November 24, 2005 Source: University of Toronto:
http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/051124-1853.asp Medical researcher wins coveted CIHR Michael Smith PrizeTwo other U of T scientists honoured Nov 24/05
by Althea Blackburn-Evans Renowned geneticist Janet Rossant of medical genetics and microbiology and chief of research at the Hospital for Sick Children was honoured with the 2005 Michael Smith Prize from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The $100,000 prize, awarded annually to an outstanding Canadian researcher who has demonstrated a high degree of innovation, creativity, leadership and dedication in health research, was announced Nov. 22 in Ottawa as part of the fourth annual Canadian Health Research Awards. The event, hosted by CIHR in collaboration with the Health Charities Coalition of Canada, Research Canada -- An Alliance for Health Discovery (formerly the Council for Health Research in Canada) and Canada’s provincial health research organizations, was attended by Canada’s leading health researchers as well as Ujjal Dosanjh, minister of health and Dr. Alan Bernstein, president of CIHR. "The Government of Canada is proud to acknowledge the exceptional, internationally recognized work of these award-winning health researchers," Dosanjh said. "Each recipient has demonstrated exceptional creativity, a willingness to overcome challenges and the ability to embrace new concepts, all in the pursuit of new knowledge. Collectively, they are making Canada a healthier, more prosperous nation and their work will have a direct impact on Canadians and people around the world." Rossant’s current research focuses on stem cell development and cell differentiation in the developing embryo, important areas for the study of birth defects as well as regenerative medicine. She is widely known for her work on the genes that control embryonic development in mice and has pioneered techniques for following cell fate and altering genes in embryos. "The University of Toronto is an extraordinarily exciting place to conduct medical research," said Professor John Challis, vice-president (research) and associate provost. "The synergy created by our world-class medical faculty and the incredible network of affiliated teaching hospitals is a truly unique resource. Dr. Rossant’s work is an example of the extraordinary achievements made possible by this convergence." Formerly known as the Michael Smith Award for Excellence, the Michael Smith Prize has been awarded to U of T researchers -- including President David Naylor -- seven times in its 11-year history. Other U of T winners include: John Dick (medical genetics and microbiology and the Hospital for Sick Children), Sergio Grinstein (biochemistry and the Hospital for Sick Children), Anthony Pawson (medical genetics and microbiology and the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital), Peter St. George-Hyslop (medicine and the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases) and Michael Tyers (medical genetics and microbiology and the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital). U of T researchers also won two other CIHR prizes announced at the event. Professor Halla Thorsteindottir of the Joint Centre for Bioethics earned a CIHR Institute of Genetics’ Maud Menten New Principal Investigator Prize for her work on the potential health biotechnology has to improve the health of people in developing countries. The Canadian Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Team (CCORT), led by Professor Jack Tu of health policy, management and evaluation, was the national recipient of the CIHR Knowledge Translation Award for research results that will help physicians provide better care to their patients and provide policy-makers with the information needed to ensure consistent quality of care for people with cardiovascular disease.
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