Gairdner Science Week 2025
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DNA Double Helix

October 22:INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

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This year’s International Symposium celebrates the pioneering work of Drs. Michael J. Welsh and Paul Negulescu, recipients of the 2025 Canada Gairdner International Award. Their research into the molecular mechanisms of cystic fibrosis has led to the development of breakthrough therapies that have profoundly changed patient outcomes. Join a global lineup of leading scientists as we explore new therapeutic innovations and the power of curiosity-driven research to change lives.

Can't attend in person? Join us via livestream at https://bit.ly/GSW_2025_Watch_Live.

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Schedule

 9:00 amIntroductory Remarks
 Janet Rossant, President & Scientific Director, Gairdner Foundation
  
 9:05 amIdentification of the Cystic Fibrosis Gene
 Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui, PhD, Senior Scientist Emeritus, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto; Emeritus University Professor, University of Toronto
  
 9:35 amPursuing CF
 Michael Welsh, MD, Roy J. Carver Professor of Internal Medicine and Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Director, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
  
 10:10 amThe Journey to Discover CFTR Modulators for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis
 Dr. Paul Negulescu, PhD, Senior Vice President, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA, USA
  
 The Chemistry Behind CFTR Modulators
 Dr. Sabine Hadida, PhD, Senior Vice President, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA, USA
  
 10:55 am

Early Career Investigator Presentation 

Microbe-Interfacing Nanomaterials to Study and Treat Bacterial Biofilm Infections

 Dr. Joel Finbloom, PhD,  Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia
  
 11:10 amHealth Break
  
 11:30 amAntibody Approaches to Overcome Viral Diversity for Global Health
 Dr. Jean-Philippe Julien, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Structural Immunology; Senior Scientist, Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute; Associate Professor, Departments of Biochemistry and Immunology, University of Toronto; Toronto, ON, Canada
  
 12:00 pmTurning Genes into Medicines: Successes and Limitations of In Vivo Gene Therapy
 Dr. Katherine High, MD, Visiting Professor, Allen and Frances Adler Laboratory of Blood and Vascular Biology, Rockefeller University; Emeritus Professor, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA, USA
  
 12:30 pmExploration of Biological Diversity
 Dr. Feng Zhang, PhD, Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, James and Patricia Poitras Professor in Neuroscience, MIT; Core Institute Member, Broad Institute; Cambridge, MA, USA
  
 1:00 pmClosing Remarks
 Janet Rossant, President & Scientific Director, Gairdner Foundation


Location

MaRS Auditorium, Lower Concourse, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON

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Related award

  • Canada Gairdner International Award

    Five awarded annually. Awarded to outstanding biomedical scientists who have made original contributions resulting in an increased understanding of human biology and disease.

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