Dr. David Kendler, MD FRCP(C), Director, Clinical Research Centre

Dr. David Kendler is the director of the Prohealth Clinical Research Centre and the Osteoporosis Program at Providence Health Care in Vancouver, British Columbia. He received his initial training at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, followed by training in Christchurch, New Zealand; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Vancouver, British Columbia; and New York, New York.

Dr. Kendler's primary clinical and research interests are autoimmune thyroid disease, thyroid orbitopathy and osteoporosis. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Osteoporosis Society of Canada, is Medical Advisor to the Thyroid Foundation of Canada, and chairs the Western Osteoporosis Alliance. He is Past President of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and the B.C. representative to the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Dr. Kendler has published and presented research on osteoporosis therapies, osteoporosis risk assessment technologies and autoimmune thyroid disease.

Dr. Larry Dian, MB BCH FRCP(C)

Dr. Larry Dian is a specialist in geriatric medicine. He received his training at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the University of British Columbia. He has a special research interest in osteoporosis and decreased mobility, and trains medical practitioners in rural areas. Currently, Dr. Dian is involved in the development of academic and clinical links for geriatric medicine in rural and remote areas of BC.

Steve Robertson, DXA Technologist

Steve Robertson operates and maintains Prohealth's DXA scan and therefore meets everyone who comes to the Research Centre for a bone density test. He is a Certified Densitometry Technologist and a member of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry Teaching Faculty. Steve has taught training courses for DXA technologists around the world. He joined Prohealth in 1996.

Varinya (Sonia) Tungshusakul, Business Manager

Sonia Tungshusakul is Prohealth's Business Manager. She graduated from Siam University in Bangkok, Thailand, with a Bachelor of Arts (Business and Marketing) in 1995. In Thailand, she worked in customer service and administration. Sonia came to Canada and Prohealth in 2010. She speaks Thai.

Shelley Abercromby, Clinical Research Coordinator

Shelley Abercromby has a Bachelor of Science, Honours, from Simon Fraser University, with a major in cell and molecular biology and a minor in criminology. Before receiving her B.Sc. in 2011, she conducted molecular research on biological pathways for western red cedar trees at SFU. She has also worked as a bioprotection research technician, performing microbial testing on pharmaceutical products and conducting research, and as a clinical trials assistant at the BC Cancer Research Centre.

Gurjind Singh Rai, Clinic Assistant and Clinical Research Coordinator Assistant

Gurjind Singh Rai is a graduate of St. Christopher Iba Mar Diop College of Medicine in the United Kingdom and of the Life Sciences faculty at the University of British Columbia. He has worked for the Diabetic Research Institute and Vancouver Coastal Health, recruiting research volunteers and developing research guidelines, policies and procedures. He has also worked as a volunteer organizing eye camps in the Punjab and supporting children and families at Canuck Place Children's Hospice.

Liping Liang, Clinical Assistant

Liping Liang received her medical training at Xiang Ya Medical School in Hunan, China, and worked as a physician in a provincial hospital. Since coming to Canada, she has worked as a language instructor and translator for health care providers and as a clerk in medical services. She obtained her Medical Office Assistant Certificate from Douglas College in 2011.

Kirsty Ohly, Clinical Assistant, Clinical Research Coordinator Assistant

Kirsty Ohly has extensive experience as a nurse in the orthopaedic operating theatre at NHS Lothian, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Her work included designing a teaching package for Scoliosis spinal surgery for the theatre practitioner. Kirsty graduated in 2005 with a Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing from the University of Dundee in Scotland, and recently came to Canada.

Tanya Vasyukhnik, Clinical Assistant

Tanya Vasyukhnik obtained her medical training in Ukraine, graduating from I. Ya. Horbachevsky Ternopil State Medical University. She did her internship and practised as a perfusionist in Ukraine, and then went to Norway, where she worked in the Oslo University Hospital and in private care. Tanya has a research background and speaks Ukranian, Russian and Norwegian in addition to English.

Kristy Jiang, Medical Office Assistant

Kristy Jiang recently graduated from Douglas College with a Medical Office Assistant Certificate. She graduated in Guangdong, China, with a Computer Electronics Diploma, and then came to Canada, where she completed a high school diploma and college education.

Aisa O. Danganan, Medical Office Assistant

Prohealth welcomes Aisa Danganan as a medical office assistant. Aisa is an experienced medical office assistant, with skills in medical transcription and records management. She has also assisted physicians in clinical procedures.