At our Celebration of Excellence 2026, we celebrated those who have provided many years of service to LMP, as well as those who retired this year. We thank them for their dedication and for everything they have contributed to LMP’s academic mission.
Dr. Li Zhang, Professor, was appointed as a Senior Scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and has been appointed in LMP since 1994. She has had a distinguished career and her pioneering research in immunology and transplantation has had international impact. As the inaugural Maria H. Bacardi Chair in Transplantation, she advanced understanding of immune tolerance and developed innovative immunotherapies for cancer, graft-versus-host disease, and transplant rejection, including groundbreaking work on double negative T cells as “off-the-shelf” cellular therapies. In addition to her influential scientific contributions, Dr. Zhang has been a dedicated mentor and collaborator whose leadership and commitment to translational research have helped shape the fields of cancer immunotherapy and transplantation medicine for future generations.
Nades Palaniyar
Dr. Nades Palaniyar, Associate Professor, was appointed as a Senior Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children and was appointed in LMP since 2004. His research focused on the innate immune system, neutrophils, rare pediatric lung diseases, COVID-19, and other infectious and inflammatory diseases. He has made outstanding contributions to biomedical research and education at the University of Toronto, earning recognition for his work in immunology and host defense. His research has significantly advanced understanding of innate immune mechanisms, particularly the role of neutrophils and antimicrobial proteins in combating infection and inflammation. His commitment to excellence, collaboration, and knowledge of translation has left a lasting impact on both the scientific community and the next generation of researchers.
(Left to right) Rita Kandel, Aaron Pollet, Zeina Ghorab, Linda Kapusta and Paul Yip
