2026 Symposium Event Program

World of Acoustic Neuroma Symposium
Event Program

Saturday, May 9, 2026

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All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Program is subject to change

 

  • 9:00 AM

    Opening Remarks

  • 9:15 AM

    Session 1: Treatment Pathways

    AN Treatment Pathways Overview & Physiological Basis for Cranial Nerve Dysfunction

    Farshad Nassiri, MD, PhD, FRCSC
    Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto; Staff Neurosurgeon, Skull Base and Brain Tumor Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN; Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Center (Toronto, ON)

    Ivan Radovanovic, MD, PhD, FMH
    Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto; Staff Neurosurgeon, Skull Base and Brain Tumor Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN; Senior Scientist, Krembil Research Institute (Toronto, ON)

    Panel Discussion – Case Reviews
    Moderator:

    Ivan Radovanovic, MD, PhD, FMH
    Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto; Staff Neurosurgeon, Skull Base and Brain Tumor Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN; Senior Scientist, Krembil Research Institute (Toronto, ON)

    Panelists: 

    Seamus Boyle, MB, BCh, BAO, BSc (Pharm), MCh, FRCSI
    Fellow, Medical & Surgical Otology/Neurotology, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto (Toronto, ON)

    Farshad Nassiri, MD, PhD, FRCSC
    Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto; Staff Neurosurgeon, Skull Base and Brain Tumor Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN; Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Center (Toronto, ON)

    David Roberge, MD, FRCPC
    Assistant Professor, McGill University Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO), Clinical Professor, University of Montreal; Radiation Oncologist, Head, Department of Radiation Oncology (Montreal, QC)

    Suganth Suppiah, MD, PhD, FRCSC
    Assistant Professor, Surgeon-Scientist, University of Toronto; Peripheral Nerve and Spine Surgeon, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN (Toronto, ON)

    Derek Tsang, MD, MSc, FRCPC
    Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto; Radiation Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, UHN and Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, ON)

  • 10:45 AM

    Refreshment Break, Networking & Poster Viewing

  • 11:00 AM

    Session 2: Hearing Restoration

    Hearing Restoration Strategies: Cochlear Implants & Auditory Brainstem Implants

    Trung Le, MD, PhD, FRCSC
    Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, UHN; Associate Scientist, Biological Platform, Hurvitz Brain Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Toronto, ON)

    Treatment Pathways for NF2 Patients

    Suganth Suppiah, MD, PhD, FRCSC
    Assistant Professor, Surgeon-Scientist, University of Toronto; Peripheral Nerve and Spine Surgeon, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN (Toronto, ON)

  • 11:55 AM

    Session 3: Radiosurgery

    Radiosurgery Demystified: Understanding the Differences in Technologies & Treatment Approaches

    Derek Tsang, MD, MSc, FRCPC
    Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto; Radiation Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, UHN and Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, ON)

  • 12:35 PM

    Lunch Break, Networking & Poster Viewing

  • 1:30 PM

    Session 4: Research

    Research Advancements in Patient-Centred AN Care

    Leo Yeft, MD
    Neurosurgery Resident, PhD Student, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto (Toronto, ON)

  • 2:05 PM

    Session 5: Vestibular

    Understanding Vestibular Dysfunction in Acoustic Neuroma

    Seamus Boyle, MB, BCh, BAO, BSc (Pharm), MCh, FRCSI
    Fellow, Medical & Surgical Otology/Neurotology, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto (Toronto, ON)

  • 2:40 PM

    Session 6: Facial Nerve Impacts

    Facial Reanimation: Timing, Options & Outcomes

    Heather Baltzer, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS
    Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto; Head, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN (Toronto, ON)

  • 3:20 PM

    Refreshment Break, Networking & Poster Viewing

  • 3:35 PM

    Session 7: Headaches

    Headaches in Acoustic Neuroma: Understanding Causes and Management

    Ioana Medrea, MD, MSc, FRCPC
    Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Toronto; Clinicial Investigator, Centre for Headache, Women's College Hospital (Toronto, ON)

  • 4:10 PM

    Session 8: Quality of Life

    Cognitive and Psychological Impacts of Acoustic Neuroma

    Lori Bernstein, PhD, CPsych
    Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; Neuropsychologist and Clinician Investigator, Department of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, UHN (Toronto, ON)

  • 4:45 PM

    Closing Remarks

 

Poster Boards: Acoustic Neuroma Symptom Management

Educational poster boards will be displayed and available throughout the event for attendees to view at their leisure. Presenters will be available to answer questions during designated networking times. Our poster board presenters are as follows:

Candidacy and Management of Hearing Loss due to Acoustic Neuroma

Jessica Banh, MSc, Reg CASLPO; and
Johane Rakotoarimanana, MPA, Reg CASLPO
Lecturers, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Toronto; Audiologists, Cochlear Implant Program, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy

Elizabeth Crawford, BPHE, MA, MScPT, PT, Certificate in Vestibular Rehabilitation; and
Shaleen Sulway, BSc, BScPT, PT, Advanced Certificate in Vestibular Rehabilitation
Co-Directors & Physiotherapists, Vestibular Health, located at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network (UHN) and Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, Sinai Health System (Toronto, ON)

Facial Neuromuscular Retraining

Beth Kroetsch, BSc, PT
Facial Physiotherapist, Facial Rehabilitation Program, Therapy Visions Inc., located at S.L. Hunter Speech Works (Burlington, ON)

Tinnitus Management

Dario Coletta, MSc, AuD, Reg CASLPO
Doctor of Audiology, Port Credit Audiology & Hearing Aid Clinic (Mississauga, ON)

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