CIP Contacts

Dr. Jacqueline McMillan, MD MSc FRCPC (Assistant Program Director)

A Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Community Health Sciences and Division of Geriatric Medicine. She is site lead for Calgary for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. She has recently taken on the role of Co-Chair for the CIHR Clinical Trials Group HIV and Aging Research Development Team. Her work focuses on knowledge synthesis, large health data studies including prospective data and health services data to answer important questions facing frail older adults. Much of her work focuses on persons living with HIV, and issues including the psychosocial determinants of health, COVID-19, cognition, falls, and polypharmacy. She is a full member of the O'Brien Institute of Public Health.
 

Dr. Andrew Braun, PhD

Cardiovascular & Respiratory Sciences Graduate Program
Dr. Andrew Braun completed his doctoral studies in physiology at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada and then undertook post-doctoral training in cardiac electrophysiology at the University of Calgary. He then pursued additional post-doctoral studies in the regulation and biophysics of ion channel activity at Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Braun was recruited back to the University of Calgary where he is a full professor in the Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology and director of the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences graduate program. Research in Dr. Braun’s laboratory focuses on the regulation of blood flow and blood pressure by resistance arteries, the vasoactive signaling mechanisms (e.g. nitric oxide release, electrical coupling and membrane hyperpolarization) underlying endothelium-dependent modulation of vascular smooth muscle contractility and how these mechanisms can be exploited to normalize cardiovascular function in vivo. He is particularly interested in calcium-activated K+ (KCa) channels expressed in both vascular endothelium and smooth muscle, which are critically involved in these processes. His current research interests include: 1) the regulation of large conductance, BK-type channels in arterial smooth muscle via the endothelial nitric oxide/cGMP signaling pathway, 2) the regulation of myogenic tone in small resistance arteries by endothelial KCa channels (i.e. KCa2.3 and KCa3.1), and 3) the long-term effects of small molecule, endothelial KCa channel activators and inhibitors on cardiovascular function in animal models of disease, such as type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Zahra Goodarzi MD, MSc, FRCPC

 Dr. Zahra Goodarzi is an academic geriatrician and Associate Professor at the University of Calgary, with dual appointments in the Department of Medicine and Community Health Sciences. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at the University of Calgary and holds a Master of Science in Community Health Sciences, specializing in Health Services Research. As Deputy Division Head for Geriatric Medicine and Program Director for Leaders in Medicine, Dr. Goodarzi focuses on knowledge translation, synthesis, and qualitative methods to enhance the lives of older adults.

Her research centers on mental illness, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and frailty in older adults, particularly those with neurodegenerative disorders. She is involved in developing clinical pathways for mood disorders, frailty, and dementia across various care settings, including clinics, long-term care, and emergency rooms. Additionally, she co-leads the Geriatric Emergency Medicine Team, focusing on quality improvement and implementing evidence-based interventions for older adult care.

Dr. Zelma Kiss MD, PhD, FRCSC

Dr. Kiss is a clinician-scientist and Professor in Clinical Neurosciences/ Psychiatry at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. She trained in neurosurgery and completed a PhD in neurophysiology at the University of Toronto in thalamic electrophysiology, followed by post-doctoral fellowship in Grenoble, France. Her research encompasses mechanisms of action of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and new neuromodulation therapies (focused ultrasound) in animal models and humans, somatosensory restoration techniques, electrophysiological and imaging markers of neuropsychiatric disease, and clinical trials of novel neuromodulatory techniques and targets.

Dr. Zack Marshall, PhD

Community Health Sciences
Professor and Graduate Program Director, Zack Marshall (he/him) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences with interdisciplinary training in psychology, social work, and community health. Building on a history of work with queer and trans communities related to mental health, harm reduction, and sexual health, Zack is passionate about how we can leverage research for transformative social change. His current projects focus on research production, knowledge synthesis, and the ethics of research with individuals and communities who experience marginalization and other forms of oppression, including 2SLGBTQ+ people. Zack is committed to collaborative mentorship models and in creating spaces that centre groups who have been historically underrepresented and undervalued in academia.

Dr. Kara Nerenberg MD, MSc, FRCPC

Internal Medicine
Dr. Kara Nerenberg is an Associate Professor and Clinician-Scientist at the University of Calgary working in the areas of General Internal Medicine and Obstetric Medicine. Dr. Nerenberg’s clinical and research interests focus prevention of cardiovascular diseases in women after common pregnancy complications, mainly the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes. Her research is supported by CIHR and Heart & Stroke’s Women’s Heart and Brain Health Mid-Career Research Chair through which she founded and leads the Canadian Postpregnancy Clinical Network. 

Dr. Satish Raj MD, MSCI, FRCPC

Cardiac Sciences
Dr. Raj runs an active research program in Human Autonomic Physiology. His primary research interests relate to understanding and better treating postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), vasovagal syncope, and orthostatic hypotension.

Dr. Morris Scantlebury diplomate ABPN, CSCN (EEG), FAES

Dr. Morris Scantlebury is Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary. He also is a pediatric neurologist at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary and is a member of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Owerko Center. Dr. Scantlebury has a broad background in pediatric epilepsy research. His current research focus is to identify new treatments for the catastrophic infantile spasms syndrome. Dr. Scantlebury also investigates the mechanisms of febrile seizures, which is the most common form of seizures to affect children.

Dr. Ganesh Swamy MD, PhD, FRCSC

Department of Surgery. I am a spine surgeon with varied clinical and research interests. I have spent the last ten years developing less-invasive reconstructions for adult spinal deformities along with a team-based approach to these complex reconstructions. We believe that we perform such surgeries as well as any top institution. My research interests are allied with my clinical interests. We have assembled a multi-disciplinary team of engineers, biologists and surgeons to study the science behind common spinal disorders including lumbar disc herniations (sciatica) and degenerative spondylolisthesis and degenerative scoliosis.

Dr. Prism Schneider MD, PhD, FRCSC

Orthopaedic trauma surgeon Prism Schneider spends half her time performing surgery and treating orthopaedic trauma cases, and the other half doing research on how inflammation affects fracture healing and an individual’s risk of developing blood clots or excessive bleeding. Some of this work is done in a lab, using a pre-clinical model to study joint injury and inflammation. But most of her research involves leading clinical trials to find better medications and surgical treatments to control inflammation and optimize healing after injury.

Read more about Dr. Schneider and her research here.

Dr. Jongbok Lee, PhD

Dr. Lee's primary research objectives are to develop innovative immune cell-based treatments for acute myeloid leukemia using DNTs that can make a positive impact on cancer patients' lives. Additionally, he seeks to uncover the underlying mechanisms responsible for DNT's anti-cancer effects.

Dr. Aliya Kassam, PhD

Dr. Kassam is interested in the intersection of medical education with health services, specifically in the areas of how medical education impacts patient-centered care and patient safety.  She is the Research Lead in the Office of Postgraduate Medical Education and has educational research in three primary areas: assessment of non-medical competencies within residents; examining the structure of residency education programs and  the application of evidence based practice in medical education. She has taught courses in Research Design and Statistics as well as Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis.