Gairdner Award for Weiss
April 15, 2008
U of C scientist wins prestigious Gairdner International Award
Samuel Weiss, PhD, director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine, has earned one of the world’s most prestigious medical science awards, a Gairdner International Award. Historically, one in four Gairdner awardees has gone on to win a Nobel Prize.
“I am humbled and thrilled to receive this award,” says Weiss, “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.”
Weiss’ explorations into the brain have changed the fields of developmental neurobiology and neural regeneration. In 1992, he discovered the existence of neural stem cells in the adult brain. That groundbreaking discovery has lead scientists around the world to investigate how to stimulate those cells to heal the brain. It is anticipated that Weiss’ work will lead to new treatments for people with devastating brain diseases and spinal cord injuries. His current research is focusing on regeneration of brain cells in multiple sclerosis and stroke.
“When we made that discovery in 1992, we were actually investigating how to use growth factors to protect the brain. During one of our experiments, we found cells in the brain that seemed to behave like stem cells. We did some more experiments and confirmed it – they were neural stem cells,” says Weiss. “The thing that is unique about stem cells is, they live forever. When you cut your finger, your skin stem cells repair your skin, and your blood stem cells replenish your blood. I can’t think of a more fascinating area of science in which to spend a career.”
“Dr. Weiss’ results are a good example of how basic research leads to significant discoveries applicable and transferable to some of society’s most pressing problems, in this case the treatment and cure of debilitating diseases and injuries,” says University of Calgary President Harvey Weingarten. “Dr. Weiss has a passion and dedication for his work that will undoubtedly lead to further discovery and solutions.”
Weiss is the first medical scientist to receive the award for work done at the University of Calgary. Adjunct biochemistry professor Jerry Wang received the award in 1981 for work done at the University of Manitoba before he joined the U of C in 1982. In the 49 year history of the Gairdner International Awards, 294 awards have been given out, with only 42 of them (14%) going to Canadians. The Gairdner Foundation was created in 1957 by James Arthur Gairdner to recognize and reward the achievements of medical researchers whose work contributes significantly to improving the quality of human life.
“It is with tremendous pride that I congratulate Sam on this much-deserved international award,” says Dr. Tom Feasby, dean, University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine. “The true spirit of science is to embrace the unknown, and to have the wisdom to recognize when you’ve hit on something that could turn out to be big. Sam has that spirit. As the leader of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, he is passing that spirit onto next generation of scientists and physicians.”
“The Foundation is delighted that Sam Weiss is a 2008 Gairdner Awardee,” says Dr. John Dirks, president and scientific director, The Gairdner Foundation. “Sam made a landmark discovery when he identified neural stem cells in adult tissue, transforming the field of neurobiology and paving the way for regenerative medicine in the nervous system.”
Samuel Weiss is a professor in the Departments of Cell Biology & Anatomy and Pharmacology & Therapeutics in the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine. An Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Scientist, he received his BSc in biochemistry from McGill University in Montreal and his PhD in neurobiology from the University of Calgary. In addition to his role as director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Weiss holds many patents in the neural stem cell field and has founded three biotechnology companies in this area.
