In 1978, Dr. Doyle and Dr. Jacks, along with the support of many others*, founded the Pacific Otolaryngology Foundation (POF) to create a British Columbia based facility dedicated to the research and treatment of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. Most everyone knows someone that has been affected by such problems as loss of hearing, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), cancer of the head and neck, sinus infection, balance, breathing and voice disorders.
In 1983 the POF and the Vancouver Rotary Club (VRC) established the Rotary Hearing Research Unit, within the Division of Otolaryngology at UBC. This unit was directed by the internationally renowned scientist, Dr. Dietrich Schwarz, until his retirement in 2007. During this time the principal research was into the hearing centers of the brain in support of improvements to cochlear implant technology. Financial support for that unit came in large part from the VRC and from the POF.
The cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device which provides hearing to the totally deaf. Dr. Doyle pioneered the cochlear implant program in Canada and this delicate, surgical procedure is now quite common. This was perhaps the most significant development for hearing in many decades; one that we could only dream would be possible in the 1950’s or 60’s. Imagine the vast opportunities the cochlear implant brings to a child born with profound hearing loss.
In 2004, with further assistance from the VRC, the estate of Mr. Walter Stewart, and other generous donations, the POF was able to work with UBC to create the “Dr. Patrick J. Doyle and Dr. Quentin D. Jacks Professorship in Otolaryngological Research”. This is now a permanent UBC professorship.
Following the retirement of the first Doyle/Jacks Professor, Dr. Schwarz, the POF met to determine its future research direction. The directors were of the opinion that the next breakthrough comparable to the cochlear implant will come from genetic research and genetic otolaryngology research was adopted as the preferred research focus for the POF. The current Doyle/Jacks Professor, Dr. Cathie Garnis, is investigating genetics related to otolaryngological related cancers.
The current goal of the POF is to raise additional funding, in the range of $1 million, to support a second research professor and to bring to reality a multi-professorship Otolaryngology research unit at UBC. Dr. Doyle and Dr. Jacks began creating such a research unit 30 years ago with the belief that research is critical to the practice of medicine.
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*some founding members and honorary directors of the POF include Dr. Patrick J. Doyle, Dr. Quentin Jacks, Mr. John J. Brown, CA, Dr. Irwin Stewart (Order of Canada), Mr. Tong Louie , Dr. Nathaniel Blair, Mr. Michael O’Keefe, Dr. Gordon Large, Hon. Chief Justice Allan McEachern, Ms. Hilda Gregory (Vancouver Oral Center), Dr. Murray Morrison, Dr. William Gibson, Dr. Gordon Christopher, Mr. W.F. Tucker Battle, Mr. Patrick Reynolds, Mr. Sidney Welsh, Mr. Hollis Lane, Mr. Jack Munro, Mr. Joseph Segal, Mr. Harold Sigurdson.
In 1983 the POF and the Vancouver Rotary Club (VRC) established the Rotary Hearing Research Unit, within the Division of Otolaryngology at UBC. This unit was directed by the internationally renowned scientist, Dr. Dietrich Schwarz, until his retirement in 2007. During this time the principal research was into the hearing centers of the brain in support of improvements to cochlear implant technology. Financial support for that unit came in large part from the VRC and from the POF.
The cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device which provides hearing to the totally deaf. Dr. Doyle pioneered the cochlear implant program in Canada and this delicate, surgical procedure is now quite common. This was perhaps the most significant development for hearing in many decades; one that we could only dream would be possible in the 1950’s or 60’s. Imagine the vast opportunities the cochlear implant brings to a child born with profound hearing loss.
In 2004, with further assistance from the VRC, the estate of Mr. Walter Stewart, and other generous donations, the POF was able to work with UBC to create the “Dr. Patrick J. Doyle and Dr. Quentin D. Jacks Professorship in Otolaryngological Research”. This is now a permanent UBC professorship.
Following the retirement of the first Doyle/Jacks Professor, Dr. Schwarz, the POF met to determine its future research direction. The directors were of the opinion that the next breakthrough comparable to the cochlear implant will come from genetic research and genetic otolaryngology research was adopted as the preferred research focus for the POF. The current Doyle/Jacks Professor, Dr. Cathie Garnis, is investigating genetics related to otolaryngological related cancers.
The current goal of the POF is to raise additional funding, in the range of $1 million, to support a second research professor and to bring to reality a multi-professorship Otolaryngology research unit at UBC. Dr. Doyle and Dr. Jacks began creating such a research unit 30 years ago with the belief that research is critical to the practice of medicine.
______________________________________________________________________
*some founding members and honorary directors of the POF include Dr. Patrick J. Doyle, Dr. Quentin Jacks, Mr. John J. Brown, CA, Dr. Irwin Stewart (Order of Canada), Mr. Tong Louie , Dr. Nathaniel Blair, Mr. Michael O’Keefe, Dr. Gordon Large, Hon. Chief Justice Allan McEachern, Ms. Hilda Gregory (Vancouver Oral Center), Dr. Murray Morrison, Dr. William Gibson, Dr. Gordon Christopher, Mr. W.F. Tucker Battle, Mr. Patrick Reynolds, Mr. Sidney Welsh, Mr. Hollis Lane, Mr. Jack Munro, Mr. Joseph Segal, Mr. Harold Sigurdson.