CACB Awards

CACB is pleased to announce that Dr. Allison Venner will be receiving the 2026 CACB Award for Outstanding Service to the Profession of Clinical Biochemistry. This award recognizes an individual who has made unique and significant contributions to laboratory medicine.

Dr. Venner completed her PhD at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Kinesiology & Department of Medical Science and later pursued her Postdoctoral Fellowship Diploma in Clinical Chemistry at the University of Toronto Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. Dr. Venner has been a practicing Clinical Biochemist in Alberta since 2011 and has held numerous roles throughout her career including Provincial Point of Care testing Lead, and Clinical Biochemistry Section Chief for all of Southern Alberta. Throughout her career, she has provided outstanding Leadership both within Alberta and Canada in the areas of Point of Care Testing, Regulation of the Profession, and Education. In 2023 she was awarded the University of Calgary Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine clinical Service award in recognition of her contributions.

Dr. Venner has provided medical leadership in Point of Care Testing (POCT) across Alberta, including a portfolio of >5,000 devices, >4 million tests, >50,000 operators and 30 programs. She has supported and facilitated growth and advancement of POCT in Alberta, including development of Provincial POCT strategy and the framework for POCT. Dr. Venner has contributed to the clinical practice of POCT in Canada through her involvement with the CSCC POCT Special Interest Group, helping publish the group’s very first position statement on POCT (endorsed by the CSCC and published in Clinical Biochemistry), and the first author on a follow-up position statement from the same group about POCT quality assurance practices. The CSCC recognized the importance of this group’s work by awarding it the CSCC Award for Innovation in Laboratory Medicine in 2022. The group has recently completed development of POCT Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) Recommendations for the Acute Care Setting, which have now been published on the CWC website.

Dr. Venner was the President of the Alberta Society of Clinical Chemists from 2015-17, overseeing the revision of the ASCC bylaws and Organization of the Annual General and Scientific Meeting during her term. She now serves with the Alberta Association of Clinical Laboratory Doctoral Scientists (AACLDS) as Secretary. She was awarded the 2024 Alberta Society of Clinical Chemists – Outstanding Contribution to Clinical Chemistry Award.

Dr. Venner was the President-Elect, President, and Past President of the CSCC from 2019 to 2025. As CSCC president, Dr. Venner represented CSCC at various international forums, authenticated all of the acts and proceedings of the CSCC, and presided at all meetings of the CSCC, its Council, and its Executive. She was a member of the organizing committee of the CSCC Annual Meeting: Halifax (2026), Mont St-Anne, QB (2024), Winnipeg (2023), Winnipeg (2020; cancelled due to COVID-19 – virtual sessions held), St. John, NB (2019), and Ottawa, ON (2018), and co-Chair for the organizing committee of the CSCC Annual Meeting in Edmonton, AB (June 2016), which was the inaugural joint meeting (~500 participants) with the Canadian College of Medical Geneticists (CCMG).

As a member of the CSCC Educating the Public on Clinical Chemistry & Laboratory Medicine (EPOCC) Committee (2013 – 2024), she has promoted a positive image of clinical biochemists and laboratory medicine through increased recognition and awareness of the profession by government and the general public. As a member of the Regulated Profession and Advocacy Subcommittee (RPAS) (2024-2025) she helped develop educational materials and a provincial activities document to share information with CSCC membership on regulation activities across Canada.

As Head, Education and Scientific Affairs Division for CSCC (2013 – 2019) she oversaw the CSCC Travelling Lectureship, Critical Care Lectureship, Cardiovascular Lectureship, CSCC Education Roundtables, CSCC Special Interest Groups, CACB Boot Camp Prep Course, and CSCC Certificate Program on Leadership in Quality Management. During this time, she was also a member of the CACB certification exam committee from 2016-2020.

In summary, Dr. Venner has made numerous and significant contributions to Clinical Biochemistry as a Profession and her efforts have raised the profile of Clinical Biochemistry in Alberta and Canada. The CACB membership would like to thank Dr. Venner for her incredible dedication and commitment to the profession.

Congratulations Dr. Venner!

1. The Award shall be presented annually, but if in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Academy no suitable candidate is available in any year, the Award shall not be made.
2. The Award shall be accompanied by a framed certificate and an honorarium in the amount of $1,500.00 donated by Siemens Canada Limited.
3. The recipient of the Award is not usually expected to give an address or give a paper, but the Award and the reading of the citation shall usually be made at the Annual Conference of the CACB. A representative of the Company shall be invited to participate in the presentation.
4. No formal nomination procedure is specified but members of the Academy may propose suitable candidates to the Board of Directors through the Head Office of the Academy. Proposals may be solicited annually in the Newsletter of CSCC.