Hospital hires vice-president of research

Sudbury Regional Hospital has announced it has hired a new vice-president of research.

According to a hospital press release, Dr. Francisco Diaz-Mitoma is a “renowned medical scientist and professor, and founder of two research foundations and a biotechnology company.”

Diaz-Mitoma comes to the hospital from Ottawa, where he was an infectious disease and clinical virology consultant with Ottawa Hospital, plus the chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).

Diaz-Mitoma also served as a professor in the departments of Pediatrics, Pathology, Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine.

As a researcher, Diaz-Mitoma founded two research organizations, including the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Centre at the CHEO Research Institute. He also co-founded Variation Biotechnologies Inc., a company specializing in the clinical stages of vaccine development.

With his arrival at the hospital, Dr. Diaz-Mitoma also becomes the sole medical microbiologist in northeastern Ontario.

“Recruiting someone of Dr. Diaz-Mitoma’s calibre and experience is a substantial accomplishment for our hospital, “ Dr. Denis Roy, the hospital's president and CEO, said in a press release.

“It is a major step forward on the road to becoming a centre of excellence in medical research and teaching. It also speaks to the reputation of this hospital that Dr. Diaz-Mitoma chose to be a part of our health care team.”

“I was very impressed when Dr. Roy explained his vision to build a centre of excellence for medical research in Northern Ontario,” Diaz-Mitoma said. “I am honoured to be part of making this vision a reality. With the help of our community, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and Laurentian University, we will build a first-class medical research centre in Sudbury.”