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2025 Vancouver Gairdner National Symposium
October 20, 2025 @ 2:15 pm - 4:00 pm
The Vancouver Gairdner High School & National Symposium is held each fall to give students, teachers, and the academic community the opportunity to hear from two Gairdner award-winning scientists and learn about the BC Children’s Hospital’s research facilities.
Hosted by Dr. Michael Hayden, University Killam Professor, Department of Medical Genetics and Founding Director Emeritus, Senior Scientist, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, this inspiring public lecture will feature:
Dr. Paul Negulescu, recipient of the 2025 Canada Gairdner International Award “for pioneering research into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the genetic disease cystic fibrosis, leading to the development of transformative drug therapies based on these mechanisms, thereby improving and saving countless lives.” Dr. Negulescu is an American-Romanian cell biologist and a Senior Vice President at American pharmaceutical company Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Negulescu’s work has transformed cystic fibrosis from a fatal disease into a manageable condition for patients receiving treatment, showcasing how fundamental science can lead to life-saving innovations. His team developed the first-ever protein folding correctors, a novel class of medicines.
Dr. Christian Landry, recipient of the 2024 Peter Gilgan Canada Gairdner Momentum Award “for the development of novel approaches that combine synthetic biology, experimental evolution, and systems biology to address fundamental questions about gene function relevant to health and human disease.” Dr. Landry is Professor of Biology and Biochemistry, Laval University and Canada Research Chair in Cellular Systems and Synthetic Biology. Dr. Landry’s research group is integrating cutting-edge approaches in genetics, genomics, systems biology and bioinformatics to investigate how mutations change the way cells work and alter their performance. His team has developed numerous high-throughput tools that allow the investigation of entire protein interaction networks, how these networks can be rewired by mutations, and how their past evolution may influence the outcomes of disease mutations.
Join online via Zoom or in-person at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), Vancouver
For registration or questions, contact jshum@cmmt.ubc.ca
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