Donald Plewes

Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto

Dr. Donald Plewes is Professor Emeritus from the Department of Medical Biophysics of the University of Toronto. His career has been devoted to research in the physics of medical imaging. His research has spanned studies in x-ray imaging, computed tomography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging with clinical applications related to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Together with his students, he has published widely on these subject and holds numerous patents related to various aspects of medical imaging. His work blends basic and applied research that proceeds from bench science, clinical trials, and commercialization. Dr. Plewes was involved in the early development of digital mammography and MRI technologies for improved breast cancer screening. He co-led a twelve-year, pivotal breast cancer screening trial that led directly to the high-risk breast MRI screening program of the Ontario Breast Screening Program funded by the Province of Ontario. In 2004, Dr. Plewes and members of his group founded Sentinelle Medical to manufacture and distribute advanced instrumentation and software for MRI breast screening. The company was sold in 2010, and the technology is currently sold worldwide by InVivo, a division of Philips Medical. Dr. Plewes currently serves as a board member of Harmonic Medical, which develops advanced ultrasound technology for HIFU tissue ablation. More recently, he partnered with Innovere Medical to develop technology to manage claustrophobia and anxiety for patients undergoing MRI scans.