Dr. Gary Paterno has been appointed associate dean of the Division of BioMedical Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine for a three-year term as of Jan. 1.

Dr. Paterno takes the reins after Dr. Karen Mearow's leadership for more than a decade and whose hard work and dedication to the Faculty of Medicine has been evident in the division's success.

While looking forward to what lies ahead, Dr. Paterno believes that the division is in a rejuvenation mode. With more and more baby boomers entering into their retirement years, there will be a search for new faculty over the next 5-10 years.

“Recruitment is important for the Division of BioMedical Sciences,” said Dr. Paterno. “This will be an opportunity to build upon the great faculty and researchers that we have, while at the same time, identifying what new areas of research should receive attention as retirements open up more positions.”

The Division of BioMedical Sciences plays an important role in the types of medical research scientists conduct on campus and is an interdependent relationship where teachers and learners play an important role for each other.

“We want to continue creating an environment that will encourage and foster research and help our researchers be the best teachers they can be."

A native of Niagara Falls, Ont., Dr. Paterno completed B.Sc. and master's degrees at the University of Toronto and a PhD at the University of Ottawa. He completed post-doctoral training at the Institut du cancer de Montréal and also trained in Oxford, U.K., at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund unit before coming to St. John’s, where he has lived for the past 25 years.

As a biomedical researcher in the Terry Fox Cancer Research Laboratories, Dr. Paterno primarily focuses on breast cancer research. His work is based upon the similarities between a developing embryo and a tumour. A tumor and an embryo both start with a single cell, but unlike a tumor, an embryo has control over the rate in which it divides, grows and changes. By using an embryo to examine certain control points, Dr. Paterno's lab has identified some critical genes that control the growth of cancer cells. Using this information, it is possible to develop tests for patients to determine how their condition has progressed and what treatment is the best approach at that point in time.

“It’s this type of "bench to bedside" research that helps us translate research findings into treatments that can benefit patients and our health-care system as a whole,” he said.

Dr. Paterno explains that Memorial’s Faculty of Medicine has a unique dynamic because it has a smaller number of faculty than some of the larger medical schools across the country. In larger post-secondary institutions, researchers and clinicians do not always have opportunities to collaborate on an individual level.

“By working closely together with clinicians, it really helps to create a strong relationship as we all strive to help our health-care system work better.”

In addition to the many research initiatives currently underway, faculty in the Division of BioMedical Sciences contribute to teaching in a variety of undergraduate courses in the Faculty of Medicine, the School of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Science. Because of this, Dr. Paterno is no stranger to the classroom. For many years he has been teaching embryology to first-year (now known as phase one) medical students.

“Science is the foundation of medicine and students need to know how something works and what it’s made of before they can diagnose a problem,” said Dr. Paterno. “Patient treatment is based on evidence that will guide treatment options and that’s where scientific research comes in.”

In recognition of his teaching excellence, Dr. Paterno was presented with the Faculty of Medicine’s Outstanding Teacher Award presented by the Class of 2009.

Dr. Paterno was also awarded the MUN Student Union Excellence in Teaching Award and Outstanding Contribution to Student Life in April 2014. The award is intended to give students the opportunity to give back to those faculty and staff members at Memorial who have had a positive impact on their lives.

“Dr. Paterno goes to great lengths to make the material accessible. He employs different props and demonstrations to allow the class to better relate to the microscopic processes involved in human development,” said medical student Matt Eagles, Class of 2017.

Dr. Paterno also likes to keep things interesting during lectures by using props to engage students, like a sword he uses as a pointer and to slice-and-dice preserved specimens.

Through these unique approaches to teaching, learning and research, Dr. Paterno brings great energy and positivity to the Division of BioMedical Sciences.