In this edition of UHN On The Go:
UHN named Canada's No. 1 Research Hospital
Earlier this month,
Research at UHN announced that UHN remains at the top of Canada's Top 40 Research Hospitals list by Research Infosource Inc.
This marks the 15th consecutive year UHN has led the rankings, a testament to UHN's commitment to advancing health research.
The annual rankings compare research hospitals across Canada based on research spending, including grants, contributions and contracts from internal and external government and non-government sources. In the 2024 fiscal year, UHN invested over $599 million in research, reinforcing its position as a global leader in discovery and innovation.
Within the large hospital category (institutions with total hospital spending exceeding $1 billion), UHN also ranked among the top for research intensity — defined as the percentage of research spending relative to overall hospital expenditures.
"We are incredibly proud to be recognized as Canada's top research hospital once again — a position that reflects the passion and contribution of the 6,000-plus members of our research community and the many supporters of this team. From novel discoveries to clinical innovation and education, we are united by one purpose: improving health and transforming care for patients everywhere," says Dr. Brad Wouters, Executive Vice President of Science and Research at UHN.
These achievements are supported by strong partnerships with many institutions, including
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation and
UHN Foundation, government agencies, industry and other charities.
UHN is proud to be part of Toronto's vibrant research ecosystem alongside the University of Toronto and other academic hospitals, working together to accelerate discovery and impact.
TeamUHN celebrates 16th annual Holiday Tea
The spirit of the season was alive at UHN's annual Holiday Teas, where colleagues came together to celebrate the season and each other.
From late November through mid-december, festive gatherings took place at sites across the organization, creating moments of warmth and joy for all who attended.
During the event, teams enjoyed cookies, hot chocolate, apple cider, holiday music and merry mingling.
Adding to the fun, festive photo booths were set up at each site, giving staff the chance to capture memorable moments. UHN Foundation staff also joined in some of the celebrations with their own booth, where they shared information about their programs and engaged with staff in creative and interactive ways.
Now in its 16th year, the Holiday Tea tradition continues to strengthen connections across UHN, reminding everyone that the holidays are about community, gratitude and shared joy.
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and University of Waterloo host connector event
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the University of Waterloo came together last month for a connector event designed to deepen collaboration, share emerging research and explore new opportunities to accelerate innovation in cancer care.
Held in a hybrid format with both in-person and online participation, the event created a dynamic space for clinicians and scientists from both institutions to connect.
The session focused on two key areas of collaboration: Drug Discovery, Development and Delivery; and Computational Biology. Attendees shared overviews of their current work, sparking productive discussions to align projects and explore new collaborations.
This connector event comes shortly after the one-year anniversary of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the University of Waterloo in October 2024.
Over the past year, the partnership has created new opportunities for students, researchers and clinicians to work together — from supporting student learning in clinical settings to fostering emerging research collaborations.
One example is the Princess Margaret Grand Challenge project led by Dr. Scott Hopkins (University of Waterloo) and Dr. Arash Zarrine-Afsar (UHN). They are developing an AI-driven intraoperative diagnostic tool designed to identify central nervous system cancer types in just ten seconds, highlighting the innovative impact emerging from this partnership.
Looking ahead, both institutions remain committed to harnessing technology, interdisciplinary expertise and collaborative innovation to reshape the future of cancer research, diagnosis and treatment.
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