Celebrating health research excellence with the 2023 Lawson Impact Awards

For the first time since 2019, Lawson Health Research Institute hosted its annual Lawson Impact Awards in-person on November 28 at RBC Place London. Approximately 130 people gathered to celebrate scientists, staff members, learners and partners who have made remarkable contributions to hospital-based research at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s).

“Important and groundbreaking science is conducted daily at Lawson, improving patient care locally and around the globe,” says Dr. David Hill, Scientific Director at Lawson. “The Lawson Impact Awards provides an opportunity for us to recognize the scientists, staff members, learners and partners who drive medical research forward.”

Eight Lawson Impact Award recipients were celebrated at the event, including:

• Leadership Award for Fellows & Students: Dr. John Tran
• Staff Award of Excellence: Alexandria Roa Agudelo
• Community Partner of the Year Award: Keith and Leanne Lavergne
• Community Partner of the Year Award: Jack and Jean Wettlaufer Family
• Community Partner of the Year Award: Ryan Finch
• Dr. Joseph Gilbert Research Contribution of The Year Award: Dr. David Palma for “Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy versus standard of care palliative treatment in patients with oligometastatic cancers (SABR-COMET): a randomised, phase 2, open-label trial”
• Innovation Award: Dr. Manuel Montero-Odasso
• Scientist of The Year Award: Dr. Cheryl Forchuk

Two Children’s Health Research Institute (CHRI) award recipients were also recognized. As a program of Lawson, CHRI awards a Scientist and Trainee of the Year annually, sponsored by the Children’s Health Foundation. CHRI’s 2022 award recipients are: Dr. Emma Duerden (CHRI Scientist of the Year) and Kendrick Lee (CHRI Deb Comuzzi Trainee of the Year).

“This year, we recognized a number of leading research professionals from across LHSC and St. Joseph’s who are helping to advance patient care in London and around the world,” adds Dr. Hill. “We were also honoured to recognize three Community Partners of the Year for their generous support of health research.”

Learn more about each recipient on our Impact Awards page and visit the Lawson YouTube channel to watch videos highlighting each of the award recipients.