Dr. David Cook receives prestigious Polanyi Prize to advance women’s health research

Dr. David Cook has been recognized with a Polanyi Prize in Physiology and Medicine from the Council of Ontario Universities.  

A scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, his research decodes the fundamental biology of gynecologic diseases like ovarian cancer and endometriosis to design more precise approaches for prevention, detection and treatment. 

A central focus is understanding why ovarian cancer so often returns after an initially successful treatment. Using single-cell analysis, advanced microscopy and patient-derived disease models, Dr. Cook examines how cancer cells shift between biological states during therapy — transitions that help the dangerous cells survive, spread and recur. His work extends to rare subtypes of the disease like low-grade serous carcinoma, which disproportionately affects younger women and responds poorly to chemotherapy. 

Endometriosis poses related challenges: affecting 1 in 10 women and significantly increasing ovarian cancer risk, it presents a critical opportunity for early intervention. His team is working to identify which cases are likely to progress and to develop more effective treatments, both to improve quality of life and to prevent transformation into cancer.

The Polanyi Prize celebrates early-career researchers whose work has the potential to transform their fields. Dr. Cook’s dedication to understanding how gynecologic diseases progress and resist treatment exemplifies that mission and accelerates the development of therapies that improve patient care and quality of life.