Page 62 - UHN's Year In Review 2013-14: Courage is Daring to Lead
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research
From East to the Western: Visionary new leadership in research
In July 2013, Dr. Donald Weaver “Every night I pick a discovery and development “I’m a medicinal chemist,
packed his bags and left neuroscience institute of new potential therapeutics I make compounds. I’m going
Dalhousie University in Halifax somewhere in the world and for neurological disorders, to engage our researchers
for Toronto. I read about it, and think about including Alzheimer’s, in commercialization and
how we’re different and what dementia and epilepsy. knowledge translation so that
It was then that the leading
neurologist and medicinal insights I might be able to His work is strongly involved our end result is more than
chemist – Dr. Weaver is one of bring here. Once I exhaust all in knowledge translation, a paper – it’s a product that
few experts in the world with the neuroscience institutions, commercialization and the helps people,” he said.
these two specialties – became I’ll start reading about all the creation of ”micropharma”
UHN’s new Director of the arthritis research institutes,” companies within the academic R ELATED
Toronto Western Research he continued. sector as a route to effective Krembil Discovery Tower
Institute (TWRI). Alzheimer’s and more drug development — and (featuring Dr. Don Weaver)
Dr. Weaver brings with him an His own research focuses on he hopes to share this spirit Bio: Meet the New Director of
impressive array of clinical and the applications of computer- with TWRI researchers in the the TW Research Institute
research credentials, a fresh aided drug design for the translation of their own work
perspective on the future as well.
of TWRI and an innovative
research program of his own.
Leading vision HigHligHts:
With a world leader at the helm,
the goals of the Institute are both Making human heart cells on a wire valuable insight into finding ways to increase
ambitious – and achievable. TWRI scientists have developed a new way numbers of blood stem cells for bone marrow
“I envision TWRI becoming to make mature heart stem cells using a sterile transplantation.
one of the top five medical surgical suture known as a “biowire” to grow
research institutes in terms heart stem cells. Biowire-grown cells mimicked Designing smarter wheelchairs
of contributions to our mature cell characteristics—they were rod- Toronto Rehab scientists evaluated a new
understanding of human shaped, could beat in unison and could be intelligent wheelchair system that has anti-
disease processes,” he said. “The paced using electrical cues. collision and navigation assistance features.
knowledge created will be applied The system was effective at preventing collisions
to produce innovative diagnostic Understanding blood formation and navigating around obstacles in simulated
and therapeutic products for Researchers at Princess Margaret Cancer environments. In particular, it limited the number
Dr. Don Weaver, Director of the Toronto Western Research Institute, managing chronic diseases of the
is one of few world experts who is both a leading neurologist and Centre have identified a critical molecular of collisions experienced by elderly study
medicinal chemist. (Photo: UHN Research Communications) nervous system, including eyes, “switch” that controls the differentiation of participants completing an obstacle course.
and the musculoskeletal system.”
blood-forming stem cells. This finding provides
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From East to the Western: Visionary new leadership in research
In July 2013, Dr. Donald Weaver “Every night I pick a discovery and development “I’m a medicinal chemist,
packed his bags and left neuroscience institute of new potential therapeutics I make compounds. I’m going
Dalhousie University in Halifax somewhere in the world and for neurological disorders, to engage our researchers
for Toronto. I read about it, and think about including Alzheimer’s, in commercialization and
how we’re different and what dementia and epilepsy. knowledge translation so that
It was then that the leading
neurologist and medicinal insights I might be able to His work is strongly involved our end result is more than
chemist – Dr. Weaver is one of bring here. Once I exhaust all in knowledge translation, a paper – it’s a product that
few experts in the world with the neuroscience institutions, commercialization and the helps people,” he said.
these two specialties – became I’ll start reading about all the creation of ”micropharma”
UHN’s new Director of the arthritis research institutes,” companies within the academic R ELATED
Toronto Western Research he continued. sector as a route to effective Krembil Discovery Tower
Institute (TWRI). Alzheimer’s and more drug development — and (featuring Dr. Don Weaver)
Dr. Weaver brings with him an His own research focuses on he hopes to share this spirit Bio: Meet the New Director of
impressive array of clinical and the applications of computer- with TWRI researchers in the the TW Research Institute
research credentials, a fresh aided drug design for the translation of their own work
perspective on the future as well.
of TWRI and an innovative
research program of his own.
Leading vision HigHligHts:
With a world leader at the helm,
the goals of the Institute are both Making human heart cells on a wire valuable insight into finding ways to increase
ambitious – and achievable. TWRI scientists have developed a new way numbers of blood stem cells for bone marrow
“I envision TWRI becoming to make mature heart stem cells using a sterile transplantation.
one of the top five medical surgical suture known as a “biowire” to grow
research institutes in terms heart stem cells. Biowire-grown cells mimicked Designing smarter wheelchairs
of contributions to our mature cell characteristics—they were rod- Toronto Rehab scientists evaluated a new
understanding of human shaped, could beat in unison and could be intelligent wheelchair system that has anti-
disease processes,” he said. “The paced using electrical cues. collision and navigation assistance features.
knowledge created will be applied The system was effective at preventing collisions
to produce innovative diagnostic Understanding blood formation and navigating around obstacles in simulated
and therapeutic products for Researchers at Princess Margaret Cancer environments. In particular, it limited the number
Dr. Don Weaver, Director of the Toronto Western Research Institute, managing chronic diseases of the
is one of few world experts who is both a leading neurologist and Centre have identified a critical molecular of collisions experienced by elderly study
medicinal chemist. (Photo: UHN Research Communications) nervous system, including eyes, “switch” that controls the differentiation of participants completing an obstacle course.
and the musculoskeletal system.”
blood-forming stem cells. This finding provides
62 63
