Dr. Aaron Schimmer
Co-Leader,
Acute Leukemia TRI
Acute Leukemia TRI
Dr. Schimmer is a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network. He is the interim Associate Director of the Research at the Princess Margaret and an executive member of the Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology. He is the co-leader of OICR’s Acute Leukemia Translational Research Initiative. The Schimmer lab is focused in on developing new therapeutic strategies for leukemia with a focus on targeting dysregulated mitochondrial pathways in leukemic stem cells. Dr. Schimmer and his team advance novel molecules from the lab to the bedside.
Experience & Education
- Interim Associate Director, Princess Margaret Research Institute
- Head of Basic Research, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Health network
- President and Executive Member, Canadian Hematology Society
- Baker Chair in Leukemia and Related Diseases, University Health Network
- PhD, University of Toronto
- FRCPC, Hematology, Medical Council of Canada
- FRCPC, Internal Medicine, Medical Council of Canada
- MD, University of Toronto
Current Affiliations
- Research Director, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
- Co-leader, OICR Acute Leukemia Translational Research Initiative
- Executive member, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Health Network
- Executive member, Princess Margaret Research Institute
Select Publications
- Ishizawa J, Zarabi SF, Davis RE, …, Schimmer AD, Andreeff M. Mitochondrial ClpP-Mediated Proteolysis Induces Selective Cancer Cell Lethality. Cancer Cell. 2019;35(5):721-737.e9.
- Seneviratne AK, Xu M, Henao JJA, …, Schimmer AD. The Mitochondrial Transacylase, Tafazzin, Regulates AML Stemness by Modulating Intracellular Levels of Phospholipids. Cell Stem Cell. 2019;24(6):1007.
- Skrtic M, Sriskanthadevan S, Jhas B, …, Schimmer AD. Inhibition of mitochondrial translation as a therapeutic strategy for human acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Cell. 2011; 20:674-88.
- Sukhai MA, Prabha S, Hurren R, …, Schimmer AD. Lysosomal disruption preferentially targets acute myeloid leukemia cells and progenitors. J Clin Invest. 2013; 123:315-28.
- Cole A, Wang Z, Coyaud E, …, Schimmer AD. Inhibition of the Mitochondrial Protease ClpP as a Therapeutic Strategy for Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Cell. 2015; 27:864-76.
- Sriskanthadevan S, Jeyaraju DV, Chung TE, …, Schimmer AD. AML cells have low spare reserve capacity in their respiratory chain that renders them susceptible to oxidative metabolic stress. Blood. 2015; 125:2120-30.
- Liyanage SU, Hurren R, Voisin V, …, Schimmer AD. Leveraging increased cytoplasmic nucleoside kinase activity to target mtDNA and oxidative phosphorylation in AML. Blood. 2017; 129(19):2657-2666.
See Dr. Schimmer’s recent publications on PubMed.
Research Areas
Disease Areas
Awards
- Canadian Hematology Society, Paper of the Year, 2019
- University of Toronto, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Mentorship Award, 2019
- University of Toronto, Department of Medicine, Eaton Scholar, Basic Research, 2018
- Elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation, 2017
- University of Toronto, Division of Hematology, Paper of the Year Award, 2016
- Canadian Cancer Society, Young Investigator Award, 2013
- University Health Network, Inventor of the Year, 2012
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Paper of the Year, 2012
- Canadian Stem Cell Network, Till and McCulloch Award, 2012
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Joe Doupe Young Investigator Award, 2008
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America, Named Scholar in Clinical Research, 2008
Opportunities to Collaborate
To collaborate with Dr. Schimmer, please contact him directly.
Visit OICR’s Collaborative Research Resources directory for more opportunities to collaborate with OICR researchers.
Looking Ahead
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