News
First Canadian Military and Veterans’ Chair in Clinical Rehabilitation
At CFB Edmonton today, Dr. Martin Ferguson-Pell, on behalf of the University of Alberta, announced the appointment of Dr. Ibolja Cernak, as the first Canadian Military and Veterans’ Chair in Clinical Rehabilitation.
Dr. Cernak comes to the University of Alberta from John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where she has served as Medical Director in the Biomedicine Business Area since 2006. She holds a Doctor of Medicine with residency in clinical pathophysiology, a PhD in Pathophysiology/Neuroscience, a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering and a Master of Science in Homeland Security.
For almost 30 years, she has devoted her professional career to the care and welfare of soldiers. She has built a highly respected national and international research reputation in the area of military rehabilitation, with specific interest in the areas of experimental and clinical research on war-related injuries; experimental and clinical research concerning blast-induced neurotrauma; pre-clinical and clinical research on novel diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation approaches for blast-induced neurotrauma; physiological principles and mechanisms increasing survivability, sustainment and performance of soldiers; and biomechanical and pathobiological mechanisms of blast-induced trauma.
Dr. Cernak has served on the battlefield as a member of a first-responder team and has been recognized as one of the world's authorities on explosion-induced neurotrauma. She boasts an impressive resume with a significant number of international and US collaborations, an extensive public service record serving on numerous boards and panels related to military medical treatment, has more than 100 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, and has been invited to present her work at more than 300 meetings, conferences and lectures.
In addition to Dr. Chernak’s appointment, Dr. Ferguson-Pell announced the appointment of Dr. Jacqueline Hebert as the Associate Military and Veterans’ Chair in Clinical Rehabilitation. Dr. Hebert, MD, FRCPC, is the Clinical Director of the Adult Amputee Program at the Glenrose Hospital and Co-Medical Director of the Glenrose Hospital’s computer assisted rehabilitation environment (CAREN) system. Dr. Hebert is well known for her research and practice related to persons with amputation and is responsible for bringing the first “bionic arm” to Canada by developing a team in Edmonton to perform Targeted Muscle Reinnervation.
