Dr. John Bell has been awarded the Lifetime Contribution Prize from the Canadian Cancer Society in recognition of his international leadership in cancer biotherapeutics, including the discovery and development of cancer-killing viruses and treatments that harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer.

Dr. Bell has also played a key role in boosting Canada’s capacity to manufacture these kinds of therapies, including the made-in-Canada CAR-T cell therapy that has provided access to this life-saving treatment for many Canadians.

He helped to create The Ottawa Hospital’s Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre in 2006 and is now leading a Canada-wide biomanufacturing collective as part of the Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub. He also founded BioCanRx (Canada’s Immunotherapy Network), the Canadian Oncolytic Virus Consortium and several biotechnology companies as part of his dedication to translating discoveries into benefits for patients.

He is also known as a kind and supportive mentor and collaborator, with a commitment to engaging the public and patients in research.

"Dr. Bell is not only a brilliant and creative researcher but he is passionately dedicated to ensuring that promising therapies find their way to the Canadian patients who need them,” said Dr. Rebecca Auer, Executive Vice-President, Research and Innovation at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa. “His transformative vision continues to revolutionize how we translate innovative biotherapies to the clinic in this country and around the world."

Dr. Bell is a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and Professor at the University of Ottawa. See the full announcement from the Canadian Cancer Society.

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa and supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.