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Donations at Work

Fellowship program will attract the best and brightest

An immediate need for the McEwen Centre is the training of young, promising investigators to build scientific careers in regenerative medicine.

“We need to attract new talent from around the world to come work at the McEwen Centre,” says McEwen Centre Director Dr. Gordon Keller. He is creating a Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and needs $1.5 million in funding. Thanks to the generosity of the following donors, the process to recruit these new fellows has begun.

Inspired by the enthusiasm and vision of Rob and Cheryl McEwen, along with the prospects of regenerative medicine and the leadership of Dr. Keller, Michael and Nancy McMurrich added a substantial amount toward this program with a gift of $500,000 in securities. In recognition of their gift, fellowship awards will be named in their honour.

St. George’s Society of Toronto donated $320,000 to the Fellowship Program from the proceeds raised at their annual Red Rose Ball held in April 2007. The Society had named Rob and Cheryl McEwen as guests of honour in recognition of their philanthropic example. In honour of the McEwens, the Society will continue to make ongoing donations to the Fellowship program. Named fellowship awards will recognize the Society’s support.

A post doctoral fellow is a scientist in training who has completed his or her Ph.D. or MD degree and is pursuing specialized research training. A total of 10 fellowships will be awarded over the next two years with the first group of fellows in place by spring 2008.

The potential of lung repair captures imagination of donors

The McEwen Centre has attracted donor support for research into ways of repairing or replacing damaged lungs. Thanks to the efforts of Cheryl McEwen, the following gifts were received to advance this research:

The Kinnear Foundation has created the Henry White Kinnear Fellowship Program. This fellowship will support researchers in Dr. Tom Waddell’s lab who are pursuing advanced training in lung regenerative medicine research.

Richard and Heather Thomson are supporting lung cancer stem cell research. Their gift will support Dr. Waddell’s research in identifying lung cancer stem cells and investigating how they respond to different forms of chemotherapy and/or radiation. In a true spirit of cross-collaboration the Thomsons are also supporting stroke research.

Thanks to the philanthropic spirit of the Koffler Family, Murray and Marvelle Koffler, Tom and Anna Koffler, and Marc Boyman and Tiana Koffler Boyman have made a gift in support of Lung Regenerative Medicine.

“With the support of our donors, we can move forward with this area of research and lead the world in taking it to the next level, dramatically improving the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic lung diseases,” said Dr. Waddell.

Are you interested in learning more about Regenerative Medicine? Join us on our next Discover Regenerative Medicine tour on November 28, 2007. Click here to find out more.

Creating a world leader in stem cell research

McEwens double their investment in research with second gift

Four years ago, Rob and Cheryl McEwen established the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine with a $10 million gift. With tremendous foresight and keen sense of the possibility of the future, the McEwens have renewed their commitment to regenerative medicine and stem cell research with a second gift of $10 million. This is the largest cumulative donation to regenerative medicine in Canada.

“We are extremely excited to receive this additional support for stem cell research and regenerative medicine. I believe that it will help us recruit and retain the best scientists in the field. The opportunities that this gift provides will undoubtedly result in major advances in regenerative medicine,” said McEwen Centre Director Dr. Gordon Keller. A leading stem cell researcher, Dr. Keller was recruited from New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine following the McEwens’ first $10 million gift. He joined Dr. Rudi von Harsdorf who was recruited from Berlin, Germany to be the Robert R. McEwen Chair in Cardiac Regenerative Medicine. Both researchers are part of an “all-star” complement of 15 scientists who are leaders in regenerative medicine and stem cell research in Canada.

This new funding will support several initiatives at the Centre, including recruiting new talent from around the world with the establishment of a fellowship program; the development of an embryonic stem cell laboratory and imaging facilities; and a program to support the commercialization of discoveries emerging from the McEwen Centre. These projects are part of a 10-year plan to position the centre as a world leader in stem cell research.

These contributions have garnered the attention of new donors, including the St. George’s Society. This past April, the Society presented the McEwens with the St. George’s Society Award of Merit along with $500,000 raised at the Red Rose Ball for the McEwen Centre.

The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine was established in 2003. Its mission is to accelerate the development of better and more effective treatments for life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and spinal cord injury and be a world-renowned centre for regenerative medicine and stem cell biology.