Endocrinology: Welcome to our new faculty members!

Dr. Julie Gilmour
Dr. Cynthia Luk
Dr. Julie A. Lovshin
Dr. Adrian Lau

Dr. Julie Gilmour: Julie joined the active staff at St. Michael’s Hospital (SMH) on January 1, 2017 as a clinician in quality and innovation and assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology. Julie completed her medical degree in 2010 at the University of Birmingham in England, followed by her internal medicine residency at Queen’s University and endocrinology residency at the University of Toronto. In 2016, she received a Master’s of Science in Healthcare Quality Improvement from Queen’s University.

She was a clinical associate at SMH in 2016 and developed an interest in Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes (CFRD). She attends the multi-disciplinary CF clinic to assist in the management of patients with CFRD and CF-related bone disease. She has recently begun QI work related to CFRD screening and improving the care pathway for inpatients with CFRD. Julie also works in the Metabolic Bone, Diabetes, Pituitary, and General Endocrine clinics at SMH. Julie’s other main interest is in resource stewardship, specifically related to laboratory-based testing. She was the lead clinician responsible for implementing the reflex thyroid hormone system at SMH, which is aimed at reducing unnecessary free thyroid hormone tests - one of the Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations. Julie enjoys spending time with her family at their cottage in Port Severn and loves to play golf and euchre. 

Dr. Cynthia Luk:  Cynthia is joining St. Michael’s Hospital as a clinician-scientist and assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism. Cynthia completed her MD at the University of Alberta, followed by internal medicine residency at McGill University, and endocrinology and metabolism fellowship at the University of Toronto. She is also a graduate of the Eliot Phillipson Clinician-Scientist Training Program and Clinician Investigator Program. She recently defended her thesis to receive her PhD from the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Minna Woo. Cynthia’s research interests focus on identifying novel links between obesity and diabetes, and determining the role of adipose tissue in metabolic syndrome, to help us better understand these conditions. 

On occasions when she’s not thinking about diabetes, Cynthia likes to eat, travel, read books people have recommended, and listen to the CBC.  Sometimes the family cat, King Tut, also gets her to help with his Facebook page.

Dr. Julie A. Lovshin: Julie is a new clinician-scientist joining our department at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in September 2017. Julie is a clinical investigator with research interests in the complications of diabetes, with a specific focus on systemic and renal hemodynamic function.

Julie obtained her PhD from the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Drucker, studying the molecular biology of GLP-2 (a gastrointestinal peptide that promotes growth & protection of the GI tract) and GLP-2 receptor signalling and related gastrointestinal hormones (GLP-1, oxyntomodulin) in the periphery and CNS. Following her PhD, Julie completed medical school, with specializations in internal medicine and endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Toronto. 

Julie then completed a four-year post-doctoral research fellowship in the Clinical Investigator Program and Clinician Scientist Research Training Program at the University of Toronto carrying out mechanistic clinical investigation primarily on non-glycemic effects of incretin-based diabetes therapies and SGLT-2 inhibitors. During this time, Julie completed the certificate program in Clinical Research Methods in Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA where she examined screening rates for diabetic retinopathy in Ontario with Dr. Baiju Shah. Julie developed research expertise in renal hemodynamic function working closely with Dr. David Cherney (nephrology), and also on the Canadian Study for Longevity in Diabetes with Bruce Perkins and colleagues. 

In her free time, Julie spends time with her two boys and husband, who enjoy downhill skiing, running, hiking, traveling abroad, and spending time at the Sandbanks and Prince Edward County on summer weekends together with friends and family.

Dr. Adrian Lau: Adrian was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Toronto. He completed his undergraduate studies in Life Sciences in Toronto, and obtained his medical degree in 2007 at the University of Toronto. He stayed in Toronto to complete his postgraduate training in internal medicine, and endocrinology and metabolism. 

Upon completion of his residency, he split his time working as a clinical associate in the Osteoporosis Program at the University Health Network under the mentorship of Dr. Angela Cheung, and running a general endocrinology practice in Scarborough, mostly serving the Cantonese-speaking population. During this time, he also completed his Master's of Science in Community Health (Health Practitioner Teacher Education program) at the University of Toronto, to better equip himself as a clinician-teacher and educator.

Adrian is excited to join the Division of Endocrinology as a clinician-teacher at Women’s College Hospital, where he will pursue his clinical interests in osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases. He will continue to do some work at the Osteoporosis Program at University Health Network, as he hopes to be a link between the various osteoporosis/metabolic bone programs within the city.

Adrian is active in teaching at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This year, he will be serving as a tutor for the first year medical students in the Integrated Clinical Experience (ICE), and Case Based Learning (CBL) courses. He supervises trainees of all levels in his osteoporosis and general endocrinology clinics, and aims to develop a curriculum in osteoporosis and bone mineral density interpretation for rotating trainees at Women’s College Hospital.

Outside of work, Adrian enjoys his family life with his wife, Rebecca, and their two-year old son, Tobias (Toby). When not chasing after Toby, Rebecca and Adrian enjoy playing softball in their free time.

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