CENTRE WELLINGTON – Dr. Andreas Laupacis said being appointed to the Order of Canada is an honour that is “very humbling in a big way.
“To be honest, it’s pretty awesome,” but there are many others he “worked with who also deserve it,” he added.
“Science is a team sport.”
Laupacis lives on a farm between Arthur and Fergus with his wife and daughter.
They moved to the area a couple of years ago, but their family’s roots in the county go back much further, with his wife’s mom growing up in Erin.
His long career in medical research and practicing medicine includes working as editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Laupacis feels “so privileged to work in a healing profession.”
The 99 new appointees to the Order of Canada were announced by Governor General Mary Simon on Dec. 29.
When notified of his appointment in November, Laupacis could only share the news with his wife and kids, who are 31 and 28.
He said keeping it quiet wasn’t too hard because he understood the reason and trusted his family not to share.
Key mentors
Laupacis went to medical school at Queen’s University in Kingston, specialized in internal medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and then did research training at McMaster University in Hamilton.
He said he had two important mentors who helped shape the path of his career: Cal Stiller and David Sackett.
In the early ‘80s Laupacis worked with Stiller on researching a drug to support kidney transplants.
“In some ways this was the most amazing moment” of his career, he said.
Stiller and Laupacis’ research showed a new drug, cyclosporine, was “so much more effective” in reducing kidney rejection.
Laupacis called this the “spark that made me really keen on research – how research can … not always, but sometimes, really transform people’s lives.”
Stiller was the first person to call Laupacis to congratulate him on his appointment to the Order of Canada.
David Sackett was Laupacis’ clinical supervisor during his studies in clinical epidemiology at McMaster in 1985.
Laupacis wrote a heartfelt tribute about Sackett’s impact as a teacher, researcher and friend after Sackett’s death in 2015.
The article was published in Healthy Debate, a journalism publication Laupacis founded in 2011.
Stiller and Sackett have also been appointed to the Order of Canada.
Mentoring others
Laupacis is very grateful to have mentored young people during his own career and to “support people coming after me as [Stiller and Sacket] did for me.”
He describes the privilege of being able to “work with really bright young people, maintain contact, and see their careers flourish.”
Michael Hill is one of the people Laupacis has mentored.
“It has been great to see people like Michael doing so well. His work has benefitted many people who’ve had strokes,” said Laupacis.
He added he learns a lot from the people he mentors, noting “it’s a two-way beneficial relationship,” with friendships forming too.
Laupacis has worked at three universities: first at Western University in London, then the University of Ottawa from 1991 to 2000, and most recently for 20 years at the University of Toronto.
Among his career accomplishments, he noted he is most proud of is his work at the University of Ottawa, where he was part of a “research group to evaluate benefits of new medical treatments and how to make health care better.”
Laupacis said the university “took a gamble” in hiring him for this role as he “was still very young.”
He said it was “very satisfying” to see how the group flourished even after he left, when “a real superstar from Scotland” was recruited to take his place.
Practicing medicine
“As an individual you can only do so much,” Laupacis said, but by training other people it’s possible to really maximize impact, as work you begin can continue without you.
Laupacis’ appointment to the Order of Canada is in recognition of his medical research, not his work as a doctor, but he also practiced medicine for much of his career.
“Practicing medicine made me a better researcher,” Laupacis said.
He noted his time working in palliative care at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto for 10 years was “very moving.”
It gave him the “opportunity to get to know homeless people” and people experiencing addiction.
This had a significant influence in shaping the person he is today, he said.
Sharing “intimate and vulnerable moments is a privilege,” Laupacis said.
“I just love my job. I’m really lucky.”
‘Developing roots’
Laupacis explained he has a healthy balance between work, family and personal time.
His plans for the future include continuing to work as an editor for the Canadian Medical Association Journal for a couple more years – “as long as they’ll have me,” he said.
Laupacis stepped down as editor-in-chief at the journal a few years ago when he realized his love for leading big groups and managing aspects like budgets and funding was dwindling.
He appreciates how through his work as an editor at the journal he can continue “to be a team player” and is also able to work from home on his farm.
He said moving forward he’d consider reducing his hours to part time, which would give him more time to tend his big vegetable garden.
Veggies and flowers on the farm include tomatoes, kale, beans, peas, lettuce, tomatillos, gladiolus and sunflowers.
“I love to cook,” Laupacis said. “I love the fresh vegetables.”
Laupacis described how a row of big sunflowers still has some seeds now in January, with birds coming to feed from them.
He and his wife love cycling and have planned a ten-day bicycle trip in Westport, Ireland later this year.
Though they have lots of visits to the farm from friends from Toronto, Laupacis said they haven’t formed “a big solid network” locally yet, and he would like to work on cultivating this.
“Developing roots and friends in the area is a priority,” Laupacis said.
He is going to start volunteering with Grand Valley Trails soon, work he sees as an opportunity to make connections in the local community.
