Celebrating Department Success

Whether you're a prospective student, a current member of our department, or a collaborator, we invite you to explore the incredible work being done by our faculty and staff. Their dedication to research, education, and community engagement is what makes our department thrive.

Help us celebrate by making submissions for this page here. 

Summer 2026 Spotlight Stories

Faculty Excellence

• Dr. Manuel Mattheisen and Dr. Mark Asbridge receive Faculty of Medicine awards
  Congratulations to Dr. Manuel Mattheisen and Dr. Mark Asbridge, recipients of 2026 Faculty of Medicine Awards of Excellence, presented at the Annual Faculty Meeting on June 2.
  
  Dr. Mattheisen received the Excellence in Clinical (Research Faculty) Research Award, which honours outstanding contributions to clinical research. His work reflects a strong commitment to advancing knowledge and improving health outcomes through impactful research.
  
  Dr. Asbridge was awarded the Excellence in Research Mentorship of Trainees Award, recognizing his exceptional dedication to mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research staff, and medical learners. His guidance continues to shape and support the next generation of researchers and health professionals.
  
  Together, these awards celebrate the vital role of both research excellence and mentorship in advancing the Faculty of Medicine's mission.
  
  
• Dr. Gabriela Ilie receives funding to support new breast cancer patient clinical trial
  Dr. Gabriela Ilie and her team have secured approximately $546,898 CAD in funding through the QEII Foundation, with support from major donors including CIBC, to advance the Breast Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PEP) randomized clinical trial.
  
  This three-year study, conducted in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health, will support the implementation and evaluation of Breast Cancer PEP—aimed at improving outcomes, quality of life, and empowerment for individuals diagnosed with breast cancer. The project has received Research Ethics Board approval and is now moving forward to trial initiation.
  
  Read more here.
  
  
• Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed honoured with Doctors Nova Scotia Health Promotion Award
  Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed has received the Doctors Nova Scotia Health Promotion Award, recognizing her outstanding contributions to health promotion, safety, and preventative care across the province.
  
  Through her leadership at Dalhousie University and her work in public health, Dr. Watson-Creed has championed equity, community engagement, and upstream approaches to health. From advancing inclusive medical education to shaping more resilient public health systems, her work continues to strengthen the health and well-being of Nova Scotians.
  
  
• Drs. Ilie and Rutledge join community gathering on health and well-being
  Dr. Gabriela Ilie and Dr. Rob Rutledge were invited to Corner Brook, Newfoundland, on May 21 to join Chief Lavers’ community for a public talk and shared conversation focused on health and well-being.
  
  The gathering brought together perspectives on health, food, and community, grounded in respect for lived experience and the connection between land, well-being, and traditional ways of living. The session also offered practical approaches to illness prevention and navigating the healthcare system.
  
  Part of a series of national invitations, the visit reflects a commitment to community-engaged research, respectful knowledge sharing, and advancing health and well-being through connection and collaboration.

Staff Achievements

• Coming soon!

Student Success

• Incoming MSc student Jordan Cole awarded
  Congratulations to Jordan Cole, an incoming MSc student in the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology supervised by Dr. Gabriela Ilie, who has received both a Faculty of Medicine Graduate Studentship and a CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s award. These achievements highlight Jordan’s strong academic potential and reflect CH&E’s commitment to mentorship, trainee success, and research advancing cancer survivorship, patient-reported outcomes, and quality of life.

Recent Publications & Projects

Highlights from recent research, community initiatives, and strategic collaborations. 

• Fahima Hassan (MSc) explores key risk factors for mood and anxiety disorders in Canada in HPCDP
  Fahima Hassan (MSc, Epidemiology & Applied Health Research) has published new research in Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada (HPCDP), a peer-reviewed journal of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Co-authored with Dr. Cindy Feng, the study analyzes national data from more than 100,000 respondents to examine shared and distinct risk factors for mood and anxiety disorders. The findings highlight important disparities across age, gender, income, and self-perceived health, underscoring the need for targeted, equity-informed mental health interventions in Canada.
  
  Read more here.
  
  
• Trainee-led research advances prostate cancer survivorship
  Dr. Wyatt MacNevin, resident in the Department of Urology, CH&E PhD student Ryan Lukic, Dr. Gabriela Ilie, and colleagues have published a new article in the Canadian Urological Association Journal titled “Psychological distress in prostate cancer: Validation of the K10 scale using a crossover randomized clinical trial.”
  
  Developed from a project Ryan Lukic initiated in Measurement 6080, the study highlights the value of mentorship and applied learning in producing impactful research. The work contributes to prostate cancer survivorship by supporting improved assessment of psychological distress among men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
  
  Read more here.
  
  
• Contributing to global perspectives on prostate cancer survivorship
  Dr. Gabriela Ilie is a co-author on a new chapter in the American Society of Clinical Oncology Educational Book titled “Balancing Cure and Quality of Life: Navigating Functional Outcomes in Localized Prostate Cancer,” published in 2026.
  
  The chapter provides a multidisciplinary overview of treatment decision-making, functional outcomes, and psychosocial survivorship, addressing patient priorities alongside surgical and radiation considerations. It explores urinary, sexual, and bowel outcomes, as well as psychological distress, decisional regret, and broader survivorship needs.
  
  This work contributes to global clinical and research discussions focused on ensuring prostate cancer care considers both cure and quality of life, aligning with ongoing research in survivorship and patient empowerment within the department.
  
  Read more here.

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