CRAJ Spring 2020

Spring 2020 (Volume 30, Number 1)

Awards, Appointments, and Accolades

Dr. Monique Gignac – Addie Thomas Service Award

Dr. Monique Gignac received the Association of Rheumatology Professional’s (ARP) 2019 Addie Thomas Service Award at the recent American College of Rheumatology (ACR) meeting in Atlanta. The award is named after the association’s first president and is given to an ARP member for sustained service and volunteer activities. Dr. Gignac was recognized for her ongoing service work with a number of organizations, including as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Co-Scientific Director of the Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN), work with the Arthritis Society, and for her Associate Editor activities at Arthritis Care & Research. Dr. Gignac received the ARP’s Distinguished Lecturer Award in 2014 and the Distinguished Scholar Award in 2013. She is Scientific Co-Director and a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Work & Health, a Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and an Affiliate Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute at the University Health Network.

2019 ACR Masters

Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy and Dr. Ronald Laxer were both recently honoured with the designation of Master by the American College of Rheumatology during the most recent ACR meeting in November 2019 in Atlanta. Recognition as a Master of the American College of Rheumatology is one of the highest honours the College bestows to members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology through scholarly achievement and/or service to their patients, students, and profession.

Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy – ACR Master 2019

“To be recognized by my ACR peers as a Master is not only a great honour, but one that gives me a deep sense of satisfaction that I have succeeded in meeting the high professional standards this organization has always represented and promoted, and that have inspired and guided me over the years. I could not be more grateful for having had the opportunities to achieve this,” said Dr. El-Gabalawy.

Dr. El-Gabalawy is currently Professor of Medicine & Immunology at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, and also holds the Endowed Rheumatology Research Chair at the same institution.

Dr. Ronald Laxer – ACR Master 2019

“The highest form of recognition is that received from one’s peers. It was a wonderful honour to be designated an ACR Master and to be recognized for my clinical and academic contributions. I was particularly proud to join a group of Canadian pediatric rheumatologists designated as Masters including my mentor Ross Petty and good friends Kiem Oen, Alan Rosenberg and Earl Silverman,” remarked Dr. Laxer.

“Dr. Laxer is currently Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine within the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Toronto, and a rheumatologist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto.