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Snapshots of History
Dr. Andrew Hunter
A 1929 portrait of Dr. Andrew Hunter, CBE, FRSC, FRSE (1876-1969), by Arthur Lismer, an artist who is most famous as a founding member of the Group of Seven. Dr. Andrew Hunter was the Chair in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto (U of T) from 1919–1929. In 1929 he returned to his birth country to become the Professor of Physiological Chemistry at the University of Glasgow and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine from 1930–1935. In 1935, he returned to Toronto as Professor of Pathological Chemistry and was Dean of Graduate Studies, 1945–1947.
After his formal retirement at age 70 (1946), he actively engaged in research for 23 years at the SickKids Research Institute. His definitive monograph on Creatine and Creatinine was published in 1928, before the discovery of phosphocreatine. There is also documentation in books published describing the history of medical research at U of T (Edward Shorter, Partnership for Excellence) and the discovery of insulin (Michael Bliss, The Discovery of Insulin) that Dr. Hunter had a critical role as one of the Connaught Laboratory directors mediating discussions between Dr. Frederick Banting and Dr. James Collip regarding patents (and who would hold them) describing the insulin purification process.
Even today, most scientists and clinicians performing research at SickKids are also professors at the University of Toronto, and many of these individuals move back and forth in different academic capacities between the U of T Faculties and SickKids teaching hospital. While Arthur Lismer was famous for doodling sketches and cartoons of people, this representation is likely an organized portrait “sitting” of Dr. Hunter as he was leaving U of T. It is stated in Marian A. Packham’s 100 Years of Biochemistry at UofT: An illustrated history that upon Professor Hunter’s death in 1969 at 93 years old, he bequeathed to the department a sketch of himself in his laboratory in 1929 by Arthur Lismer. Dr. Hunter’s signature on this version of the image suggests it is a copy of the original. The back of the picture suggests this version resided with Mrs. A. Brown, which adds some mystery behind the story of the scientist and the image.
Atomic resolution structure of the protein apoferritin from cryo-EM
Submitted by Dr. John Rubinstein, Senior Scientist, Molecular Medicine
Electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) allows three-dimensional structures to be determined for biological molecules like proteins. Originally invented in the mid-1980s, cryo-EM methods were developed by a small community until, around 2014, it became possible to routinely determine structures with sufficient resolution to reveal the positions of every atom in the molecule. The 2017 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to three of the pioneers of cryo-EM: Drs. Richard Henderson, Joachim Frank, and Jacques Dubochet. SickKids research in cryo-EM started in 2006 with the hiring of Dr. John Rubinstein, who was a PhD student with Henderson between 1998 and 2002. Several aspects of the cryo-EM workflow now used all over the world were developed at SickKids by Rubinstein and team. Many important high-resolution structures were determined at SickKids, including the complete mitochondrial ATP synthase (Science 2017) and vacuolar-type ATPases (Nature 2015 and 2016, Science 2020). At present, cryo-EM is used by SickKids researchers to explore and understand how different drugs interact with their targets inside cells. The structure shown here at 1.5 Å (1.5 ´ 10-10 m) resolution is of the protein apoferritin.
CGEn bridge
Canada’s national platform for genome sequencing and analysis (CGEn) is a federally funded national platform for genome sequencing and analysis. Established in 2015, CGEn employs over 200 staff and is funded primarily by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through its Major Science Initiatives Fund (MSI), leveraging investments from the provincial governments of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, Genome Canada, and other stakeholders. CGEn operates as an integrated national platform with nodes in Toronto (The Centre for Applied Genomics at SickKids), Montréal (McGill Genome Centre at McGill University), and Vancouver (Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre), providing genomic services, including genome sequencing and analysis, that enable research in agriculture, forestry, fishery, the environment and health sciences, and many other disciplines of interest to Canadians.
The Human Genome Organization
The Human Genome Organization (HUGO) is an international scientific organization established in 1989 with the goal of promoting and coordinating efforts related to the study and understanding of the human genome. HUGO serves as a platform for collaboration among researchers, scientists and institutions worldwide, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, data and resources. Its formation coincided with the start of the Human Genome Project, a monumental international endeavour to map and sequence the entire human genome. Dr. Ronald Worton, who was Geneticist-in-Chief at SickKids at the time, is shown in the photograph. Other SickKids members included Drs. Diane W. Cox, Louis Siminovitch, and Lap-Chee Tsui. SickKids Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui was the President of HUGO in 2000–2002, the year that the first “drafts” of the human genome sequence was released concurrently by the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium and separately, Celera Genomics.
Marion Starr, Dr. Frederick Banting and Dr. Percival Menzies
Taken during World War I, this photograph pictures Marion Starr, a graduate from the 1917 Hospital for Sick Children School of Nursing, and daughter of Dr. Clarence L. Starr (SickKids Surgeon in Chief from 1921 to 2029, and then Department Chair, University of Toronto), Dr. Frederick Banting, and Dr. Percival Menzies, who was a resident and spent time working at SickKids prior to the war.
Elsie Needham and Dr. Gladys Boyd
Picture of Elsie Needham
This picture depicts Elsie Needham, an eleven-year-old girl who experienced a remarkable recovery at SickKids. In October 1922, Elsie was admitted to the hospital in a diabetic coma after consuming a large quantity of grapes and olives. Dr. Frederick Banting and Dr. Gladys L. Boyd, head of the hospital's diabetes clinic, treated her with insulin. Against the odds, Elsie emerged from the coma, regained her strength, and was back in school by January 1923. Prior to the discovery of insulin, such cases often resulted in tragic outcomes. Elsie's story serves as a powerful testament to the life-saving impact of insulin and the advancements made in diabetes treatment.
Picture of Dr. Gladys Boyd
Dr. Gladys L. Boyd made significant contributions to paediatric endocrinology at SickKids. As head of Endocrine Services, she played a crucial role in the administration and care of the first recipients of insulin. Dr. Boyd's collaboration with Dr. Frederick Banting led to a remarkable decrease in childhood mortality from diabetes at SickKids. Her dedication and expertise have left a lasting impact on the field of paediatric medicine, making her an influential figure in SickKids' history.
“Nowhere to go but up”
In the 1992 edition of Kaleidoscope, a magazine that used to be published by SickKids, six female SickKids scientists spoke about breaking ground in research. Of the six, Drs. Julie Forman-Kay, Lynne Howell (shown on the cover), Jayne Danska, Daniela Rotin, Cindy Guidos and Christine Bear continue to conduct their research at SickKids to this day.
Dr. Frederick Banting, The Lab, 1925
An avid painter, Dr. Frederick Banting often traveled to northern Canada with the Group of Seven to paint landscapes. The Lab is Banting's only know painting of an interior scene and is the lab in which insulin was discovered. Banting was on Faculty at SickKids both before and after the discovery of insulin which occurred at the University of Toronto.
Professor Sarkar
This is an image of Dr. Bibudhendra (Amu) Sarkar (middle) and Dr. Andrew Sass-Kortsak (right) consulting with patients on Wilson Disease in 1973. Dr. Sarkar was the first basic scientist hired by the SickKids Research Institute in 1964. Dr. Sarkar's research focused on the biochemistry of amino acids and their role in protein synthesis. His work at SickKids led to the discovery of several new genetic conditions and provided insight into the genetic basis of conditions such as phenylketonuria. He also played a key role in developing new techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic disorders and mentored many young scientists in biochemistry. He continued his work at SickKids until his retirement in 1995 when he then became an Emeritus Scientist. As of 2024, Dr. Sarkar has been with the SickKids Research Institute 60 years.
50th Anniversary at U of T Molecular Genetics
This picture captures a gathering of SickKids alumni during the 50th anniversary celebration of University of Toronto (U of T) Molecular Genetics department. Pictured from left to right: Drs. Manuel Buchwald (OC), Janet Rossant (OC), Roy Gravel, Stephen W. Scherer, Lap-Chee Tsui (OC) Lou Siminovitch (OC), Ronald Worton (OC), and Roderick McInnes (OC). This snapshot serves as a testament to the collective brilliance and enduring legacy of these SickKids alumni, whose ground-breaking research and dedication have propelled the field of molecular genetics to new heights.
