Our Team
ABC-SC Team
The research team is comprised of innovative, young researchers and experienced cancer researchers, who span research and clinical boundaries.
Principal Investigators
Grace Johnston
MHSA, PhD
Positions: Professor and Graduate Coordinator, School of Health Administration, HÂþ» University; Senior Epidemiologist, Surveillance and Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Care Nova Scotia; and Principal Investigator, Network for End of Life Studies: Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement (NELS ICE), Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant
Expertise: Epidemiology, health services research using administrative databases, cancer control, screening, palliative and end of life care, interdisciplinary learning, knowledge exchange, advocacy, mentoring
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Focused data analyses on supportive care (SC) for women with advanced breast cancer; Greater understanding on the forms and cost of SC, and predictors of who has access to SC; Refinement of interdisciplinary research team development methods and knowledge exchange
Robin Urquhart
PhD
Positions: Assistant Professor (Primary Research Scientist), Department of Surgery, HÂþ» University
Expertise: Knowledge exchange and translation, health services research, linked administrative data methods, qualitative methodologies
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Improved understanding of effective knowledge exchange processes toward building interdisciplinary research teams and whether a participatory model is useful toward expediting SC research capacity; Greater depth of knowledge on access to and quality of SC services for women with advanced breast cancer using administrative data
Ìý
Researchers
Fred Burge
MD, FCFP, MSc
Positions: Professor, Department of Family Medicine, HÂþ» University; and Co-Principal Investigator, NELS ICE
Expertise: Family medicine, primary care, palliative and end of life care, survey and linked administrative data methods
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Perspectives on SC by next of kin of women dying of advanced breast cancer; Insights into the redesign of community based primary care; New grant proposal to CIHR for community based primary care
Judith Fisher
PhD
Positions: Manager of Drug Technology Assessment for Pharmaceutical Services in the Nova Scotia Government, Department of Health and Wellness
Expertise: Systematic literature review, appropriate use of medications
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Medication use for the management of pain and other symptoms among persons with advanced cancer; Framework for medications guideline development for SC, focusing on women with advanced breast cancer
Janice Howes
PhD
Positions: Psychosocial Oncology Clinical Leader and Chair, Supportive Care Site Team, Cancer Care Nova Scotia
Expertise: Clinical psychology, Psychosocial oncology
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Refinement of distress screening by cancer patient navigators; Improving SC for women with advanced breast cancer
Melanie Keats
PhD
Positions:Assistant Professor, School of Health and Human Performance, HÂþ» University
Expertise: Behavioural medicine, exercise psychology, physical activity, oncology, survivorship, quality of life
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Exploring the SC role of physical activity for women with advanced breast cancer
Bev Lawson
Lynn Lethbridge
Maureen MacIntyre
Jennifer Payne
PhD
Positions: Assistant Professor, Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Community Health and Epidemiology, HÂþ» University; and Senior Epidemiologist, Capital District Health Authority
Expertise: Epidemiologic methods, chronic disease surveillance, indicators of care, administrative data analysis, health services research
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Screening for need for SC; Data analysis and knowledge translation related to SC for chronic disease co-morbidities for women with advanced breast cancer
Geoff Porter
MD FRCSC, FACS
Positions: Professor of Surgery, Ramia Chair in Surgical Oncology, HÂþ» University; and Surgical Oncologist, QEII Health Sciences Centre
Expertise: Surgical oncology, health services research, outcomes research, quality indicators
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Improved understanding of factors influencing access to and quality of SC services for women with advanced breast cancer; exploring opportunities to build a NET ACCESS-like team in breast cancer
Danny Rayson
aMD, FRCPC, FACP
Positions: Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, HÂþ» University; and Medical Oncologist, Nova Scotia Cancer Centre
Expertise: Clinical trials, breast cancer, health services research, wait times, cancer genetics, translational research
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Clinical trial development with focus on SC for advanced breast cancer (e.g., pain and symptom control, management of side effects from systemic therapies); understanding of factors (e.g., co-morbidities) that influence quality SC for women with advanced breast cancer
Chris Skedgel
Ingrid Sketris
Tallal Younis
MBBCh, FRCP (UK)
Positions:Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, and Clinical Research Scholar, HÂþ» University; and Medical Oncologist, Nova Scotia Cancer Centre
Expertise:Economic/cost analysis, health services research, outcomes research, breast cancer, clinical trials
Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Examining costs of various forms of SC, including medications for women with advanced breast cancer
Ìý
Trainees
Highly Qualified Personnel
Hillary Woodside
In 2012, Hillary commenced her MA in Kinesiology with Dr Melanie Keats; a co-investigator on the ABC-SC. Hillary is studying the perspectives of youth and young adults with advanced cancer on the value of yoga as a form of palliative support. Hillary and Melanie have published:
H. Woodside & M. Keats. (2012) Exploring the Role of Physical Activity During Palliative Care for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients. Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology.
Photo: