Burak, Kelly

Dr. Burak is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Calgary and is cross-appointed to the Department of Oncology. He served as the Director of the Southern Alberta Liver Transplant Clinic in Calgary from 2001-2020. He has been part of the HPB neoplasia multidisciplinary team at Tom Baker Cancer Centre (TBCC) since its inception in 2002. His clinical and research interests include hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver transplantation. He has served as the local principal investigator in the pivotal randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating sorafenib for advanced HCC [SHARP], in combination with transarterial chemoembolization [SPACE] and as adjuvant therapy following curative therapy [STORM]. He has also been involved in RCTs involving brivanib and axitinib for advanced HCC. Dr Burak has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, which include multiple clinical practice guidelines on HCC and viral hepatitis. He has spoken on the management of HCC in Canada, USA, Korea and Australia. In January 2017, Dr. Burak became the Associate Dean of Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development at the Cumming School of Medicine. He also serves as the Co-Lead of the Physician Learning Program, and as the Chair of the Choosing Wisely Alberta Steering Committee. He is a passionate educator and has won numerous teaching awards locally and nationally including the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Young Educator Award in 2010 and the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver Education Award in 2020.