The Cy Frank Legacy Lectureship
The Cy Frank Legacy Lectureship honours and commemorates the late Dr. Cy Frank, an internationally acclaimed visionary who championed the application of research to create solutions for patients. The lectureship showcases individuals who reflect his passion and commitment to health innovation.
10th Anniversary Cy Frank Legacy Lectureship Schedule
Exploring Cy Frank’s Impact (Past, Present, Future)
This page will be updated with additional information as soon as it becomes available
| Time | Location | Program | Speaker(s) |
| 12:00 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Welcome lunch | |
| 12:45 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Introduction | Dr. Cheryl Barnabe, Dr. Dianne Mosher |
| 1:00 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Keynote: “Return on investment in biomedical research: what you measure is what you get” | Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy |
| 1:40 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Cy Frank Rising Innovator Awardee: Emerging Voices in Research | TBA |
| 1:50 | BREAK | ||
| 2:10 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Panel: Building on Cy Frank's Legacy | o Dr. Kristen Barton o Dr. Nick Mohtadi o Dr. Deborah Marshall o Ms. Tracy Wasylak |
| 3:10 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Moderated panel Q&A | Dr. Braden Manns |
| 3:40 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Keynote: "Prescription Without Sustainable Action: Canada’s Healthcare Paradox" | Dr. Verna Yiu |
| 4:20 | Foothills Medical Centre, Auditorium | Closing remarks | Dr. Jason Werle |
Event Contributors
Hani El-Gabalawy
Keynote Presenter
Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy is a Professor of Medicine and Immunology and the Endowed Rheumatology Research Chair at the University of Manitoba. As a former Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA), his research focused on the pathogenesis and prognosis of early inflammatory arthritis, particularly in Indigenous populations. He leads a CIHR-funded longitudinal study of at-risk First Nations family members of rheumatoid arthritis patients to better understand the early stages of disease onset. His current research investigates the transition from benign to pathogenic autoimmunity, the initiation of synovial inflammation, and expores novel nutritional approaches to rheumatoid arthritis prevention.
Verna Yiu
Keynote Presenter
Dr. Verna Yiu is one of Canada’s most respected healthcare leaders, with more than two decades of leadership experience in academic medicine and health system administration. She currently is Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at the University of Alberta and a Professor of Pediatrics. She previously served as President and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS), where she led major system innovations, including Connect Care and Alberta’s Covid-19 response. Dr. Yiu, a pediatric nephrologist at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, is known for championing servant leadership, integration, and equity in healthcare. Dr. Yiu has received notable accolades, including the Global Woman of Vision award, a top ranking on the Medical Post’s 2021 Power List, and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contributions to Alberta.
Kristen Barton
Panelist
Dr. Kristen Barton is an orthopaedic surgeon-scientist and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Western University. Her research focuses on how sports injuries contribute to osteoarthritis progression, aiming to help patients reduce pain and improve mobility. Drawing from her own experience as a competitive athlete with multiple knee surgeries, she brings a unique and empathetic lens to her clinical and research work. She is the founder of Joint Management, an osteoarthritis education platform, and a recipient of multiple national awards for research, education, and leadership. She is also the creator of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association’s Emerging Leadership Program and will soon be completing dual fellowships in arthroplasty and sports medicine to support her goal of a comprehensive knee practice.
Nick Mohtadi
Panelist
Dr. Nick Mohtadi is a Clinical Professor of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and co-medical director of the Sports Medicine Centre at the University of Calgary. He is a clinical epidemiologist and surgeon-scientist who has been operating in the field of sport medicine and arthroscopy for 35 years. A pioneer in orthopaedic sport medicine and outcomes research, he has developed widely used patient-reported tools and led numerous clinical trials. A former Olympic team physician and professional tennis player, he received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Orthopaedic Association and was the first orthopaedic surgeon in Canada to earn the DRCPSC designation.
Deborah Marshall
Panelist
Dr. Deborah Marshall is a Professor and the Svare Chair in Health Economics, Value and Impact, University of Calgary and Scientific Director at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI). As a health economist, her research evaluates the value and socioeconomic impacts of healthcare programs. Her work has informed national quality-of-care frameworks and innovative models for joint replacement for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis leading to improvements across access to treatment, patient function and quality of life.
Tracy Wasylak
Panelist
Tracy Wasylak is a Senior Policy Advisor with Health Canada and holds adjunct appointments at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine. A recognized leader in health system transformation, she has contributed to national research focused on health system impact, quality improvement, patient engagement, and health policy. Her contributions have been honoured with the Canadian Nurses Association’s Order of Merit in Nursing Policy, the AHS President’s Excellence Award for Innovation, and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta).
Introducing the Cy Frank Rising Innovator Award
Established to mark the 10th anniversary of Dr. Cy Frank’s passing, this award recognizes a trainee whose research reflects Dr. Frank’s enduring legacy in musculoskeletal health. The award celebrates innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and translational impact.
Eligibility: Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical residents/fellows conducting musculoskeletal research under the supervision of a McCaig Institute member.
Award:
- $500 prize
- Short presentation at the Cy Frank Legacy Lectureship on September 19, 2025
Application Deadline: July 31, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
View award details and apply HERE
Please send your full application to: mccaig@ucalgary.ca
Cy Frank Legacy Lectureship Endowment
The University of Calgary and the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health thanks the friends, family, and colleagues of Dr. Cy Frank who have contributed to the Cy Frank Legacy Lectureship endowment.
We continue to accept donations to ensure this lectureship can have national impact for years to come.
Past Cy Frank Legacy Lectures
Access recordings and summaries of the past Cy Frank Legacy Lectureships.
2023: Walter Herzog
Dr. Walter Herzog presents: "Harnessing innovative preclinical models to advance osteoarthritis research and treatment"
2022: Dr. Ewa Roos
Dr. Ewa Roos presents: "Osteoarthritis: Putting science into action – why not now?"
2021: Dr. William Ghali
Dr. William Ghali presents: ""The Impact of Science and the Science of Impact," for an online lecture.
2020: Dr. Gillian Hawker
Dr. Gillian Hawker presents: “Osteoarthritis: A Not-So-Silent Killer” for an online lecture.
2019: Dr. Stefan Lohmander
Dr. Stefan Lohmander presents: "Changing the narrative: Progress and challenges of improving osteoarthritis (OA) care"
2018: Dame Sally Davies
Dame Sally Davies presents: "Compression of Morbidity: The Role of Big Data. Are there lessons for Canada?"
2017: Dr. Tom Noseworthy
Dr. Tom Noseworthy presents: "Innovation in healthcare: Lines of sight to policy and practice"
2016: Alan Bernstein
Dr. Alan Bernstein presents: "The Promise of Health Sciences in the 21st Century – a Revisit"
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