Levy, Julia (1934–)

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Levy, Julia (1934–)

Canadian cancer researcher. Born May 15, 1934, in Singapore; dau. of a Dutch banker and an English mother; University of London, PhD in experimental pathology, 1958; children: 3.

As a microbiologist and immunologist, has focused on cancer treatment using photodynamic therapy (drugs which are activated by light); served as professor of microbiology and immunology, University of British Columbia; co-founder (1981) and former CEO of Quadra Logic Technologies (now QLT PhotoTherapeutics), a leading Canadian pharmaceutical company where she pioneered work with photodynamic therapy; appointed chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of GeneMax Corp; later work has also focused on using photodynamic therapy to treat auto-immune diseases like arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Elected to Royal Society of Canada (1981).

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