Prizes and Progress in Urology
Michael Jewett
|
During this past year, Michael
Jewett received three prestigious
awards: The American
Urological Association’s
Distinguished Contributions
Award for lifelong contributions
in urologic oncology,
the CUA Award which is an
infrequently presented lifetime
contribution award from
the Canadian Urological
Association, and the Medal of the Society of Urological
Oncology, a North American multidisciplinary group.
All were received within the same five week period!
In answer to the question: What’s new in Urology?
Michael described a recent visit of Professor Andreas
Melzer, the Director of the Institute for Medical Science
and Technology in Dundee, Scotland (for a virtual tour
http://imsat.org/virtualtour.htm ). Work going on in the
Institute exemplifies innovations that will change Urology.
"Meltzer is studying high intensity focused ultrasound
(HIFU) thermal ablation using MR guidance for prostate
and kidney cancer.. He has invented a robot to perform
more precise biopsies during MRI imaging. He has perfected
a technique of embalming that keeps cadavers sufficiently
flexible that they can be subjected to laparoscopic
and other operations with high fidelity to the texture of
living human tissue. They are ideal subjects for developing
new technology as well as for teaching. Meltzer spoke at
TECHNA, the new UHN Research Institute.
|
The field of urology is advancing rapidly. Neil
Fleishner and his colleagues are biobanking urine and
blood samples on every cancer patient treated in the
urologic oncology program. This can be correlated with
the natural history of their cancers and with the genome
of the tumors, which have been preserved frozen as has
every tumor resected at the UHN for the past six years."
Michael’s practice has evolved into oncology exclusively,
as our University urology practice is now compartmentalized
by mission. "Each of the urologic services
at the various university affiliated hospitals has a 30%
platform of general urology and a 70% focus on particular
areas of expertise. St. Michael’s Hospital specializes
in stones, Toronto Western on neuro-oncology (for
example stimulation of the bladder), and Mount Sinai
Hospital on Infertility and Sexual Dysfunction.
Michael’s focus is on kidney cancer, testicular cancer
with retroperitoneal node dissection (RPLND) and cystectomies
for bladder cancer. Michael holds two chairs
in kidney cancer which makes it possible for him to support
two post-doctoral students, three research coordinators,
as well as fellows and a large research program. His
wife, Brenda Gallie, the distinguished ophthalmologist,
geneticist and cancer researcher, has worked with him to
develop apps for patients in the urologic oncology program
that allow them to record and access their records
at the point of care. Their doctors receive an autofax of
the clinic notes from their visit to the urologic oncology
clinic that arrives by the time they reach their home.
Sunnybrook has developed a portal, which patients can
access to print their records and laboratory results. These
are remarkable advances in patient centered care.
M.M.
|