Dr. Charles Tator
Senior Scientist, Division of Cell and Molecular Biology,
Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network

Dr. Charles Tator is a pioneer in the research and prevention of head and spinal cord injuries. For over 40 years this internationally recognized neurosurgeon, scientist and ambassador has done much to bring brain and spinal cord injury before the public eye in Canada.

Dr. Tator completed his residency at Toronto General Hospital in 1969 during which he focused on nervous system diseases for his Masters and PhD degrees from the U of T. Through the 1990s Dr. Tator lead the development of the neuroscience program at Toronto Western Hospital (TWH) and founded ThinkFirst, Canada's National Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Foundation. He directs the Canadian Paraplegic Association Spinal Cord Injury Research Laboratory at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre and was the chair of the Canadian Brain and Nerve Health Coalition. He was the inaugural Dan Family Chair in Neurosurgery and the inaugural Robert Campeau Family Foundation / Dr. C.H. Tator Chair in Research, and is the former Chair of Neurosurgery at U of T.

The Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Program at TWH owes much to Dr. Tator's research achievements – the development of SCI lab models, evaluation methods, characterization of fundamental mechanisms of SCI, and exploring the potential for regeneration utilizing stem cell strategies.

Dr. Tator has supervised a generation of graduate students and fellows. He has received many awards from leading neurological associations across North America, including grants from the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation and the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation. He is a Member of the Order of Canada, and an inductee into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

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