Highly regarded within the research community as one of the world’s leading stem cell biologists, Dr. Gordon Keller is also the founding director of the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine. Guiding the Centre’s vision of becoming the premier research institute for stem cell biology, Dr. Keller and his team of researchers are strongly focused on collaboration. “There is a unique opportunity that exists in Toronto to work with leading stem cell researchers, all within close proximity to each other and who have a wide scope of expertise in areas including biology, cancer research and organ repair,” Dr. Keller explains.

Those researchers include the McEwen Centre’s Dr. John Dick, who is credited with being the first scientist to identify cancer stem cells in specific types of leukemia. This past year Dr. Dick was the recipient of the annual American Association of Cancer Research Dr. G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award for his contributions toward uncovering the biological origins and understanding the development of human leukemia. Also, in 2008, the McEwen Centre and biotechnology company VistaGen Therapeutics announced a major cell research alliance aimed at identifying advanced techniques to differentiate stem cells into mature cardiac, liver and pancreatic cells.

Dr. Keller and his team are focused on bringing together expertise from complementary fields, including biology, biochemistry, medicine and engineering, to unravel the promise of regenerative medicine and its potential impact on Canada’s healthcare system.

The inspiration behind the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine

The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine was established at University Health Network in 2003 with a generous donation from Rob and Cheryl McEwen, which they matched in 2006 with a second donation. Rob and Cheryl McEwen, who have long been recognized as caring and committed philanthropists, share UHN’s belief in the tremendous potential of regenerative medicine.

To achieve the ambitious goals of the Centre, McEwen investigators are working together to accelerate the development of more effective treatments for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and spinal cord injury. The McEwen Centre is based in the heart of Toronto’s Discovery District at the MaRS Centre/Toronto Medical Discovery Tower.