3M Canada helps fund personalized medicine in London

3M Canada recently announced a donation of $600,000 to support the advancement of precision medicine at London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care London, where researchers and doctors are applying science to life to improve patient care and outcomes.

"We are proud to be able to contribute to the advancement of Precision Medicine here in Canada," said Paul Madden, president, and general manager, 3M Canada.  "At 3M we believe that science is just science until you use it to improve the world. Each of these programs do just that -- they apply advanced diagnostics to a combination of expertise and technology for the delivery of exceptional care."

At London Health Sciences Centre, 3M Canada's gift of $300,000 will support the purchase of key technology as well as laboratory positions for genomic diagnostics in Canada's first hospital-wide implementation of personalized medicine. Under the leadership of world-renowned clinical pharmacologist Dr. Richard Kim, the Personalized Medicine Program is focused on understanding the genetic differences between individuals and, in doing so, providing the right dose of the right medicine at the right time for every patient.

At LHSC, 3M's gift will enable the next phase of a personalized medicine approach to be deployed hospital-wide, starting with important medicines like warfarin.

"This 3M gift will help us transform the model of care, using personalized gene testing for precise diagnostics to increase patient safety and quality of care," says LHSC President and CEO Murray Glendining. "Dr. Kim's work also has the potential to reduce in-hospital stays by improving patient flow, freeing up beds and reducing treatment costs."

3M Canada's gift of $300,000 to St. Joseph's Health Care London will support the launch of a Research Chair in Molecular Imaging.  At Lawson Health Research Institute, the research institute of St. Joseph’s, this leadership will transform the future of knowledge, medicine and health care and ensure research studies continue to translate into new applications for patient care when it comes to accurate diagnosis and determining the best treatment options.

3M's gift to fund a Research Chair in Molecular Imaging at St. Joseph's and Lawson will advance research in accurate diagnosis in many areas of care, including cancer, cardiovascular health, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disease and resulting in the best treatment options, earlier.

"Molecular imaging is a key enabler of 'precision medicine' -- interventions targeted to an individual patient's unique genetic makeup", says Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, president and CEO of St. Joseph's Health Care London. "Through 3M Canada's leadership support, we will advance knowledge at the very earliest stages of disease, so that we can deal with it quickly and effectively."

Shown in photo, from left: Michelle Campbell, SJHCF President & CEO; Dr. David Hill, Integrated Vice President, Research, Scientific Director, Lawson; Dr. Frank Prato, Research Imaging Program Leader and Assistant Scientific Director, Lawson; Paul Madden, President and General Manager, 3M Canada; Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, SJHC President & CEO; Laurie Gould, LHSC Chief Clinical and Transformation Officer; and, Dr. Richard Kim, LHSC Chair/Chief Clinical Pharmacology and Lawson Scientist. Missing: Chris Boucher, LHSF Vice President Development.