April 9, 2002

Innovator of the Year

Dr. Chaim Birnboim, born in Winnipeg, began his career in 1970 in the biology group of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited at Chalk River. There he developed technology that was used worldwide in DNA interpretation. In 1984 he became head of the research program at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre, and in 1991 became senior career scientist. At that time, he began to develop a technology for the preservation of DNA in tissues or bodily fluids. This technology, called GenoFix, has been patented by Cancer Care Ontario.