Mark Huyser-Wierenga

Last updated
Mark Huyser-Wierenga
Born
Mark Wierenga

1961 (age 6162)
NationalityCanadian
Alma mater Calvin College (BA)
University of Alberta (LL.B.)
Occupation Crown Prosecutor
Years active1989–present

Mark Huyser-Wierenga is a Canadian lawyer, currently a Crown Prosecutor for the Province of Alberta. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life

Huyser-Wierenga was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1961. [3]

Education

In 1983, Huyser-Wierenga received a Bachelor of Arts in history from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. [4] In 1987, he received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta in Canada. [4] Huyser-Wierenga was called to the Bar of Alberta in 1989. [5]

Notable cases

In 2019 and 2020, Huyser-Wierenga prosecuted the trial of Matthew McKnight. [6] The case drew considerable public attention in Canada due to the fact that McKnight was a well-known promoter at several nightlife establishments in the City of Edmonton including Oil City Roadhouse and the Old Strathcona Rack. [7] The Globe and Mail and other news outlets referred to the trial as "the first major Canadian case of the #MeToo era". [2] [8] McKnight was found guilty on five of thirteen counts of sexual assault and sentenced to eight years in prison.

Personal life

Huyser-Wierenga is blind due to choroideremia and has organized several fundraisers for finding a cure. [9] In 2005, Ralph Witten wrote that Huyser-Wierenga had "raised over $130,000 CDN that will contribute to the beginnings of further research" on the disease. [10]

In 2008, Huyser-Wierenga joined the board of Citizens for Public Justice. [11]

In 2014, the Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation named Mark Huyser-Wierenga as a Men of Honour award recipient. [12]

Mark Huyser-Wierenga is married to Debra Huyser-Wierenga who coauthored papers annually between 1989 and 1993 in the fields of neuro-oncology and radiation therapy. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brain tumor</span> Neoplasm in the brain

A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondary tumors, which most commonly have spread from tumors located outside the brain, known as brain metastasis tumors. All types of brain tumors may produce symptoms that vary depending on the size of the tumor and the part of the brain that is involved. Where symptoms exist, they may include headaches, seizures, problems with vision, vomiting and mental changes. Other symptoms may include difficulty walking, speaking, with sensations, or unconsciousness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glioma</span> Tumour of the glial cells of the brain or spine

A glioma is a type of tumor that starts in the glial cells of the brain or the spine. Gliomas comprise about 30 percent of all brain tumors and central nervous system tumours, and 80 percent of all malignant brain tumours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oligodendroglioma</span> Medical condition

Oligodendrogliomas are a type of glioma that are believed to originate from the oligodendrocytes of the brain or from a glial precursor cell. They occur primarily in adults but are also found in children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ependymoma</span> Medical condition

An ependymoma is a tumor that arises from the ependyma, a tissue of the central nervous system. Usually, in pediatric cases the location is intracranial, while in adults it is spinal. The common location of intracranial ependymomas is the fourth ventricle. Rarely, ependymomas can occur in the pelvic cavity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glioblastoma</span> Aggressive type of brain cancer

Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain, and has very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nonspecific. They may include headaches, personality changes, nausea, and symptoms similar to those of a stroke. Symptoms often worsen rapidly and may progress to unconsciousness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neurofibroma</span> Medical condition

A neurofibroma is a benign nerve-sheath tumor in the peripheral nervous system. In 90% of cases, they are found as stand-alone tumors, while the remainder are found in persons with neurofibromatosis type I (NF1), an autosomal-dominant genetically inherited disease. They can result in a range of symptoms from physical disfiguration and pain to cognitive disability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disufenton sodium</span> Chemical compound

Disufenton sodium is a free radical trapping nitrone-based antioxidant compound that has been under development for several medical conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cilengitide</span> Chemical compound

Cilengitide is a molecule designed and synthesized at the Technical University Munich in collaboration with Merck KGaA in Darmstadt. It is based on the cyclic peptide cyclo(-RGDfV-), which is selective for αv integrins, which are important in angiogenesis, and other aspects of tumor biology. Hence, it is under investigation for the treatment of glioblastoma, where it may act by inhibiting angiogenesis, and influencing tumor invasion and proliferation.

Neuro-oncology is the study of brain and spinal cord neoplasms, many of which are very dangerous and life-threatening. Among the malignant brain cancers, gliomas of the brainstem and pons, glioblastoma multiforme, and high-grade astrocytoma/oligodendroglioma are among the worst. In these cases, untreated survival usually amounts to only a few months, and survival with current radiation and chemotherapy treatments may extend that time from around a year to a year and a half, possibly two or more, depending on the patient's condition, immune function, treatments used, and the specific type of malignant brain neoplasm. Surgery may in some cases be curative, but, as a general rule, malignant brain cancers tend to regenerate and emerge from remission easily, especially highly malignant cases. In such cases, the goal is to excise as much of the mass and as much of the tumor margin as possible without endangering vital functions or other important cognitive abilities. The Journal of Neuro-Oncology is the longest continuously published journal in the field and serves as a leading reference to those practicing in the area of neuro-oncology.

Aubrey Levin is a South African-born Canadian psychiatrist and former Colonel in the South African Defence Force who used abusive procedures on homosexual army conscripts and conscientious objectors in an attempt to cure them of suspected same-sex attraction in apartheid era South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaplastic astrocytoma</span> Medical condition

Anaplastic astrocytoma is a rare WHO grade III type of astrocytoma, which is a type of cancer of the brain. In the United States, the annual incidence rate for anaplastic astrocytoma is 0.44 per 100,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temozolomide</span> Medication for some brain cancers

Temozolomide (TMZ), sold under the brand name Temodar among others, is a medication used to treat brain tumors such as glioblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma. It is taken by mouth or via intravenous infusion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neutron capture therapy of cancer</span> Nonsurgical therapeutic modality for treating locally invasive malignant tumors

Neutron capture therapy (NCT) is a type of radiotherapy for treating locally invasive malignant tumors such as primary brain tumors, recurrent cancers of the head and neck region, and cutaneous and extracutaneous melanomas. It is a two-step process: first, the patient is injected with a tumor-localizing drug containing the stable isotope boron-10 (10B), which has a high propensity to capture low energy "thermal" neutrons. The neutron cross section of 10B is 1,000 times more than that of other elements, such as nitrogen, hydrogen, or oxygen, that occur in tissue. In the second step, the patient is radiated with epithermal neutrons, the sources of which in the past have been nuclear reactors and now are accelerators that produce higher energy epithermal neutrons. After losing energy as they penetrate tissue, the resultant low energy "thermal" neutrons are captured by the 10B atoms. The resulting decay reaction yields high-energy alpha particles that kill the cancer cells that have taken up enough 10B.

<i>O</i><sup>6</sup>-Benzylguanine Chemical compound

O6-Benzylguanine (O6-BG) is a synthetic derivative of guanine. It is an antineoplastic agent. It exerts its effect by acting as a suicide inhibitor of the enzyme O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase which leads to interruption of DNA repair. O6-BG was used clinically in combination with the alkylating agent temozolomide for glioblastoma, however the combination was found to be overly toxic without adding significant benefit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oncolytic herpes virus</span>

Many variants of herpes simplex virus have been considered for viral therapy of cancer; the early development of these was thoroughly reviewed in the journal Cancer Gene Therapy in 2002. This page describes the most notable variants—those tested in clinical trials: G207, HSV1716, NV1020 and Talimogene laherparepvec. These attenuated versions are constructed by deleting viral genes required for infecting or replicating inside normal cells but not cancer cells, such as ICP34.5, ICP6/UL39, and ICP47.

David S. Baskin is a neurosurgeon who currently works at Houston Methodist Hospital as the Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery, the Director of the Residency Training program, and the Director of the Kenneth R. Peak Brain & Pituitary Tumor Center, and is also a professor of neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Walter "Wally" J. Curran, Jr. is an American radiation oncologist specializing in the treatment of malignant brain tumors and locally advanced lung cancer.

Vaginal stenosis is an abnormal condition in which the vagina becomes narrower and shorter due to the formation of fibrous tissue. Vaginal stenosis can contribute to sexual dysfunction, dyspareunia and make pelvic exams difficult and painful. The lining of the vagina may also be thinner and drier and contain scar tissue. This condition can result in pain during sexual intercourse or a pelvic exam. Vaginal stenosis is often caused by radiation therapy to the pelvis, an episiotomy, or other forms of surgical procedures. Chemotherapy can also increase the likelihood of developing vaginal stenosis. Vaginal stenosis can also result from genital reconstructive surgery in people with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Her Majesty The Queen v. Matthew McKnight was a criminal prosecution of Matthew McKnight on thirteen charges of sexual assault between 2010 and 2016.

The Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation is a non-profit organization in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

References

  1. The Federal/Provincial/Territorial Elder Abuse Working Forum (PDF). Vancouver, British Columbia: The Safety and Security for Seniors Working Group. 2007. p. 38.
    - Wakefield, Jonny (January 11, 2020). "Crown begins closing arguments in ex-club promoter's sex assault trial". The Edmonton Journal.
  2. 1 2 "He said, they said: inside the trial of Matthew McKnight" . Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  3. Arnason, Al (April 3, 1964). "University Doors Opened To Boy Oprhaned By Crash". The Edmonton Journal. p. 3.
    - "Triple Funeral Held For Crash Victims". The Edmonton Journal. August 17, 1963. p. 21.
  4. 1 2 "Board of Trustees Report" (PDF). Agenda for Synod. Christian Reformed Church of North America: 26. 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2020.
  5. "Mark A. Huyser-Wierenga". Canadian Law List. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  6. Huncar, Andrea (October 2, 2019). "Edmonton bar promoter pleads not guilty to multiple sex assaults". CBC News.
    - "Fantasy or nightmare? Jury hears conflicting accounts during trial of Edmonton bar promoter charged with 13 sexual assaults". The Star. December 8, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
    - "'That's how powerful your memory is?': Crown grills McKnight over clear memory of alleged sex assaults". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  7. "Crown begins closing arguments in ex-club promoter's sex assault trial". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
    - "Matthew McKnight: Jury finds former nightclub worker guilty on multiple counts of sexual assault". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  8. "Inside Canada's first major case of the #MeToo era". 570 News. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  9. "Gene therapy may stop genetic eye disease". Radio Canada International. October 13, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
    - "Experimental trial at U of A could restore vision loss". Global News. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
    - "New Gene Therapy trial set to help people with genetic eye diseases". Exchange Magazine. Retrieved May 15, 2020.[ dead link ]
  10. Witten, Ralph (November–December 2005). "Running with Vision". The Running Room Magazine: 32.
  11. "Round-up: 2008 AGM". Catalyst. 31 (3): 2. Summer 2008.
  12. "2014 Men of Honour Recipients". Cease Now. 2014. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  13. For 1989, see Day, Rufus S. (III); Miyakoshi, Junji; Huyser-Wierenga, Debra (1989). "The Mer Minus Phenotype, Patient Response To Nitrosoureas, And Protooncogene Activation In Human Glioblastomas". DNA Repair Mechanisms and Their Biological Implications in Mammalian Cells. Springer Publishing. pp. 83–99. ISBN   978-1468413298.