Page 14 - An Innovation Spirit ...
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“What’s really fun showing how to streamline medications that address specific scanning, so the medical team
is bringing people patient care, which she, too, functional problems with more can see images of the patient’s
conceived in the middle of the precision than ever before. heart while they work.
together in the night.
same room who Doctors aim to be able to take The next step is to use a
wouldn’t have “I had it laminated, so I could cells from a patient’s skin or hologram, now being tested in
gotten together if show it to everyone at the centre, blood and grow a “piece of your Israel, that produces a three-
it weren’t for the and we could discuss it,” she says. heart” in a dish, which can be dimensional image of the heart
Rogers’ gift. We used to replace worn-out parts, in the air above the patient on
probably should The research centre’s blend he says. “This is personalized the table. Doctors can measure
of expertise and enthusiasm is medicine,” Dr. Husain explains, different-sized stents using the
have gotten already leading the way toward taking account of the individual hologram to see which one fits
together and now breakthroughs that still seem variables in everyone’s makeup best, without invasive trial and
we are, and all of a like science fiction, though they and minimizing the chance of error.
sudden people are are real. rejection after a transplant.
talking, and ideas The technology is breathtaking,
“We were told to be bold, be Dr. Barry Rubin, Medical but perhaps what’s most
are bouncing,” aspirational, and that’s what Director of the Peter Munk important is how the centre
we’re doing,” says Dr. Mansoor Cardiac Centre, is similarly encourages collaboration and
Dr. Heather Ross, Husain, Interim Director, excited about the breakthroughs teamwork, Dr. Ross says.
Cardiologist, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart taking place already.
and Medical Director, Cardiac Transplant Research (and Senior Scientist, “What’s really fun is bringing
Toronto General Research He conducts tours at the centre, people together in the same
Program, Toronto General Hospital Institute). showing three operating rooms: room who wouldn’t have gotten
one from a few years ago that’s together if it weren’t for the
For example, researchers well-equipped with diagnostic, Rogers’ gift. We probably should
are gaining new insights into as well as surgical, equipment; have gotten together and now
diastolic heart activity, which a newer one with more we are, and all of a sudden
occurs “when the heart pumps sophisticated imaging tools; and people are talking, and ideas are
properly, but it doesn’t relax the newest state-of-the-art room bouncing,” she says.
properly,” he says. This is that integrates ultra-fast body
leading to new treatments and “And it’s great.”
12 Peter Munk Cardiac Centre
