We are delighted to invite you to the 2026 Food as Medicine Update - 10 Years of Food as Medicine: Turning Knowledge into Practice taking place in-person and virtually on Monday, November 30, 2026 from 8:30 am to 4:45 pm EST.
The Food as Medicine Update series was created to address the knowledge-gap in continuing medical education related to the role of nutrition in patient care. It is a full day accredited symposium for healthcare professionals designed to address the emerging interest in therapeutic diets for chronic disease prevention.
A special feature of the Food as Medicine Update is the Rundle-Lister Lectureship in Transformative Nutritional Medical Education. The 2026 Lectureship is awarded to Dr. Sonia Anand, MD in recognition of her outstanding contributions to translational research in the field of therapeutic diets and chronic disease prevention.
Learning Objectives
After active engagement in this symposium, participants will be better able to:
- Evaluate the efficacy, safety and clinical relevance of emerging therapies and interventions, including GLP-1 receptor agonists, creatine supplementation and micronutrients.
- Apply evidence-based nutrition science including the microbiome, dietary patterns and supplementation into clinical practice.
- Communicate effectively with patients to address nutrition misinformation, support behaviour change and promote health across the lifespan.
- Integrate individualized nutrition strategies into patient-centered care plans.
2026 Food as Medicine Update Steering Committee
John L Sievenpiper, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Chair
Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto
Nutritional Medical Education Coordinator, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto
Lifestyle Medicine Lead, MD Program, University of Toronto
Staff Physician, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, St. Michael's Hospital
Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital
Margaret A Rundle, BSc, MD, CCFP, FCFP, Advisor
Family Physician
Viola Antao, MD, CCFP, MHSc, FCFP
Associate Professor, Faculty Development Director, Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Julia Rackal, MD, CCFP, MHSc
Assistant Professor Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Active Staff, Department of Family and Community Medicine St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team
Chris Tomlinson MB, ChB, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Paediatrics, University of Toronto
Medical Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Hospital for Sick Children
Staff Neonatologist, Division of Neonatology, Hospital for Sick Children
Raymond Chang Chair in Nutritional Medical Education, Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, University of Toronto
Elena Comelli, PhD
Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto
Associate Chair, Research and Innovation Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto
Shazmah Hussein, NP-PHC, MScN
Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Crossroads Refugee Clinic, Women’s College Hospital
Sheila Lakhoo, MD, CCFP, MScCH, Diplomat, American Board of Lifestyle Medicine
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Vivian Choo, MD, MSc
Family Physician, Department of Family Medicine, Women’s College Hospital
Clinical Associate, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Tristan Lawson Distinguished Fellow in Physician Professional Development in Child Nutrition
Chinwe Nwebube, MD
Family Medicine Resident, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Samantha Cheng
Medical Candidate, MD Program, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Chelsea McPherson, RD, MAN
Program Manager, Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto
Annette Blais, MSc
Administrative Officer, Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Toronto
Hosted by: The Department of Nutritional Sciences, the Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition and Continuing Professional Development, at the University of Toronto
Date: November 30, 2026 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.