Looking both back and forwards at the Singh Symposium

Originally posted 2016/06/03

Steve was pleased and honoured to be able to represent the current Department of Microbiology & Immunology as a speaker at the Research Symposium honouring Dr. Bhagirath Singh, who is retiring from the department this year.

Steve had a chance to talk about our research looking at the development of a pathogenic immune response targeting myelin antigen in CNS autoimmunity.

Over a very long and distinguished career, Dr. Singh made important scientific contributions to our understanding of T cell recognition of antigen and the development of autoimmune responses in models of type 1 diabetes. He also has had a tremendous impact as a mentor and supporter of his colleagues and especially of trainees. All of the speakers at the event spoke of Dr. Singh’s influence on their developing careers.

(Left to Right) Drs. Steve Kerfoot (Western University), Cindy Guidos (Sick Kids Hospital, Toronto), David Kelvin (University Health Network, Toronto), Babita Agrawal (University of Alberta, Edmonton), Bhagi Singh, Joaquin Madrenas (McGill University, Montreal), and Marc Ouellette (CIHR, Institute of Infection and Immunity).

Dr. Singh also had an enormous impact on Immunology research in Canada and internationally as the inaugural Scientific Director of the Institute of Infection and Immunity, part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. We heard from Dr. Marc Ouellette, the current SD of the III, and later from Dr. Alan Bernstein, the first president of the CIHR, about central role that Dr. Singh played in the evolution of the CIHR and how we fund and do science in Canada today.

It was a fantastic day and evening honouring a very deserving scientist, leader, and mentor. Our very best wishes go to Bhagi in his retirement.