The Gairdner Awards recognize some of the world’s most significant biomedical and global health research and discoveries.  This award recognizes Dr. Dick’s discovery and characterization of leukemic stem cells, providing insights into the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

As the Gairdner award states: 

The work:
Dr. John Dick made the first discovery of leukemia stem cells (LSC) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. This finding established that individual cancer cells in the patient are not equal, rather they are organized as a cellular hierarchy where only rare leukemia cells possess self-renewal, the hallmark stem cell property. This discovery required two experimental components that Dick developed: a xenograft assay to detect LSC based on their ability to generate human leukemia upon transplantation into immune-deficient mice and a method to purify leukemia cells into LSC and non-LSC populations. By combining functional LSC assays with genetic analysis, Dick tracked the complex evolutionary pathways of human leukemia development from normal blood stem cells to pre-leukemic stem cells that eventually generate LSC and AML up to a decade later. This work also showed that LSCs that can cause later relapse have already evolved prior to diagnosis and can survive normal therapy procedures. Thus, LSC was directly linked to therapy failure and relapse in leukemia patients. The properties of LSC as reflected in their gene expression are predictive of therapy response and overall survival. Dick developed a 17-gene ‘stemness score’ that can be used clinically to determine the patient’s risk of poor outcome and help guide therapeutic choice.

The impact:
Dick’s discovery of LSC changed the understanding of the underlying biology of cancer and stimulated the exploration of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in other human cancers, including those affecting the breast, brain, colon, pancreas, skin, and liver. His work highlighted the importance of investigating the properties of individual cells of the neoplastic clone, rather than bulk cancer cells and that special attention needs to be on the CSC which are the only cells capable of long-term cancer propagation. The focus on CSC is revealing a number of properties that enable their survival in the face of therapy including dormancy, stress signaling as well as stemness programs that enable disease recurrence. Dick’s work points to the need to ensure that CSC are eradicated when therapy is delivered and the need for new therapies that target CSC vulnerabilities. The discovery that pre-leukemic stem cells are present many years prior to disease appearance and that relapse-fated LSC are already present at diagnosis both offer windows of opportunity to target pre-leukemia and relapse earlier to prevent disease and relapse from occurring, respectively. Dick’s findings offer clear direction for improving clinical outcomes in leukemia through LSC targeting and potentially in other cancers that adhere to the CSC model.

About the Gairdner Foundation

The Gairdner Foundation was established in 1957 by Toronto stockbroker, James Gairdner to award annual prizes to scientists whose discoveries have had major impact on scientific progress and on human health. Since 1959 when the first awards were granted, 402 scientists have received a Canada Gairdner Award and 96 to date have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. The Canada Gairdner Awards promote a stronger culture of research and innovation across the country through our outreach programs including lectures and research symposia. The programs bring current and past laureates to universities across Canada to speak with faculty, trainees and high school students to inspire the next generation of researchers. Annual research symposia and public lectures are organized across Canada to provide Canadians access to leading science through Gairdner’s convening power. Gairdner is supported nationally by the Government of Canada.

Read the full media release.

We caught up with this Faculty of Science 2021 Honoured Alumni to learn more about his experiences, research and work.

Dr. Robert Tate, Director of the Manitoba Follow Up Study Canada’s longest-running prospective study of cardiovascular disease and aging. 2021 Faculty of Science Honoured Alumni.

Tell us what you do.

My introduction to the field of statistics came in the mid-1970s, at a time when the norm of classroom instruction was heavy on theory. Applied statistical analysis was undertaken with punch cards and a huge mainframe computer. I experienced first-hand the early years of the rapid expansion and uptake of theory into practice. This was happening a few years before PCs were common in offices and analytic power arrived on our desks. Still, there might have a modelling problem with clinical data that would take hours to code and overnight to run. Push the submit button at the end of a day, come back the next morning to see some results.

Housed at the University of Manitoba since 1948, the Manitoba Follow-up Study (MFUS) began as a prospective cohort study of the cardiovascular health of 3,983 World War II young male RCAF aircrew recruits. I’ve worked with MFUS in various capacities, starting in December 1975 with a 6-month contract to “put data into computer files”. I worked my way through the MFUS research team as a junior computer programmer, database developer and data manager, programmer analyst, doctoral student, research associate and am now the Director of MFUS. Analyses addressing MFUS research questions have been co-authored with staff, students and teams of co-investigators. MFUS continues today with a surviving cohort of fewer than 100 very elderly veterans. That any research project that can continue, uninterrupted, 73 years is quite remarkable and almost unheard of in medical research. The longevity of MFUS is unparalleled in Canada, and MFUS ranks with only a few others in the world in duration. Part of the success of this study comes from the dedication of the participants, and the dedication of the staff involved. As the cohort, aged new questions arose. I expanded the research focus of MFUS from a study of cardiovascular disease to one to include the epidemiology of other chronic conditions, challenges with healthy and successful aging, and end-of-life functional trajectories. The ability to recognize, revise and adapt initiatives to produce timely research results has been a mainstay of MFUS.

What are you most passionate about?

Every day in medical research is an exciting day. In the University of Manitoba environment, it never seemed like “going to work”. Throughout my career, I’ve collaborated with local, national and international health researchers resulting in over 160 peer-reviewed publications in journals of health policy, general medicine, epidemiology, cardiovascular disease and gerontology.

What is something you are most proud of?

I defended my doctoral thesis on my 47^th birthday, 25 years after completing my MSc in Statistics.

What is something others would be surprised to know about you?

In the fall of 1975, after my MSc graduation, I was at home in Portage la Prairie working at a farm supply centre. A professor from the Statistics department phoned me to ask if I might be interested in a six-month contract position with some heart disease researchers at the Medical School. So, OK, I drove into Winnipeg, went to the Medical School, found the office of the Manitoba Follow-up Study, and knocked on the door. I was taken to the Medical Director’s office. My job interview went something like this …

Dr. Mathewson, sitting at his desk looking at some papers for what seemed like an eternity finally spoke: “Are you the boy they sent over from the University?”

Me:  “Yes, Sir.”

Dr. Mathewson: “There’s your desk.”

Me:  “Yes, Sir.”

That was day one of my 45-year career at the University of Manitoba. I filled out a job application form a few weeks later.

Have you experienced a Eureka moment in your life/or career? The “aha” experience– that flash of insight that suddenly explains something or shows us how to solve a problem?

My career parcels in two parts: the first 25 years as a statistician with a cardiovascular disease study and consultant with the biostatistics consulting unit at the Medical School, and the next 20 years leading research and travelling through academia. The Eureka moment came when I realized how exciting research can be, and instead of helping others with their questions, I’d address my own questions, in a Ph.D. program. The University of Manitoba proved to be an immensely supportive environment for me embark on the second part of my career.

Why Science?

The world of statistics offers exciting opportunities. A feature that sets statistics apart from other sciences is its ability to transcend almost every other discipline. Statistics is a science in its own right and is a proven valuable partner in the advancement of other fields. As a career statistician, I’ve collaborated with individuals and teams in almost every field of health and social sciences.

Why UM?

I was born in Portage la Prairie, MB, grew up there and always loved numbers. After High School graduation, a few of my classmates opted to go to university, some to U of Winnipeg, some to U of Manitoba. I chose UW at that time because UM seemed too big for a kid in a general undergrad program from small-town Manitoba. I majored in Mathematics. In my second year took one course in Statistics, and was hooked. I completed my BSc having taken all the courses UW offered in Statistics. An instructor there, Dr. Shirley Mills, was a marvellous mentor and had just completed her MSc in Statistics at UM. We all have influential professors on our academic paths, and she made the Masters’s program in Statistics at UM an easy next step for me.

What is your fondest memory of being a student at UM?

The MSc cohort in the Statistics department 1973-1975 began with about twenty students. By Christmas, the first term close to half were gone. I think we all underestimated how much work a graduate program would be. I graduated with a class of eight, we were a tightly knit group who most days were on campus from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, leaning on each other.

Do you have any advice to offer current students?

Frustration and setbacks are something we will all face in our student life and careers. Get involved in an area of study that you care about, something that excites you, something that you are passionate about. Don’t show up on campus with an attitude of it’s just another class to attend. What you do during the few years you are there will set the stage for lifelong enjoyment.

You can learn more about Dr. Tate’s work and many other exciting career paths from several of our 2021 Faculty of Science Honoured Alumni at the Pathways to Exceptional Achievement Event on Feb. 4, 2021.

Alumni Speaker Panel & Q&A
Pathways to Exceptional Achievement – Careers in Science
2021 Honoured Alumni Awards
Feburary 4, 2021 at 3:30 PM (CST)

All are welcome to attend. (Virtual) Online Event. Please check your email for Zoom link or contact: foscomms [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.

We caught up with this Faculty of Science 2021 Honoured Alumni, Biological Sciences, to learn more about Dr. Choy’s experiences, research and work.

Tell us about your work.

I study marine predators as sentinels of environmental change in Arctic ecosystems. Recently, I completed a study on the impacts of heat stress on thick-billed murres, an Arctic seabird. Murres have limited heat tolerance and low ability to dissipate heat, which makes them and possibly other cold-adapted birds vulnerable to Arctic warming.

What is something you are most proud of?

I’m most proud that the research I did at UM on beluga whales as sentinels of environmental change in the Beaufort Sea ecosystem was relevant and meaningful to communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, for which belugas are an important traditional subsistence harvest. I’m proud to have been part of a research program that worked in partnership with northern communities and dedicated the time and effort to consult and share our results with Northerners at every stage of the project.

What are you most passionate about?

I’m passionate about many things, such as nature and the outdoors, and of course the Arctic. I am also very passionate about sharing my research with many audiences, especially youth and northern communities.

What is something others would be surprised to know about you?

I have a degree in Outdoor and Experiential Education, which included training in many outdoor activities. For example, as part of the program, I had to sew my own mukluks out of rawhide and where them during a 10-day winter backcountry camping trip in Algonquin. They kept my feet warm the whole trip and I still have them.

Have you experienced a Eureka moment in your life/or career? The “aha” experience– that flash of insight that suddenly explains something or shows us how to solve a problem?

Being part of the Victoria Strait Expedition in 2014 to find the lost ships (the Erebus and Terror) of Sir John Franklin as a Ph.D. student at U of M was one of the most amazing moments in my life and career.

Why UM?

Through U of M, I was able to do a Ph.D. on beluga whales in partnership with communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region and was co-supervised in the Department of Biological Sciences and at the Freshwater Institute at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. U of M has a very strong Arctic research focus and provides amazing opportunities to collaborate with government scientists.

What is your fondest memory of being a student at U of M?

I have many fond memories of being a student at U of M, and took part in many activities!

I played competitive ultimate frisbee on the U of M women’s competitive team for 2 years, and in 2013, we placed 4th at the Canadian University Ultimate Championships! I also enjoyed playing the saxophone in the Biological Sciences Department band.

Do you have any advice to offer current students?

Take advantage of all of the opportunities offered at U of M and the broader Winnipeg community! Find a balance between your academics and hobbies/activities that you enjoy and find meaningful!

You can learn more about Dr. Choy’s career and many other exciting career possibilities from several of our 2021 Faculty of Science Honoured Alumni at the Pathways to Exceptional Achievement Event on Feb. 4, 2021.

Alumni Speaker Panel & Q&A
Pathways to Exceptional Achievement – Careers in Science
2021 Honoured Alumni Awards
Feburary 4, 2021 at 3:30 PM (CST)

All are welcome to attend. (Virtual) Online Event. Please check your email for Zoom link or contact: foscomms [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.

We caught up with this Faculty of Science 2021 Honoured Alumni to learn more about her experiences, research and work.

Lorisa Dubuc [B.C.Sc. (Hons), Psychology Minor/02] – Computer Science – Executive Director (VP), Developer Experience User Research, Goldman Sachs, London.

Tell us about your work.

I am a specialist in user experience research. My job involves uncovering user behaviours, needs, and motivations, providing actionable insights that help teams design products and services that provide value. Essentially I help teams understand what it is that people actually need, instead of what they think people want. When applied to technology, this helps make better products, systems, and services for all of us. And hopefully makes the world a better place to be in, one experience at a time. Currently, I manage a team of user researchers at Goldman Sachs, a global investment bank, as well as leading a large-scale, high-impact research initiative to improve the developer experience for the 10,000+ engineers within the firm.

What is something you are most proud of?

Being a strong role model for my two children. As a working professional who also happens to be a mother, I feel pulled in several directions on a daily basis. At first, I felt bad about not being at home for my kids. But now, I appreciate how important it is that they grow up seeing how everyone within a family contributes in different ways, and this is one of the ways that mothers can play an important role. My kids don’t know exactly what I do yet – when I worked for a company that makes satellite networks, their dad would tell them I was “going to work at the space station”, and now at Goldman Sachs they talk about me “going to work at the bank”. But the fundamental thing is that they know I work hard and that it is important for both me and my family.

Why UM?

To be completely honest, UM wasn’t my first choice. Although I grew up in Winnipeg when I finished secondary school I really wanted to go to the University of Waterloo, given its reputation as a top school to study Computer Science. I was accepted into both universities but ultimately decided to stay in Winnipeg where I could live at home and not rack up huge student loan debt. It was a decision purely based on practicality – at the time, I felt devastated, as I had always dreamed of studying at Waterloo. But, as it turned out, going to the UM was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I felt very much at home at the UM from the first day, the professors were approachable and knowledgeable, and I made great lifelong friends. The Co-op program helped set me up with terrific job experience and thus a great CV. As a result of my Co-op placements, I landed a great job with IBM after graduating, which even took me overseas on an international assignment. And, to top it off, attaining a first-class honours degree in Computer Science at the UM got me accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Cambridge, ranking second in an applicant pool of 31 overseas candidates that year. If I could go back, I’d make the same decision again, 100%.

Do you have any advice to offer current students?

Spend this time really getting to know yourself, and follow your interests and passions. If you have more than one area you love, and they are very different, that’s ok! Don’t feel you need to settle on doing just one thing. Even if it doesn’t feel obvious to you now, there will likely be a way to combine them in the future. There are a million different jobs out there that you could pursue – many of which you probably haven’t come across yet, and some that don’t yet exist (based on innovations still in development).

I started off studying Computer Science, but I also loved Psychology – I took every elective I could in the latter, which resulted in a Psychology minor by the time I finished my degree. I thought perhaps I would be able to combine them by studying AI later on, or something similar – it wasn’t until a couple of years after I graduated did I realize that I could work on improving technology through studying human behaviour, and have since carved out a career for myself in User Experience Research. This wasn’t a career path per se when I was studying.

Keep your mind open to the possibilities your future career may bring, and don’t be afraid to be creative about shaping the career you want.

You can learn more about Lorisa Dubuc [B.C.Sc. (Hons), Psychology Minor/02] and many other exciting career possibilities from several of our 2021 Faculty of Science Honoured Alumni at the Pathways to Exceptional Achievement Event on Feb. 4, 2021.

Alumni Speaker Panel & Q&A
Pathways to Exceptional Achievement – Careers in Science
2021 Honoured Alumni Awards
Feburary 4, 2021 at 3:30 PM (CST)

All are welcome to attend. (Virtual) Online Event. Please check your email for Zoom link or contact: foscomms@umanitoba.ca.

“They didn’t hurt the person, didn’t cut him open, didn’t inject anything into him, yet they could see inside his body. How did that work? I just had to know how they did that,” she recalls.

Since then, Dr. Martin has become a visionary physicist who has pioneered the development of microscopic MRI techniques, applying them to the physiological changes in living tissues – work that has the potential to speed up and improve the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Schizophrenia.

“The ultimate goal is to catch things in the brain and diagnose them earlier, so we can start the treatment and fix them before the disease gets bad.”

As a professor of Physics at the University of Winnipeg, besides being a dedicated mentor to her students, Martin is also the director of the Magnetic Resonance Microscopy Centre and recently wrapped up a term as U of W’s Chancellor’s Research Chair. At the University of Manitoba, she is cross-appointed as a faculty member in the Department of Radiology as well as Pharmacology and Therapeutics, an adjunct Prof. in Physics and Astronomy and a Core Member of the Biomedical Engineering program. She is also the Canadian Association of Physicists’ Past Chair of the Division of Physics in Medicine and Biology.

“As the geeky physicist, I’m just having fun making these methods. The fact they could eventually have applications [that could help save lives] is kind of thrilling. But I’m not thinking about that when I’m making the methods.”

In addition to her BSC (Hons) in Physics from University of Manitoba, Dr. Martin also has two Masters degrees and a PhD in Applied Physics and Biomedical Engineering from Yale University, and was a postdoctoral scholar and associate scientist in Biology at Caltech in Pasadena, California before she returned to Winnipeg in 2004. She was a key contributor to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)-sponsored “Get the Full Picture: Women, Diversity and Research Excellence” event in June 2015, and co-conceived and co-organized an event for the International Day of the Girl in October 2015 with the Government of Manitoba, to help encourage the love of science in female high school students and show them women can be scientists too. A game-show enthusiast, in 2014 she was chosen to participate in Season One of the CBC program Canada’s Smartest Person.

On Thursday, January 26, 2017, Dr. Martin will receive the Faculty of Science 2017 Honoured Alumni Award for exceptional achievement in Physics.

Dr. Martin spoke to the Faculty of Science more about her experiences and the path her education and career have taken.

What was your strongest memory from your time studying at the U of M, Faculty of Science?

I always loved the Physics professors – they were all really good at sharing what they were doing and had a great passion for teaching. It’s also where I met my husband [also a physicist].

One neat experience was, Youth Science Canada used to send two students from Canada each year to the Nobel Prize ceremony, as part of the annual Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar. One year I was chosen, but it was right in the middle of exams. I had to go to the Physics Department, to the Dean, and even to the President’s office to try to arrange it so I could go for a week and a half. Around that time, someone else had given me a bunch of gift cards to a really expensive restaurant so I used them to thank the University presidents and the Dean of Science  by taking them all out for lunch. It was just me eating with all these ‘big wigs’ and paying for it, which was kind of funny but a nice memory.

What opportunity during or after your time in the Faculty of Science helped launch your career?

I actually started thinking about this career before I started University, but it was still related to U of M. When I was in Grade 11, I found out that SHAD – then Shad Valley – had what I called ‘summer camp for geeks’. I lived on the U of M campus for all of July, going through University classes. I was a shy kid going in, never really having interacted with other smart people before. But now there were 40 or 50 of us – students and professors that were all really bright and had the same drive I had. Those four weeks completely changed my life – now I’m not shy at all, and I’m driven to continued success.

What is the most fascinating and/or engaging experience you have had during your career in science?

When I went to Ottawa for Get the Full Picture: Women, Diversity and Research Excellence, I was amazed at the number of Senators and MPs who had PhDs in science. I was trying to get a program going and needed federal equipment and provincial money.  The senators were telling me, ‘If you need a letter of support, I’ll help you’. It was great to see how they cared.

2017 Faculty of Science Alumni Awards Event

Recognizing graduates who have made remarkable contributions to discovering the unknown, inventing the future, and advancing the well-being of society.

January, 26, 2017
Marshall McLuhan Hall (University Centre)
University of Manitoba, Fort Garry Campus
3:30 pm- 6:00 pm

The event includes a panel discussion and Q&A where our distinguished guests will share their experiences and offer advice to students about selecting areas of study, navigating career paths, and using their degrees in sometimes unconventional ways.

A reception will follow. Everyone is welcome to attend. Space is limited, so please RSVP by email to foscomms@umanitoba.ca to secure your spot.

“If you keep working at it, science will always show you a way to solve the problem. You can spend years in the weeds just plowing your way forward, but you can’t give up hope. When you get an insight or something reveals itself, and you test it, and it makes a colossal difference and moves everything forward, it’s so exciting.”

Dr. Leslie Tari

“What they endeavored to do at Syrrx was exciting enough to get me to leave Canada and an academic career I was enjoying and leap into the world of biotechnology, to participate in this revelation in my field. I helped build a technology platform that enabled us to solve a crystal structure in weeks or even days, instead of months, allowing it to become a central tool to help drive the discovery of new drugs,” says Dr. Tari, whose work at Syrrx contributed to the discovery of Alogliptin, a drug approved for the treatment of Type II diabetes.

In 2003, Dr. Tari co-founded ActiveSite, a contract research organization with a unique business model that resulted in over 500 protein structures provided to companies ranging from major multinational pharmaceuticals to small biotechnology start-ups. Later, with Trius Therapeutics, which brought a new Gram-positive spectrum antibiotic, Sivextro®, to the market, he and his team pioneered the development of antibiotics targeting bacterial DNA gyrase/topoisomerase IV, currently in late-stage preclinical development – new agents that have the potential to become the first novel class of broad spectrum antibacterial agents to enter the clinic in over 50 years.

Now the Vice President of Discovery Research at San Diego’s Cidara Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel anti-infectives, Dr. Tari’s work has the potential to lead to new cures for infections caused by “super bugs” that are resistant to current antibiotics.

“My favorite part about the biotech industry is that you get these multi-disciplinary teams of highly motivated, really smart people, and you put all your minds together to solve a big problem. It’s a lot of fun,” Dr. Tari says. “The thrill I would like to have when I’m on my deathbed is that I was part of the invention of a new medicine that changes human health. That’s been my over-arching goal for many years now.”

On Thursday, January 26, 2017, Dr. Tari will receive the Faculty of Science 2017 Honoured Alumni Award for exceptional achievement in Chemistry.

Dr. Tari spoke to the Faculty of Science more about his experiences and the path his education and career have taken.

What was your strongest memory from your time studying at the U of M, Faculty of Science?

I loved my time there. It was a really warm community – the faculty cared about mentoring the students and unlocking their potential. They do some great work at the U of M, and put out really strong people.

More specifically, in my second year of studying Chemistry (which I had chosen kind of arbitrarily over Physics), I was playing in an intramural hockey game and was a line mate with a young professor, Tony Secco. After a game one day he told me about his research in X-ray crystallography, and that he studied a technique that allowed you to unlock the atomic structure of matter. I thought that was incredible. He invited me to come to his lab and see how it worked. He got me hooked, and I knew I had found my calling.

What opportunity during or after your time in the Faculty of Science helped launch your career?

I think many of us encounter a series of mentors in life that see something in you and decide unselfishly to help you move forward. Professor Tony Secco was certainly one of those for me. Later in my career it was Duncan McRee, who recruited me to join Syrrx. He was a “big wheel” in the field of structural biology, and by chance we were both studying proteins used by bacteria to steal iron from the host during infection. I managed to scoop him and determine a crystal structure of something he was working on. When he learned about that, initially he was annoyed, but when we met later at a conference he told me about the opportunity at Syrrx. He taught me a lot and helped me take my education and my career in biotechnology – shifting from academia – to the next level, really making me an expert in my discipline.

What is the most fascinating and/or engaging experience you have had during your career in science?

At Trius, we spent years trying to discover a new class of drugs to address infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria – they are very dangerous and difficult to kill. We were making these great molecules, they were binding tightly to the target, but the Gram-negative bacteria were just laughing at them. We were stalled. Then two ‘Eureka’ moments occurred – my team determined the crystal structure of a weak inhibitor bound to the target that we had passed on earlier, and it immediately revealed something we could change to boost how tightly it engaged the target. We coupled that with a second modification we learned about from our prior inhibitors and some 20-year-old literature about certain features molecules should have to help them sneak inside Gram-negative cells to get to their targets. Once we made inhibitors with both changes, overnight we suddenly had a whole new series of molecules that was working against this wide panel of bacteria – we extended the spectrum to where it had to be. It was something nobody else had ever done against this particular target, and ended a 50-year drought in the search for new classes of broad spectrum antibacterial agents. So that was really exciting.

2017 Faculty of Science Alumni Awards Event

Recognizing graduates who have made remarkable contributions to discovering the unknown, inventing the future, and advancing the well-being of society.

January, 26, 2017
Marshall McLuhan Hall (University Centre)
University of Manitoba, Fort Garry Campus
3:30 pm- 6:00 pm

The event includes a panel discussion and Q&A where our distinguished guests will share their experiences and offer advice to students about selecting areas of study, navigating career paths, and using their degrees in sometimes unconventional ways.

A reception will follow. Everyone is welcome to attend. Space is limited, so please RSVP by email to foscomms@umanitoba.ca to secure your spot.