TORONTO– LSO today announced the recipients of its 2019 LSO Awards, recognizing outstanding individuals and companies contributing to the success of Ontario’s life sciences sector. The awards will be presented during LSO’s Celebration of Success Awards Dinner at Toronto’s Liberty Grand, February 27, 2019.
The 2019 awardees are as follows:
- Lifetime Achievement Award: David Naylor
- Community Service Award: Brian Underdown
- Volunteer Award: Jill Osborne
- Life Science Company of the Year: Exact Imaging
- LSO Leadership Award: Bernard West
The LSO Awards are an important part of the organization’s mandate to advocate for Ontario’s life sciences sector, by celebrating the individuals and companies behind its success.
“We are pleased to once again announce a slate of very deserving recipients of the LSO Awards,” said LSO President and CEO Dr. Jason Field. “Ontario’s life sciences sector is strong and continues to grow due to the outstanding contributions of innovative companies and individuals such as those recognized through these awards.”
To register for LSO’s 2019 Celebration of Success Awards Dinner, click here.
To explore sponsorship opportunities, contact: admin@lifesciencesontario.ca
Biographies
David Naylor
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. David Naylor is Professor of Medicine and President Emeritus at the University of Toronto. David served as President from 2005 to 2013 and was previously Dean of Medicine (1999-2005), founding Director of Clinical Epidemiology (1990-96) at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, and founding Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (1991-98).
Dr. Naylor is the co-author of approximately 300 scholarly publications, spanning epidemiology and biostatistics, public policy, social history, and health economics, as well as clinical and health services research in most fields of medicine. He has been active as an advisor to governments, institutions, and enterprises in Canada and abroad over the course of more than 25 years.
Dr. Naylor was involved in the initiation and early governance of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. In 2003, he chaired Canada’s National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health; the Committee’s report sparked the creation of the Public Health Agency of Canada. In 2009-10, he was a member of the Global Commission on the Education of Health Professionals for the 21st Century, and in 2014-15 chaired Canada’s federal Advisory Panel on Healthcare Innovation. Most recently, Dr. Naylor chaired (2016-17) a federal panel reviewing Canada’s extramural research funding agencies; the Government of Canada responded in 2017-18 with major new investments and policy shifts.
Dr. Naylor is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, an international member of the US Academy of Medicine, and an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Brian Underdown
Community Service Award
Dr. Brian Underdown has held senior positions as a scientist and executive at Toronto and McMaster Universities and organizations such as Sanofi-Pasteur and Lumira Capital. Throughout his career he has served as a consultant and board member of both private, public and non-profit organizations. In each of these roles, he has fostered collaboration among entrepreneurs and academics. Dr. Underdown has stressed the importance of all members of the research community including students, scientists and individuals involved in the translation of science; cognisant of science is both a cultural and practical activity.
Jill Osborne
Volunteer Award
Ms. Jill Osborne is a Marketing Manager at GSK responsible for a large portfolio of pharmaceutical products helping Canadian patients in 6 areas of therapy – Respiratory, Allergy, Anti-Infectives, Dermatology, Neurosciences and Urology. After nearly a decade in pharma, she is passionate about the value of innovative medicines and the importance of making them accessible to Canadians. Prior to working in pharma, Jill worked in product development at Fio Corp., a diagnostics and healthcare technology company.
Ms. Osborne is a Professional Engineer. She holds a master’s degree in Chemical, Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto, and an honors bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of British Columbia.
Jill has been an active member of the life sciences network in Ontario since 2007: launching Life Sciences Ontario (LSO)’s mentorship program and networking nights, partnering LSO & Ten Thousand Coffees, and fundraising for Partners in Research.
She believes that volunteering enriches a community and is a source of learning, growth and wellness.
Exact Imaging
Life Sciences Company of the Year
Exact Imaging (www.exactimaging.com) is redefining the diagnosis of prostate cancer by driving significant benefits for patients, clinicians and the healthcare system. Exact Imaging is a world leader in high resolution micro-ultrasound systems enabling real-time imaging and biopsy guidance of the prostate. Operating at 29 MHz, the company’s ExactVu™ micro-ultrasound platform enables a whole new level of resolution – in fact a 300% improvement over current ultrasound systems. This allows urologists to now actually visualize suspicious regions and target (instead of blindly place) their prostate biopsies, the main approach by which prostate cancer is diagnosed.
Headquartered in Markham, ON, Canada, Exact Imaging’s innovative and world class medical device products are designed and manufactured in Ontario and marketed and sold globally to leading urological centres.
Bernard West
LSO Leadership Award
Dr. Bernard West obtained his BSc and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Manchester – UMIST, where he also taught for 6 years. He was CEO of CANSOLV Technologies of Montreal and President and COO of Canada Colors and Chemicals Limited. Prior and to that, he had 30 years of experience in the chemical industry with Rhone-Poulenc, Imperial Oil [Esso] and Polymer Corporation.
Dr. West has served as Chair of the Board of the Canada’s Chemical Producers Association, The Chemical Institute of Canada, the Ontario BioAuto Council, and the Society of Chemical Industry–Canadian Section. He has been a Member of the Board of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (Washington, D.C.) and Chaired the IUPAC Committee on Chemistry and Industry and Co-Ordinated the IUPAC Safety Training Programme.
Dr. West is currently Chair of the Board of Haygain Ltd. in Lambourn UK; and President of Westworks Consulting Limited in Toronto. He is currently serving as Co-Vice-Chair and Founding Co-Chair of the BioIndustrial Innovation Canada / Sustainable Chemistry Alliance (Sarnia) and Co-Chair of the Canadian Green Chemistry and Engineering Network (Ottawa). He is a member of the board of Sulco Chemicals Ltd (Elmira), a member of the Board of Life Sciences Ontario (Toronto) and a member of the Board of the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) in Thunder Bay.
ABOUT LIFE SCIENCES ONTARIO (LSO)
Life Sciences Ontario is a member-driven organization that represents and promotes the province’s vibrant and diverse life sciences sector. LSO collaborates with governments, academia, industry, and other life science organizations in Ontario and across Canada to promote and encourage commercial success throughout the sector. Membership in Life Sciences Ontario includes individuals, students, emerging companies, investors, service providers, and companies with marketed products. The organization provides a wide range of networking and educational events, and operates a mentorship program that is helping to develop highly-skilled talent and build new business opportunities for the life sciences sector. LSO is an effective conduit for delivering policy options to governments, and is dedicated to promoting Ontario’s life sciences sector internationally.
Contacts
Life Sciences Ontario
admin@lifesciencesontario.ca
