Researcher transformed understanding and treatment of diseases

A towering research leader whose work shed light on how cells communicate, transforming the understanding and treatment of various diseases, has died.

Anthony (Tony) Pawson, one of Canada’s most renowned and revered medical researchers, passed away on Wednesday August 7 at the age of 60.

A University Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto and Distinguished Investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, Pawson was a world leader in the field of signal-transduction. His work provided new understandings on how cells talk to each other. Miscommunications can lead to a range of diseases including cancer and diabetes. The insights gained from Pawson’s research have therefore offered new treatment options for a range of serious conditions.   

“Tony’s discoveries broadened our understanding of diseases and their potential treatment. His research was revolutionary and his leadership in signal-transduction was recognized around the world,” said Catharine Whiteside, dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

Pawson was the first Canadian scientist to be named a Kyoto Prize Laureate. A winner of the Wolf Prize in Medicine and the Gairdner Award, he was named to the Order of the Companions of Honour by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, one of only nine Canadians to have been so honoured. He was an officer of the Order of Canada, and a fellow of the Royal Society of London and the Royal Society of Canada. Pawson was widely considered a likely future winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

“As we mourn this loss, we know that the memory of Tony’s extraordinary contributions will serve as an inspiration as we continue to pursue his lifelong work of discovery and making our world a better and healthier place,” said Dr. Jim Woodgett, director of Research for Mount Sinai’s Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute.

Born in England, Professor Pawson studied at Winchester College and the University of Cambridge before completing his doctorate at King's College London. Following postdoctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley, he was assistant professor at the University of British Columbia prior to joining the University of Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital in 1985. He is a world leader and one of the top 25 cited scientists in his field, having authored more than 400 scholarly publications.

“Tony Pawson was a phenomenally gifted researcher and a delightful colleague, and his passing marks a very sad and large loss to our academic community and to global bioscience,” said David Naylor, president of the University of Toronto. “On behalf of the University, I extend sympathies to Tony’s family, his laboratory team, and his many friends and collaborators here in Toronto and around the world.”   

Joseph Mapa, president and chief executive officer of Mount Sinai Hospital, said: “All of us here at Mount Sinai felt privileged to work with Tony. The international response from scientific leaders expressing their condolences is a testament to his profound legacy, which continues to impact patient care.”

A service for Pawson's family and friends to meet and share memories will be held on the evening of Friday, August 23. This will be held from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Turner and Porter (2357 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6S 1P4). The following day, August 24, a service will be held at 11 a.m. at Runnymede United Church (432 Runnymede Road, Toronto, ON M6S 2Y8). Tony’s friends and colleagues are welcome on both occasions. An additional tribute to Pawson is being organized by his colleagues at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute for the afternoon of August 26. (Contact Jim Woodgett for more information.)

In Pawson’s honour, University of Toronto flag will be lowered on all three campuses on Friday August 23. Also, the Dr. Tony Pawson Memorial Fund for the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute has been established at Mount Sinai. To make a contribution, call 416-586-8203 or click here.

Liam Mitchell is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.