boundless impact - the campaign for the faculty of medicine

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The Campaign for The

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2 transforming health

10 Driving research anD health innovation

32 PreParing transformative leaDers

40 camPaign at a glance

42 BounDless imPact

nothing is more important—to individuals and to society—than our health. Canadians are passionate about our health care system. We also recognize that to remain competitive globally and to provide the best care to our citizens, we must find innovative and collaborative solutions to the profound health challenges facing us in the 21st century.

in Canada, and around the world, we are witnessing an epidemic of chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and tobacco-related illnesses. as our population ages, more families face the burden of degenerative diseases, such as alzheimer’s and parkinson’s. Depression is a leading cause of disability affecting more than 120 million people worldwide and we are experiencing alarming increases in the rate of autism. and in today’s increasingly globalized society, we are likely to face major health emergencies, such as an influenza pandemic, in the coming decades.

These 21st century health challenges require an urgent response. The campaign for the faculty of medicine is about exploring the boundless capacity of the University of Toronto and our community to improve the health and prosperity of Canadians and citizens across the globe. our campaign is organized around two central pillars: driving research and health innovation and preparing transformative leaders.

Through new and expanded commitments, we will support the boundary-crossing research of our faculty and hospital partners, extending our reach around the world. We will ensure our students are given the knowledge, experience and skills needed to become leaders and innovators in an increasingly complex and global health care landscape. We will provide our alumni, volunteers and donors with meaningful ways to connect with the issues they care about most and to advance positive change through our research and education mission. Through collective commitment, we will achieve our goals.

2 TranSforming healTh

at the University of Toronto faculty of medicine, we recognize that breakthroughs will not happen using last-century models of medicine. This century’s most exciting health advances will be collaborative in nature and global in scope. We must embrace new realities where leading-edge research moves across systems and disciplines and where data is collected and shared on an unprecedented scale. To ready ourselves for these changes, we have to break down old silos and share knowledge and resources more broadly. how quickly and effectively we can translate laboratory discoveries into proven therapies will determine Canada’s capacity to innovate and the quality of health care Canadians receive. These are our challenges. These are our possibilities.

The faculty of medicine is ready to meet these challenges and fulfi ll these possibilities. improving health—for Canadians and people around the world—is our promise to society. We will do this

by playing to our strengths in the key areas of human development, global health, neuroscience and brain health and complex diseases. We will collaborate with our peers and partners who share our goals of better health and prosperity, integrated health systems and broad dissemination of new knowledge.

We embrace this responsibility with the confi dence of an institution that has a long history of setting the pace for outstanding research and education. a century ago, U of T’s medical school was considered among the best on the continent. Today we are among the best in the world. The faculty of medicine is fi rst in Canada and consistently ranks in the top 20 programs globally. very few universities—or cities, for that matter—possess the University of Toronto’s expertise, resources and opportunities. We are making a transformative impact on biomedical research and health care.

TRANSfORMINg HEALTH

We are at a pivotal moment. never have we seen such an explosion of knowledge in the biomedical sciences or had such powerful tools to understand the underlying mechanisms of health and disease. and the future is even brighter. We will witness astounding medical discoveries in the coming decades. advancements are happening right now that will improve our longevity and quality of life. What was once science fi ction—regrowing organs, curing cancer, eliminating genetic conditions—now has the potential to become reality. This research will revolutionize our world.

professor CATHARINE WHITESIDE, (bSc 1972 viC; mD 1975; phD 1984)Dean, faculty of medicine & vice-provost, relations with health Care institutions

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“ The faculty of medicine has been at the forefront of life-changing health research and innovation for more than a century. Today, our researchers are cracking the code for life-threatening diseases and developing novel therapies and technologies that are revolutionizing the way diseases are detected and treated. This research is helping to transform health care in Canada and across the globe.”

innovaTion in UnDergraDUaTe eDUCaTion—faCUlTy of meDiCine

for almost a century, the University of Toronto has delivered revolutionary advances in health research. This distinguished history of innovation positions us to tackle the biggest challenges in human health today.

Through our catalytic role in the Toronto academic health Science network (TahSn)—a network of nine fully affi liated hospitals and research institutes and 18 community-affi liated sites—we engage a diverse, multidisciplinary network tackling the most diffi cult and compelling questions of human health and biology.We use this knowledge to improve lives.

Working together, we are developing a model of interdisciplinary research, teaching and patient care that is the envy of universities and health care systems around the world. We embrace the core concepts of integration, innovation and impact. The “Three i’s” encapsulate our strategy to fulfi ll our social responsibility by developing leaders, contributing to our communities and improving the health of individuals and populations through the discovery, application and communication of knowledge.

Integration with our partners enables us to leverage the full power of Toronto’s health science network to create unique research and teaching opportunities and to promote new collaborative thinking from a system-wide perspective. Innovation refers to our ability to apply the full scope of our interdisciplinary strengths to answer complex health and biomedical questions and develop faster, better and more cost-effective ways to improve the lives and health of populations. our Impact is realized through the meaningful improvements to health and prosperity made by our community of students, faculty, alumni and partners.

To maximize our collective advantage and better serve our community, we are challenging familiar ways of thinking and building bridges across disciplinary and geographic boundaries. Through novel collaborative frameworks and unique opportunities for student and faculty exchange, we are preparing tomorrow’s leading scientists and scholars, clinical professionals and administrators for success in a more complex and integrated health care landscape.

INTEgRATION, INNOVATION AND IMPACT

TRANSfORMINg HEALTH

1930PaBlumfrederick tisdall ’16theodore Drake ’14& alan Brown

1921insulinfrederick Banting ’16, ’22charles Best ’21, ’25J.B. collip ’12, ’13& J.J.r. macleod

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Discovery District: The discovery of insulin in 1921 fi rmly established the University of Toronto as a wellspring for medical research and

innovation. Since that time, the University has evolved into one of the world’s largest and most productive biomedical research networks.

1936first moBile BlooD transfusion unitnorman Bethune ’16

1951first electronic heart PacemaKerWilfred g. Bigelow ’35, ’38

1961 DiscoverY of stem cellsJames till & ernest mcculloch ’48

1953Pioneering oPen heart surgerYWilfred g. Bigelow ’35, ’38

1981the glYcemic inDeXDavid Jenkins

6 innovaTion in UnDergraDUaTe eDUCaTion—faCUlTy of meDiCine

1981first single lung transPlantgriffith Pearson ’49, ’52 & Joel cooper

1984 t-cell recePtor genetak mak

1991 cell recePtor Discoveries leaDing to the DeveloPment of neW cancer Drugstony Pawson

1988first nerve transPlantalan hudson & susan macKinnon

1989the cYstic fiBrosis genelap-chee tsui

May Lynn Quan is an assistant professor in the U of T Department of Surgery and a surgical oncologist at the odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook health Sciences Centre. Dr. Quan is leading research to determine the most effective surgical treatments for younger breast cancer patients.

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1995 DiscoverY of tWo genes resPonsiBle for earlY-onset alZheimer’sPeter st george-hyslop

1996 neW theraPY for retino-BlastomaBrenda gallie

2002 sPrinKlesstanley Zlotkin ’72, ’81

2010 stem cells restore sight to BlinD miceDerek van der Kooy

2011 WorlD’s largest health stuDYPrabhat Jha

TranSforming healTh

The faculty of medicine has a record of discovery that has changed the world. Today, we have the opportunity to make contributions of the kind that led to the discovery of insulin, stem cells and the identifi cation of the genes responsible for early-onset alzheimer’s disease.

This legacy—and promise for the future—depends on having an outstanding community to draw upon. at the faculty of medicine, we are fortunate to have the best students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters. Throughout our long and storied history, extraordinary philanthropists have shown great generosity to our faculty. from the rockefeller and gooderham families to Terrence Donnelly, Carlo fidani and paul Dalla lana, philanthropy has helped enable scientifi c breakthroughs and given our students a world-class education.

This commitment has been, and remains, critical to our success. To support our transformative agenda to improve health, we are launching an unprecedented $500-million fundraising effort as a cornerstone of boundless, the University of Toronto’s $2-billion campaign.

preparing tomorrow’s leading scientists and scholars, health professionals and administrators is the faculty of medicine’s most vital role. We have a covenant with the public. at the faculty of medicine, public resources help to educate and train the next generation of professionals and biomedical researchers. in return, our students and trainees graduate into a career of service. every year, we educate more than 8,600 students and trainees dedicated to improving the health of Canadians and people around the world. Through our innovative education programs that apply leading-edge teaching and learning models, we offer these talented young women and men an education grounded in science that prepares them for leadership in health care and in their communities.

The faculty of medicine and our hospital partners constitute the premier health education and training complex in Canada. With your help, our faculty and students can fi nd solutions to our most pressing health and societal challenges. The education and research that takes place in and through the faculty of medicine revolutionizes health care and transforms lives.

THE CAMPAIgN fOR THEUNIVERSITy Of TORONTOfACULTy Of MEDICINE

TRANSfORMINg TRANSfORMINg HEALTH

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IMAGIne (interprofessional medical and allied groups for improving neighbourhood environments) is an interprofessional, student-run community health initiative that provides holistic care to the underserved populations of downtown Toronto. everyone is welcome to use imagine ’s services, and no iD or ohip card is required.

Compassion

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10 Driving reSearCh anD healTh innovaTion

DRIVINg RESEARCH AND HEALTH INNOVATION

advances in genomics, cell and systems biology, imaging and population health form the engine that enables our scientists and clinicians to conduct leading-edge research into some of the most devastating diseases and disorders in these key areas. at this very moment, we are uncovering ways to understand the linkages between early human development and later-life health, fi nding genes that help predict and hopefully prevent devastating neurodegenerative diseases such as alzheimer’s, parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis (commonly known as lou gehrig’s disease) and developing personalized and regenerative medical therapies.

This research offers hope in the treatment of cancer and the replacement of failing organs; helps those at risk from hunger and malnutrition and infectious diseases; and fi nds solutions to chronic health problems that impact social, economic and political stability around the world.

our ability to shape health care on so many fronts speaks to the exceptional diversity and concentration of our talent as well as to the infrastructure to support this enormous research and education enterprise. Within a two-kilometre radius of our campus, there are approximately 6,800 academic physicians and biomedical scientists and 8,600 students at all levels, working in every major branch of health. from cell biology to large-scale epidemiological studies, the faculty of medicine’s scope is exceptional.

Through new commitments, we will support boundary-crossing research and teaching that generate tangible solutions while also strengthening the essential foundation of basic research. funds raised will support the University’s world-class minds, attract a new generation of “rising star” faculty and make critical enhancements to programs and infrastructure.

medicine is a tool-intensive enterprise. Continued infrastructure renewal is essential for our on-campus research and education programs, as well as the effi cient operation of the faculty overall. Sophisticated new imaging and diagnostic technologies—so crucial to genomics, proteomics, and related fi elds—are critical to advancing knowledge at the frontier of health care. Just as important, creating spaces that bring researchers with diverse skills and expertise together allows ideas and concepts to fl ow across traditional boundaries and produce new avenues of inquiry.

Discovery science enables clinically oriented research and treatment. Supporting basic research at the faculty of medicine drives the search for knowledge and meaning, encourages invention and innovation and lays the groundwork for the health discoveries and treatments of tomorrow. at the faculty of medicine, we are committed to working together to transform health at a local, national and global level. With your help, our faculty and students can fi nd solutions to pressing health and societal challenges facing Canadians and people across the globe.

as science and technology grow more complex, biomedical research is becoming more interdisciplinary and collaborative. We have identifi ed human development, global health, neurosciences and brain health, complex diseases and systems management as our strongest fi elds of research across all sectors of the faculty of medicine, Toronto academic health Sciences network (TahSn) affi liates and our community partners.

“ gene therapy is not in the distant future. Soon we will be using it to treat, even cure, some of the world’s most devastating diseases.”

BeRGe MInAssIAn is an associate professor in the U of T Department of paediatrics, the michael bahen Chair in epilepsy research and a leading neurologist at Sick Kids hospital. Dr. minassian is an internationally recognized authority on lafora Disease, a rare but fatal form of childhood epilepsy. BOUN

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12 Driving reSearCh anD healTh innovaTion—hUman DevelopmenT

exposure to adverse conditions in the womb (e.g., inadequate maternal nutrition) and during infancy and childhood can increase the risk of a range of chronic health diseases, impaired learning and limited ability to engage in successful social integration. alarmingly, the number of children worldwide affected by these adverse outcomes is increasing, and threatens to overwhelm health, education and social service systems.

The fi rst 2,000 days of life are critical. between birth and age six, the vast majority of the brain’s pathways are developed. The question, researchers agree, is no longer whether very early life is pivotal in determining later life health and well-being—we know it is—but rather which experiences and exposures are most important. Which genes, in interaction with the early environment, pose the greatest risks? What practical interventions can make the most difference? This new thinking ultimately aims to change how very young children are cared for and educated. rather than waiting for problems to appear before taking action, researchers advocate stepping in to prevent problems from developing in the fi rst place. Creating strategies to promote optimal developmental and learning outcomes is essential as growing numbers of children worldwide are affected by sub-optimal environmental conditions.

The faculty of medicine is in a unique position to make a local and global contribution to child-maternal health. The University and its fully

affi liated hospitals, research institutes and centres are conducting world-class research in developmental health. Teams at U of T are leading the charge to identify the environmental factors—e.g., breast-feeding, emotional stress, chemical exposure—that impact gene expression.

The Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development (ihD), a faculty of medicine initiative, focuses on the interactions between genes and environment to understand the full relationship between children’s earliest experiences and their well-being throughout the life course. With partners including the ontario institute for Studies in education (oiSe), the faculty of arts and Science, the University health network (Uhn), mount Sinai hospital and the Centre for addiction and mental health (Camh), the institute for human Development represents a new organizational concept that mobilizes interdisciplinary teams around specifi c research questions informed by societal needs.

Discovery science interacting with human subject research will result in new education models and improved treatment for physical, social and mental health. Through its collaborative education programs, the ihD will prepare the next generation of researchers to lead transdisciplinary teams that merge discovery and translational research to address today’s complex questions relevant to human development.

To improve human health, we must go back to the beginning. genetics were once thought to be the sole factor in determining whether a child would grow up to be a healthy, well-functioning adult. now, scientists are realizing that the interaction between genes and the environment in early life can have long-term health consequences.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT


“ maternal nutrition during pregnancy as well as conditions of early childhood impact our risk of developing diseases like diabetes and heart disease and affect our potential to learn and socialize.”

stePHen LYe is executive Director of the fraser mustard institute for human Development, professor in the U of T Department of obstetrics and gynecology, and Senior investigator and associate Director of the Samuel lunenfeld research institute at mount Sinai hospital. Dr. lye is one of the world’s foremost leaders in the fi eld of women’s and infants’ health.

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home to one of the strongest research and education programs in nutrition and human development, the faculty of medicine is poised to make a transformative impact on children’s health and well-being.

photo: Children from the Dr. eric Jackman institute of Child Study laboratory School on a field trip. The institute will play an important role in applying new knowledge from the fields of nutrition and human development to childhood education.


Understanding how nutrition alters our genetic predisposition to disease is the fi rst step in promoting healthy individuals and healthy societies. The next step is helping parents provide the appropriate nutrition to promote normal development of their children’s brain and immune systems. appropriate nutrition is critical for preventing lifelong chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. To make individuals and populations healthier, primary care practitioners and other health professionals must engage with communities to understand how education about food preparation and consumption will lead to improved nutrition.

the Program in child nutrition and Health Promotion at the University of Toronto draws on the greatest concentration of health and nutrition experts in north america. The program brings together nutritional scientists, primary care physicians, health system and population health

researchers, health education and policy scholars at U of T and its fully-affi liated hospital and research institute partners. With key investments for researchers and graduate students, this interdisciplinary initiative has the capacity to be an international leader in child nutrition through integrating research, application, education and training, clinical investigation and public programming.

The Departments of nutritional Science and family and Community medicine are partnering tocreate the hub for this program in a new centre for child nutrition, Health and Development. a collaborative network of researchers and primary care scholars share the program’s primary goals to prevent disease trajectories through early and continual nutrition intervention. There will also be tremendous opportunities for community involvement in programming and outreach, as well as incorporation of governmental nutrition initiatives.


professors alan brown, fred Tisdall (mD 1916) and Theo Drake (bSc 1914) revolutionized nutrition with their invention of pablum in the 1930s.

professor David Jenkins developed the glycemic index, now used in many diets, to measure the rate at which food raises blood sugar.

“ To stem Canada’s epidemic of chronic disease, we must shift our focus from treatment to prevention. nutrition is a critical tool to prevent, delay and treat illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.”

professor MARY R. L’ABBÉ is the earle W. mchenry Chair, Department of nutritional Sciences.

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18 Driving reSearCh anD healTh innovaTion—global healTh

Understanding the environmental factors that favour life-long human health in turn raises the question of how to enable equitable access to health care resources. global health once targeted infectious diseases like smallpox (eradicated in 1979). Today, the fi eld also tackles societal issues like health equity. The World health organization defi nes health equity as the absence of systematic differences in health, both between and within countries.

health equity seeks to improve outcomes for people everywhere, including Canada. global health researchers and clinicians view issues of inequity in Canadian aboriginal populations or people in lower socio-economic environments similarly to groups in developing countries. many of the social determinants are very comparable. by addressing the commonalities across groups we can transform health care, whether for an elderly man in downtown Toronto or for a mother of several children in bangladesh.

global health is an academic priority for many faculties and Schools at the University of Toronto.The faculty of medicine has more than 120 researchers in the area of global health who are working across a broad spectrum of specializations. The breadth of research includes projects examining the impact of climate change, infectious diseases, chronic disease management, mental health, urban and rural community design and resilience in the face of increasing community-wide

challenges. Desire to provide vulnerable populations with “frugal innovations” has increased emphasis on prevention strategies. for example, the Toronto addis ababa psychiatry project (Taapp) is an educational collaboration between the Department of psychiatry, University of Toronto and the Department of psychiatry, addis ababa University, to build and sustain the fi rst psychiatry residency program in ethiopia. Together, psychiatrists from U of T and addis ababa University have nearly quadrupled the number of psychiatrists working in ethiopia. There are now fi ve departments of psychiatry outside the capital city of addis ababa, run by graduates of Taapp.

The common focus on global health at U of T is coalescing around an exciting new interdisciplinary Institute of Global Health equity and Innovation. The faculty of medicine, through researchers in the Dalla lana School of public health and the departments of family and Community medicine, medicine and Surgery, has taken the lead in the formation of the institute, which encompasses disciplines such as management, global affairs, engineering and bioethics. The institute, centred in the Dalla lana School of public health, Division of global health, will engage in complex global health equity problem-solving that will lead to improved health through transdisciplinary research and knowledge mobilization. The institute looks at critical global health issues including indigenous and circumpolar health, population and public health, global health ethics and human rights and global infectious disease control.

gLOBAL HEALTH


“ The University of Toronto is helping to address the health needs of northern populations and engaging in research, education and service that benefi ts Canada’s northern communities and indigenous communities around the world.”

a recognized leader in the fi eld of aboriginal and northern health research, professor KUe YoUnG (mSc 1979) is the TransCanada Chair in aboriginal health in the Dalla lana School of public health.

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20 Driving reSearCh anD healTh innovaTion—global healTh

professor PRABHAT JHA of the Dalla lana School of public health, is conducting the largest epidemiological research study in global health. The Centre for global health research’s (Cghr) million Death Study is following the lives and deaths of 1.1 million households throughout india until 2014. This landmark project helps to determine why deaths from particular causes happen in one population but not another—thereby allowing preventative measures to be enacted to reduce mortality.

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22 Driving reSearCh anD healTh innovaTion—neUroSCienCe & brain healTh

few areas of medical science hold as much mystery—or as much potential—as neuroscience and brain health. every mental process from the most trivial—fl ipping on a light switch—to the most sophisticated—performing neurosurgery—is mediated by the brain. made up of more than 100 billion cells, the brain is susceptible to more diseases than any other organ in the human body. from stroke and epilepsy, to dementia and autism, to mood and anxiety disorders, the brain is implicated in some of the most devastating conditions affecting people and societies throughout the world.

because of the research happening at U of T and our hospital partners we can envision a day when far fewer people will suffer from neurodegenerative diseases and far more people will recover from mental health challenges. The faculty of medicine has more than 475 neuroscience and brain health researchers who are engaged in leading-edge work in areas such as early development and cognition, traumatic injury to the spinal cord and the brain, addiction and mental illness and the consequences of aging and neural degeneration in alzheimer’s and parkinson’s diseases.

few universities can claim a research group with a track record of discovery and impact as far reaching as the tanz centre for Research in neurodegenerative Diseases. With over two decades of pioneering discoveries—including identifying the genes responsible for early onset alzheimer’s—the Tanz Centre exemplifi es the world-class research, innovation and learning happening right here in Toronto.

The faculty of medicine campaign will support the Tanz Centre’s relocation to a new state-of-the-art facility in the Krembil Discovery Tower, located next to the Toronto Western hospital. The centre’s highly anticipated move from its current location in a historic 1930s building to the modern Krembil Tower will provide researchers with access to advanced imaging technology and equipment. With plans for more than a dozen laboratories, a lecture theatre and centralized seminar rooms, the Tanz Centre will attract and retain top researchers in highly competitive areas like systems biology and stem cell research. The new premises will facilitate technological and biological innovations and ensure that the Tanz Centre remains at the forefront of international efforts to untangle the brain’s mysteries.

NEUROSCIENCE AND BRAIN HEALTH


“ after applying ink to their feet, we let the mice run across pieces of paper. The set of footprints on the left belong to healthy mice, while the footprints in the middle were created by mice with alS. The footprints on the right belong to alS mice treated with our vaccine.”

Dr. Janice robertson Tanz CrnD

“ each new piece of the puzzle helps solve the overall puzzle faster and brings new opportunities for imaginative new approaches to diagnosis and treatment.”

PETER ST gEORgE-HySLOP is the U of T alzheimer Society of ontario Chair and Director of the Tanz Centre for research in neurodegenerative Diseases. St george-hyslop and his team made world headlines when they discovered two genes responsible for early-onset alzheimer’s. BOUN

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Discoveries happen when you situate hundreds of scientists under one roof. The Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and biomolecular research at the University of Toronto encourages contact and collaboration between researchers with diverse areas of expertise. The unique building has helped to recruit world-class talent to Toronto and Canada and the centre’s researchers are making crucial advances in our understanding of the ways in which genes and proteins interact with one another.

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26 Driving reSearCh anD healTh innovaTion—neUroSCienCe & brain healTh

We have only just begun to understand the relationship between the brain and the mind.Depression is projected to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020. our Department of psychiatry is driving change in the treatment of mood disorders and mental illness across the greater Toronto area. our faculty are leading researchers, clinicians, educators and medical practitioners, not only in psychiatry but many of its related disciplines including culture, community and health, family and community medicine, neuroscience, medical sciences, nursing, pharmacology, psychology, psychopathology, psychosomatic medicine, public health sciences and social work.

as part of the Toronto mental health and addiction acute Care alliance, the Department of psychiatry demonstrates its commitment to individuals with acute care needs by taking coordinated steps towards reducing wait times in emergency departments and in accessing acute care inpatient beds and lowering rates of readmission. Collaborating with colleagues across and beyond TahSn, the department uses cross-hospital data collection and reporting processes as well as coordinated reporting on the fl ow of alliance patients to improve the experience of patients with mental health care needs. The faculty of medicine’s Department of psychiatry fulfi lls its social responsibility with a timely, respectful, client-centred care.


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Anne BAssett is a professor in the U of T Department of psychiatry and Director of the Clinical genetics research program, Centre for addiction and mental health (Camh). Dr. bassett is an internationally recognized expert in schizophrenia and genomic disorders.

“ our vision is that one day genetic discoveries will lead to targeted treatments for mental illness in the way we now have targeted treatments for cancer.”

28 Driving reSearCh anD healTh innovaTion—CompleX DiSeaSeS, SySTem managemenT

The completion of the human genome project in 2003 signaled a new era of medicine based on a detailed understanding of human biology and the underlying genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of disease. but as scientists have learned, genetics represent only one piece of the larger puzzle of human health. With the explosion of information in fi elds such as genomics, proteomics and epigenetics and bioinformatics, we now know that there is a complex interplay within the human body between genes, proteins and environment.

Successfully addressing complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental health and cognitive disorders—i.e. diseases that are infl uenced by a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors—requires system-wide solutions that span the whole continuum of disease management, from health promotion and disease prevention to early detection, treatment and prognosis.

U of T is one of the few academic communities with the breadth and depth of health researchers required to effectively tackle these complex problems from a systemic perspective. Within the faculty of medicine, there are at least 1,500 researchers working on complex diseases, covering the thematic areas of cancer, clinical research (including rehabilitation, primary health care), cardiovascular, drug development, toxicology, infection/immunology infl ammation, metabolism and nutrition, health services and health policy. They are not only uncovering the underlying risk factors, causes and mechanisms of disease, but

also deepening our understanding of how we can infl uence environment, behaviour and lifestyle to alter the onset and progression of disease.

Diabetes is one critical area where U of T researchers are making a difference. from the discovery of insulin in 1921 to more recent incretin-based therapies for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, our researchers have led or contributed to major breakthroughs in understanding the cause and treatment of diabetes that have signifi cantly enhanced the lives of those living with this disease.

recent discoveries by scientists who are members of the Banting and Best Diabetes centre (bbDC) have unravelled the role played by the gut and the brain in glucose regulation, produced insulin-secreting cells from stem cells and identifi ed the role of immune cells in the causation of Type 2 diabetes. These discoveries are now the foundation for development of completely new therapies for the successful treatment and possible cure for diabetes.

The campaign will build on bbDC’s strengths in targeted areas of discovery research to bring together existing research assets into transdisciplinary programs that will address high impact knowledge gaps in an accelerated manner. The campaign will also support areas of applied research to develop and test innovations in care models, and produce evidence to inform health policies for disparate populations, both domestic and international.

COMPLEX DISEASES, SySTEMS MANAgEMENT


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GARY LeWIs is a professor in the U of T Department of medicine, Drucker family Chair in Diabetes research and Director of the banting & best Diabetes Centre. Dr. lewis is working to unravel the sequence of events that leads from insulin resistance to full-blown Type 2 diabetes and related illnesses, such as heart disease.

“ Diabetes is the epidemic of the 21st century. one in ten Canadians and one in two native Canadians are affected. as a physician, it breaks my heart when i see some of the devastating complications of the disease. The scientist part of me is intensely driven to fi nd a cure.”

heart disease is another fi eld where we are making tremendous progress. The Heart & stroke/Richard Lewar centre of excellence in cardiovascular Research is home to nearly 100 academic faculty, and hundreds more of their trainees, who work in the areas of biomedical, clinical, health systems and population health research. These experts have made tremendous contributions to cardiovascular science—solving genetic mysteries in heart development, developing new diagnostic tests for heart failure, engineering replacement parts for damaged hearts and conceiving and coordinating clinical trials to test new treatments.

and this is only the beginning. We are embarking on a new era of transplant research. advances in stem cell biology, cloning, gene therapy, tissue engineering and tolerance induction are creating unique opportunities for the treatment and regeneration of damaged organs. researchers at the terrence Donnelly centre for cellular and Biomolecular Research and the University of toronto transplantation Institute are global leaders in this rapidly evolving fi eld. by understanding how cells grow, change and fi ght disease, we can also

gain valuable insights into chronic conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists predict that over time, transplant research will have its biggest impact in non-transplant care and the need for actual transplantation will diminish as we rise to repair and regenerate damaged organs and tissues long before they need replacing.

To save more lives through breakthrough research, we must act now to maximize our early momentum. as these examples demonstrate, collaboration is critical. The University of Toronto is one of the few places in the world that can gather a critical mass of expertise around the most challenging issues associated with complex diseases. in the coming years, we have an opportunity to harness our remarkable breadth in basic science, health and population sciences and health policy to address the most devastating and life-threatening diseases. Together with our partners, we will deliver on the promise of a more integrated, cost-effective and systemic approach to disease prevention and treatment.


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Mansoor Husain is a professor in the U of T Department of medicine, Director of the heart & Stroke/richard lewar Centre of excellence in Cardiovascular research and Director of the Toronto general hospital research institute.

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preparing TranSformaTive leaDerS

PREPARINg TRANSfORMATIVE LEADERS

Demand and enrolment continue to increase and we are fulfi lling our commitment to aggressively expand undergraduate and graduate enrolment and training programs, ensuring excellence in biomedical science research and preparing health professionals for entry to practice.

our pilot international initiatives are driving innovation, discovery and invention through interdisciplinary research directions. in november 2011, University of Toronto faculty of medicine and the University of hong Kong (hKU) announced a joint educational placement for phD students, offering them the chance to partner with world-class scientists. The fi rst program matches members of hKU’s Department of biochemistry in the li Ka Shing faculty of medicine at hKU with members of U of T’s Department of molecular genetics.

encouraging a more diverse student population is a key objective of the faculty of medicine. our

summer Mentorship Program (Smp) is directed at african Canadian and indigenous high school students from across the greater Toronto area.

This popular program provides underrepresented students with the opportunity to be mentored by health care practitioners. The Smp gives students a glimpse into university and professional life, and creates a point of entry into the health sciences.

our campaign will reinforce the faculty of medicine’s defi ning strengths by seeking support for our undergraduate and doctoral programs across disciplines. We will foster leadership skills among our undergraduate and graduate students and continue to build learning environments that nurture creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, disciplinary excellence, interdisciplinary inquiry and global perspectives.

no university in Canada, and few internationally, can match the University of Toronto for breadth, depth and choice. The growing health care needs of our communities require us to build capacity in all of our health professional programs.

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Students from the faculty of medicine’s Summer mentorship program. ninety-eight per cent of students from the program have gone on to postsecondary education. more than 30 per cent have gone into health care, and more than 10 per cent have gone to medical school.

BOUNDLESSKNOWLEDgE

preparing TranSformaTive leaDerS—UnDergraDUaTe reSearCh opporTUniTy

basic biomedical science research sets the foundation for the knowledge translation that follows. ensuring health professions students have the opportunity to question, investigate and discover is a priority of the the faculty of medicine and a cornerstone of U of T’s efforts to graduate health professionals who blend inquiry and practice. The faculty is home to Canada’s fi rst comprehensive Research experience for Medical students (CremS), which offers more than 100 students annual international and summer research experiences

and a 20-month intensive research program designed to complement the medical curriculum. CremS graduates include fi rst-place winners in international student research competitions and a growing number of internationally recognized clinician-scientists. attracting additional, privately-funded awards for CremS students is a priority of the faculty of medicine campaign. gifts will support promising physician-scientists and ensure that funding is available to continue to deliver these research experiences that set the faculty of medicine apart.

ONE-Of-A-KIND UNDERgRADUATERESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES


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Through the cReMs program, students gain research experience not offered in the standard mD curriculum in Canada.

BOUNDLESSCOMMITMENT

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LEAD PROgRAM fOR MD STUDENTS

effective leadership is essential to the success of health care delivery and the improvement of health and well-being. Developing great leaders and embracing change are well-established characteristics of successful organizations. health care institutions have generally lagged behind other industries. across Canada and internationally, there is growing recognition of the importance of developing physician-leaders. The faculty of medicine’s Leadership education and Development (leaD) program sets the standard for leadership education and development for medical students by drawing on world-class resources within the University of Toronto and

MD/PHD PROgRAM

The growing complexity of biomedical research and health care makes it increasingly diffi cult for research scientists and physicians to communicate with one another. That is why it is critical to have “translators” who are trained as mDs and phDs. With one foot in the research laboratory and the other in the hospital clinic, physician-scientists are among the few individuals able to straddle the ever-widening breach between the laboratory and bedside. They combine fl uency in biomedical research with up-front access to patients and a

its affi liated health care institutions. The leaD program aims to create a new generation of physician leaders committed to improving health care and the health of our communities. The leaD Scholarship program currently offers nine fi rst-year students the opportunity to expand their leadership skills and experience while they are medical students. Through the faculty of medicine campaign, we aim to extend this unique opportunity to more of our deserving students. Developing clinical and management skill-sets at an early career stage keeps more graduates within health care and creates a cadre of talented future physician-leaders.

mission to treat and cure disease. given the demands upon Canada’s health care system, it is more important than ever to have individuals who are able to negotiate and manage all sides of research and care. Through programs like the MD/PhD, the University of Toronto is working to facilitate the transfer of research-to-treatment, which will lower health care costs, improve patient care and elevate U of T’s reputation as a leader in the fi eld of modern medicine. our campaign will support the faculty of medicine’s commitment to developing the next generation of clinical researchers.

DEVELOPMENT Of TOMORROW’S HEALTH CARE LEADERS AND INNOVATORS

preparing TranSformaTive leaDerS—DevelopmenT of TomorroW’S healTh leaDerS anD innovaTorS


“ The mD/phD program allowed me to pursue my goals in anesthesiology and in laboratory research. Without the help of supporters of this program, such a rigorous and demanding training pathway would not have been possible.”

NEIL gOLDENBERg (phD 2009, mD 2011), anesthesiology resident in the Clinician investigator program.

BOUN

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SPAS

SION

38 preparing TranSformaTive leaDerS—DevelopmenT of TomorroW’S healTh leaDerS anD innovaTorS

PHD PROgRAMS

The faculty of medicine provides some of the most challenging and rewarding research opportunities available to graduate students, both in clinical and laboratory settings. The University of Toronto produces high calibre doctoral and professional health graduates in community health, basic sciences, rehabilitation medicine and clinical sciences. graduate training is vital to the research enterprise and to training future leaders in the

ENSURINg ACCESS fOR ALL

as one of the world’s leading public medical schools, we are committed to access as well as excellence. To guarantee that we continue to attract the best students, regardless of their fi nancial situation, the campaign will seek new support for merit- and needs-based awards at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

providing better funding packages to students is a critical priority for the faculty of medicine. U of T attracts the best and brightest students and trainees from across Canada and around the world. entry to our Undergraduate medical program is the most competitive in Canada: there are more than 12 applications for each position. but without the resources to support our top applicants, we risk losing the very best students to other medical programs in Canada, the U.S. and internationally.

fi eld. The faculty of medicine attracts the best students, but there is fi erce competition. We need support to sustain our excellence. graduate students working with world-class faculty help push the limits of knowledge in the fi eld; they establish the scientifi c evidence and contribute to breakthroughs that become the bedrock for clinical practice, policy, systemic change, education and dissemination of knowledge.

Seventy per cent of our mD students graduate with a debt of more than $80,000. Such a high level of debt not only intimidates prospective students, it also prevents many of the outstanding students we have from pursuing careers in the less lucrative fi elds of primary care and academic medicine. The fi nancial situation for phD/clinician scientists is particularly discouraging. These individuals typically pursue very long courses of study, all the while accumulating substantial debt and foregoing more fi nancially appealing career options.

for our students, increased support will mean the freedom to pursue career options where they believe they can have the greatest impact and do the most good, rather than opting for the most immediate path to debt relief. once they graduate, unburdened by heavy debt, these bright women and men will embark on careers of service to generations of Canadians.


“ Scholarships and bursaries from U of T allow me to focus on developing my skills and knowledge—and give me the opportunity to concentrate on becoming a really great physician.”

PINKy gAIDHU, Class President. MD Class of 2015.

BOUN

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Campaign aT a glanCe

CAMPAIgNAT A gLANCE

fACULTy–$200 MILLION

To secure the very best research and teaching talent, the campaign seeks to create more than 100 new chairs, professorships and “rising star” faculty positions in key research areas across our faculty.

The faculty of medicine’s $500-million campaign will make transformative investments across the health sciences to nurture the creativity, leadership, diversity, social responsibility and resources that will keep us at the vanguard of health research and education. Through new commitments, we will support boundary-crossing research and teaching while also strengthening the essential foundation of basic science. The campaign will support the University’s world-class faculty, attract a new generation of top researchers and make critical improvements to programs and infrastructure. We will also raise funds to foster leadership skills among the faculty of medicine’s undergraduate and graduate students through student awards and new learning environments that nurture collaboration, critical thinking, interdisciplinary inquiry and global perspectives.

STUDENT PROGRAMMING AND FINANCIAL AID–$100 MILLION

The campaign seeks $70 million in financial aid for graduate and undergraduate students and $30 million for specific student-focused initiatives such as CremS and leaD, mD/phD, Clinician-Scientist programs, scholarships and research grants, international exchanges and peer mentoring.

RESEARCH, PROGRAMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE–$200 MILLION

To enrich research and teaching environments, the campaign seeks to raise funds for a range of priorities—from stimulating innovation in programs to support for cutting-edge research projects to critical infrastructure such as classrooms, labs and study spaces.

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fACTS & fIgURES

HIGHER EDUCATION EvALUATION & ACCREDITATION COUNCIL OF TAIwAN (HEEACT)* Ranked 1st in canada in clinical Medicine

TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION GLObAL RANkING** consistently ranked in the top 20 universities globally in pre-clinical and health.

THOMSON REUTERS SURvEY*** U of t topped 15 fields in canada in total citations: chemistry; materials science; engineering; space science; mathematics; ecology/environment; clinical medicine; immunology; biology and biochemistry; molecular biology/genetics; neuroscience; pharmacology; psychology/psychiatry; education; and economics and business.

When examining impact (average citations per paper), U of t consistently ranks 1st in canada for five fields: microbiology; biology and biochemistry; molecular biology/genetics; engineering; and education.

* ranking focuses on research bibliometric analysis of 500 research-intensive universities worldwide (2011 results)

** ranks the world’s top universities in research, teaching and knowledge transfer (2011-12 results)

*** 2011 results

ENROLLED STUDENTS more than

8,600TOTAL fACULTy more than 6,800

boUnDleSS impaCT

BOUNDLESS IMPACTThe University of Toronto faculty of medicine is a place of immense inspiration, remarkable advancements and boundless impact. The faculty of medicine has a reputation for excellence in education and research and is internationally recognized for producing leading innovators and breakthrough discoveries. With a focus on integrative and collaborative research and teaching, our curriculum is among the most pioneering of its kind anywhere. The Toronto health care and health sciences enterprise is one of the largest in the world. moreover, it is rare for a population the size of Toronto to be served by just one medical school. Size, however, is not the only yardstick by which we measure our success. by any standard, the faculty of medicine, working with our partners, ranks in the very top tier of health care and health science networks in in the world.

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Spirit of Discovery, Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and biomolecular research

our campaign represents the largest fundraising and alumni engagement initiative for a medical school in Canadian history. The campaign builds on our strength as one of the top medical schools in the world and helps catalyze our international leadership in biomedical research and education.This is the ambition of all great medical schools. This is our ambition.

The faculty of medicine is uniquely positioned to drive transformation across our remarkable health sciences network. Working together, we are setting the pace for innovation in interdisciplinary research, education and patient care. in coming years, we have the opportunity to make major contributions that will shape the course of health care in the 21st century. The institution that discovered insulin in the 1920s and stem cells in the 1960s continues to change the world today. imagine if the University that produced insulin for treatment of diabetes also renders it obsolete through stem cells. University of Toronto researchers have discovered potential stem cells in the mouse pancreas capable of generating insulin-producing “beta cells.” insulin marked a revolutionary treatment for diabetes; stem cell therapy could very well mean the cure.

our contributions will improve the health of Canadians and people around the world. We make this promise because of the tireless devotion to excellence put forward by our remarkable students, faculty, staff and community of supporters. We are training the finest young people to become the world’s next generation of health professionals and academic leaders. our faculty members are phenomenal educators and world-leading scientists who attract the best students, fellows and colleagues to our growing health network. our community of supporters, alumni and philanthropists also play an integral role in our success; their ongoing support and advocacy helps us to meet the demands of modern health education and research.

This is an exciting era for health research. and this is an exciting era at the faculty of medicine. now is the time to invest in our collective future and in the people at our University who will define it. We invite you to support our campaign. Through your generosity and involvement, we will realize our boundless potential.

BOUNDLESS.UTORONTO.CA /MEDICINE

office of aDvancement, facultY of meDicine, universitY of toronto6 Queen’s ParK crescent West, toronto on m5s 3h2tel: 416-978-5715 [email protected]