McMaster University

McMaster University

News and Events

  • 2012
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June 2012

  • Save the Date: Cleghorn Lecture, June 20, 2012, 9:00 am to 10:30 am. Guest Speaker: Dr. Ezra Susser - details to follow.

May 2012

  • REGISTRATION CLOSED; EVENT FILLED. Save the date: May 14 and May 15, 2012. Two-day PTSD workshop sponsored by the ATRC and St. Joseph's Hospital. The guest speaker is Candice Monson, Ph.D. CPsych, from the Department of Psychology at Ryerson. Dr. Monson will speak about treating trauma survivors and their loved ones with Cognitive Processing Therapy: Evidence based treatement for traumatic stress.

April 2012

March 2012

  • Congratulations to Dr. Harriet MacMillan, who has been awarded this year’s Child Welfare League of Canada Research and Program Excellence Award for her contribution in child maltreatment research. This award honours excellence in child welfare research that contributes to improved measurable outcomes for vulnerable children and families. These awards were created in 2000 to recognize the contributions of youth, individuals or groups in various sectors of the Canadian child protection system that have led to significant achievements towards the goals of child protection services in Canada. She received her award on March 22nd, 2012 at a ceremony at the Hotel Lord Elgin Ottawa.

  • The Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics has organized a round featuring British Psychiatrist Dr. David Healy, entitled “The Eclipse of Medical Care” on Wednesday March 14, 2012, 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm in HSC-4E20. Details of the round can be found here. If you would like to view the round using MacLive online technology, please review instructions here.

  • Dr. Iain McGilchrist will deliver a lecture on “The Divided Brain and the Unmaking of our World” on: Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 Twelve Noon, Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall, McMaster University Campus. Details
  • Call for Abstracts for our 24th Annual Department Research Day, which will be held on May 23rd, Hamilton Convention Centre. The deadline for submission of abstracts is March 23, 2012. Details available here. Registration form.

February 2012

  • Congratulations to Dr. Natasja Menezes has agreed to take on the role of Director, Clerkship Education in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences effective March 26th, 2012 for a one-year term. In this role, Natasja will be overseeing activities including clinical clerkships in Hamilton and at our satellite campuses in Niagara and Waterloo as well as the activities of students in the Physician Assistants Program.

  • Congratulations to Dr. Michael Boyle, who was recently celebrated as the Hamilton Health Sciences Gala 2012 Research Honouree. Dr. Boyle has devoted his career to studying developmental influences on child health and behavior over the early life-course. He is currently Professor at the Offord Centre for Child Studies, and holds the Canada Research Chair in the Social Determinants of Child Health. In 2009, he received the CIHR Michael Smith Prize in Health Research for his contributions to understanding the complex relationship between children’s health and their socio-economic environment. Video available here.

  • Save the Date: The 6th Annual Risk and Recovery Conference in Hamilton will take place April 11-13 2012. Details are available at: www.riskandrecoveryconference.com

  • Congratulations to Dr. Boris Sakic, who has been invited to teach this June/July in the Neuroinflammation Course offered through the Neuroscience School of Advanced Studies located in Siena, Italy. We also noted Dr. Sakic’s recent review article (with over 500 references) “ Autoimmune and inflammatory mechanisms of CNS damage “, was published in Progress in Neurobiology, 2011; 95(3): 301-333 (2010 impact factor of 9.966, and 5 year impact factor of 11.37). One of the figures from his paper was selected for the journal’s cover.

January 2012

  • Congratulations to PGY5 Resident, Dr. Jennifer Pytyck, on receiving the 2012 Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Fellowship.  The Education Committee of the Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (CAPL) takes great pleasure in announcing the seventh Annual CAPL Fellowship competition for residents. CAPL is a Canadian organization dedicated to promoting all aspects of the discipline of forensic psychiatry, and to providing forensic psychiatry practitioners and trainees, as well as others interested in the field, with current, relevant information, a collegial environment, a structure committed to advancing the interests of forensic practitioners, and an annual three-day conference and educational event. Dr. Pytyck will present her paper entitled "Move Over Regina – The Sovereign Citizen Movement and Its Impact on Canadian Forensic Psychiatry”.  Trainees awarded the CAPL Fellowship will receive coverage of their expenses, including travel, lodging, and conference fee, for the CAPL Annual Meeting to be held March 4 - 7, 2012, at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in British Columbia.

  • Congratulations to Dr. Claudio Soares and his team in the Mood Disorders Clinic and the Women's Health Concerns Clinic who have been awarded a 4-year CIHR Operating Grant to study the mechanisms by which estrogen regulates mood, behaviour, and temperature in midlife women suffering from depression. This was an extremely competitive round, with 2300 proposals submitted to CIHR and only 19 awards granted to McMaster University. We are very pleased that Psychiatry scored this one.

  • The slides Dr. Nick Kates used in his Grand Rounds presentation to the Department on January 25th on the future of the Department entitled “Excellence, Innovation, Partnerships and Integrity : Revitalizing, Rebuilding and Renewing our Department” are available here.

  • Book announcement: Psychiatry in Primary Care: A Concise Canadian Pocket Guide, edited by David S. Goldbloom and Dr. J. Davine.

  • Dr. Nick Kates has been appointed acting chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, effective January 1, 2012. Announcement

  • Congratulations to our new Associate Chairs: Dr. Karen Saperson, Associate Chair Education, and Dr. Claudio Soares, Associate Chair Research. Announcement

December 2011

  • Dr. John Kelton has appointed Dr. Nick Kates acting chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, effective January 1, 2012. Announcement

  • Congratulations to Dr. Valerie Taylor, Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Women's College Hospital. Val has been appointed Head of Women's Mental Health and Co-Director of the Equity, Gender and Population Division, effective, January 1, 2012.

  • Congratulations to Dr. Susan Denburg, Associate Vice-President Academic for the Faculty of Health Sciences who has been asked to take on an additional role as Strategic Advisor to President Patrick Dean. Daily News

  • Congratuations to Drs. Gary Chaimowitz, John Deadman, Nick Kates, and Richard Swinson, who have been honoured as Distinguished Fellows of the Canadian Psychiatric Association (DFCPA).  The designation of Distinguished Fellow of the CPA is an honour that rewards outstanding CPA members for the exceptional breadth and depth of their contributions to the excellence of their specialty. DFCPA candidates must be nominated by an Active CPA member in good standing and must excel in five of the eight designated areas of achievement. Only Fellows of the CPA may be nominated for the DFCPA designation. Fellows of the CPA who received their FCPA designation prior to 2012 will be granted the new designation of Distinguished Fellow of the CPA, as their designation was granted under what have now become the criteria for the new Distinguished Fellowship category.

  • Announcement: The Quebec Consortium for Drug Discovery (CQDM) has announced the funding of two joint Quebec/Ontario research projects in biomedical research for a total of $1.4M. Congratulations to Drs. Ram Mishra and Joe Gabriele. Press Release

  • Holiday Reception: Please RSVP to Joanne Milne.

Date: Tuesday December 20, 2011

Time: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Location: Great Hall, University Club, McMaster University

November 2011

  • Education Half-Day - November 30, 2011. Please join Dr. Bourgeois at the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neuroscience Education Half Day. The event will take place in the Miller Amphitheatre, St. Joseph's Healthcare from 8:30 am to noon. Speakers include Devon Mordell from McMaster's Research, Instruction and Innovation in Educational Technologies; Drs. Margaret McKinnon and Peter Bieling; and Dr. Jon Devine. [Schedule]

October 2011

  • Call for Submissions: 2011 Pelling Bursary and Scholarship. Funds will be awarded to a full-time student or residents (scholarship only) enrolled in a health discipline and studying psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences/Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University. Applicants must have pyschiatric clinical/research experience in the Integrated Mental Health Program (Hamilton Health Sciences, St. Joseph's Healthcare) during the academic year (September 2011 - August 2012). Deadline: November 15, 2011. For further information please contact Laurie Towns at 905-521-2100 ext. 44267 or email TownsL@hhsc.ca
  • Save the Date: Saturday October 1, 2011 at St. Joseph's Healthcare, Juravinski Innovation Tower, Miller Amphitheatre. Open Minds Across Canada Mental Health Symposium 2011. Presentations by Dr. Peter Bieling (The Practice and Science of Mindfulness Meditation), Dr. Jennifer Couturier (Family-Involvement in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Eating Disorders), and Dr. Roberto Sassi (Parents and Children: Understanding the Transmission of Mood Disorders within Families). Free admission, light lunch provided, walk ins welcome. Please contact pcincinnato@healthymindscanada.ca or 1-800-915-2773, x 21 to register.
  • Save the Date: Friday October 28th, 2001 at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. The 3rd Annual Education and Awareness Event - Tackling Stigma in Mood Disorders with Keynote Speaker Dr. Marla Shapiro. A series of presentations devoted to Physicians and Healthcare Professionals that will address particular challenges faced when mood disorders occur in already vulnerable populations.

August 2011

  • Congratulations to Dr. Marilyn Korzekwa who swam across the English Channel on Sunday August 21, 2011. Dr. Korzekwa crossed the Channel from England's Shakespeare Beach near Dover and swam 35 km to France, arriving late Sunday. The swim was done to raise money for The Good Shepherd Centres in Hamilton.
  • Congratulations to Jonathan Lai (supervisor: Dr. Jane Foster) who is one of six McMaster students to receive a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. Jonathan is one of two CIHR recipients who will receive $50,000/year for up to three years. The federal government established the awards in 2009 to attract and retain world-class doctoral students from across Canada and abroad. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was on campus Wednesday, August 3rd to announce the winners. "These six Vanier scholars epitomize the future of Canada -- balancing outstanding academic and research achievements with genuine commitment to leadership and community engagement," said Allison Sekuler, associate vice-president and dean of graduate studies at McMaster University.

July 2011

  • Congratulations to Drs. Andrea Alvarez and Jennifer Pytyck on receiving a Quality Assurance Award for their CQI project: "Treatment Outcomes at Community Psychiatry Services.
  • Congratulations to Drs. Ellen Lipman and Claudio Soares, who were promoted to the rank of Full-Professor, effective July 1, 2011.
  • Congratulations to Dr. Geoff Hall, who has been appointed to a tenure-track position as Associate Professor, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, effective July 1, 2011. Geoff will continue his collaborations with colleagues as an Associate Member of the department.
  • The 15th Annual McMaster Muskoka Seminars July 25-29 2011: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Weight Management; Practical Introduction to General Practice Psychotherapy August 1-5 2011: Psychiatry for Family Physicians; Mindfulness I - Practice Approaches for Health Care Practitioners and their Patients; Law and Psychiatry August 8-12 2011: Mindfulness II - Building Skills, Refining Practice   Location is Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville. Tuition is $595 early bird (prior to June 30); or $645 thereafter Student rate is $345 Accommodation extra - contact Deerhurst Resort for details.   For further information contact Suzy Konick at skonick@stjoes.ca or call 905-522-1155 ext. 35424 or visit our website at www.mcmastermuskokacme.com

May 2011

  • Congratulations: The 2011 Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CCNP) Medal was awarded this year to Dr. Meir Steiner and presented to him at the 34th Annual Meeting of the CCNP, which was held on May 20-23, 2011, in Montreal, QC. The CCNP Medal honours individuals for a meritorious career in, and  outstanding contribution to, neuro-psychopharmacology in Canada as evidenced by their activities in education, administration and/or patient care.
  • Congratulations to a number of our students who have been recognized for their excellence as the 2011 FHS Research Plenary HRM award recipients.
  • Congratulations to Dr. Elise Hall, a PGY2 resident, on receiving the 2011 HHS Outstanding Junior Resident Award of the Year. Dr. Hall will receive her award at a special ceremony in June at HHS.

  • ANNOUNCEMENT: We are very proud to announce that Dr. Joe Ferencz has been selected to receive the 2011 John C. Sibley Award.  This award is presented annually to part-time faculty members in the Faculty of Health Sciences who have made outstanding contributions to the education of health professionals.  This award recognizes Joe's remarkable contributions over many years to our undergraduate and postgraduate programs here at McMaster.  Please join us in congratulating Joe on this wonderful recognition of his contributions.

  • Congratulations to Dr. Gary Chaimowitz, who was re-elected as President of the Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law earlier this year.  He was also recently appointed to Chair  the Forensic Psychiatry Specialty Committee of the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada, and elected to the Executive of the Psychiatry Section of the Ontario Medical Association, and selected as Treasurer of the Ontario Coalition of Psychiatrists and reappointed to the Council of the Ontario Psychiatric Association.

April 2011

  • Congratulations to Dr. Jane Summers, who has been selected by the Family Advisory Council of McMaster Children's Hospital, to receive the Family Centred Care Award in recognition of her excellence in the provision of family-centred care. Dr. Summers will receive her award on May 2, Noon Rounds, Ewart Auditorium, Chedoke Site.
  • Congratulations to the winners of the "Best Poster" competitions at our 23rd Annual Research Day: Ritesh Daya (Undergraduate-Basic Science); Rachel Snaidero (Undergraduate-Clinical); Michael Beyaert (Graduate-Basic Science); Regan Patrick (Graduate - Clinical); Ryan Van Lieshout (Postdoctoral Fellow).
  • 5th Annual Risk and Recovery Forensic Conference, April 28-29, Sheraton Hotel, Hamilton. For more information or to register, please visit: www.riskandrecoveryconference.com

March 2011

  • Dr. Jane Foster: 'Knowing it in your gut' is real, researchers find. See FHS News - story by Suzanne Morrison.
  • 23rd Annual Research Day: Program

February 2011

January 2011

  • Congratulations to Dr. Joe Ferencz, recipient of the St. Joseph's Healthcare, Sister Joan O'Sullivan award.

October 2010

September 2010

August, 2010

June 2010

May 2010

April 2010

March 2010

February 2010

  • 4th Annual Risk and Recovery Forensic Conference
    April 22nd and 23rd, Sheraton Hotel, Hamilton, ON
  • Dr. Khrista Boylan joined the Faculty as Assistant Professor, effective March 1, 2010.
  • Dr. Irene Patelis-Siotis will be traveling to Haiti as part of a St. Joseph’s Healthcare delegation. As many of you are aware, Dr. Patelis-Siotis worked with Canadian Forces in Afghanistan last year and brings tremendous expertise in the assessment and treatment of trauma-related psychiatric disorders. Dr. Patelis-Siotis will be working at La Paix in Delmas, Haiti, together with Dr. Alezandre Dauphin and colleagues from St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and St. Mary's in Kitchener. She will be assessing how to best meet the psychiatric needs of the people of Haiti whose lives have been impacted by the devastation wrought by the earthquake. On behalf of the Mental Health and Addictions Program and the Department, we wish Dr. Patelis-Siotis a safe and successful journey, and look forward to hearing back about how we can contribute to improving the situation for the people of Haiti.
  • Dr. Maxine Lewis has accepted the position of Clinical Head of Service, Geriatric Psychiatry Program at St. Joseph's Healthcare, effective February 8th, 2010. Dr. Lewis joined the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University and our Geriatric Psychiatry Program at St. Joseph's Healthcare in 2004 after completing her training in the United Kingdom. In her new role, Maxine will be working closely with Dr. Peter Bieling, Operational Service Manager, Geriatric Psychiatry and Dr. Karen Saperson, Academic Head, Geriatric Psychiatry.   

January 2010

  • 22nd Annual Research Day, April 21, 2010 at the Hamilton Convention Centre
    Call for Abstracts
    Deadline: February 28th.

November 2009

October 2009

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