Dr. Sheila Wang has been named recipient of a Governor General’s Innovation Award for her leadership in the creation of an artificial intelligence-driven technology that improves accessibility and quality of care for patients with wounds. Dr. Wang is completing her residency in Dermatology at McGill.
On May 4, the Rideau Hall Foundation announced the recipients of the sixth annual Governor General’s Innovation Awards. The Awards recognize and celebrate outstanding Canadian individuals, teams and organizations for their excellence in innovation and their contributions to helping shape our future and positively impact our quality of life. This year there were six recipients.
Dr. Wang is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Swift Medical, a global leader in wound technology today. Their technology is implemented in more than 2,000 healthcare institutions across North America and used to monitor more than 150,000 patients each month – including many in remote and Indigenous communities. This technology helps thousands of wound care patients access immediate, virtual wound care from their own homes, critically important during COVID-19 and beyond.
Another member of the McGill community was honoured. James Robar, who earned his BSc and MSc at McGill, also received a Governor General’s Innovation Award for his work integrating 3D printing into the treatment of skin, breast, head/neck and gynecological cancers. The software, now being deployed by Adaptiiv Medical Technologies Incorporated at leading cancer centres worldwide, enables the design of patient-specific radiotherapy accessories that improve treatment accuracy and patient experience. Robar earned both his BSc (1994) and MSc (1997) at McGill.