My affiliation with the Institute of Medical Science (IMS) began back in 1980 when I undertook my MSc, studying the formation of gallstones, under the supervision of Steve Strasberg. This was my first real exposure to research, and it sparked my interest and life-long commitment to being a clinician-investigator. After I finished my surgical training at the University of Toronto (UofT), I went on to complete a Research Fellowship in infection and inflammation at the University of Minnesota. In 1985, I came back to UofT, started my own lab, and eagerly got to work building my own research portfolio. I quickly learned the importance of collaboration. Every Friday afternoon, I would collect cells at my lab in the Toronto Western Hospital and bring them over to SickKids where I was studying intercellular pH with Sergio Grinstein. I still remember the strange looks I would get on the shuttle bus while transporting my package of cells. The first time I applied for a faculty appointment in the IMS I wasn’t actually accepted! I was really disappointed. Then chair of Surgery, Dr. Bernie Langer, buoyed my spirits and encouraged me to reapply once I had more experience. Luckily, I took his advice and was appointed to IMS faculty in 1986 and my career in the IMS took root. Since then I have supervised a total of 24 bright and enthusiastic graduate students, and this year I was honoured to receive the J.J. Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award for sustained excellence as a doctoral supervisor from the School of Graduate Studies.
DR. ORI ROTSTEIN IMS Director, 2000 - 2011 Director, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science. Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto Surgeon-in-Chief, Department of Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital
Years Active in the IMS: 1986 - Present
48 | IMS MAGAZINE
In 1992 I became IMS Associate Director. This was an incredible time of learning and growth. I worked closely with Mel Silverman and Cathy Whiteside, who were really revamping the IMS program and promoting graduate training for clinicians interested in academic careers. I was appointed IMS Director in 2000 and focused my efforts on expanding the program –bringing in more faculty from departments across the Faculty of Medicine, recruiting more trainees, including those who were not MDs and increasing the size of the IMS administration to accommodate our increased numbers. We also refocused the IMS program to include more emphasis on translational research. One of my proudest achievements during my tenure as Director was how much student engagement increased. I held a monthly “Breakfast with the Director” which gave me the opportunity to get to know our students better and to have them share their stories and connect with each other. It also created an opportunity for lots of cross-pollination among researchers in other disciplines and at other research sites. The IMS Students’ Association (IMSSA) expanded dramatically as well and really fostered a sense of community among students, which they continue to do to this day. In addition, the involvement of students from the IMSSA on all our committees really gave a “students’ lens” on our activities. I love having the opportunity to come back to the IMS each year to host the annual “Ori Rotstein Lecture in Translational Research”. It’s been rewarding to see how the IMS has continued to expand and grow in recent years and to solidify its reputation as a strong and distinguished graduate training program.