2002 Winner: Leaders of Tomorrow
Groundbreaking Scientific Achievement In Neural Stem Cell Research
Dr. Michael Kallos, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and Associate Director of the Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility at the University of Calgary, is quickly making his mark as a leader in science and technology with his groundbreaking work in the area of neural stem cells.
Breakthrough for Disease Treatment
Dr. Kallos’s research is considered critical for clinical trials planned to treat diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s chorea and multiple sclerosis. His recent publications in top international scientific journals, including Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research, have presented experimental protocols for large-scale growth of a population of brain tissue called neural stem cells in bioreactors. Dr. Kallos is making it possible to plan new clinical trials by providing engineering methods to generate the large number of human neural stem cells needed to transplant into the brains of afflicted individuals.
Exciting Results
His laboratory research on neural stem cells is considered to be a ground breaking scientific achievement. During the experiments, the cells kept their ability to differentiate into all three cell phenotypes of the central nervous system — neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. As a result of his stem cell work, Dr. Kallos has been chosen as a “Network Collaborator” in the new Canadian Network of Centers of Excellence, named the Stem Cell Network. Coupled with his exceptional teaching skills, Dr. Kallos has co-authored 13 formal science presentations and has been asked to speak at international conferences. Dr. Kallos’s work in biomedical research offers great promise for previously incurable diseases.
