John Dick (scientist)

John Dick (scientist)

Dr. John E. Dick PhD FRSC (born 1957) is an award-winning Canadian scientist, credited with first identifying cancer stem cells in certain types of human leukemia. His revolutionary findings highlighted the importance of understanding that not all cancer cells are the same and thus spawned a new direction in cancer research." [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061125.wxstem25/BNStory/Science/home Meet the A-Team of stem-cell science] ". Retrieved from The Globe and Mail on November 27, 2006.]

Dick is also known for his demonstration of a blood stem cell's ability to replenish the blood system of a mouse, his development of a technique to enable an immune-deficient mouse to carry and produce human blood, and his creation of the world's first mouse with human leukemia. [" [http://www.cbc.ca/cp/health/070426/x042606A.html Canadian researchers 'create' leukemia stem cell, watch disease unfold] ". CBC News, April 26, 2007.]

Early life

Dick was raised on a Mennonite farm in southern Manitoba. His early education was gained in a one-room schoolhouse. Later he moved to Winnipeg to study to become an X-ray technician. There he noticed one of his roommates was attending university and studying biology. Dick realized he was more interested in biology and decided to switch pursuits.

Career

Dick started off at the University of Manitoba specializing in microbiology.

In 1984, he moved to Toronto. In order to support his wife and two children, Dick worked part time at an X-ray lab while he finished his post-doctorate work in Dr. Alan Bernstein’s lab. Dr. Bernstein, a noted cancer researcher whose Ph.D. advisor was James Till at the Ontario Cancer Institute, guided Dick to research cancers of the blood.

Over the next five years, Dick developed an in vivo repopulation assay using the NOD/SCID mouse. This technique of using an immune-deficient mouse to generate human hematopoietic cells won Dick international recognition." [http://www.hematology.org/client_files/meeting/2005/newsdaily/Dameshek.pdf "Black Box" of Cancer Breaks Open] ". Retrieved from American Society of Hematology website on November 27, 2006.] " [http://www.uhnresearch.ca/news/NRX/archive/jannrx.html New Research Breakthroughs at UHN January 2003] ". Retrieved from University Hospital Network website on November 27, 2006.]

In 1994, "Nature" published his paper which described how cancer stem cells grow slowly. Dr. Dick explained, "Most kinds of chemotherapy are designed to kill fast-growing cancer cells. This is why leukemia can come back after treatment. To get rid of the cancer, you have to find ways of eliminating the stem cells." Many researchers dismissed Dick's discovery as interesting, but something not likely to apply to solid tumours.

In 1997, Dick reported the detection of cancer stem cells at the root of three other forms of leukemia. This time he presented it as the "cancer stem-cell hypothesis". His model stated that there are different cancer cells and amongst them there is a pecking order in which the abnormal stem cell, is both the key to forming and feeding a cancer. Therefore without an abnormal stem cell, cancers will not grow. This time his report was considered a breakthrough. [" [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/health/21canc.html?ex=1298178000&en=6de257099a800e66&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Stem Cells May Be Key to Cancer] ". Retrieved from The New York Times on November 27, 2006.]

As of 2006, Dick is a Senior Scientist in the Division of Cellular & Molecular Biology of the Toronto General Research Institute, and founding member of Canada's Stem Cell Network. [" [http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/6481/ Governor Schwarzenegger Highlights California-Canada Partnership on Life-saving Stem Cell Research] ". Press Release, May 30, 2007]

Honours

* 1997, awarded the Michael Smith Prize by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research
* 2000, awarded the Robert L. Noble Prize for Excellence in Cancer Research by the National Cancer Institute of Canada
* 2002, awarded the Herman Boerhaave Medal by the Leiden University, Netherlands
* 2004, made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Academy of Sciences
* 2005, awarded the William Dameshek Prize by the American Society of Hematology
* 2007, awarded a Premier's Summit Award in Medical Research, Province of Ontario [ [http://www.mri.gov.on.ca/english/news/Innovation_Awards_bd2.asp Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation- Premier's Summit Award] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/standard/0,3182,3543_318933680_1435019226_langId-en,00.html Canadian Cancer Society- John Dick Bio]
* [http://www.uhnresearch.ca/researchers/profile.php?lookup=1468 University Health Network- John E Dick Bio]

Persondata
NAME=Dick, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Dick, John E.
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Canadian cancer researcher
DATE OF BIRTH=1957
PLACE OF BIRTH=Somewhere in Southern Manitoba
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • John Dick — may refer to:*John Dick (basketball) (born 1919), college basketball player and U.S. Navy admiral *John Dick (footballer born 1876), footballer for Woolwich Arsenal in the 1900s *John Dick (footballer born 1930), footballer for West Ham United in …   Wikipedia

  • John Cleese — Cleese in 2008 Birth name John Marwood Cleese Born 27 October 1939 (1939 10 27) …   Wikipedia

  • Dick Grune — (born December 7, 1939, Enschede) is a Dutch computer scientist and university lecturer best known for inventing and developing the first version of CVS, the Concurrent Versions System. Grune was involved in the construction of Algol 68 compilers …   Wikipedia

  • Dick Grayson — as Robin in his first appearance, with Batman. Cover of Detective Comics #38 (April 1940). Art by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson. Publication inform …   Wikipedia

  • John Whiteside Parsons — Jack Parsons Born Marvel Whiteside Parsons October 2, 1914(1914 10 02) Died June 17, 1952(1952 06 17) (age …   Wikipedia

  • John Tedder, 2nd Baron Tedder — John Michael Tedder, 2nd Baron Tedder, (July 4, 1926 ndash; February 18, 1994), was the Purdie Professor of Chemistry at St. Andrews University, Scotland.Early life and educationHe was the second born son of Arthur William Tedder and Rosalinde… …   Wikipedia

  • John Stephenson (actor) — John Stephenson (born August 9, 1923) is an American voice actor. He has also been credited as John Stevenson. He was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin.CareerEarly guest starring rolesHe started his career acting in numerous television shows in the… …   Wikipedia

  • Dick Stockton — For the professional tennis player by this name, see Dick Stockton (tennis). Dick Stockton (born in 1942 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball …   Wikipedia

  • Dick Clark — For other people named Dick Clark, see Dick Clark (disambiguation). Dick Clark Dick Clark backstage during the Grammy Awards telecast, 1990. Born Richard Wagstaff Clark November 30, 1929 ( …   Wikipedia

  • Dick Barton — For the South African boxer, see Dick Barton (boxer). Dick Barton Special Agent was a popular radio programme on the BBC Light Programme. Between 1946 to 1951 it aired at 6.45 each weekday evening and at its peak it had an audience of 15 million… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”