involve using leading edge radiation treatment technology to improve patient care. He has authored or co-authored 64 publications in peer reviewed international journals and contributed to over 150 conference presentations.
He has served in a number of volunteer roles in national and international organisations. He is the current President of the Canadian Organisation of Medical Physicists. He served as the President of the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) in 2014-2015 and as Registrar of the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine from 2003 to 2009.
Alanah Bergman, PhD, FCCPM
BSc McGill University, Physics (Hon), 1994
MSc McGill University, Medical Physics, 1997
PhD University of British Columbia, Physics (Medical Physics), 2007
Dr. Bergman is a senior medical physicist at BC Cancer - Vancouver and Fellow of the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine. She has been in the thick of the rapid expansion of the stereotactic body radiotherapy (SABR) program at BC Cancer. She has seen the program grow from 14 lung SABR patients in 2009 to an extensive multi-site program, treating 300 SABR patients/year including lung, liver, pancreas, spine, bone, adrenal, and lymph node targets. Alanah has been super excited to have BC Cancer participate in several landmark Canadian-led SABR Trials. Her interests currently lie with motion management for lung and liver SABR and she is the lead physicist for the BC Cancer Dynamic Tumour Tracking program. Her current work includes expanding the fiducial-based Liver SABR tracking program and implementing a fiducial-LESS tracking program for Lung and Liver. She is also interested in re-treatment planning workflows, particularly in the SABR context.
Louise Bird
I am a twice over breast cancer survivor of 17 years (my last treatment date was July 4, 2004). When I was first diagnosed in December of 2002, I was 37 years old, working wife and mother of four children and Nana to one grandson. My children ranged in age from 19 to 13 years.
In 2011 I answered a ad for a Patient Representative to sit on CPQR, and as they say the rest is history and here we are today. Through my work on the Canadian Partnership for Quality Radiation Therapy I gained my “Patient Voice’ and continue to use it each and every day. For me working on behalf of other Patients in Canada is a way of paying it forward and assisting to improve Patient Care for those undertaking the Journey!
I currently sit on a number of initiatives both Provincially and Nationally.
David Carlson, PhD, DABR, FAAPM
Dr. Carlson is an Associate Professor and the Director of Physics Operations in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology in Therapeutic Radiologic Physics. He completed his residency in Radiation Oncology Physics at Stanford University and received his PhD in Medical Physics from Purdue University. He currently serves as Senior Editor for the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics, is a Fellow and past Member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), and is Chair of the Science Education and Program Development committee of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
Maria Corsten, MSc, MCCPM, CHE
Maria Corsten is the Head of Medical Physics for the Provincial Cancer Care Program of Eastern Health in St. John’s, NL. She is a member of the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine and is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Maria is co-leading the development of a new satellite site for cancer care in Corner Brook, NL. The Eastern Health Medical Physics team has implemented lung SBRT and is planning a prostate SBRT program. Maria’s clinical interests include radiation safety, peer review, expanding the implementation of SBRT and development of treatment planning efficiencies. She is a member of the organizing committee for COMP Winter School 2021, was the Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the COMP ASM in St. John’s and is a member of the organizing committee for the Annual Atlantic Radiotherapy Conference.
Fabio Cury, MD
Dr. Fabio Cury is an Assistant Professor in the Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, a member of the Division of Radiation Oncology since 2007, and an Associate Member of the Division of Urology, Department of Surgery since 2008.
He was born in Brazil, where he obtained his medical degree at Universidade Federal do Parana in 1999. After his residency in Radiation Oncology at Hospital Erasto Gartner, he did a fellowship in uro-oncology at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, and in 2007 he joined the MUHC Department of Radiation Oncology, where he would focus on uro-oncology, head and neck tumours and skin tumours. After a few years of practice, he also joined the sarcoma team and is currently the radiation oncology site leader for both uro-oncology and sarcoma, areas to which he devotes most of his clinical and research efforts.
His research portfolio currently includes investigator-initiated studies as well as those initiated by oncology cooperative groups, some of which he has served as principal investigator. He is also involved with the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO) since 2009, where he played different roles, including chair of the ACURA advisory group and chair of the Annual Scientific Meeting committee. He is currently part of the CARO Board, as Quebec Director. Dr. Cury is involved with several local committees including the recently formed “McGill Task Force on the Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Control and Care”, and the Sarcoma Research Committee at the CIM/MUHC where he serves as co-chair. He is also leading the development of consensus contouring guidelines for organs at risk in the Division of Radiation Oncology.
Dr. Cury created a “Workshop on Contouring and Planning” to address the need of young international radiation oncologists to gain experience in contouring and planning of radiation oncology treatments using advanced technologies. The workshops started in Brazil in 2012, and were also offered in Mexico and Argentina, and it became the most extensive sustained global oncology program in Latin America, with more than 600 radiation oncologists and medical physicists attending the small-group sessions. The workshops were recently adapted as part of the regular training of residents, medical physicists and dosimetrists at the MUHC, with plans to expand these workshops at local and national levels.
Carol-Anne Davis, RT(T), AC(T), MSc, FCAMRT
Clinical Educator, Nova Scotia Cancer Center
Lecturer, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalhousie University
Active nationally with the Canadian Partnership for Quality Radiotherapy, CARO Quality and Standards Committee and the CAMRT Advanced Practice Radiation Therapy Steering Committee.
Clinical interests include RT for H&N cancer population, imaging, advanced-practice roles and stereotactic radiation therapy including cranial and extra-cranial techniques.
Research interests include positron-emission-tomography, RT outcomes and attitudes and perceptions of medical radiation technologists. Part of a recent interprofessional team who designed and delivered a 5-day workshop on Lung SABR and SRS/T for Brain Metastasis to radiation oncology professionals in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Hans de Boer, PhD
Hans de Boer entered the field of radiotherapy in 1994. After training to become a medical physicist and obtaining a PhD on efficient application of EPID imaging and methods for optimal offline correction protocols, he worked at the Erasmus MC radiotherapy department in Rotterdam (Netherlands) on fast and efficient image guidance methods involving CBCT and planar kV imaging. In 2009 he started at the University Medical Center Utrecht (Netherlands) to take part in the development of MR-guided radiotherapy and specifically the clinical use of MR-linacs. Currently, he is involved in developing real-time MR-guided plan adaptation and ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy, es pecially for for prostate cancer.
Jeff and Kristen Eaton
Jeff and Kristen Eaton have run an evidence based multidisciplinary clinic in Cambridge, ON for the past 20 years and enjoy volunteering in the community. Caleb, Ella and their parents have always been active with sports including downhill skiing, dancing, swimming and hockey. In November 2016, Jeff Eaton was diagnosed with a WHO Grade 2, Diffuse Astrocytoma from T5 - L1. He had a double laminectomy/biopsy followed by a course of radiation therapy. With this diagnosis, many of the activities that we enjoy as a family have changed. We are happy to share our story in the hope that it will help other patients who are living with a tumour or cancer diagnosis.
Darby Erler, MRT(T), MHSc
Professional Leader, Radiation Therapy, Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre
Darby Erler MRT(T), MHSc is the Professional Leader for the Radiation Therapy Program at the Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre. She is appointed as an Instructor with the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto and a Practice-Based Researcher at the Sunnybrook Research Institute. Darby completed her degree in Radiation Sciences through the Joint Michener Institute/ University of Toronto Medical Radiation Science program in 2003 and received a Master of Health Science in Medical Radiation Sciences from the University of Toronto in 2015. Prior to taking on the Professional Lead role, she was the Clinical Specialist Radiation Therapist for the Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) Program for 7 years. Her research interests include assessing clinical outcomes associated with the use of SBRT, evaluating innovations in treatment delivery and improving the patient experience with the use of patient reported outcomes.
Zsolt Gabos, MD, FRCPC
Zsolt Gabos is an associate professor at the University of Alberta and a radiation oncologist at the Cross Cancer Institute. His current practice focuses on the treatment of thoracic and breast malignancies. He is the clinical lead for the stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) program at the Cross Cancer Institute. His research interests include advanced radiotherapy treatment delivery techniques, image guided radiotherapy, SBRT and clinical trials. He graduated from Radiation Oncology Residency at the University of Alberta and completed a fellowship in stereotactic radiosurgery and SBRT at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, University of Calgary.
Carri Glide-Hurst, PhD, DABR, FAAPM
Carri Glide-Hurst, PhD, DABR, FAAPM is a Guest Associate Professor in the Department of Human Oncology and serves as the Director of Radiation Oncology Physics at the University of Wisconsin as of July 1st.
Over the last decade, Dr. Glide-Hurst’s primary areas of research and clinical expertise include magnetic resonance simulation (MR-SIM), MR-only radiation therapy including deep learning for image segmentation and translation (the topic of her current NIH R01), MR-guided radiation therapy, and adaptive radiation therapy. Her most recent research interests are in cardiotoxicity and longitudinal functional MRI.
She has spearheaded efforts for establishing national and international guidelines for safe integration into clinical practice including chairing AAPM Task Group 284 on the implementation of MR-SIM in Radiation Oncology and TG-352 on MR-linacs. She serves as the Scientific Program director for the annual AAPM meeting and holds leadership roles across many international organizations including ASTRO, AAPM, and ICRU.
As a board-certified medical physicist with over 13 years of clinical experience, Dr. Glide-Hurst is known for multi-disciplinary collaborations and building bridges between clinical, academic, and industry partners. Above all else, Dr. Glide-Hurst is most passionate about mentoring trainees as they begin their medical physics careers.
Amr Heikal, PhD, MCCPM
Amr Heikal is a CCPM certified Physicist at the Cross Cancer Centre in Edmonton, AB. Amr is an active member of the SBRT team treating lung, liver, spinal metastases. Amr is also a member of the Gamma Knife, and the Gynecological brachytherapy teams. Amr has a particular interest in resident training, treatment planning, and automation and scripting. This is Amr's second participation in the Winter School having been an organising committee member for the 2018 Winter School.
Annie Hsu, PhD
Dr Annie Hsu has been the Associate Head of Medical Physics at the Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre since 2019. Prior to this she was a Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University where she was the Chief of Clinical Physics Radiation Physics Division for five years. She currently serves on the AAPM Clinical Practice Committee, the Spring Clinical Meeting Subcommittee, the Summer School Subcommittee and the Medical Physics Practice Guideline 4.b (TG344). The COMP Winter School Committee is the first COMP activity she has had the pleasure to be involved with. Areas of interest include SBRT and Radiosurgery as well as efficiency in radiation therapy workflows while maintaining safe practices.
Geoffrey D. Hugo, PhD
Dr. Hugo received his PhD in biomedical physics from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2003. After obtaining his degree, he joined the staff of William Beaumont Hospital, where he participated in the clinical implementation of cone beam CT and was actively involved in developing an adaptive radiotherapy program for lung cancer. He joined the VCU Department of Radiation Oncology in 2008 as an assistant professor, where he also served as the Director of the Medical Physics Graduate Program. Dr. Hugo joined the faculty at Washington University School of Medicine in 2017 and currently serves as the interim director of the medical physics division. Dr. Hugo’s research interests include cardiac radioablation, image-guided adaptive radiotherapy, image registration and analysis, and the use of machine learning in radiation oncology.
Young Lee, PhD, FIPEM, MBA
Recently made a career change to industry after working as a clinical physicist for 17 years in both Canada and UK. Previous experiences include leading the CNS site and Gamma Knife medical physics group at Sunnybrook Hospital, which has led to co-authoring more than 40 peer-reviewed journal publications and multiple book chapters.
She was a committee member to multiple clinical trials including the successful CCTG spine SBRT trial SC.24. She was also the CCTG Medical Physics representative in the National Clinical Trials Network group. She is a member of the COMP executive as a Treasurer and has chaired the 2017 Annual Scientific Meeting. She has recently completed the Global Executive MBA through Rotman in Healthcare and Life Sciences.
In her current role as Principal Medical Physicist at Elekta, she is hoping to modernize the radiation oncology QA processes and minimize the gap between clinical and industry radiation oncology.
Patricia Lindsay, PhD, DABR, FCCPM
Dr. Patricia Lindsay is Medical Physicist in the Radiation Medicine Program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Assistant Professor in the University of Toronto Department of Radiation Oncology. The Princess Margaret Radiation Oncology program uses SBRT for the treatment of many different sites, including lung, liver, prostate and oligomets. Patricia has been involved in the implementation and on-going use of SBRT for the treatment of oligometastatic disease, and with the implementation of SBRT treatments using MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy.
Derek Liu, PhD, MCCPM
Derek Liu is a board-certified Medical Physicist (as of 2017) at the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency – Allan Blair Cancer Centre and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine. He received his MSc from McGill University and PhD from the University of Alberta. He completed his medical physics residency at the University of Toronto and Credit Valley Hospital.
Derek was the physicist in charge of implementing prostate SBRT as part of the NRG GU005 clinical trial, with the first trial patient treated in 2019. Currently, he is working with physicians in developing an institutional standard for weekly ultra-hypofractionated treatment for palliative prostate patients. His other clinical interests include 3D printed custom bolus and imaging for SRS.
His research interests include prostatic edema for permanent prostate brachytherapy and the application of deep learning neural networks for segmentation in high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy. He served on the AAPM international library sub-committee from 2013 to 2018.
Laura Masucci, MD, FRCPC
Dr. Laura Masucci is a radiation oncologist at the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). After finishing her radiation oncology residency at the CHUM in 2010, she completed a fellowship at Princess Margaret Hospital specializing in the treatment of primary and secondary brain tumors and radiosurgery of vertebral metastases. She is presently heading the spine SBRT program at the CHUM and is site leader in both CNS oncology and spine SBRT at the department of radiation oncology. She previously served as program director for the radiation oncology residency program at the Université de Montréal. She is now president of the Association of Radiation Oncology of Québec (AROQ).
Cheryl McGregor
Cheryl is a Dosimetrist working at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton since June of 2019 and is a current member of both the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) and the Alberta College of Medical Diagnostic & Therapeutic Technologists (ACMDTT). Previously she worked for BC Cancer for 21 years with her last role there as a Planning Resource Therapist where she was highly involved in starting the stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) program at the Abbotsford Cancer Centre. She presented her experience in this endeavor at the Wescan (2011) and ASRT (2011) conferences. Cheryl has since written Respiratory Gating courses for both CAMRT and the ASRT as well as an SBRT course for the CAMRT. She currently sits on the CT Imaging Certificate committee for the CAMRT.
Cheryl joined the 2021 Winter School planning committee as the CAMRT representative and has had previous experience in conference planning for Wescan (2011) and CAMRT Annual Conference Radiation Therapy Program Moderator (2009). Cheryl graduated from Radiation Therapy program at the BC Cancer Agency in 1998 and further obtained her Advanced Certification in Radiation Therapy as well as her CT Imaging Certificate in Radiation Therapy (2008).
Robert Olson, BSc MD FRCPC MSc
Rob is a Radiation Oncologist who practices in Prince George, BC. He completed his BSc and MD at the University of Calgary, his residency at UBC, and his MSc in Epidemiology at Harvard. He is the provincial Division Head of Radiation Oncology at UBC, and the Research Lead for the UBC Northern Medical Program. His clinical practice is focused on breast cancer, and head and neck cancer. His research is predominantly focused on running clinical trials of precision radiotherapy in the metastatic setting, and is the PI on SABR-5, SUPR-3D, and COMET-3. In addition he is the founder and lead of BC’s Prospective Outcomes and Support Initiative (POSI) which collects and utilizes patient reported outcomes (PROs) for patients receiving radiotherapy. He has also integrated PROs into his numerous clinical trials, and works with national groups, such as CPQR to standardize PRO collection within the radiotherapy community. When not at work, he is either hanging out with his family of 6, or skiing, running, swimming, or cycling.
David Palma, MD, PhD
Dr. David Palma, MD, PhD is a Professor and Radiation Oncologist at Western University in London, Canada. He holds an MD from the University of Western Ontario, a Master’s Degree in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a PhD from the VU University in Amsterdam. He is the chair of the Canadian Pulmonary Radiotherapy Investigators (CAPRI) group, and the author of the bestselling book Taking Charge of Cancer: What You Need to Know to Get the Best Treatment.
Marija Popovic, PhD, FCCPM
Dr. Marija Popovic is a board-certified staff Medical Physicist at McGill University Health Centre and Assistant Professor in the Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology at McGill University. She earned a PhD in Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON and then completed a clinical residency in Medical Radiation Physics at Juravinski Cancer Centre. Before moving to Montreal, Marija worked for the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Program.
Marija chairs the Education Committee of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP). In this role, she ensures that strong regional and national programs are in place for continuing professional development of medical physicists and trainees. She works to promote excellence in the quality and safety of care, and sees the COMP Winter School as a strong platform to promote innovative clinical strategies.
Marija continues to serve on several AAPM committees, including the AAPM Summer School, Awards Selection, Committee on Medical Physicists as Educators and Teaching and Mentoring Workshop Subcommittee.
Arjun Sahgal, BSc, MD, FRCPC
Dr. Arjun Sahgal is an international clinical and research leader in the field of high precision stereotactic radiation to the brain and spine for both metastases and primary tumors. After training at the University of Toronto in radiation oncology, he completed a radiosurgery fellowship at the University of California San Francisco. He has published, as lead or as a contributor, over 500 peer reviewed papers including in high impact journals like the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet Oncology, and New England Journal of Medicine. He leads the Sunnybrook Odette CNS Neuro-Oncology program that has been awarded a total of $42.5 M in funding since his leadership. Currently, he serves as Deputy Chief of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto affiliated Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre. In addition, he is the director of the Sunnybrook Cancer Ablation Therapy (CAT) program which involved the installation of a MR Brachytherapy suite, MR Linac and Gamma Knife Icon technology. His next phase of research is in the development of MR in radiation therapy, and the application of MR Guided Focused Ultrasound Technology with radiation. He recently showed in the SC24 randomized trial superiority of spine SBRT as compared to conventional radiation.
Devin Schellenberg, MD
Dr. Devin Schellenberg completed medical school and Residency at the University of BC and University of Toronto. He went onto a Fellowship at Stanford University and is currently the Department Head of Radiation Oncology at the BC Cancer Surrey Centre and the chair of the Lung Radiation Oncology working group with CCTG.
He treats Lung and Gastrointestinal malignancies and is a leader in the Provincial Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) program. His current research efforts focus on how radiation can be used to treat early lung and liver cancers, if radiation can alter the course of metastatic disease, and (outside of cancer) whether radiation is able to treat heart arrhythmias.
Kevin Sheppard
Kevin Sheppard is a retired Insurance executive and two time cancer survivor. His career spanned over four decades in the Banking, Finance and Insurance sector. After his retirement he remained active in his community serving on business groups and volunteering in his community.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2016 and received HDRT treatment as well as external beam radiation treatment. In 2019 he received a diagnosis of bladder cancer and subsequent treatments have proven successful.
Kevin is a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council for Cancer care in Newfoundland and Labrador, The First Nations Innu and Métis Cancer Care Initiative, and a member of The Newfoundland and Labrador Cancer Council.
Kevin is a very active outdoors person. His activities include fishing and hunting, snowmobiling and all terrain vehicle riding. His summers are spent at his cottage where he is a dedicated boater spending long days exploring the waters of Notre Dame Bay.
He is a strong advocate for cancer patients in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Kevin and his wife Carol, also a cancer survivor live in Grand Falls-Windsor, Nl.
Andrea Shessel
I’m a radiation therapist in the Radiation Medicine Program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre since 1991. I received my professional credentials in Radiation Therapy from the PMH School of Radiation Therapy in 1991 and certification in MRI Technology from The Michener Institute in 2002. I received my BSc from the University of Toronto and completed my Master’s Program in Planning at the Sheffield Hallam University in 2020. I am a APRT for Lung and Upper GI sites within our Radiation Medicine Program. My research interests include radiation treatment planning, especially as it relates to target motion.
Nicholas van As, MBBCH MRCP FRCR MD(res)
Dr Nicholas van As was appointed Medical Director of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in January 2016. He has been a Consultant Clinical Oncologist in the Urology Unit at The Royal Marsden since 2008 and is the hospital’s Clinical Lead for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and CyberKnife. Dr van As is also Chair of the UK SBRT Consortium and the national clinical lead for NHS England’s Commissioning through Evaluation Programme for SBRT. His main research interests are in stereotactic and image-guided radiotherapy, risk prediction in early prostate cancer, and functional MRI, and he has published numerous papers on these subjects and delivered presentations at international meetings. He is the Chief Investigator for the PACE trial – an international, randomised controlled trial comparing SBRT to image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) and surgery for treating prostate cancer.
Heather Warkentin, MSc, FCCPM
Heather Warkentin is a Medical Physicist at the Cross Cancer Institute and an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta. Heather has a special interest in resident education and is the Program Director of the Medical Physics Residency Program in Radiation Oncology Physics and an active member of the Residency Program Committee and Competence Committee for the Radiation Oncology Residency Program at the University of Alberta. Heather is a former member of the AAPM Working Group on Periodic Review of Medical Physics Residency Training and a current member of the AAPM Radiation Oncology Medical Physics Education Subcommittee. Within a diverse clinical practice, Heather is always seeking ways to innovate and improve the quality and safety of radiotherapy.