Laughing alongside the best of evidence

Around the water cooler (because the university won’t pay for coffee or Guinness): The team takes time for impromptu collaboration, feedback, and laughs. They post their research papers on the wall as motivation. (Left to right) Ms Sharon Nickel, Dr Scott Garrison, Dr Adrienne Lindblad, Dr Tina Korownyk, Dr Michael Allan, and Dr Michael Kolber.

The weekly Best Science Medicine Podcast in action. Hosts James McCormack (from Vancouver, BC, via Skype) and Michael Allan frequently have members of the team (such as Michael Kolber and Tina Korownyk) as guests.

Brainstorming and white boards: The team meets regularly, preparing conferences and teaching modules and developing research projects. (Above left) Scott Garrison reviews the sinusoidal seasonality of disease with (middle and right) Tina Korownyk, Adrienne Lindblad, and Michael Kolber while Michael Allan ponders tic-tac-toe. (Middle and right) Drafting the basics of the BedMed randomized trial.

PHOTO LEFT The usual hobbits: Like hobbits, the team is not particularly tall and, to get their writing done, they live underground. (From left to right) Sharon Nickel, Adrienne Lindblad, Michael Kolber, Scott Garrison, Michael Allan, and Tina Korownyk (James McCormack was on the lam in Vancouver, BC). PHOTO BELOW The team does more than write and speak on activity. The Mikes frequently cycle to work (Michael Kolber even in Edmonton’s winter!) and Scott jogs in. Sharon, Tina, and Adrienne live farther out but run or attend the gym regularly.

PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff Hilbrecht, Edmonton, Alta