Year In Review

New OCI Leadership Announced
June 2006: Dr. Benjamin Neel—world-renowned cell signaling researcher, Director of the Cancer Biology program at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School—was recruited as new Director of OCI. Dr. Neel took up his position in January 2007.

New Regenerative Medicine Research Centre Opens Doors
October 2006: The opening of the new McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine was marked with a scientific symposium of internationally-recognized stem cell researchers. Singer/philanthropist Sir Bob Geldof and lead donors Rob and Cheryl McEwen led the celebrations.

Research Day a Success
November 2006: More than 400 UHN researchers took part in UHN's annual Research Day. The event showcased 20 talks and 130 poster presentations spanning the range of biomedical investigation at UHN.

Researchers Set $49M Funding Record
November 2006: Drs. Pamela Catton, John Dick, Igor Jurisica, Kathy Siminovitch and Richard Weisel won $28 million in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the highest amount ever awarded by the CFI to UHN in a single round. In April 2007, the Ontario Research Fund made additional awards, bringing the total to $49M for these projects.

UHN's International Research Advisory Board Visits
December 2006: UHN hosted our International Research Advisory Board members this month. During their visit, the group—Drs. Victor Dzau President & CEO, Duke University Health System), Ralph Steinman (Professor, Rockefeller University), Hans Wigzell (Professor, Karolinska Institute) and chair Philip Branton (Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Cancer Research)—reviewed translational research initiatives at UHN and met with hospital and Foundation executives.

Regenerative Medicine Supported at McEwen Centre with $10M Gift
April 2007: A new donation from Rob and Cheryl McEwen will support groundbreaking stem cell research through imaging facilities, an embryonic stem cell laboratory, post-doctoral fellowships and programs designed to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries.

Development Acceleration Awardees Announced
September 2007: Four UHN researchers—Drs. David Jaffray, Lothar Lilge, Li Zhang and Gang Zheng—were awarded Development Acceleration Awards, a joint initiative between Johnson & Johnson and UHN. The award provides funding for development of imaging technolgoies in the context of neoplastic, cardiovascular, autoimmune, infectious, and/or neurological disease.