LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
O
Letter from the Editor
ne of the most fascinating things about scientific research is its unpredictable nature. Though this capricious aspect of science, admittedly, often generates a great deal of frustration for the struggling graduate student, it offers an opportunity to generate an entirely new set of, potentially, thought-provoking research questions. One of my favourite examples of such unpredictability is when a hematologist and biophysicist were studying the effects of injecting bone marrow cells into irradiated mice; they noticed the development of visible nodules in their spleens in direct proportion to the number of bone marrow cells they had injected. They referred to these nodules as ‘spleen colonies’, and speculated that each nodule arose from a single marrow cell—perhaps a stem cell. These curious scientists were Dr. James Till and Dr. Ernest (Bun) McCulloch, the founding fathers of stem cell research—and integral members of the Institute of Medical Science. Nearly half a century later, the world of stem cell research has grown immensely. The applications of stem cells are studied in a number of disease processes—from retinal degeneration and cardiovascular disease, to diabetes and cancer. In this issue of the IMS Magazine, we take you on a journey through the labs of several world-renowned researchers studying clinical applications of stem cells in regenerative medicine here at the IMS. Through this collection of articles, I hope you can appreciate the path that has been paved by stem cells’ founding fathers, and the exciting possibilities arising from this area of research. In addition to our outstanding feature, I strongly encourage every member of the IMS to read through the captivating “History of the IMS” article. With the help of our former directors, Salvador Alcaire and Tetyana Pekar have pieced together the evolution of our institute. Definitely a fascinating read—especially as we are in the midst of the IMS’ Strategic Planning. I also highly recommend reading our exclusive interview with this year’s IMS Scientific Day Speaker, Dr. Thomas Insel, the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health in the USA.
Natalie Venier
Editor-In-Chief Natalie Venier is a third year PhD Candidate at the Institute of Medical Science. She is currently studying prostate cancer chemoprevention at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
In summary, I would like to thank Dr. Allan Kaplan and the IMS department for their on-going support, and the incredibly talented and creative IMS Magazine Team, whose contributions are invaluable to the IMS Magazine. I would like to send a special thank you to our Managing Editor, Nina Bahl, whose dedication and efforts have been integral to our production. Lastly, I encourage comments and feedback, as we continue to aspire to bring you the best of the IMS.
Photo by Paulina Rzeczkowska
Enjoy!
Natalie Venier Editor-In-Chief, IMS Magazine IMS MAGAZINE SPRING 2012 STEM CELLS | 06