MitoCanada’s Research and Clinical Advisory Committee (RCAC) provides expert clinical and scientific guidance to enhance the quality of care and support for Canadians affected by primary mitochondrial disease (PMD). Serving as a critical advisory body, the RCAC ensures that MitoCanada’s research, education, and support programs align with best practices and the latest scientific knowledge. Through expert reviews and strategic insight, the council helps shape initiatives that drive meaningful impact for the mitochondrial disease community.
Dr. Samantha Marin, BScH, MD, FRCPC
Dr. Samantha Marin is a pediatric neurologist and the Director of Pediatric Undergraduate Medical Education. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Child Neurology at Winnipeg Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg, Canada.
Dr. Marin completed her BSc Honours in Life Sciences at Queen’s University before earning her medical degree at McMaster University. She pursued her Pediatric Neurology Residency at McMaster University and further specialized in mitochondrial disease through a fellowship with the North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium at the University of California, San Diego.
Her research focuses on pediatric neurology, neurometabolic, and mitochondrial disease, with a particular interest in advancing clinical trials for patients affected by mitochondrial disorders.
Dr. Michelle Mezei, MDCM, FRCPC
Dr. Michelle Mezei is a neuromuscular neurologist and Clinical Professor with the Division of Neurology, Dept. of Medicine at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Ramona Salvarinova Zivkovic FCCMG, FRCPC, MD
Dr. Ramona Salvarinova-Zivkovic is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Biochemical Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine. She serves as the Interim Division Head and Clinical Director of the Division of Biochemical Genetics at BC Children’s Hospital. Dr. Salvarinova-Zivkovic is also an Investigator at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, contributing to the Childhood Diseases research theme. Her research interests include computational biology and rare diseases. She has co-authored publications such as “Use of dexamethasone in acute rhabdomyolysis in LPIN1 deficiency” (2023) and “Genome-wide sequencing and the clinical diagnosis of genetic disease: The CAUSES study” (2022).
Dr. Neal Sondheimer, MD, PhD
Dr. Neal Sondheimer is a metabolic physician with extensive expertise in therapy development, encompassing basic scientific discovery, investigator-initiated trials, participation as a site investigator in multinational studies, and leadership of clinical development and operations teams. His work focuses on rare inborn errors of metabolism and mitochondrial diseases. Currently, he serves as the Medical Director of Newborn Screening Ontario (NSO), overseeing one of Canada’s premier newborn screening programs.
With over 20 years of experience in pediatrics and metabolic medicine, Dr. Sondheimer has held notable leadership roles, including Head of Metabolism Medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and Medical Director of the SickKids Phenylketonuria Clinic. He is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto and chairs the Ontario Task Force on Newborn Screening by Next Generation Sequencing.
Dr. Sondheimer completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard University and earned his M.D. and Ph.D. through the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Chicago. He pursued postgraduate medical training in Medical Genetics and Clinical Biochemical Genetics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr. Sondheimer is a member of MitoCanada’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Director of Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Clinic, McMaster Children’s Hospital,
CEO/CSO Exerkine Corporation
Dr. Tarnopolsky is a neuromuscular and neurometabolic clinician-scientist who received an MD and PhD (Cell Biology and Metabolism) from McMaster University. He currently holds an endowed chair from McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation in the area of neuromuscular and neurometabolic genetic disorders and follows over 1500 patients with myopathies, mitochondrial disorders and other neurogenetic disorders. He has published over 550 peer-reviewed papers and has an h-index of 144. His research focuses on pharmacological, nutraceutical and exercise therapies for neuromuscular and neurometabolic disorders (mainly mitochondrial disease), aging, obesity and other disorders that affect the mitochondria and muscle function. He is the founder, CEO and CSO of Exerkine Corporation, which is a bio-technology/nutraceutical company developing therapies for aging, obesity, muscular dystrophy and mitochondrial disorders. He was the co-founder and CSO of Life Science Nutritionals, which was acquired by Santa Cruz in 2015.
