Every day of Toronto’s four-month SARS crisis, Dr. Low and his team put their own health and safety on the line. He was one of the first doctors in the world to see SARS patients face-to-face. He sat on their beds and toured infected hospital wards.
While best-known for his part in managing SARS, Dr. Low’s impact on public health began well before that and continued long after. A native of Winnipeg, Dr. Low was deeply respected for advancing the practice of microbiology and improving systems to prevent the spread of infectious diseases across Canada. He mentored countless physicians and PhD students. Known for his keen mind, he loved nothing more than to puzzle out intriguing new developments in infectious diseases.
He was a global expert in flesh-eating disease -- necrotizing fasciitis -- caused by group A Streptococcus. He was also an early and passionate champion of the need to combat anti-microbial resistance through prudent use of antibiotic drugs. Over the course of his career, he co-authored nearly 400 peer-reviewed articles for scientific journals, 41 book chapters and almost 100 invited articles; he has been cited by others more than 3,600 times.
Post-SARS, Dr. Low travelled around the world, giving lectures on how best to identify, contain, and manage infectious diseases and epidemics. His work helped lay the groundwork for structural and operational improvements in ERs and ICUs around the world, ensuring that we were all better prepared for when the next global epidemic struck.
Later, Dr. Low’s advocacy led to the creation of Public Health Ontario, to protect Ontarians against future health crises. And at the end of his life, he became known as an advocate for Canadians’ right to die.
In February 2013, Dr. Low was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. On September 18 2013, the trusted leader in the field of infectious disease and globally recognized researcher and mentor died at 68.
While best-known for his part in managing SARS, Dr. Low’s impact on public health began well before that and continued long after. A native of Winnipeg, Dr. Low was deeply respected for advancing the practice of microbiology and improving systems to prevent the spread of infectious diseases across Canada. He mentored countless physicians and PhD students. Known for his keen mind, he loved nothing more than to puzzle out intriguing new developments in infectious diseases.
He was a global expert in flesh-eating disease -- necrotizing fasciitis -- caused by group A Streptococcus. He was also an early and passionate champion of the need to combat anti-microbial resistance through prudent use of antibiotic drugs. Over the course of his career, he co-authored nearly 400 peer-reviewed articles for scientific journals, 41 book chapters and almost 100 invited articles; he has been cited by others more than 3,600 times.
Post-SARS, Dr. Low travelled around the world, giving lectures on how best to identify, contain, and manage infectious diseases and epidemics. His work helped lay the groundwork for structural and operational improvements in ERs and ICUs around the world, ensuring that we were all better prepared for when the next global epidemic struck.
Later, Dr. Low’s advocacy led to the creation of Public Health Ontario, to protect Ontarians against future health crises. And at the end of his life, he became known as an advocate for Canadians’ right to die.
In February 2013, Dr. Low was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. On September 18 2013, the trusted leader in the field of infectious disease and globally recognized researcher and mentor died at 68.
While best-known for his part in managing SARS, Dr. Low’s impact on public health began well before that and continued long after. A native of Winnipeg, Dr. Low was deeply respected for advancing the practice of microbiology and improving systems to prevent the spread of infectious diseases across Canada. He mentored countless physicians and PhD students. Known for his keen mind, he loved nothing more than to puzzle out intriguing new developments in infectious diseases.
He was a global expert in flesh-eating disease -- necrotizing fasciitis -- caused by group A Streptococcus. He was also an early and passionate champion of the need to combat anti-microbial resistance through prudent use of antibiotic drugs. Over the course of his career, he co-authored nearly 400 peer-reviewed articles for scientific journals, 41 book chapters and almost 100 invited articles; he has been cited by others more than 3,600 times.
Post-SARS, Dr. Low travelled around the world, giving lectures on how best to identify, contain, and manage infectious diseases and epidemics. His work helped lay the groundwork for structural and operational improvements in ERs and ICUs around the world, ensuring that we were all better prepared for when the next global epidemic struck.
Later, Dr. Low’s advocacy led to the creation of Public Health Ontario, to protect Ontarians against future health crises. And at the end of his life, he became known as an advocate for Canadians’ right to die.
In February 2013, Dr. Low was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. On September 18 2013, the trusted leader in the field of infectious disease and globally recognized researcher and mentor died at 68.
He was a tremendous educator and a fabulous researcher....He's the guy you would point to in terms of what's possible to achieve.
Lionel Mandell, Dr. Low's close friend and Professor Emeritus of Infectious Diseases at McMaster University in Hamilton
About Mount Sinai 100 Chairs
In 2023, Mount Sinai Hospital will mark its 100th anniversary. To honour the physicians and scientists who have made breakthrough discoveries and whose achievements have elevated Sinai Health’s reputation for world-class care, we are pleased to introduce our Mount Sinai 100 Chairs. These legacy chairs carry the names of Sinai Health’s most eminent trailblazers and will help recruit and fund the work of a new generation of clinicians and scientists, securing the next century of caring at Sinai Health. We invite you to help us imagine the next 100 years.
About Mount Sinai 100 Chairs
In 2023, Mount Sinai Hospital will mark its 100th anniversary. To honour the physicians and scientists who have made breakthrough discoveries and whose achievements have elevated Sinai Health’s reputation for world-class care, we are pleased to introduce our Mount Sinai 100 Chairs. These legacy chairs carry the names of Sinai Health’s most eminent trailblazers and will help recruit and fund the work of a new generation of clinicians and scientists, securing the next century of caring at Sinai Health. We invite you to help us imagine the next 100 years.
About Mount Sinai 100 Chairs
In 2023, Mount Sinai Hospital will mark its 100th anniversary. To honour the physicians and scientists who have made breakthrough discoveries and whose achievements have elevated Sinai Health’s reputation for world-class care, we are pleased to introduce our Mount Sinai 100 Chairs. These legacy chairs carry the names of Sinai Health’s most eminent trailblazers and will help recruit and fund the work of a new generation of clinicians and scientists, securing the next century of caring at Sinai Health. We invite you to help us imagine the next 100 years.
