Industry Minister Congratulates Canadian Scientists Honoured for Outstanding Work in Adapting Space Technology for Medical Advancement

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 8, 2015) - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Industry, today made the following statement:

"I am pleased to congratulate two Canadians who are being recognized by the International Space Station Program for their exceptional work in using space robotics technologies to advance health care initiatives in Canadian hospitals. These tools, which were developed with the support of the Government of Canada, will greatly benefit and advance medical diagnostic and operative care for years to come.

"Dr. Mehran Anvari, Scientific Director & CEO, Centre for Surgical Invention & Innovation and tenured professor at McMaster University, is being recognized for the Image-Guided Autonomous Robot (IGAR), a promising platform that applies technology from Canadarm2 and Dextre to offer one-stop diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer patients.

"Dr. Garnette Sutherland, Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine, has been awarded the NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal for his leadership in developing neuroArm, the world's first robot capable of performing neurosurgery inside magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. This robot, created from the technology used in Canadarm, Canadarm2 and Dextre, has already saved the lives of 35 otherwise inoperable patients in initial clinical trials alone.

"I am very pleased to see these two Canadians getting the recognition they so richly deserve.

"These awards are a testament to Canada's space research efforts, which are resulting in tangible benefits in Canada and around the world."

Associated links

Dr. Mehran Anvari

Dr. Garnette Sutherland

Canadian Space technology helps breast cancer patients

neuroArm: Robotic arms lend a healing touch

Canada's Space Policy Framework

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