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Your health is in good hands in London. From saving lives to preventing disease, London is a champion of healthcare in Ontario.
Sir Frederick Banting, Dr. Willem J. Kolff, Dr. Maria Drangova, Dr. Calvin Stiller. Do these names ring a bell? Who are these doctors? Why are we talking about them? Well, these are the names of the researchers who represent innovation. These doctors and their teams of talented researchers, nurses, and field experts are revolutionizing healthcare for better. Masters in their own respective fields, their discoveries laid the foundation for making London a hub for healthcare research.
One of the greatest ambassadors of London’s exceptional medical and healthcare sector is Dr. Fred Possmayer. In 1981, he discovered Bovine Lipid Extract Surfactant (BLES), a method of extracting and purifying natural surfactant from a cow’s lung to help premature infant babies breathe. Surfactants are compounds that reduce the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved. The method helps babies breathe until they develop their natural surfactants and it has resulted in millions of infant lives saved across the world.
Another fine example of London’s healthcare sector is Dr. Marlys L. Koschinsky, a scientist at Robarts Research Institute. She has been actively collaborating with pharmaceutical companies and clinical research groups across the world. Her research is focused on the prevention of heart attacks and strokes. She, along with her team, identified that Lipoproteins, commonly known as “bad cholesterol”, is a big risk factor for heart diseases, and in 1991 she initiated the research into identifying the risk factors and how to prevent them.
The Professor of Neurology at Western University, Dr. Vladimir Hachinski, discovered the role of the insula of the brain in mediating sudden death. In 1992 he observed that during a stroke the presence of a protein called amyloid is connected with brain damage, which can be prevented with anti-inflammatory drugs. This discovery has led to revolutionizing the way blood clotting is discovered, treated, and has helped provide enhanced patient care, and resulted in Hachinski being recognized as a 2017 Canadian Medical Hall of Fame inductee.
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The story of London’s diverse and exceptional healthcare sector doesn’t stop with these intelligent minds. Here are some of the many exceptional researchers working for the betterment of society:
- Dr. Richard Kim, Clinical Pharmacologist & Professor, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry: Studying pharmacogenomics – the study of genetic changes which alter the way a person responds to individual drugs – which led to LHSC being the first hospital in Canada to have doctors adjust medication doses or avoid certain medications based on an individual’s patients genetic profile
- Dr. Ting-Yim Lee, Scientist, Robarts Research Institute: Discovered a method to measure blood flow in various tissues including the brain, tumors, and heart using CT scanning, which was first licensed by GE Healthcare in 1999 and then again in 2015
- Dr. Maria Drangova, Scientist, Robarts Research Institute: Research in Cardiovascular Imaging, investigating ways to reduce the recurrence rate of strokes and developing robotic devices to deliver therapies more precisely
- Dr. Bertha Garcia, Acting Vice Dean & Director, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry: Advanced study in organ transplantation and recently recognized as a 2019 YMCA Women of Excellence for her impact as a medical educator, clinical leader, and mentor to thousands of students and professionals
- Dr. Calvin Stiller, Physician and Researcher, Western University: Pioneered the use of anti-rejection medication in organ transplants in the late 90s
- Dr. Murray Barr, Physician and Medical Researcher, Western University: In 1948 discovered the sex chromatin, known as the Barr Body, that revolutionized the study and diagnosis of genetic disorders
- Dr. Richard Seewald & Dr. Susan Scollie, Director, National Centre for Audiology, Western University: Developed the Desired Sensation Level (DSL) method for pediatric hearing instrument fitting – technology that is now used worldwide.
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London is known for its great access to healthcare. The likes of London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Research Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and Robarts Research established within the city make London a go-to-destination for quality healthcare. Not only do these centers focus on quality healthcare but they also provide continuous emphasis on research and innovation in the field. The innovations and advancements - in terms of technology, medications, and their applications - by the researchers in London have resulted in saving millions of lives worldwide.
Learn more about London’s Medical & Health Sector:
- https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/about/who_we_are/our_history/luminaries.html
- https://www.robarts.ca/index.php/newsandevents
- https://www.lawsonresearch.ca/canada150/renowned-scientists
- https://www.sjhc.london.on.ca/your-st-josephs/about-us/our-history/st-josephs-health-care-london
