The Board of Directors of the London Biotechnology Commercialization Centre announced today the naming of the Centre as The Stiller Biotechnology Commercialization Centre, in honour of Dr. Calvin R. and Mrs. Angelina Stiller.
Moira Burke, Chair of the Board, said that the Board is delighted that Dr. Stiller has agreed to accept the invitation to name the building in his honour. “The Biotechnology Commercialization Centre was created to channel the tremendous research strength of this community, both people and ideas, into growing businesses,” Ms. Burke said, “but our vision extends beyond this community. We want this Centre to be a model in Ontario and Canada for successful biotechnology development. We want our name to symbolize medical and research excellence, entrepreneurship, national and international stature and community commitment. We could not think of any more outstanding example of that combination than the Stiller Centre. We are also very proud to have the opportunity to recognize Dr. Stiller in this way here in London, Ontario.”
Dr. Stiller has a long association with medical research in London: he established the Multi-Organ Transplant Service, serving as its chief from 1984-1996. He co-founded or served on the founding boards of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, the Robarts Research Institute and the Siebens-Drake Research Institute, among others. As a businessman and entrepreneur, Dr. Stiller was chairman and founder of various corporations and venture capital funds, including the Canadian Medical Discoveries Fund. He sits on the boards of numerous companies, public endeavours and foundations. In 1998 he was named by the Premier of the Province of Ontario as the Chair of the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund and a Director of the Ontario Innovation Trust, and is also Co-Chair of the recently announced $1 billion Cancer Research Institute of Ontario (CRIO).
Dr. Stiller’s extensive contributions to medical research and entrepreneurship have earned him numerous awards, including the President’s Merit Award of the Medical Research Council of Canada (1995), Order of Canada (1995), Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year as a Supporter of Entrepreneurship in 1996, Order of Ontario (2000), the Toronto Biotechnology Initiative Community Service Award (2002) and Honorary Doctorate, McMaster University (2002).
Dr. Stiller said: “My wife Angie and I are greatly honoured and deeply moved by this completely unexpected honour. The need to bring discoveries from university laboratories to the bed-side of patients and the homes of the community has been a pre-occupation and passion of mine, which the Biotechnology Commercialization Centre will deliver.”
The Centre, which opened its doors in October 2002, provides for the needs of start-up biotech companies. In addition to laboratory and office facilities, the Centre helps bring innovation to the marketplace by offering tenants business planning support, market research, mentoring and operations analysis, as well as links to service providers and industry networks.
For further information, please contact:
Moira Burke, Chair, London Biotechnology Commercialization Centre (519) 646-5503
