Doreen Kimura

Doreen Kimura was born on February 15, 1933 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to American parents. She immigrated to Canada with her family in 1926 and studied mathematics and physics at McGill University and the University of Toronto. She received her PhD in psychology in 1961 and taught at various institutions during the Second World War. In 1967, she joined the University of Western Ontario as a professor of psychology and became the head of the medical physics group at the Saskatchewan Cancer Commission. She was instrumental in the design and construction of the first cobalt-60 unit for radiation therapy, which was used to treat cancer patients in 1951. She also conducted research on the effects of radiation on cells and tissues, and developed methods for measuring radiation doses and quality assurance. She moved to the University of Toronto in 1956 and became the head of the physics division of the Ontario Cancer Institute. She continued her research and teaching in medical physics and radiation oncology, and wrote a textbook, The Physics of Radiology, which became a standard reference in the field. She also trained many students and researchers who went on to become leaders in medical physics. She retired in 1980 and became a professor emeritus. She died of a heart attack on February 27, 2013 in Kingston, Ontario, at the age of 80. She was honoured with many awards and recognitions for her work, including the Order of Canada, the Gairdner Foundation International Award, and the induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential Canadian physicians and scientists of her generation.