As Research Month comes to a close, the sixth annual Research Awards honoured 11 outstanding members of the Research and Innovation community at Unity Health Toronto.

“These awards recognize people who have gone above and beyond,” said Dr. Ori Rotstein, vice-president of Research and Innovation at Unity Health Toronto. “These members of our community are people who have contributed in a meaningful way within the institute and left a lasting imprint on Research at our organization.”

The Research Awards were given out to trainees, researchers, and staff from the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and the Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science. Those from across Unity Health who do not have a formal appointment were included in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute award categories.

Dr. Kim Connelly, director of the Keenan Research Centre, handed out the Keenan Awards.

“We are grateful to every single scientist, staff member and student who has spent the past year working in the Keenan Research Centre,” he said. “The award winners went above and beyond for their labs and for the Keenan community as a whole, however, we also want to recognize and appreciate every single person in the Keenan who has worked so hard during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

This year’s winners from the Keenan included two exceptional students, one staff member and one scientist:

  • Keenan Legacy Award: This award is given to a scientist who enhances the reputation of biomedical or translational research and their actions lead to a rich tradition of developing the next wave of great scientists. The winner is:
    • Dr. Tom Schweizer, scientist at the Keenan Research Centre and director of the Neuroscience Program
  • Keenan Culture of Discovery Award: This honour is awarded to a staff member working with one or more Keenan scientist(s), who is committed to investing in the future of research by supporting the development of staff, students and trainees. The winner is:
    • Dr. Brent Steer, research associate
  • Keenan Research Excellence Awards: This award recognizes a student and a post-doctoral fellow studying at the Keenan who possess significant potential as scientists. This year’s winners are:
    • Dr. Eno Hysi, apost-doctoral fellow
    • Michelle Dubinsky, a graduate student
Dr. Tom Schweizer, Dr. Brent Steer, Michelle Dubinsky and Dr. Eno Hysi.

Dr. Pat O’Campo, executive director of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, awarded the recipients of the Li Ka Shing Research Awards, which included nominees from across Unity health.

“I want to thank everyone for their tireless dedication to improving the health and well-being of our patients and community members,” Dr. O’Campo said. “Your passion and efforts have been extraordinary. Everyone in this institute has played a vital role in achieving our goals.”

This year’s winners from the LKSKI were two outstanding trainees, one staff and one researcher:

  • Li Ka Shing Legacy Award: This award is given to a scientist who enhances the reputation of clinical or social health research and their actions lead to a rich tradition of developing the next wave of great scientists. The winner is:
    • Dr. Anne Stephenson, scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and a respirologist at St. Michael’s
  • Li Ka Shing Culture of Discovery Award: This award is given to a staff member who works with one or more Li Ka Shing appointed scientist(s), or in research at Providence and St. Joseph’s. Candidates must be committed to the constant strengthening of our network. The winner is:
    • Attia Qamar, research manager, Options Lab – HIV, Infectious Diseases, COVID-19
  • Li Ka Shing Excellence Award: This award recognizes a student and a post-doctoral fellow studying in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute or at Providence or St. Joseph’s. This year’s winners are:
    • Myriam Gagne, a post-doctoral fellow
    • Amanda Ceniti, a graduate student
Myriam Gagne, Amanda Ceniti, Attia Qamar and Dr. Anne Stephenson

This year, two new awards categories were introduced: the Holmes McInnes Award and the Research Training Centre Student Leadership Award.

  • The Holmes McInnes Award: This award was established in honour of Drs. Beverly Holmes and Roderick McInnes, who served as external reviews for the research centre in late 2019. The award is presented to two graduate students – one from the Keenan Research Centre and one from the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute – who have had a significant impact on research beyond just their academic achievement. This year’s winners are:
    • Christine Schemitsch, a graduate student in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
    • Michelle Dubinsky, a graduate student in the Keenan Research Centre

Christine Schemitsch and Michelle Dubinsky
  • The Research Training Centre Student Leadership Award: This award is given to two students who have shown exemplary leadership qualities during their time at Unity Health: This year’s winners are:
    • Shenhab Zaig, a graduate student in the Keenan Research Centre
    • Aylin Visram, a graduate student at St. Michael’s
Shenhab Zaig and Aylin Visram

Congratulations to all the Research Awards nominees and thanks to all who nominated their colleagues.

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By: Ana Gajic