SickKids scientists Drs. Daniela Rotin and Jason Moffat named Royal Society of Canada Fellows

Drs. Daniela Rotin and Jason Moffat at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have been named as Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). Rotin is being recognized for her research in protein degradation by the ubiquitin system, which plays a critical role in controlling most cellular processes, and Moffat is being inducted for his work within the field of mammalian cell genomics.

The RSC highlights individuals across Canada for their scholarly, scientific and/or artistic achievements.  Fellows of the Royal Society are selected by their peers for outstanding contributions in their fields. 

“I would like to congratulate Drs. Daniela Rotin and Jason Moffat on this significant recognition of their research excellence,” says Dr. Stephen Scherer, Chief of Research at SickKids Research Institute. “The impact of their research is felt not just within Canada but contributes to scientific advancements in health-care worldwide. Their work is a testament to the incredible research taking place at SickKids.”

Rotin, whose research focuses on the ubiquitin system and its effect on transmembrane proteins, is a Senior Scientist in the Cell Biology program, Co-Director of the SPARC Drug Discovery core facility at SickKids and a full Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto.  Rotin’s lab studies the biochemistry, structure and function of E3 ligases, as well as their physiological functions using cells, tissue organoids and model organisms, and implications on human conditions such as hypertension, cystic fibrosis and cancer. 

Moffat is a Senior Scientist and Program Head for the Genetics & Genome Biology program. He is also a Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, is cross-appointed to the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering in the Faculties of Medicine and Engineering, and opened his research lab at the Donnelly Centre at the University of Toronto where he was a member for 15 years. Moffat's lab develops gene perturbation and cellular engineering technologies and is a leader in functional genomics and systems biology. Most recently, his lab has been mapping genetic interactions and cancer intrinsic immune evasion genes in preclinical models. 

The 2023 Fellows will be welcomed into the RSC this November during the RSC's 2023 Celebration of Excellence and Engagement. Learn more about the Fellows on the RSC website.