UBC Reports | Vol. 46 | No. 16 | Oct.
19, 2000
University to hold a celebration of Michael Smith’s
life
Nobel prize-winner and Prof. Emeritus Michael Smith has died of
cancer. He was 68 years old.
“We at UBC feel a real sense of personal loss,” says Barry McBride,
vice-president, Academic and Provost. “We’ve lost a colleague, a
creative and distinguished scientist and a friend — a warm and humble
man known for his humanity and generosity. He was a great Canadian
and I will miss his friendship, his unwavering commitment to excellence
and his personal support.”
Smith, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1993, was
the
director of BC Cancer Agency’s Genome Sequence Centre
in
Vancouver.
The prize recognized his groundbreaking work in
reprogramming
segments of DNA, the building blocks of life.
“Michael’s work launched a new era in genetics research — that’s
his legacy to science,” says Indira Samarasekera, UBC’s vice-president,
Research. “His discovery has paved the way to finding new treatments
for life-threatening illness.”
Born in Blackpool, England, he received his PhD in 1956 from the
University of Manchester and completed his post-doctoral fellowship
with the B.C. Research Council in 1960. He joined UBC in 1966.
In 1987, he founded UBC ‘s Biotechnology Laboratory which is expanding
to include a new building that will bear his name.
He was named a Peter Wall Distinguished Professor of
Biotechnology
at UBC and many of his students have gained
international
scientific reputations.
A founding Scientific Leader of the Protein Engineering
Network
of Centres of Excellence, Smith was named a Career
Investigator
of the Medical Research Council of Canada in 1966.
He was appointed a director of the Canada Foundation for
Innovation
in 1997.
Well-known for his commitment to human welfare and science
education,
Smith donated half of his Nobel Prize to the Schizophrenia
Society
of Canada and the Canadian Alliance for Research on
Schizophrenia.
The other half of his prize established an endowment fund
whose
income supports the Society for Canadian Women in Science
and Technology
and a program for elementary school teachers provided by
Science
World BC.
The Royal Bank Award, which he received in 1999, included a companion
grant which he donated to the B.C. Cancer Foundation.
In addition, the Michael Smith Awards, sponsored by the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, honour individuals
and organizations who make an outstanding contribution to the promotion
of science in Canada.
Smith received numerous awards and distinctions including: Companion
of the Order of Canada; Order of British Columbia; University Killam
Professor, UBC; Fellow, Royal Society of Canada; Fellow, Royal Society
of London; Canadian Medical Association Medal of Honour and Canadian
Medical Hall of Fame.
UBC will hold a celebration of the life of Michael
Smith
Monday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. in the Chan Centre for the
Performing Arts.
All are welcome to attend.
