35th Annual Fraser N. Gurd Visiting Professor Event
May 29th, 2025
Osler Amphitheatre – Montreal General Hospital
1650 Cedar Avenue, 6th Floor Room A6.105
Diana L. Farmer, MD
Department of Surgery, University of California,
Davis Chief of Pediatric Surgery, Shriner's Hospitals
California, USA
Dr. Diana L. Farmer, an internationally renowned fetal and neonatal surgeon, is Distinguished Professor, Pearl Stamps Stewart Endowed Chair, and Chair of the Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis. She is also Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Shriner's Hospitals - Northern California, and Founder and Co-director of the Center for Surgical Bioengineering.
Dr. Farmer's lab focuses on regenerative medicine, specifically in utero stem cell therapy for myelomeningocele (MMC), the most severe form of spina bifida. In 2000, Dr. Farmer's team made the seminal discovery that hindbrain herniation could be ameliorated by prenatal surgical repair in fetal sheep. This breakthrough led to the $22 million-dollar, multicenter Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS), a randomized human clinical trial of MMC closure before and after birth. The trial showed conclusively that fetal surgery resulted in better outcomes. Dr. Farmer is now developing an allogeneic placental mesenchymal stem cell product to further treat in utero spina bifida. Her lab received Investigational New Drug IND) approval with the Food and Drug Administration in 2020. Patient enrollment in the CuRe (Cellular Therapy for in Utero Repair of MMC) clinical trial is currently underway.
Dr. Farmer has been honored with numerous awards throughout her career, including being a Luce Scholar, a recipient of Wellesley College's Alumnae Achievement Award, a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, past President of the American Pediatric Surgical Association, and past Chair of the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Farmer has long been a leader in global surgery and in 2016 she founded the Global Initiative for Children's Surgery, subsequently receiving the 2020 Universitas 21 Award for contribution to Internationalization in Surgical Education. She is a Regent of the American College of Surgeons and was the 2022 President of the American Surgical Association.
Event Program
| 7:30 am – 8:30 am |
DR. DIANA FARMER Objectives:
|
| 8:45 am –12:00 pm | Scientific Presentations |
| 12:00 pm –12:30 pm | Lunch |
| 12:30 pm –1:30 pm |
Lunch Symposium:
|
| 1:30 pm –3:30 pm | Scientific Presentations |
| 6:00 pm |
FRASER GURD BANQUETRitz Carlton Hotel |
Dr. Fraser N. Gurd Day
Fraser Gurd Day is our department’s main event of the year. During the day the department showcases resident and staff driven research as well as presentations and activities involving our visiting professor for the year. Dr Gurd succeeded Dr. H. Rocke Robertson as Chairman of the Department of Surgery, McGill University in 1962. Throughout his career, Dr. Gurd demonstrated a remarkable interest in research with several significant investigations into the treatment of shock and trauma.
Dr. Gurd has received many honours including the Royal College’s Duncan Graham Award for outstanding service in medical education but perhaps his greatest contribution to our program was the development of the surgeon scientist.
He was an Emeritus Professor of Surgery at McGill University. The presentations by the residents and fellows are a tribute to the many contributions of Dr. Fraser Gurd.
