Governor General’s Innovation Awards 2019 Recipients Announced
Six recipients from across Canada recognized for their groundbreaking work and excellence in innovation Ottawa, ON – May 13, 2019 –
Calgary, AB
Dr. Garnette Sutherland - Improving neurosurgical outcomes with technology.
Nominated by:
Universities Canada
Year: 2019
About the Innovation
With the goal of improving patient care, Dr. Garnette Sutherland developed a high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance (MR) system that provides surgeons with exquisitely detailed, 3-D MR images during an operation. This innovative technology has been used in treating over 40 000 neurosurgical patients worldwide. Within this environment, an image-guided robotic system called neuroArm was created at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. It is the world’s first robot capable of performing neurosurgery on a patient inside an MR imaging machine. The technology promises to make surgeries less invasive and more standardized, thereby improving outcomes and reducing health care costs.
About the Innovator
Dr. Sutherland, professor of neurosurgery at the University of Calgary, is well known in health care innovation. His remarkable contributions to science and medicine are reflected by 214 peer-reviewed publications, 31 monographs/book chapters, 16 patents and over 300 international lectureships. Committed to improving neurosurgical outcomes, he has focused his collaborative research on advancing image-guided robotics and linked technologies. Endorsed by philanthropic and financial partners, he has led complex projects towards global success. His many accolades include his induction into the Space Technology Hall of Fame (2014) and the NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal (2015). Dr. Sutherland was appointed ¬¬Member of the Order of Canada in 2011.
