The AMMI Canada Lifetime Achievement Award honours exceptional contributions by AMMI Canada members in the fields of infectious disease and/or medical microbiology. This recognition is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in one or more of the following areas: clinical care, research, education, administration, or advocacy.
John Conly CM MD DSc(Hon) is a Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Calgary with cross appointments to the Departments of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, former Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services in Calgary, Canada and the current Medical Director for Infection Prevention and Control. He was a former President of the Canadian Infectious Disease Society, a past Chairman of the Board for the Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance, past Chair of the WHO IPC Research & Development Expert Group for COVID-19, a current member of the Canadian Advisory Group on AMR and the Co-Director of the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Antimicrobial Resistance and for Appropriate Use of Antimicrobials. He has published over 500 manuscripts, book chapters, technical reports and guidelines and received multiple career honours in teaching, research, mentorship, and service, including the CAPM Ronald Christie Award for outstanding contributions to academic medicine in Canada, the FNG Starr Award from the CMA recognizing outstanding and inspiring lifetime achievement, an Honorary Doctorate and the Order of Canada. He holds multiple Fellowships and continues as an active consultant in clinical infectious diseases with current interests which focus on AMR, stewardship, prevention of hospital-acquired infections and novel innovations in healthcare.
The AMMI Canada Lifetime Achievement Award honours exceptional contributions by AMMI Canada members in the fields of infectious disease and/or medical microbiology. This recognition is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in one or more of the following areas: clinical care, research, education, administration, or advocacy.
Dr. Brian Conway is a distinguished Canadian infectious diseases specialist and clinician-scientist whose career has spanned more than four decades, with a focus on improving care for vulnerable and underserved populations. After training at McGill University, the University of Manitoba, and Harvard University, he held academic positions at the University of Ottawa, the University of British Columbia, and Simon Fraser University. In 2000, he founded the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, where he continues to serve as Medical Director, leading innovative clinical and research programs focused on HIV and hepatitis C and more recently on addiction medicine. Dr. Conway’s work has been instrumental in transforming care for people who use drugs, demonstrating that HIV and hepatitis C treatments can be highly effective when delivered through integrated, multidisciplinary models of care. His research has helped shape international guidelines and improve access to treatment for marginalized populations. A dedicated mentor and trusted public voice, Dr. Conway has trained the next generation of leaders in infectious diseases and has played an important role in communicating science to the public. He is also a strong advocate for equitable access to healthcare, including advancing French-language services in British Columbia. Dr. Conway’s career reflects a lasting commitment to innovation, equity, and excellence in infectious diseases in Canada.
The AMMI Canada Fiona Smaill Award was established to honour the dedication, commitment, passion, and scholarship that Dr. Fiona Smaill brought to her many local, provincial, national, and international roles as a microbiologist, infectious diseases clinician, and researcher. This award recognizes a trainee who demonstrates excellence in the fields of infectious diseases and/or medical microbiology.
Dr. Geneviève Amaral obtained her M.D. from the University of British Columbia in 2022 and has continued her training at UBC where she is currently a fourth-year medical microbiology resident. Her scholarly interests are focused on pragmatic and impactful quality improvement initiatives to improve testing turnaround times, including innovative approaches to characterizing preanalytical specimen transport delays and implementing rapid diagnostics for detection of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. Dr. Amaral also has a keen interest in mentoring medical trainees, and this year expanded her scope from local teaching contributions to developing trainee-focused education at a national level through her current role as Chair of the AMMI Canada Members-in-Training Committee.
The AMMI Canada New Investigator Award recognizes a promising early-career researcher who has made significant contributions to infectious disease and/or medical microbiology research within five years of their first academic appointment.
Dr. Christopher Kandel completed medical school in Toronto in 2011, followed by Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases residency in Toronto, graduating in 2016. He completed a doctorate in Clinical Epidemiology at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Allison McGeer, graduating in 2021. Dr. Kandel is currently an Infectious Diseases physician and Clinician Scientist at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto, with a research interest in osteoarticular infections and the transmission of emerging pathogens.
The AMMI Canada Trainee Research Award aims to foster research excellence among trainees. It recognizes outstanding primary research conducted during infectious diseases and/or medical microbiology training, as demonstrated by the trainee’s contributions to and publication of an original research article in these fields.
Dr. Jeffrey Wong (he/him) is a recent graduate of the Reproductive Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the University of British Columbia. During his training, he collaborated with the Canadian Perinatal HIV Surveillance Program to evaluate perinatal and early infant outcomes among those with and without in utero bictegravir exposure. His research has been recognized with several awards, including the Juan A. Embil Trainee Award for Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research and the JAMMI Trainee Published Manuscript Award. He was recently appointed as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of British Columbia. His academic interests include perinatal care for people living with HIV, immunization in pregnancy, congenital syphilis prevention, global obstetrical care, and medical education.
Anish Krishnan is a second-year medical student at the University of British Columbia. He completed his Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto, followed by pharmacy residency training in infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship at Alberta Health Services. Prior to medical school, he worked as an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist. He continues to work part-time in antimicrobial stewardship alongside his medical training. His academic interests include internal medicine, infectious diseases, and medical education. In his free time, he enjoys long-distance running, Taekwondo, and (occasionally) reminding others not to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria.
The John G. FitzGerald CACMID Outstanding Microbiologist award recognizes technical, scientific, and medical leaders that have significantly advanced the field of medical microbiology in Canada through their contributions to clinical, academic, and/or educational pillars.
Dr. Marek Smieja is a Medical Microbiologist, Infectious Diseases physician, and Medical Co-Director for Infection Prevention and Control at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. He is Professor at McMaster University in the Departments of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, and Health Research Methods, Evaluation, and Impact.
Dr. Smieja is a clinician, laboratorian, teacher, researcher, and administrator. His research focuses on the diagnosis and epidemiology of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. He was involved in developing and evaluating respiratory diagnostic tests for SARS-Coronavirus-2, influenza, and rhinovirus; and studying the diagnosis and epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile and Helicobacter pylori infections. He developed self-collection methods for respiratory infections and conducted COVID-19 studies on airline passengers and in Hamilton homeless shelters. He has over 200 peer-reviewed publications and has taught and mentored microbiology, infectious diseases and clinical epidemiology trainees. He pioneered a post-doctoral program focusing on providing clinically impactful laboratory experiences to aspiring clinical microbiologists, and has worked and taught in the Canadian north, Malawi, Botswana, and South Africa.
Dr. Smieja dabbled in administration as the head of microbiology and interim chief of laboratory medicine in Hamilton. He talks a lot and surrounds himself with brilliant students and faculty who do all of the real work.
The CACMID Mentorship Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a consistent and impactful commitment to mentoring trainees in the fields of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases.
The CACMID Early Career Award recognizes an individual that has made noteworthy contributions to the field of clinical microbiology in Canada.
Dr. Vanessa Tran is a Clinical Microbiologist at Public Health Ontario (PHO) and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. At PHO, she is the portfolio lead for sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections (STBBIs), including HIV, hepatitis viruses, and bacterial STIs, and microbiologist lead for Quality. Dr. Tran was actively involved in Ontario’s COVID-19 pandemic response and led the rapid implementation of COVID-19 serology testing for the province. Dr. Tran’s clinical and research interests are in diagnostics for and epidemiology of STBBIs. She has contributed to over 40 academic papers since starting her career as a Clinical Microbiologist and has been involved in 24 funded grants, amounting to over $1.4 million in funding to PHO. She enthusiastically participates in teaching and mentorship for learners at all stages of their careers and is an active member of the Clinical Microbiology community, serving on the boards of CACMID and CCM for over 7 years.
The Dr. Michael R. Mulvey CACMID Studentship Award recognizes Canadian trainees that have made a noteworthy contribution to antimicrobial resistance in the form of a recently published article.
“Evaluation of phenotypic and genotypic susceptibility testing methods for newer β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations in multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa”
Clayton is a fifth-year Medical Microbiology resident in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster University. He completed his MD and PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa. His interests include antimicrobial susceptibility testing, blood culture contamination, and quality improvement and patient safety.
The CCM Distinguished Microbiologists Award recognizes a member for outstanding professional contribution to the field of Microbiology in Canada in the areas of research, teaching and involvement in the Canadian College of Microbiologists.
Dr. Heather Adam is a Clinical Microbiologist with Diagnostic Services, Shared Health and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She completed her PhD in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba in 2006 and a Clinical Microbiology Fellowship at the University of Toronto in 2009. She is certified as a Fellow of the Canadian College of Microbiologists and a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Microbiology. She is actively involved in research as part of the Canadian Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance group, having co-led a number of national surveillance studies on multidrug-resistant pathogens and with a primary focus on the impact of vaccines on the epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in Canada. She has a significant publication record with more than 150 peer‑reviewed manuscripts as well as hundreds of conference presentations. Dr. Adam has been a long-standing and dedicated director on the CCM board. She has chaired the Fellows of the Canadian College of Microbiologists’ standing committee since 2009, overseeing the accreditation of the Canadian fellowship training programs and the certification examinations of more than 30 Clinical Microbiologists.
The Dr. John Embil Mentorship Award in Infectious Diseases celebrates the commitment of a member of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada to inspire interest and excitement in the field of infectious diseases. The award recognizes a clinical specialist in infectious diseases who has performed extraordinary service as a mentor to junior clinicians, faculty, fellows, and students involved in the field of
Dr. Juan A. Embil held the positions of Professor of Microbiology and Community Health and Epidemiology and Associate Professor of Paediatrics at Dalhousie University. His research included numerous studies on cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia trachomatis, hepatitis B, arboviruses and a multitude of other pathogens and clinical conditions observed in the Atlantic provinces. The prize in his name is offered to a current or recent trainee whose published work will have a far-reaching and durable impact on the health of Canadians
The grant is open to all residents (PGY1-PGY4) currently enrolled in internal medicine or paediatrics, with the intention of pursuing a subspecialty in infectious diseases with either an adult or pediatric focus.
Emma Finlayson-Trick (she/her) is a third-year Medical Microbiology Resident at the University of British Columbia. She earned a Bachelor of Science with first-class honours and a Master of Science in Microbiology and Immunology from Dalhousie University. Her research focuses on bacterial diagnostics and innovative strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance.
This award was established in 2012 to attract bright young minds with outstanding academic records to the field of infectious diseases, microbiology, and infection control, and to fulfill the CFID mission of supporting research in infectious diseases. The award is funded for $5,000 for a 10-12 week research term.
This summer, Siya will be working with Dr. Mona Loutfy and the Women HIV and Health Research Team (WHRP) at Women’s College Hospital on the validation of a precision medicine needs assessment and linkage to services tool for women-centred prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections. This work sits at the intersection of Siya’s interests and research experience, and she is excited to take on this new project with the kind support of CFID, Dr. Loutfy, and the WHRP team.
The CFID-AMMI CANADA CRN Catalyst Award supports infectious diseases and medical microbiology trainees or early career researchers (ECRs) in conducting pilot studies for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, or quality improvement initiatives. The award is intended to foster early research career development and promote collaborative, multi-centre work across AMMI-CRN members. One award of $20,000 will be given annually.
Dr. Eric Armstrong is a postdoctoral fellow at the University Health Network in Toronto, where he studies antibiotic effects on microbiomes and the relationship between antimicrobial exposure, microbiome disruption, and outcomes of acute and critical illness. He is specifically interested in combining wet-lab and dry-lab approaches to ascertain treatment-specific effects to inform interventional trials focused on antimicrobial stewardship.
The award was established by Dr. Michel Bergeron for the promotion of studies investigating one of Canada’s most valuable resources, water. Notably, one in eight people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water leading to significant global morbidity and mortality. It is intended as seed funding to promote research in this field. One award of $10,000 will be conferred at a frequency determined by the CFID Board.
Dr. Lee joined the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University as an Assistant Professor in 2020. She completed her PhD in Cell and Systems Biology at University of Toronto with Drs. David Guttman and Darrell Desveaux, studying the evolutionary arms race between host and pathogens. This was followed by two postdoctoral fellowships at University of British Columbia (UBC), first with Dr. Nislow, applying comparative bacterial genomics and phenomics to study bacterial adaptation in persistent infections. She then worked with Dr. Bob Hancock applying systems immunology and vaccinology to understand neonatal immune development. She is a Banting Discovery Awardee and MSFHR Scholar. Her current research uses systems biology approach to develop precision vaccines and neonatal sepsis diagnostics. Her lab also applies One Health approaches to understand how antimicrobial resistance genes are transmitted between humans, animals and environments.
The award was established by Dr. Michel Bergeron for the promotion of studies investigating one of Canada’s most valuable resources, water. Notably, one in eight people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water leading to significant global morbidity and mortality. It is intended as seed funding to promote research in this field. One award of $10,000 will be conferred at a frequency determined by the CFID Board.
The award was established by Dr. Michel Bergeron for the promotion of studies investigating one of Canada’s most valuable resources, water. Notably, one in eight people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water leading to significant global morbidity and mortality. It is intended as seed funding to promote research in this field. One award of $10,000 will be conferred at a frequency determined by the CFID Board.
Cheryl Nelms is the General Manager of Project Delivery at Metro Vancouver leading a capital program of over $15B. Cheryl has more than 20 years of experience delivering multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects, public private partnerships and utility operations across all levels of government. Cheryl is a Professional Engineer, holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and is committed to increasing diversity in our industry and supporting the next generation of professionals. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia teaching Project Management for more than 10 years.
The National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) and the Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases (CFID) offer the Infectious Diseases Knowledge Translation Award to encourage student involvement in knowledge mobilization and health promotion on preventing and controlling infectious diseases. An award of $5,000 will be presented to an undergraduate student, graduate student or clinical trainee annually. The award is to be used to support a proposed project for outstanding knowledge translation or health promotion in an infectious disease topic for public health audiences.
Emily Wiesenthal is a third-year resident in UBC’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology program. She has a BA (Hons) in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Victoria. Her research interests are grounded in community-driven health advocacy work, and include reproductive justice, gender equity in medical education, infectious disease and harm reduction.