About the Episode
Dr. John Dick is known internationally for his discovery of blood stem cells. His work has broadened understanding of where and why leukemia starts, and what we could do to prevent it. In this episode of Behind the Breakthrough, Dr. John Dick takes us behind the scenes on his career, building on the pioneering work of Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch—the first to define the properties of stem cells. He delves into the pivotal moments that led to discoveries that have changed the face of cancer research, and why science doesn't happen in a vacuum.
Dr. Dick discusses his upbringing on a Mennonite farm (pictured right) in Culross, Manitoba, what he describes as a "two-elevator town", and his curiosity growing up about how things work. He touches on why his PhD was a lesson in failure, and the culture of research in Toronto, which attracts the brightest minds because of the focus on collaboration versus competition.
About Dr. Dick
Dr. Dick is a Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology, a Senior Scientist at the McEwen Stem Cell Institute at UHN, a professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto and Director, Program in Cancer Stem Cells at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.
Want to learn more about Dr. Dick and his work?
Produced By: Katie Sullivan |
Host: Christian Cote |
Audio Editing and Mixing: 217 Audio
