
UCalgary’s Precision Health Week
This program highlight week featured the latest developments in the world of precision health from experts in the field.
*For those who were unable to attend, you'll find the recordings from all five sessions lower on this page.
UCalgary’s Precision Health Week explored critical topics that bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and practical health care applications. This event brought together experts in precision medicine, system change and health care innovation for informative conversations about the latest developments in the world of precision health.

What to expect during UCalgary’s Precision Health Week
This program highlight week is an opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about how precision health can be integrated into the Canadian health care system.
Webinar: The changing landscape of precision oncology
When: Nov. 18 from 12 p.m until 1 p.m.
Description:
Health care practitioners around the globe are working to integrate advancements in genomics and big data into clinical practice to improve patient and community health. In this session you will hear from an oncologist and a molecular pathologist about the rapidly changing landscape of precision health oncology and how precise technological advancements are impacting the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer. Presentation will be followed by a Q & A.
Presenters:
Dr. Erik Nohr is a molecular pathologist with Alberta Precision Laboratories and an assistant professor at the University of Calgary. As a member of the Alberta Molecular Pathology Program, he is the scientific lead in the South Sector, where he oversees clinical molecular assay planning, development, validation, implementation, quality assurance and quality improvement for neoplastic disease.
Dr. Pinaki Bose is an associate professor in the departments of Oncology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Pathology and Lab Medicine at the University of Calgary. He holds multiple leadership positions within the Cumming School of Medicine and the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, including scientific lead for the Precision Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics program, director of Tumour Biology and Translational Research for the Ohlson Research Initiative, and scientific lead for the Calgary Global Medical Education program.
Host:
Dr. Maja Tarailo-Graovac is an associate professor in the departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics at the Cumming School of Medicine whose research focuses on understanding the genomics of rare human disorders.
Webinar: Precision health projects in health care organizations
When: Nov. 19, from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m.
Description:
In this session you will hear about four distinct precision health projects that speak to the transdisciplinary nature of the current paradigm shift that is transforming medicine. Presenters are recent graduates of the Precision Health Program. This webinar is for anyone interested in learning about precision health and how to improve health systems.
Project 1: Expanding on Education with Phenome Health with Lauren MacLellan
Lauren MacLellan is a 2024 graduate of the Cumming School of Medicine’s Precision Health Program, Health Professions Education Leadership stream. She has a background in psychology and education and experience in developing, teaching and facilitating educational experiences.
Project 2: Partnering with Families to Improve the Experience of Safety with Consuelo (Coty) Ong
For this project, the co-design team identified psychological safety as foundational in achieving safety, and that the psychological well-being of health care providers contributes to the safety of patients and families. By leveraging external evidence from literature, engaging in the co-design processes and consulting with key partners, the co-design team has developed an improvement bundle with key elements to help organizations develop psychological safety. Consuelo (Coty) Ong is a 2024 graduate of the Precision Health Program, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Leadership stream.
Project 3: Bridging Health Equity in Calgary with Salwa Naalu, Innovation & Entrepreneurship stream
For her master’s Precision Health Program project Salwa partnered with the Calgary Student Run Clinic to implement the Bridging Health Equity in Calgary Project, which adopted a two-pronged approach to address health care disparities in Calgary's most vulnerable populations. The first component of the project involved establishing and operationalizing a community health clinic specifically designed to serve patients within the shelter system. The second component focused on Registered Nurse Education Clinics targeting shelter frontline workers. These clinics provided essential preventative health care services and training on the prevalent health issues faced by shelter residents, to improve health outcomes for patients and equip shelter employees with the confidence and knowledge to address these health challenges effectively.
Host: Salwa Naalu is the manager of Housing and Outreach Services at YW Calgary where she supports women and families experiencing homelessness due to addictions, mental health, poverty and other lived experiences. As a Canadian Certified Addiction Counselor Salwa has dedicated over a decade to serving vulnerable populations across various health care settings. She is also a Certified Health Executive (CHE) and 2024 graduate of the Precision Health Program, Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Driven by a deep passion for health equity, Salwa is committed to making a meaningful impact by developing person-centered, innovative solutions that enhance health care access for underserved communities.
Project 4: Enhancing Confidence in Prescribing with Pharmacogenetics with Ashlee Kruk
With the help of her partners, Dr. Chad Bousman and his team, the Airdrie Health Foundation and local Airdrie clinics Care First Medical and Vantari Medical, Precision Health Program graduate Ashlee Kruk explored the feasibility of implementing a pharmacogenetics testing program for adult mental health patients outside of a city centre. By looking at both patients and provider confidence in their prescribing plans, she also examined if this program would be of interest and useful to patients and their care teams.
Kruk was part of the Precision Health Program’s Precision Medicine stream. With a background in microbiology and sociology and experience as a health-care administrator, she was looking for a way to blend her backgrounds and chose to pursue research. She now works as a research coordinator with the University of Calgary and the Peter Lougheed Centre endoscopy unit, where she continues to implement skills learned in her education to shape research in her department.
Host:
Dr. Lisa Fedoruk is interim assistant graduate program director and the Precision Health Program’s Experiential Learning lead.
Webinar: How to establish a precision health centre
When: Nov. 20 from 12 p.m until 1 p.m.
Description:
In June 2024, Lee Anne Boutilier and her team established the IWK Maritime Centre for Precision Medicine. In this session you will learn how they successfully lobbied the provincial government for funding to support a Precision Medicine strategy for the Maritimes and co-created the IWK Maritime Center for Precision Medicine. This session will be of interest to all those wanting to learn more about what’s involved in implementing precision health into current health systems. This informal session will be followed by a Q&A.
Presenters:
Lee Anne Boutilier is the director, Precision Medicine at IWK Health and s student in the Precision Health Program, Innovation & Entrepreneurship stream. Prior to joining the IWK, Lee Anne was a research scientist with Wyeth Research and a functional genomics officer with the National Research Council of Canada. Since joining the IWK in 2008, she has overseen the growth and transformation of genome diagnostics as manager, Clinical Genomics.
Host:
Leena Desai is a pediatric gastroenterologist and 2024 graduate of the Master’s of Precision Health Program as part of the inaugural cohort. She has a special interest in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) particularly from a precision health lens, and is involved in developing precision medicine tools such as organoids to advocate for equitable access to life-saving treatments for patients with CF. She is passionate about the advancement of precision health in Alberta and continuously innovating the current landscape towards integration and implementation of precision health tools and strategies for the betterment of Albertans.
Info session: What is “Health Professions Education Leadership” and what role does it play in precision health?
When: Watch for a recording of this informative session to view on Nov. 21
Description:
Health professions education leadership plays a role in precision health by preparing students for leadership roles in the health care system and in health education as precision medicine becomes more integrated into clinical practices. Join Kenna Kelly-Turner to learn more about this specialization in UCalgary’s Precision Health Program.
Kenna Kelly-Turner is a senior specialist, Health Equity and Systems Transformation, and the Health Professions Education Leadership stream lead for the Precision Health Master’s Program. Her graduate work and professional experience have centered on best practices in teaching and learning, quality assurance and improvement processes in education, critical race theory, and equity, bias, and anti-oppression in academic medicine and health sciences. Kenna is an education manager who has been with the University of Calgary since 2013.
Webinar: Advancing innovation and entrepreneurship in health care
When: Nov. 22 from 12 p.m until 1 p.m.
Description:
There is an urgent need for health care improvements around the globe, and innovative clinicians, administrators and companies are providing solutions that promise better health outcomes for patients and communities. Entrepreneurial thinkers are driving advancements in the sector by improving the accessibility and affordability of health care solutions and technology. This session is for anyone interested in understanding what is needed to advance health care, including the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators within the sector.
Presenters:
Dr. Chad Saunders is an associate professor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Haskayne School of Business with adjunct appointments at the Cumming School of Medicine. His research interests focus on the support that entrepreneurs draw upon in starting and scaling their ventures, and addressing the barriers that innovation ecosystems pose by not necessarily providing equal or equitable support to all individuals, in particular for women, Indigenous and immigrant entrepreneurs.
Dr. Oleksiy (Oleks) Osiyevskyy is an associate professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Haskayne School of Business. In his scholarship, he concentrates on the problem of achieving and sustaining firm growth and prosperous longevity through successful engagement in entrepreneurial strategies. Oleksiy has published over 73 academic papers, including the articles in appearing in Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Journal of Product Innovation Management and Journal of World Business.
Host:
Dr. Jo-Louise Huq received her PhD in Strategic Management and Organization from the University of Alberta School of Business in 2015. She completed her postdoctoral studies at Haskayne School of Business with a focus on innovation in health care. Jo-Louise is an assistant professor at Cumming School of Medicine and Haskayne School of Business. She teaches in the Precision Health Program and leads the program’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship specialization.
The Precision Health Program, an online master's degree
Are you interested in the Precision Health Program (PHP) at the Cumming School of Medicine?
The PHP is a unique online master’s degree designed to meet the professional development needs of current and future health care practitioners and other professionals who want to advance their careers and assume leadership roles.
The program brings together working professionals from many industries and fields of expertise. They are future health care leaders, entrepreneurs and educators who want to improve patient care and lead the way in health care innovation.