Clinical Trials BC Symposium 2023: Approaches for Accessible Clinical Trials
November 28 | Vancouver, BC
Hybrid event
About the symposium
Our symposium brings together BC’s clinical trials community to share knowledge and discuss how we can build a more robust clinical trials ecosystem that improves health and healthcare across the province. This year’s theme focuses on new approaches, technology, pathways and regulatory initiatives that make clinical trials more accessible for participants, trialists, clinical trial professionals and administrators, communities and other relevant parties.
Location
- In-person: Jack Poole Hall â Robert H. Lee UBC Alumni Centre, Vancouver, BC
- Virtual: via Zoom
Meet our keynote speaker
Dr. Nikhil Joshi, M.D., FRCPC
Clinical Immunologist and Allergist
- Founder of Clinical Trial Hero – a mobile app to help patients find clinical trials
- Author of âThe Companionâ and âThe End of Sufferingâ available on Amazon
- Creator and host of âDr. Câ on CBC Radio
- Worldâs Best Radio Health Documentary (2014)
More information below.
Registration
Admission is free with in-person seats reserved for BC-based attendees. Register now.
Event agenda
This event will feature a keynote talk and panel discussions with diverse topics and speakers. Agenda and programming will be available ahead of the event.
Speakers
Keynote: Dr. Nikhil Joshi, M.D., FRCPC, Clinical Immunologist and Allergist
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Dr. Nikhil Joshi is an internist, clinical immunologist, cancer survivor, award-winning writer and former national radio host. His program âDr. Câ dealt with his journey with Hodgkin lymphoma as a medical resident and was awarded ‘World’s Best Health Documentary’.
After earning his undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary, Dr. Joshi received his medical degree at St. Johnâs Memorial University, followed by an internal medicine residency and further specialization in allergy and immunology at the University of Manitoba. He is a chief editor for Canadian Allergy & Immunology Today.
His experience as a patient led to his latest venture, a mobile app called âClinical Trial Heroâ. This free multiplatform app helps patients find clinical trials of interest near them. It was recently awarded the Big Future Innovation Grant from Alberta Central. He is CEO of this promising start-up and primary investigator for a number of clinical trials. |
Dr. Jacqui Whiteway, PhD, Senior Director, Centre for Paediatric Clinical Development, ICON
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Dr. Jacqui Whiteway brings more than 18 years scientific and leadership experience in the clinical research industry to her current role as senior director and head pediatric strategy liaison in the Centre for Paediatric Clinical Development (CPCD) at ICON, a leading global contract research organization (CRO). Her PhD in molecular biology and research experience gained at the BC Cancer Research Centre and in a startup biotech company inspired her to pursue the unique challenges of clinical trials. Her industry and leadership experience grew in the CRO environment through a variety of roles from biometrics to therapeutic expertise, including leading a global feasibility team before joining the CPCD. Jacqui has contributed to over 500 clinical studies for over 250 sponsors across all therapeutic areas, with a growing focus on those impacting children.
Driven by compassionate curiosity, Jacquiâs passion for clinical trial planning arises from the need to devise optimal and innovative approaches for conducting challenging studies so as to get safe medicines to people, especially children, sooner. |
Jane Myles, Program Director, Decentralized Trials and Research Alliance (DTRA)
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Jane has over 25 years of experience improving clinical trials and patient experiences. She has focused on driving innovation in trial design and execution to accelerate getting medicines to patients. Jane transitioned from molecule focus to portfolio focus about 13 years ago, first concentrating on patient recruitment, then patient experience and input, followed by adoption of patient-facing technology. In her current role as program director for the Decentralized Trials and Research Alliance (DTRA), she merges these focus areas. She also serves as chairperson for Curebaseâs Strategic Advisory Board, building decentralized clinical trial (DCT) technology and services to increase trial access and inclusion.
Most recently, Jane was vice president of Innovation at Curebase from 2021-2023. Prior to that, she worked at Roche/Genentech for 17 years in various roles including operational program manager for hematology where she helped drive global implementation of patient-facing technology into trials. Jane has also held positions leading global trials at Lilly, Sanofi, small biotechs, and niche CROs. Sheâs a Canuck who loves San Francisco and the beach. |
Munaza Jamil, Lead, Monitoring Program, Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network (MICYRN) & Faculty, Applied Clinical Research Program, McMaster University
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Munaza is a certified clinical research professional, with 22 years of experience in clinical research, mostly in the academic health care environment. Over the years, she has managed studies across multiple therapeutic areas, such as oncology, cardiovascular surgery, and endocrinology, to name a few. She has worked in both adult and pediatric settings, and has experience with all phases of clinical trials.
Munaza currently works at MICYRN, where she oversees the cross institutional monitoring program. Munazaâs work experience includes leadership roles at several excellent health care institutions, overseeing large complex teams facilitating the start-up, execution, and close out of clinical research projects. Munaza is on the faculty at McMaster University, where she teaches in the applied clinical research program. She is co-chair of the N2 Clinical Trials Education and Awareness Committee. She is a member of the Executive Board at ACRP Canada. She also sits on the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trials Competency at the MRCT Center of Brigham & Womenâs and Harvard, which has defined the core competency framework for clinical research professionals globally. |
Lisa Elser, Patient Partner
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Lisa Elser is a retired IT professional and passionate advocate for haematological cancer research. She spent 25 years working for companies like Bell Laboratories, NCR and Sun Microsystems and consulted to some of the largest banks and insurance companies in the world. She is now one of the top gem cutters in North America and has her work in the Smithsonian. When her husband was diagnosed with Myeloma in 2014 she got her introduction to blood cancers and wants to ensure that patients in BC have access to world class research. |
More speakers will be announced soon
About Clinical Trials BC
We are part of Michael Smith Health Research BC, BCâs health research agency. We are strengthening the provincial clinical trials ecosystem. Guided by the organization’s strategy, our work is aimed at enabling the clinical trials environment by: building talent and capacity; improving the provincial capability to conduct trials; and maximizing their economic benefit.