Research Staff

Publications

Research Associate

Calypse completed his undergraduate studies in 2002 at the University of Buea, Cameroon, with a bachelor degree in Microbiology and Medical Laboratory Technology. His interest in public health was spurred after he worked with the Ministry of Public Health in Cameroon, on a WHO-sponsored immunization evaluation program. He later completed the Master of Applied Public Health Nutrition at Karolinska Institute in Sweden in 2006.  With specific interest in chronic diseases, Calypse then pursued further studies for a doctoral degree in cancer epidemiology at the University of Tampere, Finland.

Joining the ACHORD team is an exciting opportunity for Calypse.  It provides a unique platform for him to learn more about research in health services and health outcomes. His background in cancer epidemiology is vital in extended research on the burden/surveillance of multi-morbidities in the diabetic population. Academia apart, Calypse is a budding composer/singer.

Publications

BioMed Experts Profile

Research Associate

Samantha graduated with A Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Spanish from the University of Alberta in 1997. She then completed a Master’s of Science in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Alberta in 2001. Samantha still felt she had not tortured herself enough, so she pursued a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Alberta, completing it in 2009. Her PhD dissertation focused on the moderating role of different antidiabetic therapies on the outcome of cancer mortality in people with type 2 diabetes. This very exciting research topic has allowed Samantha to pursue various collaborations and opportunities with a number of colleagues in places such as British Columbia, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. Samantha has been with the ACHORD group for 9 years and enjoys the rich and diverse research environment that surrounds her.

Samantha spends her spare time playing tennis, mountain biking, hiking and backpacking, cross-country skiing, running, and playing with her chocolate lab BACA.

Assistant Scientific Director

Serena is the Assistant Scientific Director of the Obesity, Diabetes and Nutrition Strategic Clinical Network (ODN SCN). Serena brings to her role as Assistant Scientific Director experience in health research and health service delivery, with an emphasis on primary care and chronic disease management. As Assistant Scientific Director, Serena works with the leadership team of the ODN SCN to engage the academic community in Alberta, as well as external stakeholders. Serena graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Anthropology from McMaster University in 1998. She completed a Master's of Science in Health Research Methodologies at McMaster in 2002. Serena completed her PhD in Health Policy and Management in the University of Alberta's School of Public Health in 2013. Serena's dissertation research explored how program policy and management decisions are made and translated into actions in health care organizations. Prior to returning to university to pursue her PhD, Serena worked in both the private and public sectors in the areas of health research and health service delivery innovation. Serena brings experience in health research, policy and program management to her role as Assistant Scientific Director.

Serena is an active volunteer in her community, dedicating her spare time to helping with local youth and arts programs.

Office Coordinator

Sherry Lydynuik joined the ACHORD Group in April of 2006. Sherry also hails from Saskatchewan like many people in ACHORD.  In 1996, Sherry started working at the University of Alberta in the Ocular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology.  Sherry is also very happy to be an Edmontonian and to be part of the growing and ever changing ACHORD Group.

Publications

Data Analyst

Jashu was raised in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and graduated from the University of Alberta in 2007 with a combined Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Education degree majoring in Mathematics and a minor in Biological Sciences. Though teaching was an amazing experience, continued interest in mathematics brought her to choose further education and in 2009 she completed her Master’s of Science degree in Biostatistics under the co-supervision of Dr. Dean Eurich and Dr. Edit Gombay.

Joining ACHORD was quite a logical choice for Jashu. It is the perfect fit by combining her love for numbers with her desire to help others, and make an impact on society.  She is excited to be working with this team, and is hoping that her time here will contribute to improved data analysis. Jashu’s hobbies include ice hockey, ball hockey, playing alto saxophone and learning to play the piano. She likes to be active, and is looking forward to spending time outside.

Publications

Project Coordinator

Clark graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics. An ongoing interest in health, particularly obesity and physical activity, eventually led him to the University of Saskatchewan where he completed a Master’s of Science degree in Kinesiology looking at the relationship of sugar-sweetened drink intake and physical activity level to fat mass in youth.

Clark’s work for his Master’s opened his eyes to the widespread obesity epidemic, its related complications, and the growing burden it exerts on the health care system. It also sparked his interest in public health and epidemiological studies. Clark joins ACHORD as a project coordinator hoping to positively contribute to public health research in preventing diabetes, as well as improving the general well being of existing diabetics.

Much of Clark’s spare time is taken up with being active and preventing personal obesity. Like many good Canadians he can’t play enough hockey but he also enjoys rowing, weightlifting, cycling, in-line skating, backpacking and trying to fatigue his energetic dogs.

Statistical Analyst

Weiyu Qiu was born and grew up in Nanjing, China, a beautiful historic city which does not lack modern elements. Weiyu completed her BSc degree in Applied Mathematics in 2007 at Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China.  During her undergraduate study, she gradually discovered her true interest and talent, which brought her to Canada to finish an MSc degree in Statistics at University of Alberta in 2009. Then her desire to spread statistics in health related applications promoted her completion of another MSc degree in Epidemiology at University of Alberta in 2011.

Joining the ACHORD right after her graduation makes Weiyu call herself “a lucky girl”. The job perfectly satisfies her passion in applying statistical methodologies to epidemiologic and biostatistical issues in health sciences, and also allows her to keep close to the friends she made in Edmonton during the past four years. For her spare time, reading, traveling, and photography are the top three things on her list.  She also loves what most people think Chinese are good at: table tennis and badminton, but unfortunately, no Chinese Kungfu.

Publications

ABCD Program Manager

Sandra graduated from the University of Alberta in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. In addition to working in a hospital and community pharmacy, Sandra was involved in research at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Alberta before joining the Alberta Drug Utilization Program (ADUP) in 1999. Sandra spent 5 years with ADUP as the Trial Prescription Program Manager and one of the program’s Academic Detailers – providing physicians with evidence based information during one to one visits in their clinic offices with the goal of optimizing patient care.

In 2005, Sandra joined the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) as the Alberta Liaison Officer tasked with increasing awareness of CADTH’s programs and services, and facilitating the use of evidence based information in decisions about health technologies. After 2 years in this role, Sandra moved to the Canadian Medication Prescribing and Utilization Service (COMPUS), a division of CADTH, as Manager of Implementation Support.

In her role as manager, she supported the national implementation and evaluation of COMPUS’ optimal practice intervention program.

Sandra is excited to be working with the ACHORD group as the Manager of the Alberta’s Caring for Diabetes Project.

Publications

Project Coordinator

Allison comes to the ABCD project with 5 years of community nursing experience, and a newly finished MPH degree in Global Health. Her main interest areas are access to health care, using research to develop and improve health programming, and health program evaluation. She loves the interdisciplinary aspects of public health and health promotion, collaborating among all sectors towards a common goal – Improved Health for All. Even though her previous project experience has taken her around the world, she is ready and committed to improving the health of Albertans here at home. Her other side is a contemporary dancer, with occasional shows around Edmonton. She also enjoys biking in the river valley, backpacking and of course, traveling. Allison is very excited to help and share in all stages of the ABCD project.

Publications

BioMed Experts Profile

Research Librarian

Lisa obtained her Master of Library and Information Studies degree from the University of Alberta in 1994.

Lisa has extensive expertise in systematic review searching through her work with the former Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Health Technology Assessment Unit (currently with the Institute for Health Economics), the Cochrane Renal Group located at the Clinical Research Center for Rare Diseases Aldo e Cele Daccò in Italy, the Cochrane Child Health Field, and the Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence (ARCHE).  She has also taught graduate level sessions on systematic review searching and evidence-based medical resources at the University of Alberta.

Lisa joined ACHORD in January 2010 and holds a cross appointment with the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library.

 Publications

Project Coordinator, ABCD

Lisa is a medical anthropologist specializing in qualitative and evaluation methods with experience working in community, clinical, and academic settings. Before joining the ACHORD group in April 2010, Lisa was a Research Associate at Charis Management Consulting Inc., where she worked as part of a team conducting health research and evaluation at the local, provincial, and national level. As a former Knowledge Exchange Specialist in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, Lisa assisted in establishing the Knowledge Mobilization: About Addictions and Mental Health (Know Mo) project.  From 2003 to 2007, Lisa was a Research Associate in the Centre for Health Promotion Studies at the University of Alberta.  She managed several multi-methods research projects examining health, social and economic barriers to service utilization among people who inject drugs in Edmonton's inner city.  In addition, Lisa‘s thesis research examined the explanatory models of gestational diabetes among immigrant women and clinical staff at a local Diabetes Outpatient Clinic to improve communication and service provision.  She is a member of the Health Research Transfer Network of Alberta.