Emeritus University Professor Lou Siminovitch, the founding Chair of our Department, passed away on April 6, 2021 at the age of 100. Lou founded the department in 1969; at that time, we were the Department of Medical Cell Biology in the Medical Sciences Building. Most recently, Lou was Director Emeritus at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI). Lou’s recruitment of initial faculty to the department has shaped the direction we have taken and led to the strength and diversity of our science. His impact goes far beyond that of our Department, as he has played many influential roles in the development of science in Canada.
At the 50th Anniversary Symposium in 2019, which Lou attended at the age of 99, many of our community reminisced about Lou and his role in their lives as well as in the department and country. In addition, grad students Laura Hergott and Sabrina Hyde interviewed Lou and wrote an Anniversary Spotlight, who reminisced about science and family in his career.
