National Directors | Core Research Leaders | Committee Chairs | National Centre
National Directors
Aslam Anis, PhD
National Co-Director
Dr. Anis is an active health services researcher who consults widely with federal and provincial agencies, including Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Industry Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, and various pharmaceutical manufacturers. To disseminate the policy implications of his research, he engages in a wide variety of knowledge transfer activities including participation on government panels, industry advisory boards, consumer associations and regulatory agencies.
Dr. Anis’ areas of specialization include Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics. The former focuses on studying specific aspects of the pharmaceutical industry, especially the interface between government regulation and corporate behaviour, including issues related to competition policy, patent infringement and international trade in pharmaceuticals. The latter focuses on undertaking cost-effectiveness studies of new drugs including large multi-centre pharmacoeconomic clinical trials, and furthering the methodology of using cost-effectiveness information to make formulary approval decisions. He has published in excess of 300 peer-reviewed papers and abstracts. These include papers on cost-effectiveness of various therapies, indirect costs of health care, the impact of provincial drug plan regulatory policies on pharmaceutical firm behaviour, industry behaviour, and the cost implications of running provincial drug plans. He also has publications focusing on price regulation of pharmaceuticals and on the role of pharmacoeconomic evaluations in reimbursement decision-making.
Dr. Anis is professor of health economics and director, Masters of Health Administration Program, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia. He is also the director of the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS), Providence Health Care Research Institute. For his significant contributions in health economics, Dr. Anis was recently inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Martin T. Schechter, MD, MSc, PhD, FRCPC
National Director
As national director of the CTN, Dr. Schechter interacts with senior government officials, pharmaceutical company heads, activists, principal investigators and committee chairs to ensure the smooth operation of the CTN’s many elements. One of three founding directors, Dr. Schechter characterizes the CTN as a “catalyst” that helps coordinate the many players needed to bring a clinical trial to fruition.
Dr. Schechter’s background includes mathematics, medicine and clinical epidemiology. He received a PhD in mathematics from the Polytechnic Institute of New York, an MD from McMaster University and an MSc of Epidemiology from the University of Toronto.
Since 1985, Dr. Schechter has lectured extensively on issues related to HIV and AIDS. His areas of expertise include the analysis and interpretation of trial results, the design of clinical trials and the epidemiology of AIDS in Canada. He has published his research in such journals as The Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, The Annals of Internal Medicine and the American Journal of Epidemiology, and has presented his work at several national and international AIDS conferences.
Dr. Schechter is also a professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. He holds the NHRDP’s National Health Scientist Award in the field of AIDS and was the first president of the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR). In 1994, Dr. Schechter was invested into the Order of British Columbia for his research contributions. In July 1996, Dr. Schechter was one of two conference co-chairs at the XI International Conference on AIDS, held in Vancouver, BC. More recently, he was awarded a Senior Scientist Award from the Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC), a tier I Canada Research Chair in HIV/AIDS and Urban Population Health, the Science Council of BC Award for Excellence in Research, and the Queen’s Jubilee Gold Medal.
National Directors
Aslam Anis, PhD
National Co-Director
Dr. Anis is an active health services researcher who consults widely with federal and provincial agencies, including Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Industry Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, and various pharmaceutical manufacturers. To disseminate the policy implications of his research, he engages in a wide variety of knowledge transfer activities including participation on government panels, industry advisory boards, consumer associations and regulatory agencies.
Dr. Anis’ areas of specialization include Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics. The former focuses on studying specific aspects of the pharmaceutical industry, especially the interface between government regulation and corporate behaviour, including issues related to competition policy, patent infringement and international trade in pharmaceuticals. The latter focuses on undertaking cost-effectiveness studies of new drugs including large multi-centre pharmacoeconomic clinical trials, and the furthering the methodology of using cost-effectiveness information to make formulary approval decisions. He has published in excess of 300 peer-reviewed papers and abstracts. These include papers on cost-effectiveness of various therapies, indirect costs of health care, the impact of provincial drug plan regulatory policies on pharmaceutical firm behaviour, industry behaviour, and the cost implications of running provincial drug plans. He also has publications focusing on price regulation of pharmaceuticals and on the role of pharmacoeconomic evaluations in reimbursement decision-making.
Dr. Anis is Professor of Health Economics and Director, Masters of Health Administration Program, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia. He is also the Director of Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS), Providence Health Care Research Institute.
Martin T. Schechter, MD, MSc, PhD, FRCPC
National Director
As National Director of the CTN, Dr. Schechter interacts with senior government officials, pharmaceutical company heads, activists, principal investigators and committee chairs to ensure the smooth operation of the CTN’s many elements. One of three founding directors, Dr. Schechter characterizes the CTN as a “catalyst” that helps coordinate the many players needed to bring a clinical trial to fruition.
Dr. Schechter’s background includes mathematics, medicine and clinical epidemiology. He received a PhD in mathematics from the Polytechnic Institute of New York, an MD from McMaster University and an MSc of Epidemiology from the University of Toronto.
Since 1985, Dr. Schechter has lectured extensively on issues related to HIV and AIDS. His areas of expertise include the analysis and interpretation of trial results, the design of clinical trials and the epidemiology of AIDS in Canada. He has published his research in such journals as The Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, The Annals of Internal Medicine and the American Journal of Epidemiology, and has presented his work at several national and international AIDS conferences.
Dr. Schechter is also a professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. He holds the NHRDP’s National Health Scientist Award in the field of AIDS and is past President of the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR). In 1994, Dr. Schechter was invested into the Order of British Columbia for his research contributions. In July 1996, Dr. Schechter was one of two conference co-chairs at the XI International Conference on AIDS, held in Vancouver, BC. More recently, he was awarded a Senior Scientist Award from the Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC) and a tier I Canada Research Chair in HIV/AIDS and Urban Population Health.
Core Research Leaders
Jonathan Angel, MD
Core Co-Leader, Vaccines and Immunotherapies
Dr. Angel graduated from medical school at the University of Toronto in 1988, which was followed by an internal medicine residency in Toronto. After one year as the chief medical resident at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, he did his clinical and research infectious diseases training at the New England Medical Center/Tufts University in Boston.
Since joining the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine at the Ottawa General Hospital in 1995, Dr. Angel has been involved in laboratory based and clinical research as well as teaching and patient care. His research is focused on understanding how HIV damages the immune system and how these insights can potentially lead to new therapies.
Dr. Angel is currently a professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa, a senior scientist in the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the director of the HIV Clinic at the Ottawa Hospital. His research is supported by CIHR and Dr. Angel holds a Career Scientist Award from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network.
Curtis Cooper, MD
Core Co-Leader, Co-infections and Concurrent Diseases
Dr. Curtis Cooper, The Ottawa Hospital, was appointed co-leader of the Co-infections and Concurrent Diseases Core in 2010.
Dr. Cooper trained at the University of Saskatchewan (MD 1994). He received certification in Internal Medicine in 1997 and in Infectious Diseases in 1999 from the University of Manitoba. He completed an HIV research fellowship (CTN/GlaxoSmithKline Postdoctoral Fellowship then CIHR fellow) and Masters of Epidemiology in 2002 while at the University of Ottawa. Currently Dr. Cooper is an Associate Professor with the University of Ottawa, Infectious Diseases Consultant with the Ottawa Hospital Division of Infectious Diseases, and Associate Clinical Researcher with the Ottawa Health Research Institute.
His research activities encompass HIV, viral hepatitis, and vaccine development with a focus on the development of new therapeutic agents and the delivery of treatment that maximizes safety and adherence.
Dr. Cooper is also a member of the CTN’s Scientific Steering Committee.
Marina Klein, MD
Core Co-Leader, Co-infections and Concurrent Diseases
Dr. Marina Klein, Montreal Chest Institute, was appointed Co- Leader of the Co-infections and Concurrent Diseases Core in 2009.
Dr. Klein graduated from McGill Medical School in 1991 and received her training in Internal Medicine at the Royal Victoria Hospital from 1991-94. After completing a research fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota in 1998 she returned to McGill University to join the Division of Infectious Diseases/ Immunodeficiency Service at the Royal Victoria Hospital. While on faculty she received a Master’s degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McGill. She is a former postdoctoral fellow of the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network and a previous recipient of an MRC/CIHR New Investigator award. She is currently supported by a Senior “Chercheur Boursier Clinicien” Award from the FRSQ.
Dr. Klein focuses her research on clinical and epidemiologic aspects of HIV and hepatitis C co-infection and leads a CIHR-funded prospective cohort study of co-infected patients to study the interaction of these chronic viral infections. She is also a principal investigator for clinical trials in the treatment of co-infection. Additional research interests include observational database research in pharmacoepidemiology of antiretrovirals, HIV infection in women and non-clade B HIV populations.
Core Co-Leader, Prevention and Vulnerable Populations
Dr. Mona Loutfy, Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto, was appointed co-leader of the Prevention and Vulnerable Populations Core in 2012.
Dr. Loutfy graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1995 and she received her training in Internal Medicine also at the University of Toronto from 1995-99. After completing a clinical fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Toronto, Dr. Loutfy obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. Following that she held a Postdoctoral Fellowship with the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network.
Dr. Loutfy is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Women’s College Hospital and she heads the Women and HIV Research Program at the Women’s College Research Institute. She is also the research director at the Maple Leaf Medical Clinic (MLMC), Canada’s largest private HIV practice.
As a leader in HIV research and care in Canada, Dr. Loutfy’s research is focused on the clinical management of HIV infection in women. Her work has brought forward innovations such as the Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Guidelines. She is committed to breaking down HIV-related stigma and works directly with communities to ensure that research agendas are relevant and prioritize the needs of vulnerable populations. Currently, Dr. Loutfy is furthering this work as a Co-Principal Investigator for a large CIHR-funded clinical trial assessing health service disparities for women living with HIV across regional and demographic contexts in Canada (CTN 262 – the CHIWOS study).
Dr. Mona Loutfy is also a member of the CTN’s Scientific Steering Committee.
Core Co-Leader, Vaccines and Immunotherapies
A former CTN postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy was appointed co-leader of the Vaccines and Immunotherapies Core in 2008. He is also a member of the Scientific Steering Committee.
Dr. Routy received his MD in 1986 and completed his residency in Hematology-Oncology at the Université d’Aix-Marseille, France. In 1990, he was awarded a fellowship from the Université de Montréal and from the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network to conduct hematological and immunological research in HIV-infected patients.
As director of the Quebec Primary HIV-Infection Study since 1996, Dr. Routy has contributed to research on HIV transmission of drug resistance and HIV pathogenesis. Since 1999, he holds a scientific career award as a Physician-Scientist from the Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Quebec (FRSQ) for his research on HIV-infection. In addition, he is involved in numerous national and international clinical trials including research on the use of valproic acid, Interleukin-7 and dendritic cell therapy for HIV infected patients.
Dr. Routy is a clinical associate professor of medicine at McGill University in Montreal, and an active member of the Division of Hematology and Immunodeficiency Service at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. He became director of the Flow Cytometry Laboratory at the Royal Victoria Hospital and in 2002, was promoted to associate professor in the Department of Medicine and Experimental Medicine. Dr. Routy is also chair of the Ethics Committee at the Royal Victoria Hospital and has recently developed important research on the ethical challenges associated with HIV transmission and antiretroviral therapy. In addition, he has authored and co-authored more than 100 publications which have appeared in high impact journals, such as New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Nature Medicine, Blood and AIDS.
Fiona Smaill, MBChB, FRCPC
Core Co-Leader, Clinical Management Science
Dr. Fiona Smaill, McMaster University, was appointed co-leader of the Clinical Management Sciences Core in 2012.
After earning a medical degree at Otago University in New Zealand in 1978 and completing General Medicine training at Wellington Hospital, Dr. Smaill did residencies in Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology at McMaster University, where she is now Professor and Chair in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine.
She is also a medical microbiologist with the Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program, a consultant in Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, and a co-director of the HIV clinic at Hamilton Health Sciences. She has her MSc in Epidemiology from McMaster University.
Dr. Smaill served on the CTN’s Scientific Review Committee from 1998 to 2009 and was the committee chair from 2005 to 2009. She has been a member of the Executive Management Committee of the CTN since 2010.Dr. Smaill is actively involved in clinical trials in HIV management, the development of vaccines for tuberculosis, and management of infections in pregnancy. Her interest in HIV infection includes multicentre trials to evaluate efficacy and side effects of different antiretroviral regimens particularly related to cardiovascular disease, HIV in aging and work on gender differences in the management of HIV infection.
Core Co-Leader, Clinical Management Science
Chair, Scientific Steering Committee
Dr. Sharon Walmsley wears many hats at the CTN. In addition to her role as co-leader for the Clinical Management Science Core, she is the elected national chair of the Scientific Steering Committee, CTN satellite site director for Toronto General Hospital, and a former member of the Scientific Review Committee.
Dr. Walmsley obtained her medical degree from the University of Western Ontario. She has completed specialty training in Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Internal Medicine and has a Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Toronto.
Dr. Walmsley has participated in the pivotal trials of a number of the antiretroviral agents both for treatment naïve and treatment experienced patients, and has published widely in the field. She also has interest in the management of HIV infected women. She is a teacher and speaker on many HIV related issues, and supervises masters and PhD students in clinical epidemiology on HIV related projects.
A member of the governing council of the International AIDS Society, she was the Clinical Sciences co-chair for the World AIDS conference in Toronto, August 2006, and a track B member for the conference in Cape Town in 2009. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the Workshop on Adverse Reactions and Lipodystrophy in HIV.
At the Toronto Hospital, University Health Network, Dr. Walmsley is a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, assistant director of the Immmunodeficiency Clinic, and director of the Clinical Research Program. She is also a member of the Scientific Review Committee of the Canadian Association for HIV Research, and the Canadian Institute of Health Research Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials Panel. A senior scientist with the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, her receipt of a career support award from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network enables her to continue her research in the area of HIV clinical management.
Core Co-Leader, Prevention and Vulnerable Populations
Dr. Catherine (Cathy) Worthington, University of Victoria, was appointed co-leader of the Prevention and Vulnerable Populations Core in 2011.
Dr. Worthington obtained a BAS from Trent University, followed by an MSc in Health Administration, a PhD in Social Work, and a Post-doctorate in Public Health Sciences from the University of Toronto. Currently, she is a professor at the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria.
Her research focuses on HIV prevention, care and support services development. Dr. Worthington has worked with people living with HIV, street-involved youth, Aboriginal and African immigrant communities, and the health and social service organizations that serve these populations and communities. Additional interests include HIV research ethics, the development of HIV social research methods, and engaging new researchers in the field of HIV research.
She has served on the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee (CHARAC), and also acted as Social Sciences Track councilor for the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR). Dr. Worthington is a principal investigator with the CIHR Social Research Centre in HIV Prevention (SRC), and chairs the Education Committee of the Centre for REACH (Research Evidence in Action for Community Health) in HIV/AIDS.
Committee Chairs
Shari Margolese
Chair, Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
Shari Margolese has been an advocate for the meaningful involvement of people living with HIV in all aspects of their care, including research, since shortly after her own HIV diagnosis in 1993.
Her work as a community consultant and researcher includes various community based research projects focusing on the sexual and reproductive health of people living with HIV. Most recently, Shari co-authored the Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Guidelines which were published in the Canadian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in June 2012. Additionally, Shari is an accomplished writer, speaker and facilitator with expertise in community development, disclosure and positive parenting.
Shari’s current research volunteer commitments include the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Ontario Study Cohort Governance Committee and the Community Advisory Committees of both the CTN and the Canadian Observational Cohort (CANOC). She also holds an appointment to the CIHR HIV Research Advisory Committee (CHARAC).
At the community level, Shari is a steering committee member of two important women’s health networks in Canada and internationally, Blueprint for Action on Women and Girls and HIV and the ATHENA network.
Shari is an inductee to the Ontario AIDS Network Honour Roll and received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for her extraordinary commitment to the HIV community.
Anita R. Rachlis, MD, MEd, FRCPC
Chair, Postdoctoral Fellowship Adjudication Committee
Dr. Rachlis worked with the CTN since 1990 as a principal investigator. She is the CTN satellite site director at the Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, and former Ontario regional director and Scientific Review Committee member.
Dr. Rachlis has consistently promoted and participated in HIV clinical research in Ontario. Since 1986, Dr. Rachlis has served on numerous editorial, medical and advisory AIDS committees, including the Ontario AIDS Advisory Committee, the Ontario HIV Treatment Network and Health Canada’s Expert Advisory Committee on HIV Therapies. She was appointed to the Ministerial Council on HIV/AIDS in September 2003 and continues as an active member and council representative to the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee.
She is also the head of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the medical director of the HIV Ambulatory Clinic at the Sunnybrook site, Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Science Centre.
Dr. Rachlis has been involved in a number of clinical trials involving antiretroviral agents and management of opportunistic infections.
Along with these affiliations and responsibilities, Dr. Rachlis is a professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She has a strong interest in medical education as the clerkship director of the undergraduate medical program at the University of Toronto, and earned her Master of Education from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education in 1994. She served as a member of the executive council of the Canadian Association for HIV Research and chaired the Association’s 1994 conference in Toronto.
Stephen Shafran, MD, FRCPC
Chair, Data Safety Monitoring Committee
Dr. Stephen D. Shafran has lived in four different provinces. He is a native of Toronto and a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine. After completing his training in internal medicine in Toronto, he moved to Vancouver where he completed a fellowship in infectious diseases at UBC.
In 1986, he accepted his first academic faculty appointment in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. In 1989, he moved to the University of Alberta in Edmonton, where he remains. In 1998, he was promoted to full professor and appointed as the director of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He was reappointed to that position in 2003.
Dr. Shafran has been involved in the care of persons with HIV/AIDS from the beginning of the epidemic in the pre-antiretroviral era. He continues to have a large HIV practice and also sees HIV patients at a federal penitentiary and a provincial prison in the Edmonton area. He participated in the early meetings that led to the creation of the CTN and has been the director of the Edmonton CTN satellite since its inception. Dr. Shafran has been involved in many CTN activities as a principal investigator, a co-investigator, a member of the Scientific Review Committee and, since 2003, as the chair of the Data Safety Monitoring Committee (formerly Safety and Efficacy Review Committee) and a member of the Scientific Steering Committee.
He remains recognized internationally for CTN clinical trial 010, which changed the treatment of disseminated MAC infection and led to a primary publication in the New England Journal of Medicine with several secondary publications. CTN 010 remains a model study for the CTN, as it was investigator generated, further developed with a CTN-funded workshop, supported by a partnership of public and private funding and open to all CTN sites willing to participate.
Along with his work for the CTN, Dr. Shafran also serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on HIV Therapies (Health Canada). As well, he remains active in the practice of infectious diseases outside of HIV medicine. He is the director of a division of 16 adult ID specialists and many support staff, and is a member of the Immigration Medical Advisory Committee (Citizenship and Immigration Canada). In addition, he represented the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases on the organizing committee of the 2004 Canadian Consensus Guidelines on the Management of Viral Hepatitis.
Lehana Thabane
Chair, Scientific Review Committee
Dr. Lehana Thabane has been a member of the CTN’s Scientific Review Committee (SRC) since 2006 and was appointed the chair of the SRC in 2008. He is also a member of the Scientific Steering Committee. He is an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and director of the Biostatistics Unit at the Father Sean O’Sullivan Research Centre (FSORC), St Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton.
Dr. Thabane did his PhD in statistics (1994 -1998) at the University of Western Ontario, Canada and MSc in Statistics (1992-1993) at Sheffield University, England. He obtained his BSc (1986-1990) from the National University of Lesotho.
A research methodologist with research interests in the development and application of statistical methods health research, Dr. Thabane collaborates with researchers in HIV/AIDS, cardiology, internal medicine, nephrology, palliative care services, evidence-based medicine and health technology assessment. He provides statistical leadership in studies in various areas of population health research, clinical research and health services and outcomes research.
Dr. Thabane is also a Scientific Officer of the Randomized Clinical Trials Committee for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and holds membership of the International Statistical Institute as well as the Statistical Society of Canada.
Chair, Scientific Steering Committee
Core Co-Leader, Clinical Management Science
Dr. Sharon Walmsley wears many hats at the CTN. In addition to her role as co-leader for the Clinical Management Science Core, she is the elected national chair of the Scientific Steering Committee, CTN satellite site director for Toronto General Hospital, and a former member of the Scientific Review Committee.
Dr. Walmsley obtained her medical degree from the University of Western Ontario. She has completed specialty training in Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Internal Medicine and has a Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Toronto.
Dr. Walmsley has participated in the pivotal trials of a number of the antiretroviral agents both for treatment naïve and treatment experienced patients, and has published widely in the field. She also has interest in the management of HIV infected women. She is a teacher and speaker on many HIV related issues, and supervises masters and PhD students in clinical epidemiology on HIV related projects.
A member of the governing council of the International AIDS Society, she was the Clinical Sciences co-chair for the World AIDS conference in Toronto, August 2006, and a track B member for the conference in Cape Town in 2009. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the Workshop on Adverse Reactions and Lipodystrophy in HIV.
At the Toronto Hospital, University Health Network, Dr. Walmsley is a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, assistant director of the Immmunodeficiency Clinic, and director of the Clinical Research Program. She is also a member of the Scientific Review Committee of the Canadian Association for HIV Research, and the Canadian Institute of Health Research Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials Panel. A senior scientist with the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, her receipt of a career support award from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network enables her to continue her research in the area of HIV clinical management.
National Centre
Chief Administrative Officer
David Cox joined the Network as chief administrative officer in May 2009. His role includes managing the general operations of the National Centre, as well as overseeing the Finance & Administration Program, the Communications & Information Program, the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Information Technology, the International Program, and the annual reporting to CIHR.
David manages the general administration of the CTN, as well as coordinating the budgeting, accounting, performance monitoring and contract negotiations. He is responsible for liaising with key stakeholders and network scientists both nationally and internationally, as well as engaging in strategic management and communication with external funding agencies.
David is a CGA (1983) and has an MBA (2007). Prior to joining the CTN, David was with a start up medical device company, LED Medical Diagnostics (LED), a British Columbia based spin-off from technology developed at the BC Cancer Agency. As president and chief operating officer, David oversaw all aspects of the organization and, on behalf of LED, accepted the prestigious Canada Red Herring Top 50 Award for technology innovation in 2008.
Manager, Clinical Trials Support
On maternity leave
Michelle Jones joined the Network as clinical trials support manager in 2011. She oversees the process of concept organization and development, working with new research ideas generated by the Network investigators. She manages the process from research idea to clinical protocol, collaborating with internal and external experts to develop a concept with a clear hypothesis and clear objectives, securing operational feasibility and identifying funding opportunities.
Michelle holds a BSc from Simon Fraser University, she completed her RN and MSc(A) training in Nursing at McGill, and she also has an MBA with specialization in Biotechnology Management completed recently at Simon Fraser University.
Michelle has 10 years of clinical trial management in both industry and academic centres, with experience overseeing trials in multiple clinical indications across the development spectrum, from phases I through IV. This includes six years in various departments and review committees at the University of British Columbia, while most recently she was the clinical and regulatory affairs manager at the GI Research Institute with research specializing in Hepatitis B and C, Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis trials.
Director, Data Services
Jane Liu joined the Network as a director of data services in January 2013. She is responsible for the organization and execution of CTN data processes and strategies. This includes all data capture, storage, and retrieval processes.
Jane has a Master’s degree in Health Sciences from the University of Central Florida and intensive training in computer science. She has more than 15 years of industry experience including clinical data management, database programming, data exchange between platforms, coding dictionary set up, software testing and validation. Jane has worked in several health care areas including biotech companies, hospitals, universities and clinical research organizations.
Manager, Clinical Trials Support
Judith Neville joined the Network as clinical trials support manager in January 2013. She oversees the process of concept organization and development, working with new research ideas generated by Network investigators.
She manages the process from research idea to clinical protocol, collaborating with internal and external experts to develop a concept with a clear hypothesis and clear objectives, securing operational feasibility and identifying funding opportunities.
Judith holds a BSc (Hons) from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK and she completed her PhD in Molecular Virology at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
Judith has over 15 years of clinical trial management in both industry and academic centres. She is a member of Advisory Board of Clinical Research Professionals of British Columbia as well as a Professional Member of the Institute of Clinical Research.
Chief Scientific Officer
Jim Pankovich joined the Network as chief scientific officer in 2009. His responsibilities include contributing to the overall scientific strategic planning of the CTN, coordinating study development activities and facilitating the conduct and analysis of studies of HIV therapy performed by the Network.
Jim assists the Scientific Core Groups in developing and implementing clinical trial protocols, facilitates the activities of the principal investigators in the conduct and design of studies, and coordinates the scientific peer review of applications received by the Network as well as CTN participation in multinational trials.
Jim has a BSc. (Honors) in Physiology (1987) and a MSc. in Experimental Medicine (1992) from the University of Alberta. In addition, he recently completed an MBA from Queen’s University (2009). Jim’s experience includes laboratory research at the University of Alberta, and 16 years of clinical trials management experience for Canadian and US based biopharmaceutical companies. His work involved product development, clinical research, and clinical trial operations and management, for both therapeutic and diagnostic products. Jim has handled project management of multiple clinical trials, including budgeting, site support, and business development, in both the United States and Canada.
Manager, Communications
Kevin Pendergraft joined the CTN in 2003 and is responsible for the content, tone and design of the Network’s many bilingual electronic and print publications.
Kevin’s other duties include coordinating the work of the Community Advisory Committee, assisting senior management and researchers with presentations and materials to support clinical trial activity, presenting workshops on clinical trials and representing the Network in the HIV community, among researchers and with other stakeholders. In tandem with the chief administrative officer, he leads the annual reporting to CIHR.
Following a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University, Kevin’s comes to the Network with over twenty years experience in communications including advertising, marketing, organizing events, writing, and print and website design.
Manager, Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and Committees
Jacqueline Sas joined the Network in 1990 and was one of the first employees at the CTN. She provides administrative oversight and strategic vision for the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and for the CTN’s numerous committees.
Jacqueline’s other responsibilities include planning and managing CTN’s semi-annual meetings, participating in international conferences, liaising with numerous pharmaceutical and health organizations to search for potential funds for domestic and international fellowships and providing guidance to committees through the CTN’s review process. She is proficient in French, English and Spanish and manages three off-site translators. She also provides expertise to the project managers running CTN trials by proofreading informed consents and case report forms.
Originally from Peru, Jacqueline started her career working at UNESCO in Paris while finishing her French Language Training at the Université Paris-Sorbonne. Jacqueline moved back to Lima and worked at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) based in the Canadian Embassy before moving to Canada.
Program Head, Methodology and Statistics
Dr. Singer received his honours BSc from McGill University in 1972 and went on to the University of Waterloo, where he obtained his MA and PhD in human experimental psychology. In 1979, he joined the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University. He played a key role in designing trials in the fields of cardiology and health promotion and in the design and evaluation of quality of life instruments.
Dr. Singer is a professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health. He is also involved as a co-investigator in trials of HIV, arthritis, ICU care, and renal disease.
Dr. Singer is a member of the CTN’s Data Safety Monitoring Committee.
Associate Head, Methodology and Statistics
Dr. Wong is the senior biostatistician for the CTN. His duties include assisting researchers in the design of their clinical trials and overseeing the analysis of study data. He currently serves on the CTN’s Scientific Review Committee and CTN’s Data Safety Monitoring Committee. He received his PhD in 2000 from the Department of Statistics, and holds a faculty appointment in the School of Population and Public Health, both at the University of British Columbia.