Three Canadians win prestigious medical prizes

Three Canadian scientists have been recognized by one of the world's most prestigious medical science awards bodies for their work on stem cells, DNA and general research.

Samuel Weiss, a professor and director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary's faculty of medicine, was announced on Tuesday as one of this year's winners of the Gairdner International Award for his work on stem cells in the adult brain.

The award, created in 1957 by Toronto businessman James Arthur Gairdner, recognizes the work of medical researchers whose work helps to improve the quality of human life, and comes with a $30,000 research prize.

Historically, one in four Gairdner awardees has gone on to win a Nobel Prize in medicine or in chemistry.

Nahum Sonenberg, a biochemistry professor at McGill University, won the award for his studies on how DNA translates into the proteins that make up the human body.

The Gairdner Foundation said Sonenberg's work has "led to the possibility of developing cures for diseases, including cancer, obesity, memory impairment and virus infections."

Alan Bernstein, the inaugural president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, also won for building the agency into one of the world's leading research groups, supporting more than 11,000 with an annual budget of $1 billion.

A former professor at the University of Toronto, Bernstein is currently the executive director of Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise in New York.

Only 42 Canadians have won award

In 1992, Weiss discovered that adult brains can actually produce new cells, opening the door to the possibility of stimulating those cells to heal the brain, and to new treatments for people with brain diseases and spinal cord injuries.

Weiss is currently working on the regeneration of brain cells in multiple sclerosis and stroke patients.

"I am humbled and thrilled to receive this award," says Weiss, 52, in a news release Tuesday.

"I was fortunate early in my career to work with incredible mentors who taught me one simple thing: keep your mind and your imagination open when you're exploring a good idea. You often make major scientific discoveries when you're looking for something else."

Only 42 Canadians, or 14 per cent of recipients, have won the award, and Weiss is the first from the U of C.