Louis Siminovitch
Louis Siminovitch CC OOnt FRS FRSC (May 1, 1920 –
April 6, 2021) was a Canadian molecular biologist. He Louis (Lou) Siminovitch
was a pioneer in human genetics, researcher into the
genetic basis of muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis,
and helped establish Ontario programs exploring
genetic roots of cancer.
Life and career
Siminovitch was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of
Goldie and Nathan Siminovitch, who were Jewish
Born May 1, 1920
emigrants from Eastern Europe.[1] He won a
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
scholarship in chemistry to McGill University, earning
a doctorate in 1944. He then studied at the Pasteur Died April 6, 2021 (aged 100)
Institute in Paris. In 1953 he joined Toronto's Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Connaught Medical Research Laboratories. Later he Alma mater McGill University
joined the University of Toronto and worked there Awards Order of Canada
from 1956 to 1985.[2] One of his doctoral students was Order of Ontario
Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou. Flavelle Medal (1978)
Scientific career
He helped establish the Department of Genetics at the
Hospital for Sick Children as geneticist in chief, where Fields Molecular biology, genetics
he worked from 1970 to 1985. From 1983 to 1994 he Institutions Ontario Cancer Institute
was the founding director of research at the Samuel Hospital for Sick Children
Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital Research Institute
(Toronto). He was the founder and the first Chair of the Samuel Lunenfeld Institute at
Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Mount Sinai Hospital
Toronto, then called Department of Medical Cell University of Toronto
Biology.[3] Thesis The Preparation of disulphur
decafluoride (https://escholarshi
He was the author or coauthor, at last count, of over
p.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/ww7
147 scientific papers, reviews, and articles in journals 2bf887) (1944)
and books.
Doctoral R.L. McIntosh
He married Elinore, a playwright who died in 1995. advisor
They had three daughters. The annual Elinore & Lou Notable Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou
Siminovitch Prize in Theatre is named in his and his students
wife's honour.[2]
Siminovitch died in April 2021 in Ontario at the age of 100.[4]
Degrees
1941 B.Sc. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec (Chemistry)
1944 Ph.D. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec (Chemistry)
1978 D.Sc. Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland
1978 D.Sc. McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Honours
In 1941 he won the Anne Molson Prize in Chemistry
In 1965 - Fellow, Royal Society of Canada (F.R.S.C.)
In 1967 - Canadian Centennial Medal
In 1977 - Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
In 1978 he won the Royal Society of Canada Flavelle Medal
In 1980 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
In 1980 - Fellow, Royal Society (London) (F.R.S.)
In 1981 he received the Gairdner Foundation Wightman Award.
In 1981 he received the Izaac Walton Killam Memorial Prize.
In 1988 he was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada.
In 1997 he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.
In 1999 he was named a foreign associate, and the only Canadian, to the National Academy
of Sciences.
In 2012, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario.[5]
He was awarded a Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa from several Canadian Universities
including Memorial University, McMaster University, Université de Montréal, McGill
University, University of Western Ontario, University of Toronto and University of Guelph.
References
1. Kenney-Wallace, Geraldine A.; MacLeod, M. C.; Stanton, Ralph G. (1990). In celebration of
Canadian scientists: a decade of Killam laureates. Winnipeg: Charles Babbage Research
Centre. ISBN 978-0-919611-22-1. OCLC 26502733 (https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/265027
33).
2. "Elinore & Lou Siminovitch - Siminovitch Prize in Theatre" (https://siminovitchprize.com/abou
t/elinore-lou-siminovitch/).
3. "History — Molecular Genetics - University of Toronto" (http://www.moleculargenetics.utoron
to.ca/history).
4. Dr. Lou Siminovitch (1920–2021) (https://siminovitchprize.com/dr-lou-siminovitch-1920-202
1/)
5. "27 Appointees Named To Ontario's Highest Honour" (http://news.ontario.ca/mci/en/2012/0
1/27-appointees-named-to-ontarios-highest-honour.html).
External links
Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute (https://web.archive.org/web/20060823153634/http://w
ww.mshri.on.ca/)
Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario (http://www.mtsinai.on.ca/)
Prix Siminovitch (http://www.siminovitchprize.com/) – Elinore and Lou Siminovitch Theatre
Prize Official Website. Accessed January 18, 2008.
Louis Siminovitch archival papers (https://discoverarchives.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/loui
s-siminovitch-fonds) held at the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management
Services (https://utarms.library.utoronto.ca/)
Selected publications
Siminovitch, L., McCulloch, E.A., Till, J.E. (1963) The distribution of colony-forming cells
among spleen colonies. Journal of Cellular and Comparative Physiology 62:327-36. [Link to
article] (https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/2778)
Till, J.E., McCulloch, E.A., Siminovitch, L. (1964) A stochastic model of stem cell
proliferation, based on the growth of spleen colony-forming cells. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences (USA) 51(1):29-36. [Link to article] (https://tspace.library.utor
onto.ca/handle/1807/2777)
McCulloch, E.A., Siminovitch, L., Till, J.E. (1964) Spleen-colony formation in anemic mice of
genotype WWv. Science 144(1620):844-846. [Link to article] (https://tspace.library.utoronto.c
a/handle/1807/2774)
McCulloch, E.A., Siminovitch, L., Till, J.E., Russell, E.S., Bernstein, S.E. (1965) The cellular
basis of the genetically determined hemopoietic defect in anemic mice of genotype Sl/Sld.
Blood 26(4):399-410. [Link to article] (https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/3011)
Wu, A.M., Till, J.E., Siminovitch, L., McCulloch, E.A. (1968) Cytological evidence for a
relationship between normal hematopoietic colony-forming cells and cells of the lymphoid
system. J Exp Med 127(3):455-464. [Link to article] (https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handl
e/1807/2776)
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