Faculty of Medicine honours 2023 President's Awards recipients
The Faculty of Medicine is recognizing recent 2023 President’s Awards Recipients. The awards were handed out at an event at the Signal Hill Campus on Dec. 8.
Those honoured include Amy Carroll (B.Comm.’02), Office of Research and Graduate Studies; Dr. Proton Rahman (B.Med.Sci.’88, MD’90), Discipline of Medicine; Dr. Guangju Zhai, Division of BioMedical Sciences and Dr. Sukhinder Cheema, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science (cross-appointed to BioMedical Sciences).
“Exceptional individuals like these are the heart of our faculty,” said Dr. Dolores McKeen, dean of Medicine at Memorial University. “Their dedication and passion propel us forward on our mission to improve health and well-being and I congratulate them all on this well-deserved recognition.”
Amy Carroll
President’s Award for Exemplary Employees – Champion of Service
Amy Carroll is a true champion of service.
First employed in Memorial’s Department of Human Resources in 2008, she worked in various roles until becoming an administrative staff specialist II in the Faculty of Medicine’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies (RGS) in 2011.
“When I learned I won a President’s Award I was shocked,” she said. “I was speechless – which is a big feat for those who know me. I called my husband and told him, but I was actually the most excited to tell my parents because I knew how proud my dad would be.”
That’s because her dad, Joe Carroll, won a President’s Award for Exemplary Service 2002.
“My dad worked at Memorial for 30 years – he spent 26 in Facilities Management, mainly as an electrician,” said Ms. Carroll. “But the last few years, before he retired, he worked as Manager of the Library.”
In the RGS office, Ms. Carroll makes sure the day-to-day operations run smoothly. She is the staff and student go-to person for advice and support. She interacts daily with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and graduate supervisors and helps them navigate everything from stipends and contracts to payroll, awards, immigration support requirements, award ceremonies and convocation celebrations. With an average of 300 active graduate students across 10 different graduate programs, the requirements for student support are great. Ms. Carroll handles all of these requests with ease and makes everyone feel like they are her top priority.
“I liked working in HR and helping people, but it wasn’t until I moved to Medicine and started helping graduate students that I found my passion,” she said. “They are so appreciative and grateful for everything you do that I often find myself jokingly saying to them ‘But that’s my job.’”
“It can be confusing to move to a new country and try to navigate things like applying for insurance, so we all do our best in the Research & Graduate Studies Office to help our students and postdoctoral fellows,” she added. “I have some of the best co-workers and work with some really great administrators and faculty which make doing the things we do easier.”
Ms. Carroll is the point person organizing letters of appointment for all of the postdoctoral research fellows in the Faculty of Medicine. She goes above and beyond the responsibilities of her role in the support she provides and is an active advocate for students. She fosters a supportive and inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive. As a result of her efforts, students feel valued, supported and empowered to thrive in their academic pursuits. One of her most notable strengths is her ability to make the lives of international students easier as she goes the extra mile to provide them with needed resources and support.
She has also been instrumental in arranging to bring Gairdner Laureates from the national and international arena to Memorial. As a result, the university is able to host the Gairdner speaker visitor program which is an opportunity for students, including high school students in the St. John’s and surrounding area, to hear lectures by renowned scientists.
Ms. Carroll received the Faculty of Medicine Dean’s Excellence Service Award (Management) in 2017.
Dr. Proton Rahman
John Lewis Paton Distinguished University Professorship
Dr. Proton Rahman is recognized worldwide for his groundbreaking discoveries on the genomics of rheumatic diseases.
A visionary educator, he mentored a generation of physicians and researchers. His seminal scientific contributions guided public health policy as part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Memorial University has been a central part of my life for over 40 years, initially as a student and then as a faculty, so I am incredibly grateful and deeply moved to receive this award,” said Dr. Rahman. “I would not have even been considered for this award if not for the exceptional people around me – mentors, colleagues, students, and family- who are the driving force for any success I have achieved. Finally, I need to thank my Dad, whose passion for discovery influenced my career path; Dr. Reza Tabrizchi, who initiated the nomination, and all others who kindly supported it.”
A clinical rheumatologist and genetic epidemiologist, Dr. Rahman, Faculty of Medicine, identified more than 20 genetic variants that contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. His work allows clinicians and researchers to rapidly identify diseases and to understand the diseases’ response to therapies. It also provides valuable insight into the diseases’ pathophysiology.
Dr. Rahman created the Newfoundland Genealogy Database, providing a comprehensive family history for more than 550,000 Newfoundlanders dating back to the late 1800s.
He published more than 700 scientific publications and abstracts that have been cited more than 25,000 times. He wrote definitive chapters in authoritative textbooks in general medicine and rheumatology. As either a principal or a co-principal investigator, he secured nearly $70 million in research funding. A strong supervisor, he personalizes programs for graduate students and mentors them in their careers.
At the onset of the pandemic, the provincial government invited him to lead a predictive analytics team responsible for forecasting COVID-19 trajectories, determining health care capacity and providing public guidance.
In recognition of his influential contributions to academia and society, Dr. Rahman received the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Fellowship, the Canadian Rheumatology Association’s Distinguished Investigator Award, the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador and numerous prestigious awards from Memorial University.
“Dr. Rahman’s contributions demonstrate exceptional teaching, world-class research and a desire to share his knowledge and expertise through his clinical and volunteer work to improve the health of all,” said Dr. Dianne Mosher, professor, Division of Rheumatology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.
Dr. Guangju Zhai
University Research Professor
Dr. Guangju Zhai is being recognized for his transformative contributions to his field of medicine, the creation of a world-class osteoarthritis research program and an exceptional rate of knowledge dissemination.
“I am extremely honoured to receive the title of University Research Professor,” said Dr. Zhai. “The designation is not only the recognition of my past achievement, but also the great encouragement for me to get more research done in the future. I am also deeply indebted to my students and research staff. Without their hard work in the lab, I wouldn't be able to achieve what I have done to date.”
An expert in genetic epidemiology, Dr. Zhai, Human Genetics and Genomics, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, has made a significant worldwide impact on the understanding of osteoarthritis while improving the lives of patients.
He established the Newfoundland Osteoarthritis Study, a biobank of joint tissue samples. His team collected samples from more than 1,000 patients; the collection formed the basis for osteoarthritis research at Memorial University and created a world-class resource for researchers, fostering national and international collaborations.
He advanced molecular techniques to identify novel metabolites — the products of metabolic reactions catalyzed by various enzymes. This work is helping to diagnose osteoarthritis earlier, ensuring patients receive the appropriate treatment at the right time.
A prolific researcher, Dr. Zhai authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in top-tiered journals, including The Lancet and Nature Genetics. The publications have been cited more than 30,000 times. He was listed on Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists list for the study of arthritis and rheumatology. He is a past recipient of Memorial University’s President’s Award for Outstanding Research.
He mentored nearly 20 undergraduate students, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. A sought-after international expert, he delivered more than a dozen national and international presentations and secured more than $4.2 million in research funding as a principal investigator or as a co-applicant.
“Dr. Zhai is an outstanding and internationally recognized researcher who made and continues to make exceptional contributions to our understanding of osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Frank Beier, professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario.
Dr. Sukhinder Cheema
University Research Professor
Dr. Sukhinder Cheema is being recognized for her exceptional contributions to the field of metabolic health, the creation of a robust research program and her highly influential body of scholarship.
“Receiving this recognition means a great deal to me on both a personal and professional level,” said Dr. Cheema. “Professionally, this is recognition of the research I have done for the past 24 years. But it would not have been possible without the hard work of my students and trainees. I am in awe of the zealousness with which I have witnessed young people embracing science, and they continue to inspire my dedication to this field.”
“On a personal level, this recognition is a source of inspiration and empowerment,” she added. “It goes beyond just a title; it symbolizes breaking barriers in science and academia. As the first woman in the department to achieve this milestone, as a person of color, and as a first-generation immigrant, receiving this title is a collective achievement for all those who are under-represented in this field.”
Dr. Cheema, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and cross appointed to the Faculty of Medicine, is a global authority on maternal nutrition and its critical role in the predisposition to adult diseases. Her leading-edge work attracted collaborators from the U.S. and India to study human breast milk composition and its impact on the well-being of newborns. Working with impoverished communities, she is developing novel nutraceuticals and reconnecting individuals with traditional diets to improve their health.
She was one of the first scientists in Canada to question if maternal over-nourishment (especially dietary fats) affects offspring metabolic regulation. Dr. Cheema’s findings demonstrate the importance of nutrition during pregnancy and the harmful effects of saturated fats.
Her recent work focuses on the significance of maternal omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to human health. Dr. Cheema’s research group discovered that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids maintain pregnancy outcome and improve fetal brain development. Dr. Cheema and her collaborators also found the composition of human breast milk of lean and obese mothers directly influences infant health. This work provides critical insight for health-care recommendations and interventions.
The author of nearly 100 peer-reviewed articles in international journals, Dr. Cheema trained more than 80 emerging scholars and secured more than $18 million in funding as a principal or a co-principal investigator.
“Dr. Cheema is one of the top researchers in Canada in her field and is well regarded internationally,” said Dr. Philip Calder, professor of nutritional immunology, School of Human Development and Health, University of Southhampton. “Her work directly contributes to finding solutions to food and nutrition insecurity for marginalized populations in Canada and around the world.”