Dr. Carla Coffin
Positions
Professor of Medicine
Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Medicine | Gastroenterology
Full Member
The Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases
Affiliations
Vice Chair, Research and Scholarship, Department of Medicine
Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Medicine | Gastroenterology
Professor of Medicine
Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Hepatologist and Medical Director of the University of Calgary Viral Hepatitis Clinic
Alberta Health Services
Contact information
Phone number
Office: +1 (403) 592-5049
Location
Office: CWPH6D21
Lab: HRIC2C50
Heritage Medical Research Clinic: CWPH5th floor
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Senior Communications Specialist
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Background
Educational Background
B.S. (Honours) Biology, Memorial University, 1994
Doctor of Medicine Medicine, Memorial University, 2001
M.Sc (Fellow of the School of Graduate Studies) Immunology, Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus Model of Hepatitis B, Memorial University, 1997
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada Internal Medicine / Gastroenterology, University of Calgary, 2006
Advanced Hepatology Fellowship Hepatology, University of California, San Francisco, 2007
Biography
Dr. Coffin is a clinician scientist (Full Professor with tenure 2021, Hepatology). She completed MSc using the woodchuck model of hepatitis B virus infection and MD degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Dr. Coffin is an internationally recognized expert on hepatitis B and hepatitis Delta. She has served on expert review panels for the World Health Organization Essential Medicines Committee (viral hepatitis), the International Coalition to Eliminate HBV Stakeholders group, the US Centres for Disease Control and Chaired of the Education subcommittee, Hepatitis B Special Interest Group, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. She has an integrated basic science - translational research program that is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) as well as internationally competitive request for proposals (RFPs) from industry. Dr. Coffin has participated in ~30 international hepatitis B virus (HBV) Phase I-IV clinical trials (including member of Trial Guidance and Publication committee). She was integral in establishing the Canadian Hepatitis B Research Network that has enabled unique and well-characterized longitudinal national cohort studies and bio-repositories for HBV and hepatitis Delta virus. She is leading a multidisciplinary team at the University of Calgary using the woodchuck hepatitis virus model of hepatitis B to investigate HBV pathogenesis and test new anti-HBV therapies.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/coffin cs[Author] OR Coffin, Carla[Full Author Name] OR Coffin, Carla S. (Google Scholar, H-Index 41, #Citations 5782)
Projects
My graduate degree studies in the woodchuck hepatitis virus model of hepatitis B facilitated the recognition of occult HBV (OBI) and its epidemiological (mother-to-baby transmission) and pathogenic (liver cancer) consequences. This training led to a lifelong interest in the study of hepatitis B virus infection. In 2020, I was instrumental in establishing the woodchuck hepatitis virus model at the University of Calgary, followed by a second colony housed at the University of Saskatchewan, Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2022, with assistance of veterinarians (Drs. DW Whiteside, F van der Meer, University of Calgary) and Professor Michalak. Together with Professor CN Jenne (University of Calgary), our studies involve novel imaging approaches (live cell or intravital microscopy) of living woodchuck liver during acute and chronic woodchuck hepatitis virus infection and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). We are currently conducting studies assessing molecular virological outcomes and immune responses to approved and novel antiviral therapies, including treatment interruption and manipulation / study of the adaptive and innate immune response to acute and chronic hepadnaviral infection.
Globally, the greatest risk of acquiring a lifelong (persistent hepatitis B infection) is from mother-to-child at birth. Our research group has conducted studies on the clinical and virological outcomes of hepatitis B during pregnancy. Our translational studies included analysis of virus genome evolution, novel viral biomarkers and cytokine changes during pregnancy and post-partum in individuals living with hepatitis B virus infection. Additional large cohort studies showed the impact of tenofovir antiviral therapy on prevention of mother-to-child hepatitis B transmission, and the risk of post-partum virological and immunological flares after stopping antiviral treatment. Recently, our lab is also using the woodchuck hepatitis virus model to inform understanding age dependent risk of chronicity and virological and immunological factors impacting mother-to-child transmission.
My laboratory has conducted studies on the impact of hepatitis B in well-characterized clinical cohorts and special patient populations (i.e., liver transplant, HIV/HBV coinfection, hepatitis Delta). As a clinician scientist, I have spearheaded valuable bio-banking initiatives to support this research. Detailed molecular virological analysis of patient samples found occult HBV, hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) associated variants despite antivirals in transplant recipients, and in HIV or HCV co-infection. In HBV/HIV co-infection, we found that immune cells are reservoirs for both viruses and also carry unique variants. Recent studies include assessing the impact and pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) for patients living with hepatitis B. This translational body of work include cohort studies on the impact of HBV treatment on lipid profile and HCC risk, extending to analysis of unique variants in patients with more severe steatosis and HBV-specific immune responses. We have shown lower hepatitis B surface antibody responses to the approved yeast recombinant HBV surface vaccine in unvaccinated patients with more severe obesity and MASLD. This latter work has implications for vaccine development given the obesity epidemic. Finally, there are new immunological and virological biomarkers in development for hepatitis B which we are utilizing in studies of these unique cohorts in collaboration with senior scientists at the National Microbiology Laboratory (Dr C Osiowy (retired) and Dr. E Lee).
I have led multisite HBV epidemiologic studies at the University of Calgary and nationally. I was integral in forming the Canadian HBV research Network (www.canadianHBVnetwork.ca, CanHepB). The Canadian HBV Network has published important national studies on hepatitis B epidemiology, treatment outcomes, genotypes, immunology, and impact of metabolic dysfunction associated liver disease. Importantly, we recently published the largest multisite study on hepatitis Delta epidemiology and genotypes in Canada, that has been included in international cohort publications. Hepatitis Delta is an orphan disease that is understudied with limited treatment options. Although there is a vaccine there is currently no cure for Hepatitis B. There are many new antiviral therapies in the pipeline for hepatitis B (www.hepB.org) and our research group has participated in ~40 international Phase I-IV hepatitis B clinical trials at the University of Calgary.
Awards
- New Investigator Award, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2012-2017). 2017
- Research Scholar Award, American Gastroenterology Association (2011-2013). 2013
- Jan Albrecht Clinical and Translational Research Award, American Association for the Study of the Liver (2010-2012). 2012
- President, Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver . 2024
- Expert Advisor (2015-2024, on call), World Health Organization Essential Medicines Committee (2015). 2015
- Advisory Panel for HBV management in Resource Limited Regions, International Coalition to Eliminate Hepatitis B (ICE-HBV). 2023
- Recognition for Peer-Review Quality Viral and Viral Pathogenesis Panel (awarded to 13% of reviewers), Canadian Institutes of Health Research. 2021
- King Charles III Coronation Medal, Canadian Liver Foundation. 2024
- Fellow, American Association for the Study of Liver Disease. 2024
More Information
Graduate Students and PDF in the Coffin Research Group and Awards (2012-present)
1. MD Deen Islam, PhD in progress (January 2024-present). (i) Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (unfunded) trainee (ii) Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship 2024 ($11,000)
2. Simmone D’Souza, PhD in progress (September 2019 -present, co-supervisor Dr. T Patel). (i) Henry Koopmans Memorial Entrance Scholarship in Gastrointestinal Nutrition, Metabolism and Inflammation for 2019 ($2,500), (ii) Cumming School of Medicine Graduate Studentship Award 2019 ($20,000), (iii) University of Calgary Graduate Studentship 2020 ($21,000/y), (iv) Canadian Network for Hepatitis C / CIHR Graduate Studentship 2020 ($20,000/y), (v) CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship 2020 – 2021 ($17,500), (vi) 2021 CIHR Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement ($6000), (vii) 2021 University of Calgary Eyes-High PhD Scholarship ($34000), (viii) 2021 1st prize Canadian Hepatitis C (CanHepC) Network for Poster presentation by MSc trainee, (ix) 2022 CanHepC-TRR179 Internship exchange program ($7500), (x) 1st prize 2022 CanHepC for Poster presentation for PhD trainee, (xi) International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM) student conference, Quebec City, 2023 (nominated by GSE to represent CSM Faculty of Graduate Studies) (xii) 2023 Annual Snyder Institute Research Day, Poster Presentation, 2nd Prize.
3. Nishi H. Patel. PhD completed June 2024. (i) U of C Henry Koopmans Memorial Entrance Scholarship in Gastrointestinal Nutrition, Metabolism and Inflammation for 2019 ($2500), (ii) Cumming School of Medicine Graduate Studentship Award 2019, 2022 ($20,000), (iii) CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship 2020 – 2021 ($17,500), (iv) Canadian Liver Foundation Studentship 2020-2022 ($20,000/year, declined due to multiple awards), (v) CIHR Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement ($6000), (vi) University of Calgary Graduate Award Competition 2021 ($5000); (vii) CSM Graduate Education Visiting Lab Travel Award; (vi) National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Official Working Agreement; (viii) Appointed to the Youth Council, Chief Science Officer of Canada. (Current Position MD student, University of Alberta)
4. Alex Presbitero, MSc completed June 2024 (September 2020-present). (Current Position Laboratory Scientist. Alberta Precision Labs)
5. Layla Al-Yasiri. MSc Sept 2021-June 2023. (i) Alberta Innovates Summer Studentship 2020, (ii) CSM Snyder Institute for Chronic Disease Best Summer Student Presentation 2020; (iii) 3rd prize 2021; (iv) Henry Koopmans Memorial Entrance Scholarship in Gastrointestinal Nutrition, Metabolism and Inflammation for 2021 ($2500); (v) Cumming School of Medicine Graduate Studentship Award 2022 ($20,000); (vi) CIHR Canada Graduate Student Scholarship ($17,500); (vii) Canadian Society of Immunology 1st Prize Best Student Poster Presentation, June 2023; (viii) Gastrointestinal Research Group, Shaffer-Davison Research Day Audience Choice Award (Current Position, MD student, University of Calgary)
6. Golasa Samedi Kochaksaraei. PhD completed Sept 2023. (Primary supervisor Dr. A Shaheen). PDF Dec-June 2024. (i) 2019 Alberta Excellence Scholarship ($11,000), (ii) Canadian Liver Foundation Studentship 2020-2022 ($20,000/year). (co-supervisor) (iii) International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM) student conference, Quebec City, 2023 (nominated by GSE to represent CSM Faculty of Graduate Studies). (Current Position, Resident Hematopathology, University of Alberta)
7. Keith Lau, PhD completed June 2020. (i) 2015 CIHR Canada Graduate Student Scholarship ($17,500), (ii) Cumming School of Medicine Graduate Scholarship ($20,000), (iii) 2018 University of Calgary Izaak Walton Killam Doctoral Scholarship ($30,000/year). (n=3) (Current Resident Internal Medicine, University of British Columbia)
8. Dr. Vanessa Meier-Stephenson (MD, PhD), PDF 2017-2020. Canadian Network for Hepatitis C / CIHR Post-Graduate Fellowship 2018-2020 ($52,000/year). Current Position Assistant Professor, University of Alberta
9. Dr. Shivali Joshi, PhD. Post-doctoral fellow (2016-2020). Current Position Development Manager, CCRM, Toronto, Canada
10. Aaron Lucko, MSc, 2017- 2019 (i) 2018 University of Calgary Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship ($10,000), (ii) 2018 International HBV Meeting Best Poster, Taormina, Italy. (Current Position, PhD Student)
11. Shan Gao, PhD, 2012-2017. Best Research Poster Alberta Society of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting. (International Cotutelle Student with Beijing Capital Medial University) (Current Position, Industry Scientist, Parexel FSP, Calgary)
12. Zengina Lee. MSc 2011-2014. 2013 Canadian Liver Foundation Graduate Studentship ($20,000/y) (Current Position PMP, Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Professional)
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