{"id":922,"date":"2025-06-08T09:48:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T13:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/?page_id=922"},"modified":"2026-09-22T17:53:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T21:53:19","slug":"speakers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Speakers"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Guest Speakers<\/h2>\n<h3>BPH, Endourology and Stones<\/h3>\n<div class=\"dialog-container\" id=\"speaker-dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"my-dialog-title\" aria-describedby=\"my-dialog-description\">\n        <div class=\"dialog-overlay\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div>\n        <div class=\"dialog-content\" role=\"document\">\n        <button data-a11y-dialog-hide class=\"dialog-close\" aria-label=\"Close this dialog window\">&times;<\/button>\n        <h1 id=\"my-dialog-title\">Speaker Details<\/h1>\n        <div class=\"cpd-mssp-speakers\">\n            <div class=\"the-speaker-biography speaker from-list\" id=\"speakerBioContent\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><div class='cpd-mssp-speakers '><div id=\"speaker-forbes\" class=\"speaker \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/files\/2026\/09\/Connor-Forbes.jpg\" alt=\"Connor Forbes\"><p class=\"text\"><span class=\"name\">Connor Forbes<\/span>&nbsp;<small>MD FRCSC<\/small><br><small>Urologist<br \/>\r\nGordon &amp; Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre<br \/>\r\nVancouver General Hospital<\/small><br><button class=\"btn btn-biography\" title=\"Open biography for Connor Forbes\">Biography<\/button><\/p><div class=\"biography\"><p>Dr. Connor Forbes is an assistant professor in urology, practicing at VGH and UBC Hospital. He completed his medical school and urology residency at UBC, followed by a two-year combined clinical and research fellowship in endourology and minimally invasive surgery at Vanderbilt. His research interests are in benign prostate hyperplasia, including basic science mechanisms, and kidney stones.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> <!-- \/.cpd-mssp-speakers -->\n<h3>Incontinence and OAB<\/h3>\n<div class=\"dialog-container\" id=\"speaker-dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"my-dialog-title\" aria-describedby=\"my-dialog-description\">\n        <div class=\"dialog-overlay\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div>\n        <div class=\"dialog-content\" role=\"document\">\n        <button data-a11y-dialog-hide class=\"dialog-close\" aria-label=\"Close this dialog window\">&times;<\/button>\n        <h1 id=\"my-dialog-title\">Speaker Details<\/h1>\n        <div class=\"cpd-mssp-speakers\">\n            <div class=\"the-speaker-biography speaker from-list\" id=\"speakerBioContent\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><div class='cpd-mssp-speakers '><div id=\"speaker-hickling\" class=\"speaker \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/files\/2026\/09\/Duane-Hickling.jpg\" alt=\"Duane Hickling\"><p class=\"text\"><span class=\"name\">Duane Hickling<\/span>&nbsp;<small>MD M.SCI FRCSC<\/small><br><small>Associate Scientist - Chronic Disease Program<br \/>\r\nAssistant Professor, Department of Surgery<br \/>\r\nUniversity of Ottawa<br \/>\r\nStaff Urologist<br \/>\r\nThe Ottawa Hospital<\/small><br><button class=\"btn btn-biography\" title=\"Open biography for Duane Hickling\">Biography<\/button><\/p><div class=\"biography\"><p>Dr. Duane Hickling is a staff urologist who specializes in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive urology with the Division of Urology at The Ottawa Hospital. He is also an associate scientist with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and holds the Greta and John Hansen Chair in Men\u2019s Health and Basic Science Research. He completed his urology residency at the University of Ottawa and then went on to complete a combined clinical and research fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive urology at New York University. During his fellowship, he completed a Master\u2019s degree in Clinical Investigation - Translational Research. His research interests include assessing factors associated with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and prevention of UTIs. He is the fellowship director for Ottawa's Female Pelvic Medicine &amp; Reconstructive Surgery fellowship. He is also the commissioner of the highly competitive staff fantasy football league.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> <!-- \/.cpd-mssp-speakers -->\n<h3>Scrotal Complications<\/h3>\n<div class=\"dialog-container\" id=\"speaker-dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"my-dialog-title\" aria-describedby=\"my-dialog-description\">\n        <div class=\"dialog-overlay\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div>\n        <div class=\"dialog-content\" role=\"document\">\n        <button data-a11y-dialog-hide class=\"dialog-close\" aria-label=\"Close this dialog window\">&times;<\/button>\n        <h1 id=\"my-dialog-title\">Speaker Details<\/h1>\n        <div class=\"cpd-mssp-speakers\">\n            <div class=\"the-speaker-biography speaker from-list\" id=\"speakerBioContent\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><div class='cpd-mssp-speakers '><div id=\"speaker-blankstein\" class=\"speaker \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/files\/2026\/09\/Udi-Blankstein.jpg\" alt=\"Udi Blankstein\"><p class=\"text\"><span class=\"name\">Udi Blankstein<\/span>&nbsp;<small>MD MSc FRCSC<\/small><br><small>Assistant Professor, Division of Urology<br \/>\r\nMcMaster University<br \/>\r\nHamilton Health Sciences<\/small><br><button class=\"btn btn-biography\" title=\"Open biography for Udi Blankstein\">Biography<\/button><\/p><div class=\"biography\"><p>Dr. Blankstein is an assistant professor in the Division of Urology at McMaster University and a staff urologist at the Hamilton Health Sciences. He completed his medical school training at the University of Toronto followed by urology residency at McMaster University. He then returned to Toronto to complete subspecialty training in men's health and male infertility. <\/p>\n<p>Dr. Blankstein's clinical practice encompasses a wide spectrum of urological care, with particular interests in erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and male infertility. His commitment to advancing patient care is evident in his thorough approach and compassionate demeanor, ensuring that each patient receives personalized and comprehensive treatment.<\/p>\n<p>As an academic, Dr. Blankstein is actively involved in teaching and mentoring future generations of urologists at McMaster University. His contributions to urological research and education further highlight his dedication to advancing the field and improving patient outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> <!-- \/.cpd-mssp-speakers -->\n<h3>Uro-Oncology<\/h3>\n<div class=\"dialog-container\" id=\"speaker-dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"my-dialog-title\" aria-describedby=\"my-dialog-description\">\n        <div class=\"dialog-overlay\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div>\n        <div class=\"dialog-content\" role=\"document\">\n        <button data-a11y-dialog-hide class=\"dialog-close\" aria-label=\"Close this dialog window\">&times;<\/button>\n        <h1 id=\"my-dialog-title\">Speaker Details<\/h1>\n        <div class=\"cpd-mssp-speakers\">\n            <div class=\"the-speaker-biography speaker from-list\" id=\"speakerBioContent\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><div class='cpd-mssp-speakers '><div id=\"speaker-gleave\" class=\"speaker \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/files\/2026\/09\/Martin-Gleave.jpg\" alt=\"Martin Gleave\"><p class=\"text\"><span class=\"name\">Martin Gleave<\/span>&nbsp;<small>MD FRCSC CM<\/small><br><small>Distinguished Professor &amp; Chair<br \/>\r\nDepartment of Urologic Sciences<br \/>\r\nUniversity of British Columbia<\/small><br><button class=\"btn btn-biography\" title=\"Open biography for Martin Gleave\">Biography<\/button><\/p><div class=\"biography\"><p>Dr. Gleave is a Distinguished Professor and Chairman of the Department of Urologic Sciences at UBC, and a British Columbia Leadership Chair.  He is Co-Founder and past Director of the Vancouver Prostate Centre, now a UBC and National Centre of Excellence. He is amongst the top cited and funded scientists in Canada, publishing &gt; 600 papers with &gt;60,000 citations, an H-Index of 122, and attracting &gt;$120M in research funding.  Dr. Gleave is a surgeon-scientist whose research characterizes molecular mechanisms mediating treatment resistance in cancer, and designing co-targeting strategies to improve cancer control. He patented several anti-cancer drugs and founded OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals to develop OGX-011 and OGX-427, inhibitors of cytoprotective chaperones clusterin and Hsp27, progressing to Phase III and Phase II trials worldwide.  OncoGenex was awarded Canadian Biotech Company of the Year in 2010.  Dr. Gleave also recently co-founded Sitka and Sustained Therapeutics.<\/p>\n<p>In 2017, Dr. Gleave was appointed to the Order of Canada for his leadership role in developing new treatments for prostate cancer and for his research on mechanisms mediating treatment resistance in cancer.  In 2020, he was inducted as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Gleave is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2018 Dr. Chew Wei Memorial Prize in Cancer Research, the Huggins Medal from the SUO in 2018, the Richard Williams Award from the AUA in 2017, the Barringer Medal from the American Association of GU Surgeons; the Eugene Fuller Award from the American Urological Association in 2013; the Aubrey Tingle Prize from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research; and the NCIC William Rawls Award for contributions to cancer control in Canada; He was appointed a Distinguished University Scholar at UBC in 2003 and awarded a BC Leadership Chair in 2005, the 2006 BC Biotech Award for Innovation and Achievement, and the 2007 BC Innovation Council Frontiers in Research Award.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"speaker-kokorovic\" class=\"speaker \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/files\/2026\/09\/Andrea-Kokorovic.jpg\" alt=\"Andrea Kokorovic\"><p class=\"text\"><span class=\"name\">Andrea Kokorovic<\/span>&nbsp;<small>MD FRCSC<\/small><br><small>Assistant Professor<br \/>\r\nDepartment of Urology<br \/>\r\nDalhousie University<\/small><br><button class=\"btn btn-biography\" title=\"Open biography for Andrea Kokorovic\">Biography<\/button><\/p><div class=\"biography\"><p>Dr. Kokorovic is a urologic oncologist and a faculty member of the Department of Urology at Dalhousie University, She completed her fellowship in urologic oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, and was an Assistant Professor\/Urologist at the University of Montreal prior to accepting a position at Dalhousie University.<\/p>\n<p>Her clinical and research interests include management of urologic cancers, with a focus on bladder, prostate, and kidney cancers. She is an active member of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) and is involved in numerous clinical trials for prostate and bladder malignancies. She is passionate about improving the lives of patients living with urological malignancies.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"speaker-lalani\" class=\"speaker \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/files\/2025\/07\/Aly-Kahn-Lalani.jpg\" alt=\"Aly-Khan Lalani\"><p class=\"text\"><span class=\"name\">Aly-Khan Lalani<\/span>&nbsp;<small>MD FRCPC<\/small><br><small>Associate Professor, Oncology<br \/>\r\nJuravinski Cancer Centre<br \/>\r\nMcMaster University<\/small><br><button class=\"btn btn-biography\" title=\"Open biography for Aly-Khan Lalani\">Biography<\/button><\/p><div class=\"biography\"><p>Dr. Lalani is an Assistant Professor at McMaster University and a Medical Oncologist at the Juravinski Cancer Centre. After completing Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology training, he was awarded the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex &amp; Alberta Medical Association Scholarship. Thereafter, he pursued a Fellowship in Genitourinary Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, mentored by Dr. Toni Choueiri. He has also completed the Program in Clinical Effectiveness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He remains a Visiting Scientist at Dana-Farber and is a member of the Escarpment Cancer Research Institute, with academic interests in clinical trial design and translational work.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"speaker-lavall\u00e9e\" class=\"speaker \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/files\/2026\/09\/Luke-Lavalee.jpg\" alt=\"Luke Lavall\u00e9e\"><p class=\"text\"><span class=\"name\">Luke Lavall\u00e9e<\/span>&nbsp;<small>MDCM MSc FRCSC<\/small><br><small>Associate Professor, Division of Urology<br \/>\r\nUniversity of Ottawa<br \/>\r\nSurgical Oncologist, Ottawa Hospital<\/small><br><button class=\"btn btn-biography\" title=\"Open biography for Luke Lavall\u00e9e\">Biography<\/button><\/p><div class=\"biography\"><p>Dr. Luke Lavall\u00e9e is a staff urologic oncologist with the Division of Urology at The Ottawa Hospital. He is also an associate scientist with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. He grew up un Montreal and completed medical school at McGill University followed by his urology residency at the University of Ottawa. He has a fellowship in urologic oncology from the University of Ottawa. During his fellowship, he earned a Master\u2019s degree in Clinical Epidemiology in the Clinician Investigator Program. His practice includes all aspects of urologic oncology including open, endoscopic and minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) surgery. <\/p>\n<p>His research interests include large database studies, patient decision aids, and peri-operative venous thromboprophylaxis. He is a multi-sport athlete and has been known shatter the confidence of other Division members on the golf course\/basketball court\/hockey rink. He has inspired many urology residents by teaching himself guitar to fulfill his dream of having a family band (which at this time has only one member).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> <!-- \/.cpd-mssp-speakers -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">University of Toronto Faculty<\/h2>\n<h3>Division of Urology<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Dean Elterman<\/strong> MD MPH FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Monica Farcas<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Antonio Finelli<\/strong> MD MSc FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Neil Fleshner<\/strong> MD MPH FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Kai-Ho Fok<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Ethan Grober<\/strong> MD MEd FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Robert Hamilton<\/strong> MD MPH FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Sender Herschorn<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Amanda Hird<\/strong> MD MSc FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Viranda\tJayalath<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Laurence Klotz<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Yonah Krakowsky<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Girish Kulkarni<\/strong> MD PhD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Keith Lawson<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Jason Lee<\/strong> MD Med FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Rano Matta<\/strong> MD MSc FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Robert Nam<\/strong> MD MSc FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Michael Ordon<\/strong> MD MSc FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Kenneth Pace<\/strong> MD MPH FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Nathan Perlis<\/strong> MD MPH FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Raj Satkunasivam<\/strong> MD MSc FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Chris Wallis<\/strong> MD FRCSC<\/p>\n<h3>Department of Medicine Division of Radiation Oncology<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Andrew Loblaw <\/strong> MD FRCPC<\/p>\n<h3>Department of Medical Imaging<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Sangeet Ghai<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>John Kachura<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Gilbert Maroun<\/strong> MD FRCSC<br \/>\n<strong>Karim Virani<\/strong> MD MSC FRCPC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guest Speakers BPH, Endourology and Stones Incontinence and OAB Scrotal Complications Uro-Oncology &nbsp; University of Toronto Faculty Division of Urology Dean Elterman MD MPH FRCSC Monica Farcas MD FRCSC Antonio Finelli MD MSc FRCSC Neil Fleshner MD MPH FRCSC Kai-Ho Fok MD FRCSC Ethan Grober MD MEd FRCSC Robert Hamilton MD MPH FRCSC Sender Herschorn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-922","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"meta_box":{"cpdm3_subnav":"","cpdm3_no_index":"0"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=922"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1308,"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/922\/revisions\/1308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cpd.utoronto.ca\/urology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}