Faculty Members

Dr. Catherine Burton

Dr. Burton is an assistant professor in pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alberta, who specializes in transplant infectious diseases. Her research interests include immunizations and vaccine preventable diseases in children as well as the impact of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) on solid organ transplant recipients.  

Research Interests:

• Immunizations and vaccine preventable diseases in children

• The impact of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) on solid organ transplant recipients

Dr. Sarah Forgie

Dr. Sarah Forgie was appointed to the position of Chair of Department of Pediatrics in 2019. She received a BSc in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Toronto, and completed her MD and specialty training at the University of Manitoba. She joined the University of Alberta in the Department of Pediatrics in 2003 and is currently a Professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and a Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. She teaches learners at many levels, in many settings, and uses innovative and creative approaches. She completed a Master’s of Education from the University of Alberta, and was honored with many teaching awards including the 3M National Teaching Fellowship. Sarah’s research focuses on innovations in medical education and infection prevention. In addition to administrative roles within the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and the Stollery Children’s Hospital, Sarah served in central administration at the University of Alberta as the Vice-Provost (Learning Initiatives) from 2015 to 2019. 

Dr. Bonita Lee

Dr. Bonita Lee worked for almost 10 years as a Medical Virologist at the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton and Alberta and was program leader for gastroenteritis virus, respiratory virus, HIV, prenatal programs, and laboratory-based surveillance until 2010. In 1999, she also worked as a Pediatric Infectious Disease consultant until switching her clinical work to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in 2013. Currently, she is the IPC medical lead for the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. Her research and publications focus on infectious disease epidemiology of gastroenteritis virus, respiratory virus, bloodborne and perinatal infection pathogens.

Dr. Joan Robinson

Joan Robinson grew up on a ranch west of Innisfail, Alberta and spent her childhood going to rodeos event though she can barely ride a horse. She went to medical school at the University of Alberta and then spent six years as an intern and resident in Vancouver before landing in Edmonton again. She is currently divisional director for pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alberta and editor-in-chief for the Canadian Paediatric Society journal Paediatrics & Child Health. She is an undifferentiated researcher with an interest in a wide variety of bacterial and viral diseases and in optimal use of antimicrobials in both inpatients and outpatients. 

Research Interests:

• Epidemiology of respiratory viruses

• Management of common bacterial infections in children

Dr. Karina Top

Dr. Karina Top is a pediatric infectious disease physician and clinician-scientist in vaccine research. She joined the Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta as a Professor in July 2023. Originally from Nova Scotia, Dr. Top completed medical school and pediatric residency at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS and went on to complete fellowship training in pediatric infectious diseases and a Master of Science (Epidemiology) at Columbia University in New York. She returned to Dalhousie University and IWK Health in 2011 as a clinician-scientist and consultant in pediatric infectious diseases where she established a research program in vaccine safety and vaccination of special populations. Dr. Top is the Principal Investigator of the International Network of Special Immunization Services and co-Principal Investigator of the Canadian Immunization Research Network’s Special Immunization Clinic Network.

Research interests:

Dr. Top’s research focuses on understanding causes and risk factors for rare adverse events following immunization, and improving vaccination practices for individuals who may be considered at higher risk of an adverse event, such as those with previous history of adverse events following immunization, immunocompromised patients, and people who are pregnant. She leads national and international research projects that employ epidemiological and mixed-methods, and is collaborating on studies employing genomics and multi-OMICs to better understand vaccine adverse events.

Dr. Alena Tse-Chang

Dr. Alena Tse-Chang is a pediatric infectious diseases physician with clinical and research interests in antimicrobial stewardship, tuberculosis, congenital/neonatal infections. She completed her medical training at the University of Alberta and joined the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases in 2016. She has a special interest in medical education and has been a member of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Residency Program Committee since 2016.  She is also a member of the General Pediatrics Competence Committee and the Pediatric Education Advisory Committee.