OUR TEAM

Director, VGH-UBC Echo Lab, AI Echo Core Lab, VCHRI AI Hub
Director, Centre for AI, Data Science, and Imaging, Dilawri Cardiovascular Institute
Professor, Division of Cardiology, UBC

Dr. Teresa Tsang

Dr. Teresa S. M. Tsang is a Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC), a cardiologist, and an internationally recognized clinician-scientist whose career spans the University of Alberta, the National Institutes of Health, and the Mayo Clinic. Before joining UBC, she served as a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, echocardiographer, and tenured Professor, where she helped advance the fields of cardiac imaging.

At UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health, Dr. Tsang directs the VGH-UBC Echocardiography Laboratory, the largest echo program in British Columbia and a leading national and international training hub. She also leads the VGH-UBC AI Echo Core Lab, pioneering the use of artificial intelligence for cardiac imaging quality assessment, automated interpretation, and scalable precision-health tools.

A leader in precision cardiovascular medicine, Dr. Tsang has secured major provincial and national funding, including Genome Canada, Genome BC, CIHR, and NSERC awards, to drive large-scale, multidisciplinary research programs integrating imaging, genomics, biomarkers, and machine learning. Her flagship initiatives include MOSAIC, the CLSA-Echo Study, INFUSE, and multiple AI-enabled imaging and biomarker platforms designed to transform early detection, risk prediction, and equitable access to care across British Columbia.

Dr. Tsang is deeply committed to equity-focused innovation, collaborating with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities to extend precision health tools to underserved populations. She is also a dedicated mentor to clinician-scientists, engineers, and trainees across disciplines, fostering a collaborative ecosystem that bridges academia, clinical care, technology development, and industry partnerships.

Her work continues to redefine the future of precision cardiovascular care, ensuring that advances in imaging, AI, and genomics truly reach every corner of BC and beyond.

Professor, UBC Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Purang Abolmaesumi

Purang Abolmaesumi received his BSc (1995) and MSc (1997) from Sharif University of Technology, Iran, and his PhD (2002) from UBC, all in electrical engineering. From 2002 to 2009, he was a faculty member with the School of Computing, Queen’s University. He then joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UBC, where he is a Canada Research Chair, Tier II, in Biomedical Engineering and Professor, with Associate Memberships to  Department of Urologic Sciences and School of Biomedical Engineering.

Dr. Abolmaesumi’s internationally recognized research program investigates advanced topics in medical imaging, machine learning on data at scale, and image-guided diagnosis and interventions.

Dr. Abolmaesumi is the recipient of the Killam Faculty Research Prize, the Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring and the Killam Faculty Research Fellowship at UBC. He currently serves as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging and has served as an Associate Editor of the IEEE TBME between 2008 and 2012. He is a Board Member of the International Society for Computer Aided Surgery and serves on the Program Committees of the Medical Image Computing and Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI), International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) Medical Imaging, and the International Conference on Information Processing in Computer-Assisted Interventions (IPCAI). Dr. Abolmaesumi served as the General Chair of IPCAI 2014 and 2015, and has served as Program Chair of IPCAI 2012 in Pisa and Workshop and Tutorial Chair of MICCAI 2011 and 2015. He currently serves as the Program Chair for MICCAI 2020. Dr. Abolmaesumi is a member of the Royal Society of Canada.

Associate Professor, UBC Department of Medical Genetics
Medical Director, Adult Metabolic Diseases Clinic, Vancouver General Hospital

Dr. Anna Lehman

Dr. Anna Lehman is Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia, where she also completed her training. She practices in the specialty of Inherited Metabolic Diseases at Vancouver General Hospital in the Adult Metabolic Diseases Clinic. Her research program identifies novel genetic causes of disease and seeks to improve management of genetic disorders affecting metabolism.

Assistant Professor, UBC-O Department of Community, Culture and Global Studies

Dr. Gabrielle Legault

Dr. Gabrielle Legault is the director of the VCHRI Indigenous Health Research Unit and assistant professor in Indigenous Studies in the Department of Community, Culture and Global Studies at the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus. Her research approach combines Indigenous methodologies with community-based participatory research, ensuring that all projects are grounded in respectful, reciprocal relationships and community ownership of knowledge. By promoting mentorship, interdisciplinary collaborations and the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems into health care policies and practices, she is committed to ensuring that research initiatives are culturally relevant, community-led and meaningful to Indigenous communities. Her scholarly contributions have significantly advanced knowledge and engagement in the field of urban Indigenous and Métis identities, inter-Indigenous relations and Indigenous well-being.

Assistant Professor, UBC Department of Medicine
Director, Northern Centre for Clinical Research

Dr. Anurag Singh

Dr. Anurag Singh is an Assistant Professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine and a consulting nephrologist for the University Hospital of Northern BC based in Prince George and serving the Northern Health region in BC for over 10 years. He is the Medical Directory of Kidney Services at NH and was recently appointed as the inaugural Director of the Northern Center for Clinical Research.

Anurag’s research interests align with understanding the health needs and advocating for health equity for citizens living in geographically isolated communities. His research focuses on implementing digital solutions and evaluating clinical outcomes for equity-deserving populations. He is committed to finding solutions to address gaps in the representation of rural, remote and Indigenous populations in clinical trials research.

Director, Special Initiatives Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute

Dr. Anna Meredith

Dr. Anna Meredith is an established leader in research development, including grant and editorial reviews, award administration, education, and training. She received her PhD from the University of British Columbia in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. and has expertise in cardiovascular biomarker discovery and omics, multi-jurisdictional AI-driven health data integration, research development, oversees strategic partnerships, operations and project management.

Assistant Professor, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Director, AI and Bioinformatics Research, BC Cancer and UBC Ovarian Cancer Research Program
Adjunct Professor, UBC Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Ali Bashashati

Ali Bashashati received his B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology (SUT), Iran in 2000, the M.Sc. degree in Biomedical Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran polytechnic), Iran in 2002, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of British Columbia, Canada in 2007. He is currently the Director of AI and Bioinformatics Research in the Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OVCARE) of the BC Cancer/UBC. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department.

Dr. Bashashati’s research area lies at the interface between computational, engineering and biomedical sciences. He is interested in developing machine learning, statistical and signal processing algorithms and software infrastructure to combine various sources of omics and imaging data with major emphasis on discovering novel complex biological information related to different diseases. His research is specifically focused on ovarian and breast cancers as well as lymphoid malignancies and how these cancers evolve and respond to therapies. He has published extensively in cancer genomics, bioinformatics, computational biology and brain computer interface fields and his papers have appeared in top-tier journals such as Nature and Nature Genetics.

PhD candidate, UBC School of Nursing

Dr. Casey Hewes

Casey is a proud father who is deeply grateful to raise his children as an uninvited guest on Syilx Territory, also known as Vernon. He is Nehiyaw (Cree) and mixed European from Treaty 6 Territory and a PhD candidate whose research focuses on cardiac health in primary care with Indigenous Peoples. Casey is incredibly grateful to his amazing research team including Dr. Rush, Dr. Hutchinson, Elder Diana and many others including the incredibly supportive team at the School of Nursing.

His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Hawaii. Casey began his clinical career as a cardiac nurse and later moved into nursing leadership, where he supported service lines and various care departments. His doctoral work is to support Indigenous health, with a focus on integrating Indigenous and Western worldviews and care systems. This work is so important as “I want to be a part of the transformational shift that Canadian academics and research is a rewarding journey for Indigenous researchers. I am passionate about working towards a future Canada that is more dynamic with complementary Indigenous and Western knowledge for my children and their children”.

Assistant Professor, UBC-O Department of Community, Culture and Global Studies
Associate Member UBC School of Population and Public

Dr. Peter Hutchinson

Dr. Peter Hutchinson (PhD, MA, BHK. (UBC) Indigenous Public and Population health consultant), is Nehiyaw/Metis and an Indigenous public and population health worker, researcher and educator. Mr. Hutchinson has worked with Indigenous populations from around the globe in an effort to ensure Indigenous knowledge informs Indigenous public and population health services, programs, research and education. Most recently Dr. Hutchinson has worked to increase Indigenous knowledge within the Canadian cancer care system; he has also worked with Indigenous people on topics inclusive of chronic disease surveillance, HIV/AIDS, tobacco use and cultural activities as health promoting activities amongst other areas. Dr. Hutchinson has also worked as a researcher and university instructor focusing his time on Indigenous methods of investigation, cultural safety, and realizing Indigenous culture and knowledge within health systems.

Dr. Hutchinson lives on the Okanagan plateau near the mountains of the Kootenay Boundary, on the boundaries of the Ktunaxa and the Sylix people, he is grateful to his Indigenous relatives, teachers and hosts who have provided him countless lessons and a wonderful place to raise his small family.

Dr. Hutchinson has also worked with the local Indigenous communities in a supportive role as Chair of the Board for the Metis Children and Family Services and has worked with at risk Indigenous youth in the downtown east side of Vancouver.

Scientific Director, BC Genome Science Centre
Professor, UBC Department of Medical Genetics
Canada Research Chair in Computational Genomics

Dr. Steven Jones

Dr. Jones’ research program is firmly entrenched in genome science to better understand the complete mutational landscape of cancers. His primary aim is to help uncover the diversity of genetic and genomic events that accrue to give rise to cancers, and which also encourage their evolution and maintain their progression. His laboratory extensively analyzes Next Generation genome and transcriptome data to achieve these goals. Dr. Jones has developed a number of novel computational approaches and methodologies to this end and has provided numerous insights into cancer dynamics, potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. A significant part of Dr. Jones research program relates to developing more precise cancer treatments by exploiting an individual’s specific cancer genome profile. His research has identified numerous epigenetic targets that have the potential to be modulated in such a way as to reverse the effects of mutations within a cancer genome. Using computational approaches, his research team has identified and refined compounds that modify epigenetic programs in cancer. His laboratory also acts as a data analysis centre for the Canadian Epigenetics, Environment and Health Research Consortium (CEEHRC).

In 2005, Dr. Jones was identified as one of Canada’s top 40 professionals under 40 by Caldwell Partners International as well as by Business in Vancouver. He has received the Spencer Award for IT innovation as well as the 2007 Medical Genetics teaching award from UBC. He is a founding director of the CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics Training Program as well as director of the UBC Bioinformatics Graduate Program. In 2011, he was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada for his contributions to Genomics and Bioinformatics, and in 2012 he was a recipient of the prestigious UBC Killam teaching prize in recognition of his contributions to graduate bioinformatic education. In May of 2014 Dr. Jones was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award by the Faculty of Medicine at UBC and in June 2014 he became a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He was recognized by Clarivate Analytics in 2016 and 2018 as among the world’s most highly cited researchers in his field. Dr Jones was born in Wales and trained at Bristol University, Simon Fraser University and the Sanger Institute.

Dr Jones is a founder of Ifowonco Bioinformatics Inc. and Alamya Health, PBC.  He is a consultant to Apotheca Systems Inc. He has received travel funding for speaking engagements from Illumina Inc. and Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC.

Internal Medicine Specialist, Lions Gate Hospital
Clinical Instructor, UBC Department of Medicine

Dr. Kevin McLeod

Dr. Kevin McLeod practices as an Internal Medicine Specialist in North Vancouver, BC and in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. He works out of Lion’s Gate Hospital and Whitehorse Hospital. He heads the Cardiac Rehab and Cardiometabolic program for the North Shore Health Region. He also runs the North Shore Osteoporosis clinic dedicated to improving bone health and reducing the risk of morbidity and mortality from osteoporotic fracture on the North Shore. His scope of practice is wide, covering all major areas of Internal Medicine. His practice interests include hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary artery and heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. He has a strong interest in disease prevention and patient education. Dr. McLeod truly believes in providing the highest quality of care to his patients.

Executive Vice President and Provost, University of South Carolina

Dr. Donna Arnett

Dr. Donna K. Arnett is an American epidemiologist, clinical research nurse, and higher education administrator. After having a stroke at the age of 27, she began focusing her research on epidemiology. Upon obtaining her PhD, Arnett became a faculty member at the University of Minnesota in 1994. During her stay there, she oversaw the Minnesota Heart Survey, a population-based study whose results brought about policy changes. She left Minnesota in 2004 to become an associate dean at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Public Health. As a professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology in the UAB School of Public Health, Arnett became the first epidemiologist elected president of the American Heart Association (AHA).

Arnett left UAB in 2015 to become the Dean of the University of Kentucky College of Public Health. While serving in this role, she was the recipient of the AHA’s 2017 Population Research Prize “for insightful research successfully blending the basic molecular sciences with population studies to produce a highly relevant new understanding of major aspects of cardiovascular disease including risk prediction, hypertension and heart failure.” Arnett was also recognized as a World Expert in Hypertension by Expertscape after being in the top 0.076 per cent of scholars writing about hypertension over the previous ten years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Arnett wrote in KyForward.com, Kentucky’s Online Newspaper, to encourage Kentucky citizens to vaccinate. She was also named to the National Academy of Sciences Committee Examining Use of Dogs in Biomedical Research.

In the Fall of 2022, Arnett was appointed as Provost at the University of South Carolina. In July 2025, she resigned as Provost, effective August 8, 2025, shortly following the resignation of Joel Samuels as Dean of Arts & Sciences. While Samuels moved to the University of Miami as Provost, Arnett became a regular faculty member at the University of South Carolina’s school of public health.

Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, Boston University
Associate Provost for Faculty Development, BUMC & Jay and Louise Coffman Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Dr. Emelia Benjamin

Emelia J. Benjamin, MD, ScM, FACC, FAHA, received her AB at Harvard, her MD at Case Western Reserve University, and her Epidemiology ScM at Harvard School of Public Health. She is a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Boston University and is a cardiologist at Boston Medical Center. She is a Robert Dawson Evans Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine.

She is author of over 800 peer-reviewed publications that focus on the genetics, epidemiology, and prognosis of a variety of cardiovascular conditions and markers including atrial fibrillation, vascular function, and systemic inflammation. She has been continuously NIH funded since 1998, and currently is multi-Principal Investigator on an R01 atrial fibrillation grant [2R01HL092577], several chronic pain grants, and is the Training Director on the Boston University American Heart Association Strategically Focused Research Network on Cardio-Oncology. She is an internationally recognized expert on the epidemiology of atrial fibrillation. Dr. Benjamin has Co-Chaired the NIH National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes’ (NHLBI) Atrial Fibrillation Working Group, which advised the NHLBI’s atrial fibrillation research agenda, and resulted in 6 publications.

Dr. Benjamin has conducted research at the Framingham Study since 1988. She is a Member of the Executive Committee, and is Co-Director of the Medical Endpoints Committee. She was Principal Investigator of the grant that recruited the second generation of the Framingham Study’s ethnic/racial minority cohort, the Omni Study.

In addition to her research, she is the inaugural Associate Provost for Faculty Development for Boston University Medical Campus, and the inaugural Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Diversity, BU Department of Medicine. She co-designed and co-leads Faculty Development Programs for Early, Mid-Career, Under-Represented Ethnic and Racial, Women, and Clinical Leaders. In 2023 she completed the Columbia University Advanced Coaching Certification.

A passionate and dedicated mentor, she has won local and national awards for mentoring, education, and research. She was inducted into the Association of American Physicians and she won the 2020 Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award.

An active volunteer for the American Heart Association since 1992, she has served on a variety of local and national Committees. She is Past-Chair of the American Heart Association’s Functional Genomics and Translational Biology Council and Study Section, and the annual Heart and Stroke Statistical Update. She received the 2015 Paul Dudley White Award, the 2016 AHA Gold Heart Award, the 2016 Population Research Prize, the 2019 Laennec Clinician/ Educator Lecturer, and the Genomics and Precision Medicine 2019 Distinguished Achievement Award, and the 2022 Distinguished Scientist Award.

Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Wade Grant

Wade Grant (Hun’qumi’num: caləχʷəlenəxʷ) is a Canadian politician, Indigenous leader, and member of the Liberal Party currently serving as the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra. Of Musqueam and Chinese descent, he brings a deeply rooted cultural perspective to his public service. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of British Columbia in 2002.

Grant has held numerous leadership roles within both Indigenous governance and provincial civic institutions. He served as a Musqueam Indian Band councillor from 2004 to 2014 and spent four years on the Vancouver Police Board. From 2014 to 2017, he worked as a special advisor on First Nations issues to British Columbia Premier Christy Clark.

Since 2019, Grant has been the Intergovernmental Affairs Officer for the Musqueam First Nation. He was elected Chair of the First Nations Health Council in 2021 and also serves as Chair of the New Relationship Trust, a provincial non-profit focused on supporting capacity building for First Nations communities.

In the 2025 federal election, Grant campaigned on priorities such as attainable housing, climate action, and ensuring Indigenous rights are reflected in major infrastructure projects. He won a decisive victory in Vancouver Quadra and currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. He is also a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Grant comes from a family with a strong tradition of leadership. His mother, Wendy Grant-John, and his grandfather, Willard Sparrow, both served as chiefs of the Musqueam Nation. His uncles Larry Grant and Wayne Sparrow are also highly respected figures within the Musqueam community.

Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, Michael Smith Laboratories, UBC
Distinguished Scientist, BC Cancer Research Institute

Dr. Marco Marra

Dr. Marra is a UBC Professor of Medical Genetics and the Michael Smith Laboratories. Formerly Head of Medical Genetics (UBC) and co-founder and past Director of Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre for more than two decades, Dr. Marra is known for his work in genomics and precision cancer genomic medicine.

Dr. Marra earned BSc and PhD degrees from SFU. During a post-doctoral fellowship in St. Louis, working on the Human Genome Project, Dr. Marra devised approaches to build sequence-ready maps of the human genome and led the team that created the map, fueling the production of the human genome sequence. Dr. Marra was recruited to Vancouver by Nobel Laureate Dr. Michael Smith, where he led teams that contributed to sequencing model organism genomes.

From Vancouver, Dr. Marra sought to drive the expansion of genomics in Canada. Dr. Marra led or co-led numerous cancer projects, revealing new mutations, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets in ovarian cancers, B cell lymphomas, brain cancers, breast cancers, medulloblastomas, leukemias, rhabdoid tumours and cervical cancers. In 2003, he led the effort that generated the first sequence of the agent causing SARS, revealing it to be a coronavirus and demonstrating that genome sequencing of a pathogen could be a key part of a rapid response to an emerging infectious disease. Dr. Marra currently co-leads the first program to demonstrate the use of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing to personalize cancer medicine. The program team, including 80% of the medical oncologists in BC, recruited 2,000 patients with advanced cancer and published >50 manuscripts describing how whole genome and transcriptome sequencing can influence clinical treatment decision making to bring benefit to cancer patients and their families.

A committed educator, Dr. Marra co-founded, co-directed and co-funded UBC’s Genome Sciences and Technology Graduate Program and was a founding member of the Bioinformatics Program. These programs have graduated hundreds of students, establishing BC as a nexus for advanced genomics and bioinformatics training. Dr. Marra supervised 54 undergraduates, 28 graduate students and 19 postdoctoral fellows and served as an advisory committee member to 46 graduate students. His trainees have started companies, practiced medicine and established laboratories at Universities and Institutes.

Recognitions granted to Dr. Marra include: National Killam Prize in Health Sciences (2025), UBC University Killam Professor (2025), Officer of the Order of Canada (2024), Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (2020), the Don Rix Lifetime Achievement Award (2019), the Outstanding Achievements in Cancer Research Award (2017), the Chew Wei Memorial Prize in Cancer Research (2015), the Terry Fox Medal (2010), the Order of British Columbia (2010) and the Merck Frosst Prize (2007). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2007) and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2009). His contributions to genome science were recognized with honorary degrees from Simon Fraser University (2004) and the University of Calgary (2005).

Scientific Director of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH), Canadian Institutes of Health and Research (CIHR)
Professor of Medicine, Universite de Montreal

Dr. Jean Rouleau

Dr. Jean-Lucien Rouleau has been recognized worldwide for his transformative contributions to cardiology, including translational scientific work in ventricular function, post-infarction ventricular remodelling, and neurohormonal activation. His leadership in clinical research culminated in the development of the life-saving medication sacubitril/valsartan, now routinely used to treat patients with chronic heart failure. As Director of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health, Dr. Rouleau laid the groundwork for the Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR), and helped establish networks focusing on respiration, sleep and circadian rhythm, stroke, atrial fibrillation, vascular health and coagulation. As Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, he initiated development of a delocalized campus that resolved the lack of needed health care professionals in an underserved region; and championed the development of a patient-partner-public approach to health care education. As a researcher, author, educator, and administrator, Dr. Rouleau has made lasting contributions ranging from medications to health care networks, from medical facilities to improved medical policies and practices. His ongoing service to the cause of accessible and effective public health care now includes a five-year, multi-million dollar grant to lead a nationwide Canada Heart Failure Network.

Surrey Memorial Hospital

Dr. Matthew Chamberlain

Matthew Chamberlain has been working at Surrey Memorial Hospital since October 2021and also has a private office in Surrey. Prior to this, he had been working in Kitchener-Waterloo in Ontario since 2016.
He is a general non-invasive cardiologist with interests in general echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography and stress echocardiography. He also loves teaching, quality assurance and quality improvement.

Matthew’s education and training include: An Honours Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from the University of Guelph, a Medical Degree from Western University, where he also completed his Internal Medicine Residency. His Cardiology Residency was completed at Dalhousie University and a one-year advanced echocardiography fellowship at Vancouver General Hospital under Dr. John Jue, et al.

Richmond Hospital

Dr. Mahasti Ebtia

UBC Hospital
Bella Bella – Heiltsuk Hospital

Dr. Christina Luong

Dr. Luong is a clinical associate professor within the Division of Cardiology at the University of British Columbia and member of the Vancouver General Hospital and University of British Columbia Hospital Echocardiography Laboratory. She specializes in echocardiography with a special interest in stress echo. Her research focuses on the development and application of machine learning models to echocardiography and works closely with UBC computer and biomedical engineering.

She practices general cardiology and provides services for the VGH STAT clinic and inpatient consultation service. Dr. Luong is a graduate of the University of Alberta medical school, and UBC Internal Medicine and Cardiology fellowship programs. She completed advanced fellowships in echocardiography at Vancouver General Hospital and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She also completed a Master’s of Health Science through the University of British Columbia

Prince George – University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC)
Terrace – Ksyen Regional Hospital

Dr. Ahmed Mergani

Dr. Ahmed Mergani is a consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist with specialist interest in sports cardiology and inherited heart disease. Dr. Mergani has a PhD in sports cardiology with award winning research on the chronic effects of endurance exercise on the heart.

St. Paul’s Hospital
Mount Saint Joseph Hospital

Dr. Rob Moss

Dr. Rob Moss graduated with honors from the University of NSW in Sydney, Australia. He trained and practiced as a general internist and intensivist before training in cardiology at the Prince Charles Hospital, the dedicated cardiovascular hospital for Queensland, Australia. He completed a fellowship in Heart Failure and Transplant and then traveled to Vancouver where he completed a fellowship in Echocardiography. He was recruited to staff at St Paul’s Hospital Vancouver/UBC in 2005. He attends in the CCU in addition to his core duties as a staff echocardiographer. His interests are aortic stenosis, left ventricular diastolic function, pericardial disease, quantification of valvular regurgitation, 3-D imaging and the echo guidance of procedures (especially transcutaneous aortic valve replacement and MitraClip). He is interested in the promotion of quality in imaging. He has published in many of these areas.

Kelowna General Hospital

Dr. Daniel Patton

Royal Columbian Hospital

Dr. Miriam Shanks

Dr. Miriam Shanks is a cardiologist with specialized expertise in echocardiography, with particular interests in echo-guided transcatheter interventions, advanced three-dimensional imaging, and cardiac strain analysis. She also has clinical and research interests in heart failure, bringing a comprehensive, imaging-driven approach to patient care.

Dr. Shanks completed her PhD in advanced cardiac imaging at the Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, where her work focused on cutting-edge techniques in cardiovascular imaging and their translation to clinical practice.

She has been an active leader in the Canadian cardiovascular community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Society of Echocardiography from 2019 to 2021 and as a member of the Editorial Board of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology since 2019.

Dr. Shanks previously served as Program Director of the Echocardiography Fellowship Program at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute (MAHI) and the University of Alberta from 2017 to 2021, where she helped train and mentor the next generation of cardiac imaging specialists. She also held the role of Director of Cardiology Inpatient Operations at MAHI, contributing to the strategic and clinical oversight of inpatient cardiac services.

Comox – North Island Hospital
Royal Jubilee Hospital

Dr. Jonathan Tang

Jonathan Tang, MD, FRCPC, is a Clinical Associate Professor and the Director of Cardiovascular Undergraduate Education in the Department of Medicine and Division of Cardiology at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Tang graduated from the UBC School of Medicine in 2004. He completed his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, followed by Cardiology at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He then returned to Vancouver in 2010 to complete his echocardiography fellowship training.

His interests are in clinical cardiology, echocardiography, and medical education. He has received teaching awards from multiple postgraduate training programs including Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Cardiology.

Vancouver General Hospital (VGH)
Bella Coola General Hospital

Dr. Teresa Tsang

Dr. Teresa S. M. Tsang is a Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC), a cardiologist, and an internationally recognized clinician-scientist whose career spans the University of Alberta, the National Institutes of Health, and the Mayo Clinic. Before joining UBC, she served as a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, echocardiographer, and tenured Professor, where she helped advance the fields of cardiac imaging.

At UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health, Dr. Tsang directs the VGH-UBC Echocardiography Laboratory, the largest echo program in British Columbia and a leading national and international training hub. She also leads the VGH-UBC AI Echo Core Lab, pioneering the use of artificial intelligence for cardiac imaging quality assessment, automated interpretation, and scalable precision-health tools.

A leader in precision cardiovascular medicine, Dr. Tsang has secured major provincial and national funding, including Genome Canada, Genome BC, CIHR, and NSERC awards, to drive large-scale, multidisciplinary research programs integrating imaging, genomics, biomarkers, and machine learning. Her flagship initiatives include MOSAIC, the CLSA-Echo Study, INFUSE, and multiple AI-enabled imaging and biomarker platforms designed to transform early detection, risk prediction, and equitable access to care across British Columbia.

Dr. Tsang is deeply committed to equity-focused innovation, collaborating with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities to extend precision health tools to underserved populations. She is also a dedicated mentor to clinician-scientists, engineers, and trainees across disciplines, fostering a collaborative ecosystem that bridges academia, clinical care, technology development, and industry partnerships.

Her work continues to redefine the future of precision cardiovascular care, ensuring that advances in imaging, AI, and genomics truly reach every corner of BC and beyond.

Lions Gate Hospital
qathet General Hospital
Squamish General Hospital

Dr. John Vyselaar

Dr. John R. Vyselaar is a cardiologist based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, providing compassionate, dedicated and extraordinary care in cardiac medicine. After completing his cardiology training, he relocated to the North Shore in 2009, where he began his clinical practice. In 2015, he was appointed Head of Cardiology at Lions Gate Hospital, enabling him to lead strategic improvements in cardiac patient care across the region. In 2017, Dr. Vyselaar became Lead Physician of the North Shore Heart Function Clinic, a specialized centre for patients with congestive heart failure.

Dr. Vyselaar has served as medical lead for critical-care cardiac patients at Lions Gate, with specialized training in implantable cardiac defibrillator assessment. Notably, he is the only cardiologist on the North Shore performing transesophageal echocardiography and the lead advocate for echo contrast imaging at Lions Gate Hospital.

In his sports-cardiology role, he has provided consultations and screening for professional teams—including the Vancouver Whitecaps, the BC Lions, the Vancouver Canucks and Olympic teams—and is an executive member in the sports and exercise section of the American College of Cardiology.

As a clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia, he mentors medical students, family medicine residents and cardiology fellows. He is also an advocate for telehealth, spearheading remote assessment tools to serve patients in geographically remote areas. Dr. Vyselaar leads multiple clinical trials as principal investigator—including studies on inflammation in coronary disease, atrial-fibrillation-related cognitive change, heart-failure therapies, and lipid management.

Research Manager

Isabelle Korchinski

Lead Sonographer

Margot Williams