Centre for Health Innovation

OPEA 2025 – Dr. Heidi-Lynn Ploeg, P.Eng. (Engineering Medal – Research and Development)

Leon Ploeg — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:40:02 +0000

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Queen’s Gazette: Advancing Terry Fox’s vision for cancer research

Leon Ploeg — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:12:02 +0000

Queen’s researchers support a Canada-wide network expanding access to care and improving cancer outcomes.

/gazette/stories/advancing-terry-fox-s-vision-cancer-research

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Congratulations to Teresa Purzner

Leon Ploeg — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:38:50 +0000

Dr. Teresa Purzner (Kingston Health Sciences Centres and Queen’s University) has been named one of the recipients of the 2025 Clinician-Scientist Awards, for her project titled: ““. Funded by the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN), she will receive $450,000 ($225,000 from the Network and $225,000 in matching funds) to support groundbreaking research in precision oncology.

��˴�Ƭ the award

The MOHCCN Clinician-Scientist Award provides outstanding early-career clinician-scientists with funding to support high-quality research in precision oncology. The award is designed to support early-career investigators as they develop their careers as independent clinician-scientists, in close collaboration and mentorship with established MOHCCN-funded teams.

MOH announcement can be found here:

More information on Dr. Purzner’s Research Project:

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Congratulations to Heidi Ploeg who was awarded the Engineering Medal for Research and Development

Leon Ploeg — Fri, 16 May 2025 12:44:16 +0000

Text from:

“Dr. Heidi-Lynn Ploeg, P.Eng., is awarded the Engineering Medal for Research and Development in recognition of her groundbreaking work in orthopedic biomechanics, implant design, and medical device innovation, which has advanced engineering knowledge and improved health outcomes for millions worldwide.

An internationally recognized leader in bone mechanics and musculoskeletal systems, Dr. Ploeg’s pioneering contributions include the development of a novel bone bioreactor and loading system that allows for the study of live human bone tissue under controlled mechanical and biological conditions. This platform has transformed preclinical testing by bridging the gap between cell culture and animal testing by offering a more physiologically relevant preclinical model. Accepted by researchers worldwide, this system is accelerating the discovery of new treatments for bone-related diseases and supports ethical research practices by reducing animal use.

Dr. Ploeg has also made foundational contributions to computational and experimental biomechanics. Her investigations into the mechanical properties of musculoskeletal tissues have improved the accuracy of computer simulations used in preclinical assessments. She has developed subject-specific models for predicting implant performance and fracture risk, contributing to new standards in the testing and design of orthopedic and dental devices. Her efforts have contributed to better treatment outcomes for conditions that affect more than 1.7 billion people globally.

Before taking her current role at Queen’s University in 2018, Dr. Ploeg spent over a decade in the medical device industry at Centerpulse Orthopedics Ltd. (now Zimmer Biomet), where she led the Pre-Clinical Stress Analysis Group. Her work there directly influenced the designand validation of a wide range of joint implants used by patients globally.

With over 300 scholarly publications, patents, and global research collaborations, Dr. Ploeg’s impact extends far beyond the lab. Her leadership in the medical device industry and her academic role at Queen’s University (Queen’s) have helped translate fundamental research into real-world therapies that improve patient care.

Dr. Ploeg is also a dedicated mentor and advocate. She has supervised more than 170 students and postdoctoral fellows and has advanced equity in engineering through her leadership as the inaugural Chair for Women in Engineering at Queen’s. Her research into sex-based differences in biomechanics has led to safer, more inclusive product designs.

A Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Orthopedic Research Society, and recipient of the 2024 WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: STEM Award, Dr. Ploeg exemplifies research excellence, innovation, and a deep commitment to societal impact. “

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Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network publishes landmark paper in prestigious journal Cancer Cell

Leon Ploeg — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:29:51 +0000

The Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network has reached a significant milestone today with the publication of its . Published in the prestigious journal Cancer Cell, the paper highlights the Network’s history, objectives and key accomplishments to date, underscoring how this unprecedented national collaboration is working to transform precision oncology in Canada.

It is authored by the entire Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network.

“The publication of this paper is a seminal moment for our Network, as it introduces us to the global scientific community and showcases how the Canadian cancer research community is working together like never before to improve outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through precision medicine,” says Dr. André Veillette, Executive Director of the Network.

“Significantly, the paper also demonstrates the incredible scale of collaboration that defines our Network – it has more than 1,200 listed individual collaborators and recognizes over 100 funding and research partners – all of whom are uniting to bring real change to cancer research and care in this country.”

The paper was developed over the last year and a half, and was primarily written by Dr. Véronique LeBlanc, Network Program Manager and Scientific Writer, in close collaboration with Drs. Marco Marra (University of British Columbia) and Ian Watson (McGill University).

“We went through a meticulous process to put this together – from gathering insights from working group chairs to refining the draft with our Steering Committee and Network Council to getting approval from all our listed collaborators,” explains Dr. LeBlanc. “When it came to publication, we were thrilled when such a prestigious publication like Cancer Cell recognized the Network’s leadership and expressed interest in the work. We were also delighted to be invited to publish in the journal’s Special Review Issue on Bridging the Gap Between Foundational Cancer Biology and Clinical Oncology, a theme that brilliantly captures the Network’s mission.”

The type of paper the Network just published is known as a marker paper. These papers aim to raise awareness within the scientific community about specific initiatives making an impact in a particular area of research. In this case, the paper focuses on the establishment of the Network, its vision and how it has brought together patients, researchers, clinicians, donors and administrators from across the country to develop a unified, pan-Canadian strategy for the advancement of precision oncology.

It also highlights the Network’s critical role in breaking down silos in Canada’s cancer research and care ecosystems, its commitment to equity and diversity in research and the central role that cancer patients, survivors and caregivers play in shaping all Network activities.

“Terry Fox’s vision was for all Canadians to be part of his Marathon of Hope,” says Dr. Watson. “As a Network, we’ve been working hard to embody that vision and create solutions that benefit everyone in Canada, no matter who they are or where they live. This paper is a way to celebrate this work and share meaningful successes and lessons learned, while also outlining the future direction of the Network.”

With the publication now available online in Cancer Cell, the Network hopes to inspire further collaboration within Canada and internationally to continue transforming the Canadian cancer research and care landscapes.

“This commentary is more than just a reflection of our progress,” says Dr. Marra. “It’s an invitation to the global research community to engage with our work, learn from our experiences and help drive the next era of precision medicine.”

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Congratulations to Dilakshan on winning the 3MT

Leon Ploeg — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:16:13 +0000

“First-place winner Srikanthan presented on the topic of “Real-Time Tumor Detection in Brain Surgery.” His research focuses on a surgical tool called the intelligent knife (iKnife). This technology helps brain surgeons instantly distinguish between tumor and healthy brain tissue during surgery, making tumour removal more precise and potentially improving outcomes for patients with aggressive brain tumors like glioblastoma.

“Competing in the 3MT challenged me to distill years of research into a message that anyone could understand,” says Srikanthan. “I’ve always enjoyed presenting my research, but this competition reminded me that science is at its most powerful and impactful when it is accessible. While it’s the complexity that makes science beautiful, I think it is the clarity that makes it meaningful.”

Srikanthan also won the competition’s People’s Choice Award.”

Link to full article /gazette/stories/reaching-audience

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Congratulations to Heidi Ploeg on being named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by WXN

Leon Ploeg — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:32:00 +0000

Heidi Ploeg has been named one of by WXN: Women’s Executive Network. Recognized in the BMO STEM category for her visionary leadership and dedication to advancing gender equity in STEM.

WXN (Women’s Executive Network) is a one-of-a-kind community shaping the future of leadership across North America. They bring together thousands of bold women, allies, and corporate members in a rich and diverse ecosystem of professional development, networking, thought leadership, belonging, and celebration that propels professional women to rise and lead.

For more information on WXN, visit

For more information on Heidi’s Research, visit:

The Bone and Joint Biomechanics Lab

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Congratulations to Lidan You and Parvin Mousavi on being award Canada Research Chairs

Leon Ploeg — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:07:44 +0000

Lidan You – Cell Mechanics and Mechanobiology: Dr. You (Mechanical and Materials Engineering) aims to pioneer the development of advanced microtechnologies that will enable the investigation of cellular responses to mechanical cues in their microenvironment with unprecedented detail to drive progress in understanding and treating bone disorders to promote musculoskeletal health and overall wellbeing.

Parvin Mousavi – Medical Informatics: Dr. Mousavi (Computing) is integrating computing science and engineering to translate cutting-edge AI advancements into practical applications that improve disease diagnosis, medical interventions, and personalized treatments, envisioning machine learning solutions tailored for the unique demands of healthcare.

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Gabor Fichtinger and his team have been awarded a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in support of their ongoing efforts in the theme of AI in Global Health

Leon Ploeg — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:06:30 +0000

Gabor Fichtinger and his team have been awarded, in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, a third grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in support of their ongoing efforts in the theme of AI in Global Health.

The project: 3D Slicer for African Scientists: Enabling AI for Health received $400,000 US grant by the through CZI

3D Slicer is a free open-source software platform for medical imaging data analysis, 3D visualization, and image-guided therapy used in clinical research, education and commercial products worldwide, through nearly seven million downloads from all continents, including even Antarctica. However, the platform is only available in English.

“This is part of a larger program, our third grant from CZI for global health efforts,” Dr. Fichtinger, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Computer-Integrated Surgery, explains. “The first one was for Africa, second for Latin America, and this one for Africa again. Queen’s is co-leading; we are running these grants through Harvard University with Dr. Sonia Pujol. Our larger mission is to provide free-source software resources for the global community.”

Read the full story at:

/artsci/news/open-source-software-program-receives-critical-funding-0?utm_source=Gazette+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2281ddb998-2024-ur-qgt&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2281ddb998-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

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New Frontiers in Research Fund Exploration Program

Leon Ploeg — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:05:47 +0000

Some medical devices, whether sex-specific (IUDs) or universal (surgical mesh, hip replacements, etc.), produce harm in women and have bad reputations as the subject of costly legal challenges. However, as the body adapts to the foreignness of a medical device, it is not known if sex and sex hormones undermine device safety or effectiveness. (Chemical Engineering)��Ի�� (Biomedical and Molecular Sciences) will lead a team to use surgical mesh as a prototype to develop humanized cellular and tissue models to test sex-specific immune responses to implantable medical devices. Their proposal will integrate sex-focused immunological data with a detailed probing of socially accepted definitions of patient outcomes to better define device failure/success. By challenging the conventional ‘one size fits all’ approach to device manufacturing, their research validates sex as a biological factor in device performance. This effort not only addresses theoretical concerns about greater female inflammatory potential but also seeks to untangle the complexities contributing to device failure in women. Ultimately, their findings could lead to improvements in testing and approval processes for medical devices, despite potential challenges from industry interests.

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