British Columbia Innovation Council

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2004 Award Recipients

2004 BC Science and Technology Champion of the Year Award

Dr. Max Cynader

The BC S&T Champion of the Year Award is awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in promoting or fostering science and technology in British Columbia. Dr. Max Cynader is the Director of the Brain Research Centre.

His efforts in leading a highly successful capital campaign yielded $30 million for the Centre enabling renovations to 50,000 square feet of research space at UBC's Hospital and purchase of new equipment. Having opened the doors to its new facility just this past January, the Centre today is recognized as one of the broadest and most competitive facilities in the country with its wealth of expertise, technologies and clinical resources. At present, over 150 scientists are affiliated with the Brain Research Centre, with many outstanding scientists forming the core of the research enterprise.

Brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's will impose more burdens on society as Canada's aging population reaches its peak in the next few decades. Fortunately, British Columbia is home to one of the top Brain Research Centres in the world and the Centre's achievements can be traced to the enormous efforts of Dr. Max Cynader.
 

2004 Chairman's Award for Career Achievement

Dr. Robert Hancock

The Chairman's Award for Career Achievement is awarded to an individual who has made important contributions to science and technology in British Columbia throughout his or her career. A leading researcher in bacterial physiology, Dr. Robert Hancock's deep-rooted commitment to fighting infectious diseases spans his career.

His major recent contributions have been to use genomics to develop improved variants of natural antibiotics, and new therapies that are able to boost patients' immune systems. These contributions were recently recognized by the American Society for Microbiology where he received the Aventis Award, the world's leading award for antimicrobial research. Dr. Hancock is a Canada Research Chair in Pathogenomics and Antimicrobials and Professor of Microbiology/ Immunology at the University of British Columbia. He is also head of the UBC Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research.

Every year bacteria are becoming more resistant to antibiotic treatment. Boosting the human body's innate immune system to resist harmful bacteria is a new approach that will allow Canadians to stay healthy. Dr. Robert Hancock's deep-rooted commitment to fighting infectious diseases is helping achieve just that.
 

2004 New Frontiers in Research Award

Dr. Terrance Snutch

The New Frontiers in Research Award is awarded to an outstanding British Columbian whose research contributions have led to major new advances in scientific and technological knowledge. Dr. Terrance Snutch is Vice-President and Chief Scientific Officer of Neuromed Technologies Inc., a Vancouver-based pharmaceutical company developing next-generation chronic pain drugs.

He is also a professor in the Biotechnology Laboratory at the University of British Columbia and holds academic appointments in the Departments of Zoology and Psychiatry. He is dedicated to helping chronic pain sufferers by researching and understanding how our calcium channels can aid and prevent chronic pain and treat neurological diseases. As a pioneer in molecular neurobiology, he was the first to describe the diverse types of calcium channels within the cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous systems.

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and those suffering often rely on drugs that are fraught with painful side effects or even worse there are no drugs available to them at all. Dr. Terrance Snutch is dedicated to helping chronic pain sufferers by researching and understanding how our calcium channels can aid and prevent chronic pain and treat neurological diseases.
 

2004 Solutions Through Research Award

Dr. Brett Finlay

The Solutions Through Research Award is awarded to an individual whose applied scientific and technical research has played an integral role in improving an adverse situation or resolving a specific problem, in any British Columbia organization. Dr. Brett Finlay is a Professor in the Biotechnology Laboratory, and Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Microbiology/Immunology at the University of British Columbia.

He is an international researcher in the field of microbial pathogenesis and he is leading the way to understanding and controlling infectious diseases. When SARS spread to British Columbia in the spring of 2003, he was appointed as the Scientific Director of the SARS Accelerated Vaccine Initiative, a British Columbia-led international consortium of organizations and individuals working to fast track the development of a SARS vaccine. Dr. Finlay quickly secured funding and gathered a team of top-level scientists from across the country to expedite the development of the vaccine. In less than six months three candidate vaccines were developed and have now entered pre-clinical trials. Dr. Finlay's efforts have enabled Canada to emerge as an international leader in SARS vaccine research.

An international researcher in the field of microbial pathogenesis, Dr. Brett Finlay is leading the way to understanding and controlling infectious diseases. Dr. Finlay is a Professor in the Biotechnology Laboratory, and Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Microbiology/Immunology at the University of British Columbia, and the UBC Peter Wall Distinguished Professor.
 

2004 Young Innovator Award

Dr. Andre Marziali

The Young Innovator Award is awarded to an individual under the age of 40 who has had a significant impact on science and technology and has played a main role in the development of a new innovation or research breakthrough. Dr. Andre Marziali is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and an Associate of the Biotechnology Laboratory at the University of British Columbia.

He is committed to working closely with the bioscience and health research communities to create technologies to improve human health and to advance our understanding of living systems. Formerly schooled at UBC, Dr. Marziali returned as a faculty member in 1998 and drove the formation of Genome BC's Technology Development Platform, a centralized engineering support group and technology development resource for Genome BC projects and platforms. The expertise of the group has contributed to Genome BC's success by giving Genome BC researchers a unique technological edge in their work.

Dr. Andre Marziali is committed to working closely with the bioscience and health research communities to create technologies to improve human health and to advance our understanding of living systems. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and an Associate of the Biotechnology Laboratory at the University of British Columbia.