September 17, 2010

Two medical experts are relocating to Thunder Bay; Dr. Michael Wood, new Vice President Research will hold a dual role with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute (TBRRI); and Dr. Margaret Sweet, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Canada (F.R.C.P. (C)) and a fellowship trained vascular neurologist, will be joining TBRHSC’s Internal Medicine department.

Dr. Wood is the first ever VP Research at TBRHSC and TBRRI and will provide strategic research leadership in discovery, translational research and clinical trials, as well as business development and commercialization areas for both organizations. Dr. Sweet will work with the department of Internal Medicine at TBRHSC. She is the first vascular neurologist (specializing in diagnosis and treatment of stroke) in the history of TBRHSC.

“Dr. Wood and Dr. Sweet bring valuable expertise to our organization. Dr Wood has an impressive business and science background and Dr. Sweet brings new skills in neurology. Their arrival is another milestone in our vision to transform our regional hospital into a great Academic Health Sciences Centre,” says Mr. Ron Saddington, President and CEO, TBRHSC.

Mr. Michael Power, CEO of TBRRI and VP Cancer and Diagnostic Services at TBRHSC describes the husband and wife team as “a dynamic duo”. In terms of TBRRI he says “the scientific team is very excited about Dr. Wood’s arrival and he has already made an impact in the intellectual property protection arena.”

For the past 10 years Dr. Wood held the position of Manager of Research Collaboration for the Global MR Business at GE Healthcare, where he championed a strategy for academic research collaborations for the Global MR Business and managed the line of 1.5T MR systems globally. He holds a PhD in Medical Biophysics from the University of Toronto where he was a Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Medical Imaging.

Dr. Sweet has specialized certification in Vascular Neurology from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She has practiced and consulted in the field of neurology for the past 18 years. Among her specialized training, Dr. Sweet completed her residency and fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital: A Teaching Affiliate of Harvard Medical School. She has Certification in Neurology from the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine and is also fellowship trained with a specialty in EMG from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

“It was both a family decision and a professional move,” says Dr. Wood. “We are Canadian citizens and want to contribute to the future of our healthcare system in Ontario and we see a lot of opportunity in the growing medical research environment in Thunder Bay. In terms of TBRRI, I am excited about the model of researching patient needs, translating the need into technology and ultimately a commercial medical product,” he says. “Another big draw is the beautiful outdoor lifestyle; we enjoy lakeside life and are a year-round outdoor sports family,” he adds.

The City of Thunder Bay is also assisting the family with their relocation and helping them settle into the community.

“On behalf of the City of Thunder Bay I would like to welcome Dr. Wood and Dr. Sweet to Northwestern Ontario. Their decision to join the TBRHSC and relocate their family from Wisconsin to Thunder Bay, illustrates their commitment to healthcare in our region. They are a welcomed addition to the growing community of science and healthcare professionals here in the Northwest,” says Mayor Lynn Peterson.

The family arrived in Thunder Bay this week. Dr. Wood and Dr. Sweet have three children; Patricia aged 19, Madeleine aged 14 and David, aged 6, who is looking forward to playing in the upcoming hockey season.

:: bio Dr. Michael Wood ::

:: bio Dr. Margaret Sweet ::

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