Upon moving to Vancouver in 1973, Connie was the second research scientist to be hired to the staff of the BC Cancer Institute. She later co-founded the Terry Fox Laboratory in 1981 with her husband Dr. Allen Eaves. With over 50 years of service, she was the longest-serving BC Cancer Research employee. 

Over that time, Connie became a global authority on stem cells with translational impact on bone marrow transplantation and treatments for leukemia and breast cancer. Her discoveries have advanced knowledge on the origin of these cancers and her pioneering research methodologies, including developing a technique to separate cancerous from normal stem cells, have become gold standard approaches used by laboratories around the world.

In her first year of medical school, Connie was one of just 10 women in a class of 70. Since then, she continued to advocate for more women in STEM as they remain underrepresented in those areas. Connie also played a major role in the recruitment and training of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows at the Terry Fox Laboratory.

Affiliations

Professor, Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia

Credentials

Institution and location                                                                                                    

Degree            

Dates                  

Field of study                        

Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, CanadaBSc1961-64Biology/Chemistry
Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, CanadaMSc1964-66Biology
University of Manchester, Manchester, UKPhD1966-69Immunology
Christie Hosp. & Holt Radium Inst, Manchester, UK   Postdoc  1969-70Radiobiology
Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, ON, CanadaPostdoc1970-73Medical Biophysics

 

Selected Honours

  • 1993 - UBC Killam Research Prize & Vancouver Hall of Fame, Science World
  • 1994 - Fellow, Royal Society of Canada
  • 1997 - UBC Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Medical Lecturer Award
  • 2000 - Medal of the Polish Society of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine
  • 2003 - Robert L. Noble Prize for Excellence in Cancer Research awarded by NCIC
  • 2005 - Terry Fox Medal of the BC Medical Society
  • 2008 - ISEH Metcalf Honorary Lecture and Award
  • 2008  - University of BC Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Achievement Award
  • 2009 - American Society of Hematology Henry M. Stratton Medal for Lifetime Achievement
  • 2015 - Corresponding Fellow, Royal Society of Edinburgh
  • 2016 - Dr. Chew Wei Memorial Prize in Cancer Research
  • 2018 - Life Sciences of BC Dr. Don Rix Lifetime Achievement Award (with A. Eaves)
  • 2018 - International Society for Stem Cell Research Tobias Award
  • 2018 - American Society of Hematology E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize
  • 2019 - Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureate
  • 2019 - 2019 Canada Gairdner Wightman Award
  • 2021 - Fellow of the Royal Society of UK
  • 2021 - Distinguished University Scholar, University of British Columbia
  • 2021 - Canadian Cancer Research Alliance Award for Outstanding Achievements in Cancer Research
  • 2021 - Officer of the Order of Canada
  • 2022 - Till McCulloch Lifetime Achievement Award
  • 2022 - Bill and Marilyn Webber Lifetime Achievement Award
  • 2023 - BC YWCA Women of Distinction (Science) Award
  • 2023 - ISEH Mentorship Award

Selected Publications

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