Award-Winning Immunologist The first Canadian to win the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Prize was a biochemist from Toronto’s Ontario Cancer Institute. Born, China, 1946, Dr. Tak Mak came to Canada after completing undergraduate and graduate studies, University of Wisconsin, 1969. Graduating Ph.D., Biochemistry, 1972, University of Alberta, Dr. Mak, since 1974, has been a senior staff scientist, Ontario Cancer Institute, and a staff member, since 1984, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto. In 1997, he was made a University Professor. Co-author of over 400 scientific papers, Dr. Mak is best recognized for the co-discovery, 1984, of the T-cell receptor, which acts as a plasma police force, identifying intruders and calling out troops of antibodies against them. “T-cells are basically detectives. They go and check the IDs of everything that they come into, like going down a subway and checking everybody,” says Dr. Mak. “And 24 hours a day there are at least a trillion T-cells in the body, constantly surveying every tissue of the body, looking for something that is foreign.” Dr. Mak has also made significant contributions in the area of virology, immunology, genetics, molecular signaling, and cancer biology. The Sloan Prize, worth $100,000, was awarded to Dr. Mak for the implications his discovery has made in the battle against malignant diseases. Dr. Tak Mak’s honours include, among others, the E.W.R. Steacie Award, 1985; Emil von Behring Prize, 1988-90, from Phillips-Universitat Marburg, Germany; Gairdner International Award, 1989; Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research Award, 1991; King Faisel International Prize for Medicine, 1995; McLaughlin Medal, University of Texas, 1997; and the Novartis Immunology Prize, 1998. [Photo, courtesy Princess Margaret Hospital]

Genetic Engineer Cancer research and genetic engineering are the major interests of Dr. Wei Xiao, now Professor, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, who recalls that when he finished high school in his native city of Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China, 1975, he was sent, as part of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, to be “re-educated” on a farm. Three years later, he went to Nanjing Agricultural University, obtained a B.Sc., 1982, then came to Canada on a scholarship, graduating, M.Sc., University of Toronto, 1984. With further scholarships, he obtained a Ph.D, University of Saskatchewan, and pursued post-doctoral studies, Harvard University, 1990-92, before returning to the University of Saskatchewan as Assistant Professor, 1992. In 1998, here turned to China as Visiting Professor at both Zhejiang University and Nanjing University, and, in 2000, was named Full Professor, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan. A winner of the National Cancer Institute Research Scientist Award, Dr. Xiao is also active in multi-cultural and community activities in Saskatoon. [Photo, courtesy Dr. Wei Xiao]