Data management is the process of collecting, cleaning and managing data while adhering to regulatory standards and practices. Our data managers are involved in all stages of the research process, with a focus on assuring overall accuracy, integrity and quality of the data.
Data Clerk
Ms. Maria Agda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce. She joined the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network at CHÉOS as a Data Clerk in 1993. Maria maintains databases and creates and maintains filing systems for confidential documents according to established procedures.
Prior to joining CTN/CHEOS, Maria worked for CIBC & Chevron main office.
Data Management Operations Lead
BA (Hons), Certified Clinical Data Manager
A university-educated and industry-certified clinical data management professional with 17 years’ experience, Erica is the Data Management Operations Lead at CHÉOS/CTN. She is responsible for the organization and execution of CHÉOS/CTN data processes and strategies, including all data capture, storage, and retrieval processes. In addition to comprehensive data management activities for specific trials, from study start-up to database lock, Erica provides team oversight for the data management team and support staff, scope forecasting and projections, and cross-functional collaboration on work processes and standard operating procedure development.
Data Manager
Elisa joined CHÉOS in January 2021. She has previously worked at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) and the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD). Elisa holds a Bachelor of Science in genomics from UBC.
Senior Data Manager
Julia joined CHÉOS and the CTN in February 2022 as a Senior Data Manager. She worked at BC-CfE as a Data Analyst for nine years, where she performed data analyses for research projects and study cohorts. She has a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Health Information and Computer Science. She plans to successfully apply her strong analytical skills in SAS software and SQL language to this position.
Our project managers are experts in the regulatory, policy, budgeting, and implementation requirements for clinical research studies. Project managers are integral to the success of any research project, acting as a bridge between different members of the research team and other service providers.
Project Manager
B.MLSc., MPH
Ms. Judy Chiu is a Project Manager working with Drs. Nick Bansback and Wei Zhang.
Project Manager
Allison joined CHÉOS and the CTN in February 2021 as a Project Manager. She has 11 years of clinical research coordination experience from the Department of Neurology, and the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Recently, she spent 4 years as a Clinical Project Manager at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre in the area of spinal cord injury research. Allison holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of British Columbia and is a Certified Clinical Research Professional with the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA).
Project Manager
Project Manager
MBBS, MPH, CCRP, CCRA
Mr. Jayaraman is an experienced clinical research professional who is involved in project management, site management, site coordination, and monitoring for CHÉOS/CTN studies.
Project Manager
B.Sc.
Salima Jutha is a clinical trial specialist with over 14 years of experience in coordinating and managing clinical trials. She obtained her B.Sc. in Biology from SFU and has taken specialty courses in clinical research at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Her expertise is in ensuring GCP compliance at the site and sponsor level, Health Canada regulatory submissions, and safety and project management.
Recent projects include the North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI) study, for which she had a dual role as both trial coordinator and clinical project manager. She currently is the Clinical Trial Manager for the Study to Assess Long-Term Opioid Maintenance Effectiveness (SALOME) and also coordinates other CHÉOS-delegated studies.
Project Manager
Eisha joined CHÉOS in February 2022 as a Project Manager for the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. She previously worked for CHÉOS in the Data Management team back in 2017. With a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and previous working experience in substance use research, Eisha hopes to bring a meaningful perspective to this study.
Senior Project Manager
B.Sc., CCRP
Ms. Love joined CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) in October 2016. She is a certified clinical research professional with over 20 years’ experience in a variety of research settings, including at the site level, with sponsor-investigators, and at contract research organizations. Her primary role is to provide project management support to CHÉOS and CTN-supported investigators, as well as develop research training materials and programs.
Senior Project Manager
PhD
Judy Needham joined CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) as a Project Manager in 2017. She has more than 9 years’ experience providing leadership and oversight in the management and coordination of investigator-initiated and industry-funded clinical research studies and is an experienced research program administrator. She holds a Ph.D. in Natural Products Chemistry from the UBC and a Certificate in Clinical Research from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She is the current Advisory Committee Chair of the Clinical Research Professionals of British Columbia (CRPBC).
Project Manager
B.MLSc., DMLT, CCRP
Ms. Shoshana Parker is a Project Manager with CHEOS, currently managing studies reviewing the safety and efficacy of new asthma medications. She has been part of CHEOS as a research professional for 20 years and has worked on several different projects. Shoshana received certification from The Society of Clinical Research Associates and she also holds a Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Science from UBC and a diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology from the Michener Institute in Toronto (formerly the Toronto Institute of Medical Technology).
Project Manager
Leeanne joined CHÉOS and the CTN in March 2022 as a Project Manager. She studied at the University of Brighton, UK to become a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. Over the past 5 years, Leeanne has worked as a Senior Clinical Research Coordinator at the Pacific Lung Research Centre.
Project Manager
B.Sc., CCRP, PMP
Ms. Laura Zunino joined CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) as a Project Manager in 2019. She has extensive experience working with patients and health care professionals and specializes in the end-to-end management and monitoring of investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical research. Prior to joining CHÉOS and the CTN, Laura worked for the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario in the areas of Haematology/Oncology and Infectious Disease research. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology from McGill University, a certificate in Project Management from the University of Toronto and is certified as both a Clinical Research Professional by The Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) and a Project Management Professional by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Our operations team is responsible for the daily functioning of the Centre and for planning and implementing organizational improvements. This department includes finance, programs, administration, human resources, and computer systems.
Finance & Payroll Administrator
Systems Administrator
Joey has a bachelor’s degree in Electonics and Communication Engineering. He worked for IBM/GBM as Network Specialist in the Middle East for 8 years prior to joining CHÉOS in 2008. At CHÉOS, he is responsible in System Administration of VMware and Network infrastructure, manages our Microsoft 365, Exchange and other Windows and Linux servers.
IT Support Specialist
Duane joined CHÉOS and the CTN in March 2022 as an IT Support Specialist. With an interest in IT Automation and Administration, he will be helping to provide support and timely assistance with all IT-related issues to CHÉOS and CTN staff.
Finance Manager
BA, PCP
Ms. Shabnam Farasat joined CHEOS and CTN in 2007 and she leads all financial aspects of the centre. She holds a bachelor degree and is a certificated Payroll Compliance Practitioner
Finance Assistant
Khushpreet joined CHÉOS in February 2022 as a Finance Assistant. She holds an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Columbia College, Vancouver, BC. She comes with experience as a Finance Coordinator from Black Tusk Research Group.
Operations Coordinator
Caro Lander joined CHÉOS and the CTN in May 2021 as the Operations Coordinator (HR Team). She has experience working with social services and non-profits, most recently in homelessness services as a Shelter Manager. She holds a BA from Oxford Brookes University in the UK, and certifications in nonprofit management and communications.
Finance Coordinator
Program Operations Coordinator
Jennifer joined CHÉOS and the CTN in March 2021 as a Program Operations Coordinator. She previously worked at the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada as the Research and Health Promotion Coordinator, where she helped to manage the research portfolio and delivered various health initiatives, including the BC Public Access to Defibrillation (PAD) Program. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition and Health from the University of British Columbia.
Finance Coordinator
Janice is a Finance Coordinator at CHÉOS/CTN and maintains the financial reporting for Drs. Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes and Peter Dodek. Her day-to-day tasks include, but not limited to, invoice processing, deposits, purchase orders, and assisting other accounting staff. She has been with CHEOS/CTN since 2008 and holds a diploma in Financial Management at BCIT/Capilano University.
Trainee Program and Development Coordinator
Julie joined CHÉOS and the CTN in March 2022 as a Trainee Program & Development Coordinator. With a BSc and PhD from the University of Western Ontario and an MSc from the University of Guelph, Julie will be developing new opportunities for trainees at CHÉOS and CTN.
Executive Coordinator
Carmen Rock joined CHÉOS in 2017 as Kristin Wesland’s and Erin Cherban’s Executive Coordinator. Ms. Rock graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BA in Political Science and has spent her career working in health research. In addition to coordinating Ms. Westland’s and Ms. Cherban’s administrative portfolios, she is also working to expand CHÉOS’ training opportunities.
Events & Engagement Specialist
Elizabeth Semowo joined CHÉOS and the CTN in September 2021 as an Events and Engagement Specialist. She has over 15 years of cross-continental work experience as an event specialist and has worked with both private and government agencies to communicate ideas through events. Her expertise includes conceptualizing ideas and turning them into engaging events to communicate brand stories. In her years of experience, she has occupied roles such as Programs Coordinator at SafeCare BC, Volunteer Coordinator at Welcome Collective’s Winter Clothes Drive, amongst others. She has managed over a hundred projects back in her home country, Nigeria.
Elizabeth holds a B.A. in English from the Lagos State University.
Executive Administrative Coordinator
B.Sc.
Ms. Nicole Shum joined CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) in May 2017 as the Executive Assistant to Dr. Aslam Anis. She provides overall coordination support for administrative, financial, and research activities, such as grant applications, finance tracking, and editorial duties. Ms. Shum also volunteers at the Student Biotechnology Network as Director of Finance. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia.
Community Engagement Coordinator
Michael Smith joined CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network in April 2021 as Community Engagement Coordinator. Michael has 20 years of work, volunteer, and lived experience within the HIV community, and aided with the initial coordination of the BC People Living with HIV Stigma Index Project through the Pacific AIDS Network.
Program Assistant
Christelle holds a certificate in Human Resources Management, SFU and is currently pursuing her Bachelors in Business Administration. She comes to CHÉOS from BC Cancer Research Centre where she was the HR Admin Coordinator. Christelle provides operational support to the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) National Centre, including human resources (HR), administrative, facilities, events, communications, and special projects assistance and works closely with CHÉOS/CTN research and administrative staff, as well as CHÉOS faculty.
Director of Operations
Ms. Kristin Westland joined CHÉOS in 2010 as Director of Operations after working as the Programme Manager for the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia. She is also the Chief Administrative Officer for the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network and has previously served as the Director of Operations for the provincial B.C. Centre for Improved Cardiovascular Health.
Senior Operations Manager
Ms. Gina Willis joined CHÉOS and the CTN in 2014. Involved in a range of centre operations, she manages the administration of financial, human resources, facility, communications, and operations functions, including CHÉOS’ research support and grant facilitation services. Ms. Willis previously worked for the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Simon Fraser University and has a certificate in Project Management.
Human Resources Manager
BA
Rana Young joined CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network in 2015 and supports the centre of 130+ staff and research personnel as Human Resources Manager. With a focus on organizational behaviour, Rana brings a wealth of experience from a variety of professional settings including health care, academic, and government agency sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Literature from the University of British Columbia.
Systems Administrator
Our regulatory and quality affairs department manages the infrastructure and guidelines for creating, maintaining, and enhancing administrative, regulatory, and quality assurance systems associated with conducting clinical trials and other research projects.
Director of Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance
Ms. Nohynek has the overall responsibility of developing, facilitating and executing regulatory strategies to support Network studies and to oversee the maintenance and compliance of quality systems.
She holds a B.Sc. (honours) from the University of Waterloo (1998), a M.Sc. from the University of Toronto (2000), and a RAC certification (2006) granted by the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS). She has more than ten years of industry experience that includes the development of regulatory strategies throughout various phases of clinical investigation, extensive interactions with regulatory authorities, and preparation and submission of applications to health agencies in Canada, the United States, and Europe. In addition, she has implemented and maintained quality systems, prepared for and participated in agency audits, and developed internal training programs.
Ms. Nohynek has worked for small to mid-size biotech and medical device companies as well as with large pharma. She is an executive member of RAPS’ Southern B.C. chapter and a professional member of the Canadian Association of Professionals in Regulatory Affairs.
Our research staff form the backbone of many of our research programs, assisting Scientists in developing research plans and protocols, conducting studies, and publishing results. This group includes research assistants, projects coordinators, evaluation specialists, and methodologists.
Research Analyst
Alison is a Research Analyst for the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. She holds Master of Public Health and Master of Library and Information Studies degrees from the University of British Columbia. She has previous research experience at the BC Centre for Disease Control and the BC Coroners Service.
Research Assistant
Scott Beaumont is a Research Assistant working with Dr. Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes.
Project Coordinator
Ms. Mai Berger is a Project Coordinator with Dr. Amy Salmon. She is currently completing her MSc at the UBC School of Population and Public Health.
Research Assistant
Mary Berger works on a blood plasma study with Dr. Nick Bansback and Adam Easterbrook. She is helping with the qualitative phase of the study.
Research Coordinator
Sarah Blawatt joined CHÉOS in December 2021 as a Research Coordinator for Dr. Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes and will be working on the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. Sarah comes to the team with over a decade of experience working in low-barrier, harm reduction service provision for people who use substances and has a background in social justice, gender studies, and critical theory. Currently, Sarah is a PhD Student with UBC’s School of Populations and Public Health.
Research Assistant
Brittany Buffone joined CHÉOS in 2020 as a research assistant (pharmacy) working with Dr. Wei Zhang. She previously completed a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology at McGill University and an Entry-to-Practice Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of British Columbia. Next, she will be pursuing a hospital residency with Lower Mainland Pharmacy Services.
Research Assistant
José Carvajal joined CHÉOS in June 2021 as a research assistant for Dr. Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes in the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. José holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Human Geography from the University of British Columbia and is currently working towards a Master of Arts degree in Geography at the University of British Columbia, focusing on environmental politics in the Arctic region.
Research Assistant
Cindy joined CHÉOS in October 2021 as a Research Assistant for Dr. Joseph Puyat’s team. Currently, Cindy is working toward a Master of Science in UBC’s School of Population and Public Health. Her research interest lies in investigating facilitators and barriers to accessing mental health services and identifying health disparities in young adults.
Project Coordinator
Laura Dale is a project coordinator working with Dr. Bohdan Nosyk. She has a Bachelor of Science from McGill University and a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of British Columbia. Laura’s primary research interests are in the policies, programs, and systems surrounding substance use. She is interested in the translation of research evidence to facilitate policy decision-making with a focus on health equity and the social determinants of health.
Research Methodologist
Mr. Sameer Desai is a Research Methodologist at CHÉOS. He works closely with Dr. Joseph Puyat and CHÉOS statisticians to provide methodological and statistical support to hospital researchers. He has a M.Sc. in the field of Population Health and currently a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia.
Research Assistant
Sophia is a Research Assistant for the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. She will soon graduate with a BSc in Behavioural Neuroscience and a BA in English Literature from Simon Fraser University.
Research Methodologist
Mr. Adam Easterbrook is a Research Methodologist at CHÉOS. He previously worked at the University of Alberta as a Research Associate. Adam’s research has focused on exploring the experiences of various marginalized/vulnerable groups, which has included engaging in several knowledge translation endeavours. Adam will be working with Dr. Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes’ team on the PORTIA study.
Research Assistant
Avarna Fernandes is a Research Assistant with Dr. Josie Geller.
Qualitative Methodologist
Saranee Fernando (MPH) is a Qualitative Methodologist for the Evaluation Team at CHÉOS. Saranee has a Master of Public Health degree, with a specialization in Health Promotion. Her experience conducting community-based research spans over eight years, with projects ranging from the overdose response in BC, to health service utility of people living with HIV. Currently, she is also involved in qualitative research and evaluation in the areas of youth mental health, chronic illness, and health technology assessment.
Research Assistant
Rhys joined CHÉOS in March 2022 as a Research Assistant for the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. With a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Rhys is excited to help create new knowledge that aids under-served, local communities.
Research Assistant
Adrian joined CHÉOS in March 2022 as a Research Assistant for the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. Adrian previously worked at the BCCDC as an Administrative Assistant. He has a BSc in Health Sciences from SFU and is currently working towards a certificate in Technical Writing at BCIT.
Community Research Assistant
Jennifer Hawkins joined CHÉOS in July 2021 as a Community Research Assistant, providing support on the Fraser East Overdose Response (FEOR) project. She has collaborated with Dr. Amy Salmon’s team since 2018, leveraging her position as a Community Health Specialist with Fraser Health to activate stakeholders around novel and relevant approaches towards addressing overdose in Chilliwack. Jennifer’s community development work is deeply rooted in her seminary training at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where she earned her Master of Arts.
Project Coordinator
Ihoghosa (Muyi) Iyamu is working as a Project Coordinator with Dr. Amy Salmon. He is a public health physician with a Master’s Degree in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid from the Humanitarian Aid Studies Center Almeria, Spain. He has over 6 years of experience in public health spanning across health insurance, mHealth, NCD control and HIV/AIDS programming. Most recently, he served as the documentation lead on the FHI 360 led Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV/AIDS Services (SIDHAS) project, across 13 states in Nigeria.
Research Coordinator
Ph.D, RN, MSc
Soodabeh (Soodi) is a Research Coordinator for Dr. Peter Dodek, working with him on his “Moving from Moral Distress to Moral Integrity” project. Soodi completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Applied Ethics, SPPH in 2016, and is now a visiting professor at the same center. In addition to her role at CHÉOS and as a visiting professor, Soodi is a currently a professor at the Nursing Care Research Center (NCRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences.
Research Coordinator
Danette joined CHÉOS in September 2021 as a Research Coordinator with Dr. Sarah Munro’s team and as Co-Principal Investigator for Improving Access to Family Planning Services for Indigenous Peoples through Storytelling: the STORY Project. She is currently a PhD Candidate at the SFU Faculty of Health Sciences and the Director of Research and Education for the Ekw’í7tl Indigenous Doula Collective.
Danette’s work aims to improve the quality and accessibility of reproductive health care services for Indigenous people in the city, a project near to her heart as an urban mixed-blood woman and mother with Cree, Saulteaux, French, Jewish, German, Scottish, and English ancestry.
Research Coordinator
Zeba joined CHÉOS in October 2021 as a Research Coordinator for Dr. Sarah Munro to support the ‘Improving access to family planning services for Indigenous peoples through storytelling: The STORY Project’. She grew up in Bangladesh and immigrated to Canada in 2015 as an international student. She will continue to work with Dr. Sarah Munro on her Master’s project investigating the barriers faced by immigrant youth in accessing sexual health care.
Research Assistant
Ernest Lai joined CHÉOS in September 2019 as a Research Assistant for the project Value and Limitations in Hospitalizations and Expenditure (VALHUE). The specific focus of the study is patient quality improvement and the impact of wait times on a patient’s day to day life, through collecting and analyzing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) before and after elective surgery.
Ernest also divides his time as a Project Coordinator at Footbridge Centre for Integrated Orthopedic Care, analyzing data and working with orthopedic surgeons on how to better improve clinic operations and physician practice. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics and is a current candidate for the Master of Science degree in Population and Public Health, both at the University of British Columbia.
Research Assistant
Jacob is a Research Assistant for the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. He is a recent graduate from Simon Fraser University where he majored in Health Sciences and Philosophy. He has provided support to various research teams and holds a particular interest in improving healthcare delivery.
Research Coordinator
Kurt Lock joined CHÉOS in 2005 as a Research Assistant for the North American Opioid Medication Initiative (NAOMI) clinical trial and then was employed as a coordinator for the Study to Assess Long-Term Opioid Maintenance Effectiveness (SALOME) in 2011. Kurt continues to assist in research projects at CHEOS while working on his Masters degree in Public Policy at SFU.
Project Manager
Lizzy is a Project Manager working with Dr. Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes on the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. She completed her Master of Public Health at Queen’s University with a focus on mental health, substance use, and stigma.
Research Methodologist
Research Assistant
Chidubem joined CHÉOS in August 2021 as a Research Assistant for Dr. Wei Zhang’s Health Economics team. She most recently worked for the case and contact tracing team at VCH. Chidubem holds a MPH from UBC and a MBBS from the University of Nigeria, College of Medicine.
Graduate Research Assistant
Bimbola joined CHÉOS in September 2021 as a Graduate Research Assistant with Dr. Sarah Munro’s team. She is currently a Master’s student in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences at UBC.
Bimbola earned her medical degree from the University of Szeged, Hungary before moving to Vancouver, B.C.
Research Assistant
Mr. Derek Ouyang is a Research Assistant at CHÉOS.
Epidemiologist
Micah Piske is an Epidemiologist working with Dr. Bohdan Nosyk. She holds an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a BSc from the University of British Columbia. Her research has recently focused on the cascade of care for opioid use disorder, as well as maternal and neonatal health in the context of substance use and HIV.
Research Services Manager
BSW, MBA
Ms. Jenna Pullen joined the Centre in 2019 to help support committees and process effectiveness at both CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN). With a background in relationship management within post-secondary institutions and industry in Saskatchewan, Ms. Pullen also brings front-line social work experience in crisis intervention, mental health and a variety of justice roles. Ms. Pullen received a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Regina as well as a Master’s of Business Administration from Edwards School of Business.
Research Assistant
Kyle joined CHÉOS in March 2022 as a Research Assistant for the Program of Outcomes Research on Treatment with Injectables for Addiction (PORTIA) study. He previously worked at Providence Crosstown Clinic and hopes to build connections in the community. Kyle holds a BSc in Psychology from the University of Victoria.
Research Manager
Aleyah is a Research Manager working with Dr. Sarah Munro on the ‘Improving access to family planning services for Indigenous peoples through storytelling: The STORY Project’ and the ‘Storytelling about Options and Reproductive access for Youth (The STORY Project): A Pan-Canadian Integrated Knowledge Translation Study to Improve Contraception Health Services’. She is passionate about community-driven research and policy change that supports equitable health systems.
Project Coordinator
Bianca Yeung works with Dr. Bohdan Nosyk’s Health Economics Research Unit (HERU). She supports the team’s evaluations in HIV/AIDS prevention, opioid use disorder treatment, and risk mitigation. Bianca holds a BSc in Integrated Sciences from UBC.
Research Assistant
Ms. Joanna Zelichowska is a Research Assistant for the Eating Disorders Program at Providence Health Care with CHÉOS Scientist Dr. Josie Geller.
Our programmers and developers are responsible for the design, implementation, and management of information technology solutions in areas of clinical research and health care delivery. This includes clinical systems design, systems architecture, software development, interface development, and health data exchanges.
Senior Application Developer/Analyst
Mr. Levon Ambartsoumian obtained a Masters in Mathematics from the Lomonosov Moscow State University and has a strong background in database management and IT systems’ design and development. At CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN), he is responsible for database and application servers’ deployment and administration. He also designs and supports IT applications for clinical and research programs.
Data Programmer
Stanko has been a relational database developer and software developer with the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network at CHÉOS. since 1997. He is specialized in designing, developing, testing, implementing, and maintaining new and existing databases, and creating management methods and systems to efficiently access information stored in databases. Stanko has developed GUI client/server and WEB data management, data manipulation, and data reporting applications using various programming languages and development tools.
Stanko has a master’s degree in Quantitative Economic Analysis from Sarajevo University, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Chief Information Officer
Dr. Piaseczny joined CHÉOS and the CTN in 1992. He has a master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Lodz (Poland–1978), and a Ph.D. in Natural Sciences, Health Informatics from the Medical Academy of Lodz (1984).
His work experience includes the B.C. Provincial Renal Agency, Circle Drugs, Ltd., and the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine. His professional interests include clinical trials, electronic health records, health registries, and administrative databases.
Senior Application Developer/Analyst
Victor joined CHÉOS and the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) in 2012 as a database programmer and has a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He also works with the B.C Renal Agency (BCPRA) as an application developer.
Application Developer/Administrator
Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Physics, Oracle Certified DBA
Qi undertook a postgraduate course in Physics and also obtained a Computer Science diploma/certificate at University of Regina, Canada.
Qi previously worked on systems regarding pension, life insurance, and group insurance for Canada Life Assurance. Qi also worked at Power company and Sask Health, contributing to enterprise integration, application and database support, and was involved in planning, implementing, and testing variant systems.
Qi joined CHÉOS/CTN in 2018. Major responsibilities include planning/installing/configuring/supporting many databases and Oracle Health Science suite including InForm, Central Designer, Central Coding, as well as Cognos Analysis – the systems for the Data Management Team to design, create, and operate many online clinical trial applications for different organizations and companies. Qi has a strong interest in Database Administration.
Our statisticians and health economists provide consultation and analysis services to researchers in a wide range of areas. They are involved in all stages of research, including designing analysis plans, developing and validating statistical tools, modelling and assessing cost-effectiveness, and leading analysis and publication.
Health Economist
Statistician
Dr. Guan holds a PhD in Mathematics and a Master degree in Statistics, both from the University of British Columbia.
Prior to joining CHÉOS, Dr. Guan worked as a biostatistician at the Centre for Improved Cardiovascular Health (ICVHealth) with over 6 years of experience in the cardiovascular research setting. Her projects focused on evaluating factors associated short and long-term outcomes following various cardiac procedure in BC. She specializes in methodologies including mixed effects models for longitudinal data, survival analysis, meta-analysis and Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis. She is currently working the project which aims to identify care gaps for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in BC using Canadian Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium and administrative databases.
Senior Statistician
M.Sc.
Pharmacoeconomics Program
PubMed
Research Interests
Ms. Daphne Guh joined the Pharmacoeconomics program at CHÉOS after graduating with a Master of Science in Statistics from the University of British Columbia in late 1997. Over the years, she has worked with Centre Director Dr. Aslam Anis on several projects related to the provincial drug plan regulatory policies. Her research interests have been in biostatistics and issues/methods in analyzing administrative databases. Current research projects she is working on include the North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI) clinical trial, a British Columbia population-based rheumatoid arthritis database, and a project on the cost of obesity–burden of illness.
Statistician
Mathematical Modeler
Lia holds a M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Guelph (2021). At CHÉOS, she specializes in the development and implementation of mathematical models used in research projects with the Health Economic Research Unit (HERU).
Statistician
Megan received an MSc in statistics from SFU in 2020, with a thesis focused on survival analysis applied to retention in opioid agonist treatment. She works as a statistician under Dr. Bohdan Nosyk, leading and supporting statistical analyses for his research projects.
Senior Statistician
May holds a Master of Science in Statistics from Simon Fraser University and has over 10 years of experience providing support to clinicians and epidemiologists on clinical outcomes research in cardiovascular disease, and has been working with Karin Humphries for 15 years, including being part of the beginning of the BC Center for Improved Cardiovascular Health (ICVHealth) in 2013. Her expertise lies in working with administrative databases, carrying out complex linkages, and analyses.
Senior Statistician
PhD, M.Sc.
Dr. Terry Lee is a Statistician for the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network at CHÉOS. He received his PhD in Statistics from the University of Victoria and completed his postdoctoral research fellowship at Simon Fraser University in 2009. Part of his research involved collaborating with the Public Health Agency of Canada to develop and validate statistical tools for estimating hospital morbidity rate and cancer mortality rate in Canada. Dr. Lee’s work includes providing statistical consultation and analysis service to researchers in various areas, such as HIV/AIDS, obstetrics and gynaecology, gastroenterology, and critical care.
Senior Statistician
Jeong Eun Min is a senior statistician working with Dr. Bohdan Nosyk. She provides statistical support for various research projects related with HIV/AIDS and substance use disorder. She received her MSc in Statistics from Simon Fraser University.
Health Economist
M.Sc., MA
Ms. Tima Mohammadi is a Health Economist with the pharmacoeconomics program of research, the Advancing Decision-Making in Medicine (DcIDE) group at CHÉOS.
She has a MA in Economics from Simon Fraser University and a M.Sc. in Socioeconomic Systems Engineering from the Institute for Management and Planning Studies (IMPS), Tehran. Tima has worked as a research analyst at Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE). She also held a faculty position at IMPS for seven years and conducted several research projects in economics evaluation and statistical analysis. Her research interests are focused on decision-analytic modeling and simulation, preference elicitation techniques (with a particular focus on using Bayesian methods in econometric analysis of discrete choice data), and health technology assessment.
Statistician
Monica holds a Master of Science in Statistics from Simon Fraser University and worked over 15 years analyzing outcomes from BC’s Intensive Care Unit database under Dr. Peter Dodek’s supervision. Currently she provides statistical support to multiple research projects as part of the CHEOS team.
Senior Statistician
M.Sc.
Ms. Hong Qian joined CHÉOS in June 2008. She holds a M.Sc. in Statistics from McMaster University. With over 10 years’ professional experience as a statistician working for research organizations, including the B.C. Cancer Agency and Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Ms. Qian provides statistical support to multiple projects—specifically in the areas of osteoarthritis, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. She also provides advice on study design and statistical analysis for various short-term research projects.
Senior Statistician
PhD, M.Sc.
Pharmacoeconomics Program
PubMed
Research Interests
Dr. Huiying Sun has a PhD in Mathematics from Harbin Institute of Technology, China, and a master’s degree in Statistics from University of British Columbia. She joined CHÉOS as a statistician in 2000.
Dr. Sun’s primary interest is in statistical modelling and computing. Her work includes statistical and mathematical consultation and data analysis. She has worked on cost-effectiveness studies of interventions for various diseases, such as hypertension, hip fraction, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and HIV/AIDS. The methods used in these analyses include the Markov model, Monte-Carlo simulation, probabilistic sensitivity analysis, and Bayesian meta-analysis. She is also interested in the research of HIV/AIDS epidemiology, especially health-related quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients.
Our communications experts are responsible for publicizing the success of our Scientists, staff, and organization as a whole. The communications department also assists researchers in the planning and implementation of knowledge translation, research communication, and recruitment strategies.
Communications Officer
Ms. Hannah Branch joined the communications department in the fall of 2019. She holds a degree in Human Biology from the University of Birmingham and has over eight years’ experience working in health care. Starting her career as commissioning editor of two medical journals, Hannah has since worked in other medical communications and PR roles, developing training materials and campaigns across a variety of health care areas.
Director of Communications
Michaela holds a Masters in Communications and has a breadth of experience working within health care non-profits, as well as large, publicly-traded organizations.
Currently on maternity leave
Phone: 604-682-2344 ext. 68306
Communications & Social Media Officer
Dr. Alison Müller joined CHÉOS/CTN in October 2021. While completing a PhD in physiology (University of Alberta) and a postdoctoral fellowship in digital health communications (UBC), she pursued various opportunities to engage the public about medical research. When she’s not helping our research reach a larger audience, she’s involved in other science communication ventures, including writing her biotech blog.
Communications and Knowledge Translation Manager
Mr. Sean Sinden joined the Communications Department in February of 2016. He holds a Master of Public Health degree and a Master of Science degree from UBC. Sean works with CHÉOS Scientists and staff to communicate information about research projects and their results and implications to a variety of audiences.
Phone: 604-806-8829
Our Grants and Research Development department helps researchers find and secure research funding and other support opportunities. The department also leads internal development of collaborations, partnerships, and organizational funding and support.
Director of Grants and Research Development
Iva has led teams and collaborations across these sectors to advance R&D innovation. Her experience includes proposal development as principal and co-applicant, program funding and publication of manuscripts as both first and senior authors. Iva holds a BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology from Simon Fraser University and a Ph.D. in Cancer Research from the University of British Columbia.
Grant Coordinator
Amanda Reath joined CHÉOS and the CTN in October 2021 as a Grant Coordinator. She graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a BA in Political Science and Global Studies with Social Entrepreneurship and has a background in fundraising for health research. In her role, Amanda supports by finding and securing research funding.
