Planning Committee
Conference Directors
Dr. Melaku Game
Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology
Dr. Game has graduated from the second oldest University in Germany, University of Leipzig where he completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies in medicine. Subsequently he completed a clinical fellowship in clinical Hematology at the University of Toronto focussing in Autologous Blood and marrow transplant program at Princess Margaret Hospital. Currently he is the site lead for Hematology and director of thrombosis clinic at RAH.
Dr. Mark Hnatiuk
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology
Dr. Mark Hnatiuk is a hematologist from Edmonton, Alberta. He completed medical school at the University of Calgary and his internal medicine plus hematology residency training at the University of Alberta. He is currently appointed Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta and he has been practicing as a staff hematologist at the U of A hospital / Kaye Edmonton Clinic since 2016. His clinical interest include myeloproliferative neoplasms, thrombosis, and parenteral iron supplementation. He is also the bone marrow procurement lead for the division of hematology.
Dr. Erma Gardner
Malignant hematologist, MD, Assistant Professor, UBC, Division of Hematology at BC Cancer
Dr. Erma Gardner, Malignant hematologist, MD, Assistant Professor, UBC, Division of Hematology practicing in Kelowna, BC. Her primary training in Internal Medicine and Hematology was in Cape Town, South Africa, after which she pursued fellowships in Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant and in treating Lymphoma/Myeloma in Vancouver. Her passion is to build systems that allow complex treatments to be delivered closer to home for patients living outside of major centers. She is fascinated by nature and insatiably curious about all that is to be seen, explored, and understood on physical and metaphysical levels.
Dr. Ann Lee
Dr. Irwindeep Sandhu
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology
After graduating from the University of Alberta’s medical school, Dr. Irwindeep Sandhu completed an internal medicine residency at the University of British Columbia and a hematology residency at McMaster University. He was recruited to the University of Alberta in 2009, where in addition to his position in the Division of Hematology, he has an adjunct appointment in the Department of Oncology. Leadership and Collaborations: Dr. Sandhu is acting lead for the Northern Alberta Blood and Marrow Program and the medical director for the cellular apheresis program. He is a fellow in the Alberta Chapter of the American College of Physicians. He coordinates Hematologic care services for the Northwest Territories, and serves as inpatient teaching attending for the malignant hematology service at the Cross Cancer Institute.
Dr. Ibraheem Othman
Associate Professor, College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Ibraheem Othman , MD, MSc, PhD, MEd, FRCPC is an experienced Clinical Hematologist with a strong background in both malignant and benign hematologic disorders. He has held multiple clinical leadership positions He is currently serves as Regina Division Head of Hematology at the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and Chair of the Saskatchewan Lymphoma and Lymphoid Disorders Disease Site Group. He is an Associate Professor in the College of Medicine.
Dr. Othman holds a Master’s degree in Health Professions Education , which complements his academic leadership and passion for learner-centered teaching. He has been the Site Lead for Undergraduate Hematology Foundations since 2021 and he is the Chair of the 2026 Research, Innovation, and Scholarship in Education (RISE) conference
His contributions to medical education have been recognized through multiple awards, including the College of Medicine Teaching Award (Regina Campus ) and also the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Teaching Award in 2024. These honors reflect his commitment to advancing high-quality, learner-centered education.
Conference Coordinator
