Congratulations to Dr. Ashok Krishnamoorthy, Dr. Marianne Hrabok and Dr. Martha Ignaszewski!
Announcing the 2024/2025 Stimulus Grants Awardees
Dear Department members,
We are delighted to share that, following careful review and deliberation by an external Scientific Committee comprised of members outside of UBC and Canada, the selection process for the 2024/2025 Stimulus Grants Initiative has been completed.
A total of three innovative projects have been recommended for funding by the Committee across the Clinician, Junior Academic, and Child & Youth Mental Health streams, selected out of the many outstanding proposals we received this cycle.
Congratulations to the following awardees:
STIMULUS – CLINICAL GRANT
- Principal: Dr. Ashok Krishnamoorthy, Clinical Associate Professor
Co-applicant: Daniel Vigo
Contingency management to increase antipsychotic treatment retention in Provincial Correction
STIMULUS – JUNIOR ACADEMIC GRANT
- Principal: Dr. Marianne Hrabok, PGY4 Resident, Research Track
Co-applicant: Dr. Lakshmi Yatham
Real world clinical and functional outcomes in difficult to treat depression: A preliminary study of supratherapeutic dosing, es/ketamine, rTMS, and ECT in an Interventional Psychiatry Clinic
STIMULUS – CHILD & YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH GRANT
- Principal: Dr. Martha J. Ignaszewski, Clinical Assistant Professor
Co-applicant: Michael Krausz
Youth Overdose Cohort: Post overdose treatment experience of adolescents and young adults. A pilot and feasibility study
The Stimulus Grants Initiative was launched in 2022 by the UBC Department of Psychiatry, in partnership with the UBC Institute of Mental Health (UBC IMH) and BC Children’s Hospital, to increase research capacity and support for clinicians, residents and junior academics seeking to initiate pilot or small, self-contained studies in their areas of interest in mental health.
Please keep in mind that the next Stimulus Grants application cycle will open on June 1, 2025!
On behalf of the UBC Department of Psychiatry, the UBC IMH and BC Children’s Hospital, we wish much success to each of our 2024/2025 Stimulus Grants recipients as they pursue their respective projects, and we look forward to sharing with you updates regarding their progress in the near future.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lakshmi N. Yatham, Professor and Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Sophia Frangou, Professor and Associate Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Roberto Sassi, Psychiatrist in Chief, BCCH and Associate Professor (Partner) & CAP Division Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry
The UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office respectfully acknowledges the land on which we live, work and play is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh).
Senga Frisken
Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Melissa Moses
Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Email: mmoses@mail.ubc.ca
Haroon Ahmad
Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Email: haroon.ahmad@vch.ca
Dr. J9 Austin elected President of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics!
Congratulations to Dr. J9 Austin, who has been elected president of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics (ISPG)!
Dr. Austin is a professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Medical Genetics, as well as the Canada Research Chair in Translational Psychiatric Genomics. Their research involves studying the impact of genetic counseling for people with psychiatric disorders and their families, and they are currently leading the ACCESS-GC trial, funded by Genome BC, which seeks to embed genetic counsellors (GCs) into family physician clinics, creating a team-based model that delivers enhanced, personalized care.
As the first non-man to serve as president of the society in its 30-year history, Dr. Austin will continue to advocate for broader inclusion at every level of the society for people of diverse backgrounds, ensure the society’s sustainability through financially responsible decision-making, and seek to provide a greater range of benefits for members.
Read Dr. Austin’s welcome message to ISPG members.
Congratulations once again to Dr. Austin on their election to this significant new role!
IMH Showcase | November 2024
WALTER SENA
Medical Research Fellow
Department of Psychiatry
Meet Dr. Walter Sena, a former IMH Marshall Fellow who is developing digital tools for more accurate, data-driven insights in cognitive health! Originally trained in Brazil, his latest project is a groundbreaking Software as Medical Device (SaMD), neurocognition.ai, that uses smartphone-based gaze tracking to objectively monitor cognition. Outside of work, Dr. Sena is embracing life as a new father.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I am a physician and researcher with a strong interest in cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychiatry. I originally trained in Brazil, where I completed a master’s in neuroscience and a specialization in psychiatry. My background spans both clinical work and research, and I’ve spent the last few years focused on developing digital tools for cognitive assessment. After relocating to Canada, I’ve been involved in research at the University of British Columbia, where I’m working in cognitive neuropsychiatry.
Can you describe what kind of research you are involved in?
My research focuses on understanding how cognitive functions (like memory, attention, and problem-solving) change throughout life, from neurodevelopment to neurodegeneration. My work involves designing advanced neurocognitive tests that use gaze tracking through a smartphone. Essentially, we measure how individuals look at stimuli on a screen while performing these tests, and we use that data to understand more about their cognitive health.
Can you tell us about an interesting project or initiative you are working on?
At the moment, I’m working on a SaMD called neurocognition.ai, designed to conduct cognitive assessments online. What’s exciting is that we’re developing a platform that, in the future, will use AI for shared decision-making, helping physicians provide the best evidence-based treatments for their patients. Additionally, having more accurate and reliable cognitive assessments could significantly improve research on treatments, such as new Alzheimer’s antibodies, where clinical trials often use subjective cognitive scales as primary endpoints, which can lack objectivity.
What aspect of your work do you enjoy the most, or find most exciting?
I really enjoy the innovative aspect of my work, particularly how we can apply cutting-edge technology like training smartphone-based gaze-tracking through machine learning to solve real-world problems in cognitive health. It’s exciting to see how these tools can potentially improve patient care by allowing for earlier and more accurate monitoring of cognitive health. I also find it fulfilling to work on developing a product that focuses on regulatory approvals from Health Canada and the FDA, with the long-term goal of improving health policies and reducing costs for healthcare systems.
What are your interests and hobbies outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially now that I’ve just welcomed a baby girl named Luna! I’m also an entrepreneur and love exploring new tech developments. I strive to maintain a healthy work-life balance, so you’ll often find me snowboarding in Whistler during the winter.
If you are an IMH member and would like to share more about yourself and your research with the community, please contact Megan Rollerson, Manager, Communications and Partnerships, at megan.rollerson@ubc.ca.
REMINDER! Fraser Residents and Faculty, your participation is requested in the Department Environmental Scans of Learning and Workplace Program/Sites
Dear Fraser Residents and Faculty,
As you all are aware, the UBC Psychiatry Department is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and safe learning and work environment that values diversity and is free of harassment and discrimination. As a part of this commitment, the Department conducts environmental scans of the learning and workplace of our programs/sites with support from the Faculty of Medicine’s Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) office. Last year, such a scan was conducted for the Prince George Track of the Residency Program.
The plan is to conduct a similar scan of all the other tracks within the residency program over the next few years. The scan of the Fraser Track is currently in process and will be concluding shortly. The information collected will help us capture strengths and challenges and inform opportunities for developing strategies to address any issues identified in a timely manner, which will thus foster safe and respectful learning and workplace environments for everyone.
Robyn Campol, the Learning Environment Advisor within the Office of REDI, is conducting the scan of the Fraser Track Program. As we have indicated before, the most accurate assessment of the learning and workplace environment is only possible with active participation and feedback from all of you. While your participation is voluntary, we would be most grateful if each of you could meet with Robyn to share your experiences.
We encourage all faculty and residents to meet with Robyn. These will be one-on-one meetings on Zoom, and they will be approximately 45 minutes in duration. Residents will have protected time to meet with Robyn. The information you share will be confidential, and the report will include general themes only and will not disclose or reveal your identity.
We recognize that Residents or staff may fear retaliation for participating in this process. We want to reiterate and assure you that the Faculty of Medicine and the Department/Program will not tolerate any retaliation, directly or indirectly, against anyone who provides information about an allegation of mistreatment, or otherwise participates in the processes to address mistreatment.
If you would like to participate, please email Robyn Campol at learningenvironment.advisor@ubc.ca as soon as possible, as the interview portion of the scan will be concluded shortly. The deadline to contact Robyn is Friday, January 31, 2025. Robyn will then schedule a meeting based on your availability.
We hope that you will consider becoming involved as, without your help, we are unable to adequately assess the track and make any necessary changes to ensure continued improvement in the safety of the learning environment and workplace. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us or Robyn Campol directly.
Warm regards,
Dr. Lakshmi N. Yatham,
MBBS, FRCPC, MRCPsych, MBA
Professor and Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Director, Institute of Mental Health, UBC
Regional Head and Program Medical Director, VCH/PHC
Dr. Irfan Khanbhai MD, FRCPC
Clinical Associate Professor, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Program Director, UBC Department of Psychiatry Postgraduate Education Program
Interim Associate Head, Postgraduate Education and Continuing Professional Development
We respectfully acknowledges the land on which we live, work and play is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh) Nations.
CentileBrain: Normative Brain Modeling and Applications in Psychiatric Disorders
February 6, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm PST
Summary
The CentileBrain platform (centilebrain.org) provides a tool for pinpointing meaningful deviations in brain structure by offering normative models analogous to growth charts in medicine. This initiative involved extensive benchmarking to optimize algorithms, select covariates, and validate longitudinal stability. The CentileBrain team has empirically demonstrated the broad applicability of these sex-specific models, ensuring that brain morphometry assessments are accurate and reliable across diverse populations. In this webinar, Dr. Ruiyang Ge will provide an introduction to normative modeling and the CentileBrain models’ applications in neuroimaging and psychiatry research. The session will include a hands-on demonstration of how to implement CentileBrain models in your research.
Speaker
Dr. Ruiyang Ge
Research Associate, UBC Department of Psychiatry and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
Director, Translational Neuroimaging Education Program
Dr. Ruiyang Ge is a Research Associate in the Department of Psychiatry and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on developing and applying advanced computational methods to address key challenges in psychiatry and brain disorders. Dr. Ge has authored numerous papers published in leading journals, including The Lancet Digital Health, American Journal of Psychiatry, Molecular Psychiatry, and NeuroImage. He also serves as an editor for several psychiatry research journals, such as Mental Health Science and NPJ Mental Health Research. He is the lead Data Scientist of the CentileBrain Initiative and founding director of the Translational Neuroimaging Educational Program (www.translational-neuro.org).