Dr. Michael Sefton Talks Regenerative Medicine

2005 Inventor of the Year: Dr. Joseph Fisher

UHN Research Applauds Abstract & Poster Winners

Thanks to the Research Day Team

Breaking News

Special Edition—UHN Research Day

Research Day Acknowledges UHN Achievements

While we believe that every day is a “research” day at UHN, each year UHN reserves one special day to showcase the wide scope of research that is accomplished by our internationally acclaimed scientists, clinician-scientists and trainees throughout the year.

This year UHN Research Day, held October 31 at the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre, attracted approximately 500 attendees and highlighted 28 abstract presentations and more than 100 posters in areas ranging from emerging applications in optical imaging to the perception of stigma in recovered SARS patients to the role of immune cells in preventing autoimmune disorders.

“Scientific excellence is a hallmark of Research Day,” said Dr. Christopher J. Paige, VP Research. “It's our opportunity to showcase the broad spectrum of pioneering research that happens here—and our tremendous number of outstanding achievements.”

Keynote: Challenges of Regenerative Medicine

Dr. Michael Sefton, Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry and Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, wrapped up the day with the keynote address.

Dr. Sefton focused on different approaches in vascularization—the process of growing blood vessels to enable the oxygenation and nutrient supply in tissues—to improve regenerative medicine strategies.

Dr. Joseph Fisher Named 2005 Inventor of the Year


This award was presented to Dr. Joseph Fisher in recognition of his outstanding inventiveness and commercialization efforts. Evidence of this is in his eleven issued patents and his creation of a mask that is more effective at preventing the spread of respiratory disease in hospitals.

“Dr. Fisher's work extends from basic research discoveries to inventions that he has taken from idea to product—products that are in hospitals helping patients today,” says Bob McArthur, Director of the Research Business Development Office (RBDO).

The award was created by the RBDO to honour the individual or team that has made the greatest contribution to the advancement of human health through a patentable invention. The award winner is selected with the help of the RBDO Strategic Advisory Committee.

Congratulations to the Research Day Winners

ABSTRACTS
First Prize Winners
Dr. Stuart Bisland (Medical Technology Innovation)
Soheila Karimi (Regenerative Medicine)
Boris Lee (Genes, Proteins and People)
Rinat Nissim (Clinical Investigations)

POSTERS
First Prize Winners
Danny Costantini (Medical Technology Innovation)
Vinod Chandran (Clinical Investigations)
Georges Maire (Genes, Proteins and People)
Amy Wong (Regenerative Medicine)

Second Prize Winners
Dr. Paulo Koeberle (Regenerative Medicine)
Christina Loh (Genes, Proteins, and People)

Third Prize Winner
Dr. Catia Ferreira (Genes, Proteins, and People)

Fourth Prize Winner
Anthony Lau (Genes, Proteins, and People)

Fifth Prize Winner
Helen Dimaras (Genes, Proteins, and People)


Thanks to the Research Day Team

Many thanks to all of those that worked to make the event a success:

Organizers
Dr. Christopher Paige, Dr. Richard Weisel, Dianne Dixon and Carolyn McGinley.

Registration Team
Camila Balgobin, Matt Dawson, Pilar Furio-Hong, Lin Gawad, Ava Lucero, Crystal Leverman, and Suzanna Moore

Speakers
Drs. Myron Cybulsky, Lucia Gagliese, Sherry Grace, James Eubanks, Tianru Jin, Rama Khokha, Vivek Rao, Rudiger von Harsdorf, and Brian Wilson.

Session Chairs
Drs. Brian Raught, Michael Tymianski, David Urbach, and Liang Zhang.

Abstract Reviewers
Drs. Christopher Chan, Myron Cybulsky, Dan Drucker, Lucia Gagliese, David Jaffray, Tianru Jin, Rama Khokha, Lowell Langille, Ren-Ke Li, Peter Liu, Vivek Rao, Michael Tymianski, David Urbach, Allen Volchuck, Eldad Zacksenhaus and Liang Zhang

Poster Judges
Drs. Vaclav Brazda, Massimo Cimini, Lucia Gagliese, Liqing Jin, Tianru Jin, Jenny Jongstra-Blien, Veerle Kersemanns, Rajesh Khanna, Roya Navab, Michael Tymianski, David Rose, Shuzo Sugita, and Liang Zhang

Abstract Judges
Drs. Mary Jane Esplen, Lowell Langille, Gary Rodin, Valerie Sales, Allen Volchuk, Robert Weersink, and Richard Weisel.

Technical Support/Other
Clayton Chan, Manu Gupta, Evan Hum and Mieu-Linh Luu.

Breaking News from UHN Research

UHN Researchers Receive Royal Society Medal

The Royal Society of Canada is honouring Drs. Ernest McCulloch and James Till (OCI/PMH) with the 2005 Centenary Medal for their groundbreaking research in stem cells.

The medal was created in 1982 and has been awarded at irregular intervals to recognize individuals and organizations for exceptional achievements in scholarship and research. The medal will be presented to them at a special event to be held in Toronto at a later date.



UHN Researcher Honoured with NCIC Award

UHN Research congratulates Dr. Shabbir Alibhai (TGRI/TGH), who is the recipient of the 2005 Dorothy J. Lamont Scientist Award from National Cancer Institute of Canada. This award is presented annually to the top-ranking applicant for the research scientist award in the behavioural/psychosocial/cancer control research category.