Thomas Chang

Dr. Thomas Chang, born on April eighth, nineteen thirty-three, is a distinguished Chinese-born Canadian physician and physiologist, renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to medical science. While pursuing his undergraduate studies at McGill University in nineteen fifty-seven, he achieved a remarkable feat by inventing the world's first artificial cell. Working from his dormitory in Douglas Hall, Chang utilized improvised materials, including perfume atomizers, to create a permeable plastic sack capable of carrying hemoglobin almost as effectively as natural blood cells.

After completing his Bachelor of Science in nineteen fifty-seven, Doctor of Medicine in nineteen sixty-one, and Ph.D. in nineteen sixty-five at McGill, Chang's career flourished. He became the founder and Director of the Artificial Cells and Organs Research Centre, as well as a Professor of Physiology, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. His innovative research in the late nineteen sixties led to the discovery that enzymes carried by artificial cells could correct certain metabolic disorders, and he developed charcoal-filled cells to treat drug poisoning.

In the eighties and nineties, Chang gained prominence for his work on safe blood substitutes, earning him the prestigious Order of Canada. The Canadian Academy of Health Sciences recognized his visionary ideas, stating that they were years ahead of the modern era of nanotechnology, regenerative medicine, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and blood substitutes. Notably, he was nominated twice for the Nobel Prize, underscoring the significance of his contributions to the field.

In two thousand eleven, Dr. Chang was honored as the winner of the Greatest McGillian contest, organized by the McGill Alumni Association in celebration of the university's one hundred ninetieth anniversary. His legacy continues to inspire future generations of scientists and medical professionals.