For New Members

Learn about the resources available to members of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute

Membership Types

There are four types of memberships in the Libin Cardiovascular Institute with different expectations and benefits.

Libin Clinical Membership is open to nurses, physicians, surgeons and technicians working in cardiovascular care.

Libin Research Membership is open to individuals who conduct or participant in an investigative undertaking in the field of cardiovascular health.

Libin Trainee Membership is open to undergraduates, graduates, post-doctoral fellows, residents or fellows at the University of Calgary. 

Libin Community Membership is open to members of the community, global partners and professionals outside of the University of Calgary.

doctor and patient
heart in hands

Member Resources

UCalgary’s Research Services Office has a Research Opportunities Database that shows upcoming funding opportunities. Unless otherwise noted, the Grants and Awards Division in Research Services has a standard internal deadline of noon, two business days in advance of the funding agency deadline, to receive grant applications for review and approval. Applicants can still receive an optional detailed administrative review, provided that a complete copy of the application is submitted at least two weeks in advance of the funding agency deadline to allow for feedback and revisions.

The Research Management System (RMS) is a new platform that manages the pre-award, post-award and publication phases of a research grant or contract. RMS interfaces with other UCalgary systems, such as IRISS and PeopleSoft, throughout the Grants and Contracts lifecycle, with the goal of providing a seamless process for grants and award management, eliminating re-keying of data and heightening transparency into the status of applications at any time.

The CSM’s Clinical Trials Core is made up of several groups that offer everything from coordination of research to data, methods and quality assurance support. For more information, contact Sabine Moritz at sabine.moritz@ucalgary.ca.

For information on core facilities at the CSM, visit the Centre for Advanced Technologies and UCalgary Core Facilities page. For general inquiries, contact Angela Krawetz, the Director of Strategic Projects and Core Facilities at the CSM at 403.210.8114 or angela.krawetz@ucalgary.ca.

For safety information for researchers, including safety standards, codes of practice, reporting an incident, and OHS Management System, visit the Environment, Health and Safety webpage at the CSM. To complete a lab check in, or for enquiries, contact Megan McDonald, a lab safety specialist at the CSM. She can be reached at 403.210.8589 or mmcdonal@ucalgary.ca.

All research, funded or unfunded, involving humans, animals or biohazards must first be reviewed by and receive approval from the appropriate board or committee before research can begin. If your research involves any of the above, please visit UCalgary Ethics and Compliance.

The Libin team can assist you in finding contacts, handling processes at the University and getting started with your research. The Cumming School of Medicine offers numerous resources. For other must-have information and contacts, click the button below. 

Dr. Vikas Kuriachan is the Cardiac Sciences Wellness Officer and leads the physician wellness initiative within the Department of Cardiac Sciences. If you are looking for resources or want to get involved, please contact him at vpkuriac@ucalgary.ca or 403-944-3282.

Dr. Nowell Fine is the Clinical Director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. Dr. Fine assists clinical members by helping orient them to the objectives and functions of the Institute. Dr. Fine can help clinical members develop new projects or initiatives, including assistance navigating coordination and pursuing opportunities within the Institute, University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. Dr. Fine also oversees the mentorship program for early career clinical members. You can contact him at nowell.fine@albertahealthservices.ca.

  • The Mozell Core Analysis Lab is a shared resource centre within the Libin Cardiovascular Institute that manages health data, provides biostatistical and analytical consultation and translates information into knowledge for action. Contact analysiscore@ucalgary.ca for more information.
     
  • The Core Pathology Lab is a shared resource centre within the Libin Cardiovascular Institute to manage and process human and animal tissue, cultured cells and artificial samples. Services are open to all University of Calgary principal investigators, including their staff and students. Contact Dr. Yong-Xiang Chen, PhD, at yonchen@ucalgary.ca for more information.
     
  • The Centre for Health Informatics advances the mandate of the CSM’s focus on precision medicine and precision public health. It brings together data assets to foster collaboration among investigators, support grant development, recruit faculty and students, develop cutting-edge analytics, and build capacity in data science and machine-learning. Contact Dr. Cathy Eastwood, PhD, at caeastwo@ucalgary.ca for more information.
     
  • The Cardiovascular Physiology Core aids members of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute in their research to understand the impact of disease on the heart and vascular system. This support is mediated through the development and characterization of cardiovascular disease models (small animal: mouse and rat) and the ability to visualize and characterize the phenotypic changes associated with these models.  For more information contact Dr. Darrell Belke, PhD, at dbelke@ucalgary.ca.

The Libin Institute encourages members planning to submit a grant to participate in the Institute’s Test Your Concept and Internal Peer Review Programs. Available to all Libin members, these programs are designed to offer feedback, support and guidance on grant applications at the early stage of development (Test Your Concept) and once an initial draft of the proposal is written (Internal Peer Review). For information on these programs contact the Libin Operations team at libin@ucalgary.ca or visit the link below.  

The Cumming School of Medicine’s Grant Development & Research Facilitation group assists researchers with pre- and post-award processes for investigator initiated research funding. This team is your first point of contact for external funding agency applications. For questions, contact Jenna Slobozian, Manager, Grant Development at j.slobozian@ucalgary.ca or 403.210.7299.

Ideas for projects that further the Libin’s mandate of integrating research, education and clinical care can also be discussed with Dr. Lisa Petermann, the Libin’s Operations Director. She can be reached at lisa.petermann@ucalgary.ca.

  • The Research Update Seminar Series (RUSS) is a platform for trainees to present their research, get feedback from their peers and Libin faculty members, and increase knowledge about one another's research. RUSS is held biweekly.
     
  • Cardiovascular Journal Club (CJC) is an interactive platform for trainees to critically evaluate recent scientific articles.
     
  • The External Speaker Series is a monthly event featuring established researchers from outside of the University of Calgary. The program's goal is to stimulate discussion and idea exchange and enhance research collaboration.
     
  • Cardiac Sciences Grand Rounds occurs weekly from September through June and features local, national and international speakers who present their research and meet with cardiology fellows for a dedicated teaching session.

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute offers its trainee members numerous award and scholarship opportunities. For more information about our unique scholarships, summer studentships and awards, visit the link below. 

The Beat Goes on Gala is held in September to raise proceeds to support cutting-edge research and care delivery initiatives at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. This black-tie event has raised more than $5.2 million since its inception in 2014.

The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Prize for Excellence in Cardiovascular Research was established in honour of Mr. Alvin Libin for his many contributions to the AHFMR (now Alberta Innovates). This $25,000 prize is awarded to an outstanding international researcher whose work has had a major impact on the understanding, prevention, recognition, or treatment of cardiovascular disease. The event includes a public lecture.

Meet the Libin Operations Team

Lisa Petermann, Operations Director

Operations Director

Dr. Lisa Petermann, PhD
lisa.petermann@ucalgary.ca

Lisa oversees all of the Libin Institute’s operations and program development. She also works closely with the leadership team and Strategic Advisory board. If you have an idea for a project or initiative, need a contact for your grant or project, want assistance working through University systems, or just want to find out more about the Institute, please contact Lisa.

Melanie King

Director of Program Development & Implementation

Dr. Melanie King, PhD
melanie.king1@ucalgary.ca

Melanie leads the Precision Medicine Initiative and facilitates the integration, governance, and analysis of data for cardiovascular research in collaboration with the Department of Cardiac Sciences, the Centre for Health Informatics, and the Mozell Family Analysis Core. Melanie is an education and program specialist and is developing capacity-building opportunities for clinicians and analysts in the use of cardiovascular data for research. If you want to know more, or if you have questions or ideas about your practice or research that could be addressed using existing data sources, please reach out to Melanie. 

lauren drogos

Program Director

Dr. Lauren Drogos, PhD

lldrogos@ucalgary.ca

Lauren oversees the Libin Institute's Initiatives, including the Women's Health Initiative, which works to address knowledge and treatment gaps in women’s cardiovascular research and clinical care by incorporating biological sex and sociocultural gender considerations. Contact Lauren if you have questions about including sex and gender perspectives in your research at the Libin institute, or if you have questions or input for the Libin's Initiatives.

Christina Faulkner

Clinical Innovation, Technology, Transformation & Education

Christina Faulkner

cfaulkne@ucalgary.ca

Christina works with clinicians, researchers and industry with the goal of actively connecting clinicians and researchers to bolster the academic medicine mandate of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and enhance transdisciplinary collaboration. With more than 15 years experience in post-graduate education, Christina assists with the development of new clinical fellowship programs and is a resource for existing programs across the Institute. If you want to know more or have questions or ideas, please reach out.

 

janelle Hastings

Operations Manager

Janelle Hastings
janelle.hastings@ucalgary.ca

Janelle manages the financial and administrative operations for the institute. She is responsible for budget creation, fund transfers, invoice creation and payments for the institute. She also manages space and access requests for the Libin footprint, Core Lab services and IT. If you have any questions regarding space or finances, please reach out to Janelle.

Heather Agren

Clinical Innovation Initiative Director

Heather Agren RN, BN

heather.agren@ucalgary.ca

Heather is responsible for the planning and execution of the new Clinical Innovation Initiative. As the Libin liaison to the Department of Cardiac Sciences, Heather works to extend the bridge of engagement for Libin clinical members through programs such as the Academic Mentoring Program, Clinical-Research Integration Program, education initiatives for Nurse members of the Institute and an interdisciplinary Wellness Program.  If you have any inquiries or suggestions for these programs, please contact Heather.

Dawn Smith

Senior Communications Officer

Dawn Smith
dawn.smith@ucalgary.ca

Dawn oversees all external and internal communications for the Institute and coordinates media coverage with the Cumming School of Medicine. If you, or a colleague or student, publish a paper, win an award, receive a grant or are asked to comment to the media, please let Dawn know and she will share the good news. She can also assist you with social media, website creation and marketing materials.

Megan Smith

Event Specialist

Megan Smith
megan.smith3@ucalgary.ca

Megan coordinates external and internal events for the Institute providing a range of services from on-site support, logistics management, venue and vendor recommendations and negotiations,  project management and execution. This includes member-driven events, community outreach, conferences, meetings, celebrations, recognition events and Gala, to name a few. If you have questions, or have an idea for an event or community engagement opportunity, please contact Megan.

Stacey Brown

Digital Engagement Specialist

Stacey Brown

stacey.brown@ucalgary.ca

Stacey oversees the Libin Institute's social media strategy, marketing and website. She is a graphic designer with experience in digital and print advertising. Contact Stacey with questions about your marketing and promotional needs. 

 

 

Amanda Wagner

Community Engagement Specialist

Amanda Wagner

amanda.wagner@ucalgary.ca

Amanda supports the Institute in accomplishing its mission and goals by developing and implementing strategies to nurture a positive community presence. Amanda helps establish, maintain, and coordinate effective relationships and dialogue with Institute researchers, key internal and external partners, and relevant support teams within the CSM. Amanda helps to create awareness and engagement from internal and external community members. If you have any suggestions, questions, community events or would like resources, please reach out to Amanda. 

headshot of Alina

Operations Coordinator

Alina Kotylova

alina.kotylova@ucalgary.ca

Alina supports the Libin Cardiovascular Institute’s Operations Team and helps keep it running. She also supports research and education initiatives. Alina fosters collaboration between research members of the Institute, and connects members and trainees with relevant funding opportunities and resources. If you would like to learn more about research and education supports available, please contact Alina. 

photo of Samantha Morahan

Clinical Engagement Specialist

Samantha Morahan

samantha.morahan@ucalgary.ca

Samantha is a dedicated liaison to the Department of Cardiac Sciences, guiding clinical members in fostering collaborations and advancing impactful initiatives. She leads the planning and execution of the Clinical Innovation Initiatives such as Heart Failure, the Calgary Aortic Program, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, and Cardio-Oncology. She welcomes clinical members to connect for any inquiries or suggestions they might have.