Don Weaver and his colleagues at the Krembil Research Institute don’t shy away from using terms like “breakthrough” or “cure” when they describe the high-impact research nurtured in a collaborative environment of excellence at the institute.
There is a new name for inquiry in Toronto's discovery district – the Krembil Research Institute. While the name of the institute may be new, the innovation and expertise of the 161 scientists who work there are well known.
A magnet for the world's leading experts in diseases of the brain, spine, bones, joints and eyes, Krembil (formerly known as the Toronto Western Research Institute) is the research arm of Toronto Western Hospital, one of five research institutes at University Health Network which, just last month, was ranked Canada's top research hospital by Research InfoSource.
In an announcement made last week by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex, the patron of the Toronto Western and Toronto General hospitals, the Krembil took on its new name in recognition of a family who understands the value of supporting world-class medical research.
"Our family has been involved with Toronto Western Hospital for nearly two decades," says Robert Krembil. "We have gained a deep appreciation for both the research excellence and the scientists who are working to find cures for some of the most debilitating health issues of our day. They are relentless and visionary in their quest for cures, and they deserve our support."
Dr. Don Weaver, director of the Krembil Research Institute, sees the Krembil family's ongoing investment as vital to the success of the institute's impact on the world stage. Dr. Weaver brings a rare and valuable combination of expertise to his position – he is the only qualified person in Canada and among a handful across the world to be a practicing neurologist and a PhD in medicinal chemistry and drug design. In fact, in receiving his Centennial Award from the American Health Foundation in 2007, Dr. Weaver was cited as one of the two people in the world most likely to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease.
So how do you attract a researcher of this calibre? As Dr. Weaver tells it, the reason, in large part, was the Krembil's investment in research at UHN that drew him here three years ago from the east coast. "Investment in medical research is a challenge in Canada," he says. "The Krembils are known for their meticulous, sound decision-making when it comes to anything in which they are prepared to invest. That said, their investments are long-term, and that makes all the difference when it comes to medical discovery."
Dr. Weaver's accomplishments are among many national and world firsts achieved by Krembil scientists who are dedicated to their search for cures of diseases of the brain, spine, bones, joints and eyes. While names like Lang, Lozano, Fehlings, Tymianski, Mahomed and Wallace may not be household names shared at the breakfast table, they are well-known in global medical research circles.
The words "breakthrough or cure" – both said rarely in academia – are not words Don Weaver and his colleagues shy away from when they describe the high-impact research nurtured in a collaborative environment of excellence at Krembil. This, they say, is what ultimately will produce novel diagnostic and therapeutic products for chronic diseases of the nervous system, the eyes and the musculoskeletal system. Achieving this goal, which they firmly believe is attainable, will propel the Krembil Research Institute to become one of the top five medical research institutes in the world.
"Finding cures to these diseases will be the Krembil benchmark," asserts Dr. Weaver. "Our patients deserve this."
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