Shared on behalf of Lakehead University

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Ultra‑Sensitive Organ‑Targeted Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Technology: Transforming the Way Breast Cancer Is Detected in Women at High Risk of Developing the Disease

Date: Monday, April 27, 2026
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Livestream. To register, click HERE.

In this lecture, Dr. Reznik will explore how advances in ultra‑sensitive, organ‑targeted Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging are transforming the way breast cancer is detected in women at high risk of developing the disease. It will trace the development of a breast‑dedicated PET imaging technology, from fundamental solid‑state physics and detector design in the laboratory to patient‑centred clinical translation, culminating in an FDA‑ and Health Canada–approved, commercially available PET scanner now used in cancer care. Innovation in detector and system design, imaging electronics, image reconstruction hardware and software, and clinical validation is driven by trainees at multiple levels -undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research assistants, working closely with clinical and industry partners. The talk will highlight how this collaborative, trainee‑powered research enterprise is enabling more precise, lower‑dose, and more accessible breast imaging to improve early cancer detection and support more personalized treatment decisions.

Dr. Alla Reznik is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Physics of Radiation Medical Imaging and a Professor in the Department of Physics at Lakehead University. She also serves as a Senior Scientist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI). She specializes in photoconductive materials and technologies for radiation medical imaging, with a focus on organ‑targeted Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and low‑dose x‑ray imaging detectors. She is dedicated to advancing radiation medical imaging technologies to achieve higher diagnostic accuracy while making them more affordable for healthcare systems and more accessible for patients, thereby improving patient outcomes. Her work bridges the gap between fundamental physics research and practical healthcare solutions by promoting knowledge transfer and collaboration among academia, industry, and healthcare institutions. Dr. Reznik’s program of research on organ‑targeted PET has led to the establishment of Radialis Inc., a Lakehead/TBRHRI spin‑off company that produces a commercial breast‑dedicated PET system based on the technology developed by her research group for breast cancer detection.

Every April 22, partners of all backgrounds come together to advance sustainability and climate action in commemoration of Earth Day.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Green Team is proud to be involved in the waste and energy reduction initiatives onsite which help reduce our Hospital’s environmental impact and carbon footprint. Our extensive recycling programs, in addition to our partnership with MEMO (Medical Equipment Modernization Opportunities) allow us to divert over 25% of our waste volumes from landfill and support developing nations in need of used medical equipment. Our Green Team also endorses other initiatives including introduction of paper straws; reduction in Styrofoam and single-use plastics; and other initiatives such as:

• Donations: Sent 75 decommissioned (end of service life) beds to MEMO, 4 to Confederation College, and 4 to Lakehead University
• Biodegradable gloves:  TBRHSC disposes over 11million nitrile gloves per year. Our original nitrile gloves take well over a century to degrade. Our biodegradable gloves achieve 90% degradation in 490 days.
• Reusable Sharps Containers:  TBRHSC moved to reusable sharps containers from the old disposable containers. The use of reusable containers prevents approximately 56,000 to 60,000 pounds of waste going to local landfill.
• ORCA:  Waste food digestion system. This system diverts over 100 pounds of food waste per day from landfill.
• LEAN PATH:  Auditing Program in Nutrition & Food Services to monitor food waste helping to design menus geared to patient preference. 
• Moving to Ozone Laundry, TBRHSC has capital budget approval to purchase new laundry equipment using Ozone generators which allow us to use cold water resulting in large cost and environmental savings of over $100K/year.
• MDRD Renovation: once complete in 2028, MDRD will move to rigid containers from our disposable sterile wraps. Each year we spend over $400K on disposable sterile wraps. Moving to reusable rigid containers, we will save over $400K and prevent over 90K disposable wraps going into the landfill.

TBRHSC’s new Waste Management Contract has resulted in several steps to improve our source-separated waste recycling program and meet the requirements outlined in section 2(1) (d) of Regulation 103/94.  Those efforts include:

• Enhancement of our current comprehensive recycling program: We are introducing a more structured approach to recycling across our organization, focusing on key waste streams such as cardboard, plastic and mixed recyclables.
• Live-load bailing for cardboard and plastic: These materials are now  baled on-site and live-loaded for delivery to the Waste Management Transfer Site and then direct shipment to recycling facilities (MRF in Winnipeg), reducing contamination and ensuring cleaner, more marketable recyclables.
• Dedicated collection for comingled recyclables: We’ve arranged for a recycle bin exclusively for comingled recyclable materials, which are picked up separately to avoid cross-contamination and enhance diversion rates.
• Ongoing education: We will outreach specific departments to improve participation and compliance with recycling protocols.  This includes updated signage and clear guidelines to support source separation.

TBRHSC reaffirms its commitment to environmental sustainability through targeted energy conservation and demand management initiatives that reduce our Hospital’s environmental footprint. 

Recent projects include:

• Roof Replacement: a multi-year, multi-phased roof replacement that nearly doubles the building’s thermal resistance (R-value), significantly improving insulation and reducing heating and cooling demands.

• BAS and VFD Upgrades: advanced our building automation systems (BAS) to optimize real-time energy use, alongside upgrades to variable frequency drives (VFD) that enhance the efficiency of mechanical equipment by matching output to actual demand.

Together, these efforts form a broader strategy, with additional projects in development to further modernize infrastructure and operations. Through these measures, the hospital is working toward an ambitious goal of reducing overall energy consumption by 6% by 2035.

Some ways you can participate in Earth Day:

• Walk/Bike/Car pool/ Public transit to work
• Use reusable vs disposable when possible
• Plant trees, pollinator and vegetable gardens
• Participate in composting
• Set up a rain barrel or rain garden

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The next Town Hall is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m. All staff, professional staff, learners and volunteers are invited to tune in to stay informed on what’s happening at our Hospital and Health Research Institute.
 
What to Expect:

• Reflections From the Front Lines: Hear a powerful patient story, shared by one of our front-line care providers through a pre-recorded video.
• Staff Spotlight: Join us in celebrating staff, professional staff, learners, and volunteers who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional care for every patient, every time. We’ll highlight acts of kindness, innovative problem-solving, and recent award recipients recognized in their fields.
• National Volunteer Week 2026: Find out what’s planned at TBRHSC to help celebrate our amazing volunteers.
• Accreditation 2026: Learn more about Accreditation and what to expect for the onsite survey in May.
• Professional Staff Recruitment and Retention: Learn about the success in 2025/26
• Cardiovascular Surgery Program construction and facility updates: Catch up on the latest construction updates at TBRHSC.
• Meditech Expanse: Get an update on the next steps in the Meditech Expanse rollout.

The Town Hall also provides an opportunity to have your questions answered and comments heard about any of our operations, strategic priorities or other areas of interest. 

Submit your questions by:

• Emailing TBRHSC.GroupNews@tbh.net
• Asking in real time during the Q&A segment of the Town Hall.

Submitting questions in advance ensures the right people are available to respond.

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Via Microsoft Teams

We look forward to having you join us!

April’s Grand Rounds is entitled “Impacts of past and present mercury exposure on health and well-being: learning from Grassy Narrows First Nation”.

April 14, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.

Room 2178 & Microsoft Teams

In honour of Indigenous Nurses Day (April 10), join us for a panel discussion to hear stories, insights and experiences firsthand from Indigenous nurses.

Date: April 10, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (lunch will be provided)
Location: ICP Main Meeting Room 2178

Participants will be entered into a door prize draw.

To register, or for more information, email: Annette Klement, Traditional Wellness Lead at Annette.Klement@tbh.net.

Accreditation Canada surveyors will be visiting Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre from May 11-14, 2026 to assess how well we are providing safe and effective care that aligns with national standards.

What Does it Mean to Me?

Accreditation involves everyone at TBRHSC. We all play a role in delivering the highest standards of care to our patients, and families — each and every day.

For more information and resources, visit the Accreditation 2026 page on the corporate intranet page.

Test Your Knowledge

There will be weekly trivia questions related to the Accreditation survey. Test your knowledge here: Accreditation Trivia:  April 6 – April 12

A COVID outbreak (#2262-2026-00042) has been declared on 1A unit as of today, April 7, 2026. All restrictions are in place. 

Please note: 1A remains in an RSV outbreak (#2262-2026-00038).

Please share this information with the appropriate staff. As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staff and visitors.

All patients identified as having an exposure to this outbreak will require isolation with appropriate additional pre-cautions. 

The department of Infection Prevention and Control encourages everyone to keep applying the routine practices of hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, equipment cleaning, and the appropriate admission screening of all patients. Please set an example for staff and students by maintaining compliance and due diligence. 

For more information, contact: Infection Prevention and Control at 6094.

Join us in celebrating International Infection Preventionist Day

Infection Control Practitioners (ICPs) play a crucial role in keeping our staff, patients, families, care partners and volunteers safe. The role of an ICP includes much more than infection investigation or requesting additional precautions. By providing their expertise and promoting best practices, ICPs are involved in many areas, including construction, product evaluation, reprocessing practices, patient safety reporting, environmental cleaning and hand hygiene. The department also assists with preparing Hospital response to emerging infectious diseases. These knowledgeable and skilled professionals must also complete an Infection Prevention and Control Development Course followed by writing an exam to receive their Certification in Infection Control (CIC®). Additional certification is required to support ongoing Hospital construction and maintenance projects.

We appreciate the dedication and commitment of all ICPs in keeping our Hospital safe from the spread of infections. Join us in thanking them for all that they do!