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Canadian Scientist Honoured - Dr. Tak Mak Canadian Press - Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2003 A leading Toronto scientist has been selected to receive Germany's most distinguished award for biomedical research. Dr. Tak Mak will become the first Canadian recipient of the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, which comes with an endowment of 100,000 Euros (about $153,000). Dr. Mak has been a senior scientist at Princess Margaret Hospital's Ontario Cancer Institute for 25 years and is founding director of the Advanced Medical Discovery Institute. He is also a professor of medical biophysics and immunology at the University of Toronto. He will share the award with Dr. Mark Davis of Stanford University. The prize recognizes both scientists for their pioneering work on T-cell receptors. In 1984, Dr. Mak became the first to clone the genes for the human T-cell receptor, a key part of the immune system. The T-cell receptor plays a major role in allowing the body identify virus-infected cells and target them for destruction. His landmark scientific paper has been cited more than 1,200 times since it was published in 1984 and has led to major advancements in understanding and treating diseases such as AIDS, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. "It is a great honour to receive this international recognition," said Dr. Mak, who is also a former recipient of the King Faisal Prize for Medicine and the Gairdner Foundation International Award, among others. SOURCE: The Globe and Mail, Canada http://tinyurl.com/uu4h * * * T.O. Cancer Researcher Wins Award - Dr. Tak Mak CHRISTIAN COTRONEO - STAFF REPORTER Nov. 13, 2003. 06:34 AM They solve crimes of the body. Every second, millions of tiny cells root out renegade cells, thwarting disease before it takes root. It's a never-ending bio-drama that Tak Mak knows to a T. After all, the senior scientist at Princess Margaret Hospital was first to identify and clone these cellular detectives, called T cell receptors, in humans in 1984. Today, he becomes the first Canadian to receive Germany's highest award in biomedicine ? the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, which comes with an endowment of $153,000. "I'm grateful to have been chosen," he said. As for being the first person in this country to receive the award, he added simply, "I expect there will be more." Since it was established in 1952, more than 90 scientists from around the world have received the accolade, including last year's winner Robert Gallo the American scientist who made landmark strides in diagnosing and treating HIV infection. Next May, Mak will accept the award with co-winner Mark M. Davis, a Stanford University researcher who first discovered T cell receptors in mice. "Even with two per cent of the money the Americans spend on medical research, we can do great things," Mak added. "This was done in Canada...on basically a shoestring." The Canadian government spends about $500 million per year on medical research compared to the American allotment of $20 billion. "He certainly would have had more grant money if he had moved to the States," said Chris Paige, vice president of research at the University Health Network and director of the Ontario Cancer Institute. "There's no question he gave up access to really huge money when he decided to stay in Canada and pursue his research here." But as a researcher at Princess Margaret's Ontario Cancer Institute for the last 25 years, Mak's eyes are on one prize. "What's uppermost in my mind is how can I instruct these cells to recognize a cancer cell," he said. "Obviously we have failed, otherwise we wouldn't get cancer." There are about a trillion T cell receptors in the human body. They are a key part of the immune system. The T cell receptors play a major role in allowing the body to identify virus-infected cells and target them for destruction."When that happens, they will hold on to it and start to kill it and it will also recruit B cells, which are kind of like the policeman to come and make antibodies," Mak explained. Despite their efficiency in isolating flawed cells and summoning B cells to destroy them, T cell receptors don't always get their man. When they fail, the result can be cancer, he added. SOURCE: The Toronto Star, Canada http://tinyurl.com/uu51 * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn